Zuozhuan Xuan Gong (春秋左氏傳 宣公) — the seventh book of the Zuo tradition of the Spring and Autumn Annals

The Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu) is the court chronicle of the state of Lu, a bare register of events entered year by year under the reigns of its twelve dukes. The Zuo Commentary (Zuozhuan) is the narrative that grew up around it: the fullest surviving account of the Zhou world in its centuries of contending states, thick with speeches, embassies, covenants, battles, quarrels over ritual, and judgments handed down by an unnamed "gentleman." Tradition attributes it to Zuo Qiuming, said to have been a contemporary of Confucius; the attribution is old but not secure, and the compilation as we have it is generally placed some centuries after the events it describes.

This book covers the reign of Duke Xuan of Lu, 608–591 BCE. Each year is given twice over: first the Annals — the clipped official entries of the Chunqiu, each one a sentence of the classic — and then the Zuo — the narrative that explains, expands, or quietly contradicts them. Those eighteen years hold the assassination of Duke Ling of Jin and the scribe Dong Hu's refusal to soften the record; the viscount of Chu asking the weight of the Zhou cauldrons on the borders of the royal domain; the ruin of the Ruo'ao clan; the siege of Zheng and the great defeat of Jin at Bi; the starvation of Song, where the besieged confessed to exchanging their children for food; and King Zhuang of Chu's refusal to heap up a monument of enemy dead.

Personal and place names are given in Hanyu pinyin without tone marks, and the ranks of the lords follow the conventional five: duke, marquis, earl, viscount, baron. Noblemen appear under several designations in the same paragraph — a personal name, a lineage name, a posthumous style ending in -zi — and the styles have been kept rather than flattened, since the text itself uses them to mark respect and distance.

Translated for the Good Works Library directly from the classical Chinese, which is printed in full below. The Zuo Commentary has been translated into English before, and no claim of firstness is made here; this version was made independently from the Chinese and did not consult any of them.

Contents

• Year 1 (宣公元年)
• Year 2 (宣公二年)
• Year 3 (宣公三年)
• Year 4 (宣公四年)
• Year 5 (宣公五年)
• Year 6 (宣公六年)
• Year 7 (宣公七年)
• Year 8 (宣公八年)
• Year 9 (宣公九年)
• Year 10 (宣公十年)
• Year 11 (宣公十一年)
• Year 12 (宣公十二年)
• Year 13 (宣公十三年)
• Year 14 (宣公十四年)
• Year 15 (宣公十五年)
• Year 16 (宣公十六年)
• Year 17 (宣公十七年)
• Year 18 (宣公十八年)

Translation

Year 1 (宣公元年)

Annals.

• In the first year, in spring, in the king's first month, the duke took his position.
• Prince Sui (公子遂) went to Qi to fetch the bride.
• In the third month, Sui arrived from Qi with the lady, wife Jiang.
• In summer, Jisun Xingfu went to Qi.
• Jin banished its grandee Xu Jiafu to Wei.
• The duke met the marquis of Qi at Pingzhou.
• Prince Sui went to Qi.
• In the sixth month, the men of Qi took the fields west of the Ji.
• In autumn, the viscount of Zhu came on a court visit.
• The viscount of Chu and the men of Zheng raided Chen, and then raided Song.
• Zhao Dun (趙盾) of Jin led an army to rescue Chen.
• The duke of Song, the marquis of Chen, the marquis of Wei, and the earl of Cao met the Jin army at Feilin and attacked Zheng.
• In winter, Zhao Chuan of Jin led an army and raided Chong.
• The men of Jin and the men of Song attacked Zheng.

Zuo.

In the first year, in spring, in the king's first month, Prince Sui went to Qi to fetch the bride: this honored the ruler's command.

In the third month, Sui arrived from Qi with the lady, wife Jiang: this honored the lady.

In summer, Ji Wenzi went to Qi, presented bribes, and asked for a meeting. The men of Jin punished those who had not obeyed orders: they banished Xu Jiafu to Wei and installed Xu Ke in his place, and Xian Xin fled to Qi. There was a meeting at Pingzhou, to settle the duke's position. Xiangzhong of the East Gate went to Qi to give thanks for the settlement.

In the sixth month, the men of Qi took the fields west of the Ji. It was on account of the establishing of the duke: the fields were a bribe to Qi. When the men of Song assassinated Duke Zhao, Xun Linfu (荀林父) of Jin had led the armies of the lords to attack Song. Song made peace with Jin, and Duke Wen of Song accepted a covenant with Jin. Jin also met the lords at Hu, meaning to punish Qi on behalf of Lu, but they all took bribes and went home. Duke Mu of Zheng said, "Jin is not worth siding with," and thereupon accepted a covenant with Chu. At the death of Duke Gong of Chen, the men of Chu did not treat him with ritual propriety, and Duke Ling of Chen accepted a covenant with Jin.

In autumn, the viscount of Chu raided Chen, and then raided Song. Zhao Dun of Jin led an army to rescue Chen and Song, and they met at Feilin in order to attack Zheng. Wei Jia of Chu came to rescue Zheng; they met at Beilin, where he took Xie Yang of Jin prisoner, and the men of Jin then went home. Jin wished to seek peace with Qin. Zhao Chuan said, "Let us raid Chong. Qin is anxious for Chong and will certainly rescue it; by this we may seek peace."

In winter, Zhao Chuan raided Chong, but Qin would not make peace with them. The men of Jin attacked Zheng, in requital for the engagement at Beilin. At this time the marquis of Jin was extravagant, and Zhao Xuanzi governed. He remonstrated repeatedly and was not heeded, and therefore Jin could not contend with Chu.

Year 2 (宣公二年)

Annals.

• In the second year, in spring, in the king's second month, on the day renzi, Hua Yuan of Song led an army and Prince Guisheng of Zheng led an army, and they fought at Daji. The Song army was routed, and Hua Yuan of Song was taken.
• The Qin army attacked Jin.
• In summer, the men of Jin, the men of Song, the men of Wei, and the men of Chen raided Zheng.
• In autumn, in the ninth month, on the day yichou, Zhao Dun of Jin assassinated his ruler Yigao.
• In winter, in the tenth month, on the day yihai, the Heavenly King died.

Zuo.

In the second year, in spring, Prince Guisheng of Zheng, having received orders from Chu, attacked Song. Hua Yuan (華元) and Yue Lü of Song resisted him.

In the second month, on the day renzi, they fought at Daji. The Song army was routed. Hua Yuan was taken prisoner and Yue Lü was captured, together with four hundred and sixty armored chariots; two hundred and fifty men were taken alive, and a hundred left ears were cut from the slain.

Kuang Jiao met a man of Zheng head-on. The man of Zheng fell into a well; Kuang Jiao reversed his halberd and drew him out of it, and the man of Zheng took Kuang Jiao prisoner. The gentleman said: "He lost ritual propriety and disobeyed his orders; it was fitting that he was taken. In war, to make resolution and firmness manifest and to act on them — this is what is called ritual propriety. To kill the enemy is resolution; to carry resolution through is firmness. To reverse this is to be cut down."

Before the battle, Hua Yuan had killed a sheep to feed his officers, and his charioteer Yang Zhen got none. When the battle came he said, "Yesterday's sheep was your affair; today's business is mine," and drove into the Zheng army — and so they were defeated. The gentleman said that Yang Zhen was no man at all: for a private grudge he ruined his state and destroyed its people; what punishment could be greater than his crime? When the Odes speak of "a man without goodness," surely it is Yang Zhen they mean — one who ravages the people to gratify himself.

The men of Song offered a hundred war chariots and a hundred teams of patterned horses to ransom Hua Yuan from Zheng. When half had been delivered, Hua Yuan escaped and came home. He stood outside the gate, announced himself, and entered. Seeing Shu Zang he said, "It was your horses that did it." He answered, "It was not the horses; it was the man." Having so replied, he fled to us.

Song was building its wall. Hua Yuan was overseer and made his rounds of the work. The wall-builders chanted:

Bulging his eyes,
big of belly,
he threw off his armor and came back home.
Bushy of beard, bushy of beard —
he threw off his armor and came back again.

He sent his side-rider to say to them, "There are hides on the oxen; rhinoceros and wild buffalo are still many. What does throwing off armor matter?" The laborers said, "Granted there are hides — but what of the red lacquer?" Hua Yuan said, "Let us go. Their mouths are many and ours are few."

The Qin army attacked Jin in requital for Chong, and then besieged Jiao.

In summer, Zhao Dun of Jin relieved Jiao, and then, going by way of Yindi, joined the armies of the lords in raiding Zheng, in requital for the engagement at Daji. Dou Jiao of Chu came to rescue Zheng, saying, "Can one want the lords for allies and hate their troubles?" He then encamped in Zheng to await the Jin army. Zhao Dun said, "That clan is contending for power in Chu; it is likely to come to ruin. Let us for the present aggravate its sickness." And he withdrew.

Duke Ling of Jin did not conduct himself as a ruler. He taxed heavily in order to have his walls carved and painted. From the top of a terrace he shot pellets at people and watched them dodge the pellets. When his cook boiled a bear's paw and it was not done, he killed him, put him in a basket, and had women carry him past the court. Zhao Dun and Shi Ji saw the hand, asked the reason, and were troubled by it. They were about to remonstrate when Shi Ji said, "If you remonstrate and are not heeded, no one will be left to follow you. Let me, Hui, go first; if I am not heeded, then you may follow." He advanced three times, as far as the eaves-drip, before the duke looked at him and said, "I know my fault; I will correct it." Shi Ji bowed his head to the ground and answered: "Who among men has no faults? To have a fault and be able to correct it — there is no greater good. The Odes say:

None is without a beginning;
few can bring it to an end.

"If that is so, then those who can mend their faults are few. If my lord can bring it to an end, the altars of soil and grain are made firm, and not the assembled ministers alone will depend upon it. They also say:

When there is a gap in the royal robe,
it is Zhong Shanfu who mends it.

"That is being able to mend a fault. If my lord can mend his faults, the royal robe will not be cast away." Still he did not reform.

Xuanzi remonstrated repeatedly. The duke was troubled by him and sent Chu Ni to murder him. He went at dawn. The door of the bedchamber stood open; Zhao Dun was in full dress ready for court, but it was still early, and he sat dozing. Ni withdrew and said with a sigh, "A man who does not forget reverence is a lord of the people. To murder a lord of the people is disloyal; to cast aside the ruler's command is faithless. To have either of these is worse than death." He dashed himself against a locust tree and died.

In autumn, in the ninth month, the marquis of Jin gave Zhao Dun wine, having hidden armored men to attack him. His right-hand man, Timi Ming, knew of it, hurried up the hall, and said, "For a subject at his ruler's feast to go beyond three cups is not ritually proper." He then helped him down. The duke set his mastiff on him; Ming grappled with the dog and killed it. Dun said, "To cast aside men and use a dog — however fierce, what can it do?" They fought their way out. Timi Ming died for him.

Earlier, Xuanzi had been hunting at Mount Shou and lodged at Yisang. He saw Ling Zhe starving and asked what ailed him. He said, "I have not eaten for three days." He fed him, and the man left half. Asked about it, he said, "I have been in service three years and do not know whether my mother is alive. Now that I am near home, let me leave this for her." Xuanzi made him finish it, and had a basket of food with meat made up, put in a bag, and given to him. Afterward this man was among the duke's armored guards. He turned his halberd about and held off the duke's men, and so let Zhao Dun escape. Asked why, he answered, "I am the starving man of Yisang." Asked his name and dwelling, he did not tell, but withdrew; and he then went into exile himself.

On the day yichou, Zhao Chuan attacked Duke Ling in the Peach Garden. Xuanzi had not yet passed beyond the mountains when he returned. The grand scribe wrote, "Zhao Dun assassinated his ruler," and showed it at court. Xuanzi said, "It was not so." He answered, "You are the chief minister. In flight you did not cross the border; on your return you did not punish the murderer. If not you, who?" Xuanzi said, "Alas! 'Because of my attachment I brought this grief upon myself' — that must be said of me." Confucius said: "Dong Hu was a good scribe of antiquity; his rule of writing concealed nothing. Zhao Xuanzi was a good grandee of antiquity; for the sake of the rule he accepted an evil name. A pity! Had he crossed the border he would have been free of it."

Xuanzi sent Zhao Chuan to fetch Prince Heitun from Zhou and set him up. On the day renshen he presented himself at the temple of Duke Wu. Earlier, at the time of the troubles of Li Ji, an oath had been sworn that no princes of the ducal house should be maintained, and from that time Jin had no Ducal Kindred. When Duke Cheng took the throne, he gave office to the principal sons of the ministers and granted them lands, making them the Ducal Kindred (公族). He also gave office to their other sons, who were made the Remaining Sons (餘子), and the sons by their secondary wives were made the Ducal Ranks (公行). From this time Jin had the Ducal Kindred, the Remaining Sons, and the Ducal Ranks. Zhao Dun asked that Kuo be made head of the Ducal Kindred, saying, "He is the beloved son of the lady Ji; but for the lady Ji, your servant would be a man of the Di." The duke granted it.

In winter, Zhao Dun took for himself the clan of the plume-chariots, and had Pingji, with his own former clan, serve as grandee of the Ducal Kindred.

Year 3 (宣公三年)

Annals.

• In the third year, in spring, in the king's first month, the mouth of the ox for the suburban sacrifice was injured; another ox was divined for, and that ox died. Accordingly the suburban sacrifice was not held, but the three distant sacrifices were still performed.
• King Kuang was buried.
• The viscount of Chu attacked the Rong of Luhun.
• In summer, the men of Chu raided Zheng.
• In autumn, the Red Di raided Qi.
• The Song army besieged Cao.
• In winter, in the tenth month, on the day bingxu, Lan, earl of Zheng, died.
• Duke Mu of Zheng was buried.

Zuo.

In the third year, in spring, to omit the suburban sacrifice and yet perform the distant sacrifices was in every way contrary to ritual propriety. The distant sacrifices are an appurtenance of the suburban sacrifice; if the suburban sacrifice is not held, it is right to have no distant sacrifices either.

The marquis of Jin attacked Zheng and reached Yan. Zheng made peace with Jin, and Shi Hui entered to swear the covenant.

The viscount of Chu attacked the Rong of Luhun, and then went on as far as the Luo, and displayed his troops on the borders of Zhou. King Ding sent Wangsun Man to comfort the viscount of Chu, and the viscount of Chu asked about the size and weight of the cauldrons. He answered: "It lies in virtue, not in the cauldrons. Long ago, when Xia possessed virtue, the distant regions made pictures of their creatures, and the nine pastors sent metal in tribute. Cauldrons were cast with the images of the creatures, and all creatures were made present upon them, so that the people might know the spirits and the malign things. Therefore when the people went into the rivers and marshes, the hills and forests, they did not meet with what was hostile to them; the chi and mei and the wangliang could not come upon them. By this means high and low were brought into harmony, and the blessing of Heaven was received. When Jie's virtue was darkened, the cauldrons passed to Shang, and the sacrifices continued six hundred years. When Zhou Xin of Shang was cruel and oppressive, the cauldrons passed to Zhou. When virtue is fair and bright, the cauldrons, though small, are heavy; when it is crooked, dark, and disordered, they are light though large. Heaven blesses bright virtue, but there is a term set to it. King Cheng fixed the cauldrons at Jiaru, and the divination gave thirty generations and seven hundred years: this is what Heaven decreed. Though the virtue of Zhou has declined, the mandate of Heaven has not changed. The weight of the cauldrons may not yet be asked about."

In summer, the men of Chu raided Zheng, because Zheng had gone over to Jin. In the third year after Duke Wen of Song took the throne, he killed his younger brother by the same mother, Xu, and the son of Duke Zhao; this was on the plotting of the Wu clan. He had the clans descended from Dukes Dai and Huan attack the Wu clan at the lodge of the marshal Zibo, and drove out all the clans descended from Dukes Wu and Mu. Those clans then attacked Song with the army of Cao.

In autumn, the Song army besieged Cao, in requital for the disorder of the Wu clan.

In winter, Duke Mu of Zheng died. Earlier, Duke Wen of Zheng had a concubine of low rank named Yan Jie. She dreamed that a messenger of Heaven gave her an orchid, saying, "I am Bo Tiao; I am your ancestor. Take this as your son. Since the orchid has the finest fragrance in the state, people will wear it and be drawn to it just so." Afterward Duke Wen saw her, gave her an orchid, and took her to his bed. She declined, saying, "Your handmaid is of no account. If by good fortune I have a son, it will not be believed. May I dare to keep the orchid as proof?" The duke said, "Agreed." She gave birth to Duke Mu, and named him Lan, "Orchid."

Duke Wen took to himself the consort of Zheng Zi, named Chen Gui, and she bore Zihua and Zizang. Zizang committed an offense and left the state; the duke lured Zihua and killed him at Nanli, and had robbers kill Zizang between Chen and Song. He also married a woman of Jiang, who bore Prince Shi. When Shi went to court in Chu, the men of Chu poisoned him, and he died on reaching She. He also married a woman of Su, who bore Zixia and Zi Yumi. Yumi died young. Xie Jia hated Xia, and Duke Wen hated him too, and therefore he was not made heir. The duke drove out all the princes, and Prince Lan fled to Jin and followed Duke Wen of Jin in attacking Zheng. Shi Gui said, "I have heard that when Ji and Jie are matched, their descendants are sure to be numerous. The Jie are a fortunate people; a woman of Jie was the principal consort of Houji. Now Prince Lan is a sister's son of the Jie. Perhaps Heaven is opening the way for him; he will surely become ruler, and his posterity will surely be numerous. If we bring him in first, we may hold high favor." Together with Kong Jiangchu and Hou Xuanduo he brought him in, swore a covenant in the great ancestral temple, and set him up, and by this made peace with Jin. When Duke Mu fell ill, he said, "When the orchid dies, shall I die too? It was by it that I came to be." The orchid was cut, and he died.

Year 4 (宣公四年)

Annals.

• In the fourth year, in spring, in the king's first month, the duke and the marquis of Qi made peace between Ju and Tan. The men of Ju were unwilling; the duke attacked Ju and took Xiang.
• Dao, earl of Qin, died.
• In summer, in the sixth month, on the day yiyou, Prince Guisheng of Zheng assassinated his ruler Yi.
• The Red Di raided Qi.
• In autumn, the duke went to Qi.
• The duke arrived from Qi.
• In winter, the viscount of Chu attacked Zheng.

Zuo.

In the fourth year, in spring, the duke and the marquis of Qi made peace between Ju and Tan. The men of Ju were unwilling, and the duke attacked Ju and took Xiang: this was contrary to ritual propriety. States are pacified by ritual propriety, not by disorder. To attack and not to set in order is disorder. To pacify disorder with disorder — what ordering is there in that? And where there is no ordering, how shall ritual propriety be carried out?

The men of Chu presented a large turtle to Duke Ling of Zheng. Prince Song and Zijia were about to have audience when Zigong's forefinger twitched. He showed it to Zijia and said, "On other days when this has happened to me, I have always tasted some rare flavor." When they went in, the cook was about to cut up the turtle. They looked at each other and laughed; the duke asked about it, and Zijia told him. When the grandees were served the turtle, he summoned Zigong but gave him none. Zigong was angry, dipped his finger in the cauldron, tasted, and went out. The duke was angry and wished to kill Zigong. Zigong plotted with Zijia to strike first. Zijia said, "Even with an animal grown old one shrinks from killing it — how much more a ruler?" Zigong then turned about and slandered Zijia, and Zijia in fear went along with him.

In summer they assassinated Duke Ling. The record says, "Prince Guisheng of Zheng assassinated his ruler Yi," because his authority was not sufficient. The gentleman said: "Benevolent but not resolute, he could not carry it through. In all cases of assassinating a ruler, when the ruler is named, the ruler was without the Way; when the subject is named, the fault was the subject's."

The men of Zheng wished to set up Ziliang. He declined, saying, "If by worthiness, then Quji is not enough; if by proper order, then Prince Jian is the elder." So Duke Xiang was set up. Duke Xiang intended to remove the Mu clans but to spare Ziliang. Ziliang would not have it, saying, "If the Mu clans deserve to survive, that is what I have always wished. If they are to perish, then let all perish. What is Quji to be spared for?" So the duke let them be, and they all became grandees.

Earlier, Ziliang, marshal of Chu, had a son, Ziyue Jiao. Ziwen said, "You must kill him. This child has the look of a bear or tiger and the cry of a jackal or wolf. If he is not killed, he will surely destroy the Ruo'ao clan. The proverb says, 'A wolf cub has a wild heart.' This is a wolf. Can he be reared?" Ziliang would not do it, and Ziwen took it as a great grief. When he was about to die, he gathered his clan and said, "When Jiao takes charge of the government, go quickly, so that the calamity does not reach you." And weeping he said, "Even ghosts seek food. Will the ghosts of the Ruo'ao clan not go hungry?"

When the chief minister Ziwen died, Dou Ban became chief minister, Ziyue marshal, and Wei Jia master of works; Wei Jia slandered Ziyang and had him killed. Ziyue became chief minister and Wei Jia himself became marshal. Ziyue also hated him, and with the Ruo'ao clan he imprisoned Bo Ying at Liaoyang and killed him. He then took position at Zhengye, meaning to attack the king. The king offered him the sons of the three former kings as hostages; he would not accept them. The king took up position with his army at the bank of the Zhang.

In autumn, in the seventh month, on the day wuxu, the viscount of Chu fought the Ruo'ao clan at Gaohu. Bofen shot at the king; the arrow passed over the chariot-shaft, went beyond the drum-stand, and lodged in the bell. He shot again; the arrow passed over the shaft and pierced the canopy-hub. The army was afraid and fell back. The king sent men through the ranks to say, "Our former ruler King Wen, when he conquered Xi, obtained three arrows there. Bofen stole two of them, and they are now used up." He beat the drums and advanced, and so destroyed the Ruo'ao clan.

Earlier, Ruo'ao had married a woman of Yun, who bore Dou Bobi. When Ruo'ao died, Bobi went with his mother and was reared in Yun. He had illicit relations with the daughter of the viscount of Yun, and Ziwen was born of it. The wife of the viscount of Yun had the child abandoned in the marsh of Meng. A tigress suckled him. The viscount of Yun, out hunting, saw it and went home in fear; his wife told him the truth, and he then had the child taken up. The people of Chu call suckling gou and call a tiger wutu; therefore they named him Dou Gou-wutu. The viscount gave his daughter to Bobi in marriage. This was the chief minister Ziwen.

His grandson Kehuang, the admonisher, was on a mission to Qi. Returning, he reached Song and heard of the disorder. His people said, "You cannot go in now." The admonisher said, "If I cast aside my ruler's command, who else will take it up? The ruler is Heaven; can Heaven be fled?" He went back, reported on his mission, and delivered himself up to the minister of justice. The king remembered how Ziwen had governed the state of Chu, and said, "If Ziwen has no posterity, how shall goodness be encouraged?" He restored him to his post, and changed his name to Sheng, "Life."

In winter, the viscount of Chu attacked Zheng, because Zheng had not yet submitted.

Year 5 (宣公五年)

Annals.

• In the fifth year, in spring, the duke went to Qi.
• In summer, the duke arrived from Qi.
• In autumn, in the ninth month, Gao Gu of Qi came to fetch Shu Ji.
• Shusun Dechen died.
• In winter, Gao Gu of Qi and the lady Shu Ji came.
• The men of Chu attacked Zheng.

Zuo.

In the fifth year, in spring, the duke went to Qi. Gao Gu had the marquis of Qi detain the duke, and asked for Shu Ji.

In summer, the duke arrived from Qi: the record notes his fault.

In autumn, in the ninth month, Gao Gu of Qi came to fetch a bride. He did it for himself, and therefore the record says, "came to fetch Shu Ji" — that is, he fetched her in person.

In winter they came: this was the returning of the horses. The viscount of Chu attacked Zheng. Chen made peace with Chu, and Xun Linfu of Jin rescued Zheng and attacked Chen.

Year 6 (宣公六年)

Annals.

• In the sixth year, in spring, Zhao Dun of Jin and Sun Mian of Wei raided Chen.
• In summer, the fourth month.
• In autumn, in the eighth month, there were locusts.
• In winter, the tenth month.

Zuo.

In the sixth year, in spring, Jin and Wei raided Chen, because Chen had gone over to Chu.

In summer, King Ding sent Zifu to seek a queen in Qi.

In autumn, the Red Di attacked Jin, besieged Huai, and reached Xingqiu. The marquis of Jin wished to attack them. Zhonghang Huanzi said, "Let him afflict his own people until his string of offenses is full; then he may be struck down. The Documents of Zhou say, 'He struck down the great Yin.' This is a case of that kind."

In winter, Duke Huan of Shao went to Qi to fetch the queen. The men of Chu attacked Zheng, obtained terms, and returned. Prince Manman of Zheng spoke with the royal prince Boliao, wishing to be made a minister. Boliao told others, "Without virtue and yet covetous — in the Zhou Changes this is Feng passing into Li; he will not get past it." After a year had passed, the men of Zheng killed him.

Year 7 (宣公七年)

Annals.

• In the seventh year, in spring, the marquis of Wei sent Sun Liangfu to us to swear a covenant.
• In summer, the duke met the marquis of Qi and attacked Lai.
• In autumn, the duke arrived from the attack on Lai.
• There was a great drought.
• In winter, the duke met the marquis of Jin, the duke of Song, the marquis of Wei, the earl of Zheng, and the earl of Cao at Heirang.

Zuo.

In the seventh year, in spring, Sun Huanzi of Wei came to swear a covenant. Relations were opened for the first time, and there was also planning for a meeting with Jin.

In summer, the duke met the marquis of Qi and attacked Lai; he had no part in the planning. In general, when armies go out, if one has shared in the planning the record says "together with"; if one has not shared in the planning it says "met." The Red Di raided Jin and took the grain of Xiangyin. Zheng made peace with Jin; this was Prince Song's plan, and therefore he attended the earl of Zheng at the meeting.

In winter there was a covenant at Heirang, over which Duke Huan, the king's uncle, presided, to take counsel about those not at peace. When the marquis of Jin was set up, our duke did not go to his court, nor did he send a grandee on a diplomatic visit; so the men of Jin detained the duke at the meeting. They swore a covenant at Huangfu, in which the duke did not take part, and he was released by a bribe. Therefore the covenant at Heirang is not recorded: it was concealed.

Year 8 (宣公八年)

Annals.

• In the eighth year, in spring, the duke arrived from the meeting.
• In summer, in the sixth month, Prince Sui went to Qi; he reached Huang and turned back.
• On the day xinsi there was a service in the great ancestral temple; Zhong Sui died at Chui.
• On the day renwu the second-day sacrifice was still performed; the wan dancers entered, but the flutes were dispensed with.
• On the day wuzi the duke's wife, the lady Ying, passed away.
• The Jin army and the White Di attacked Qin.
• The men of Chu extinguished Shuliao.
• In autumn, in the seventh month, on the day jiazi, there was an eclipse of the sun, and it was total.
• In winter, in the tenth month, on the day jichou, we buried our little lady Jing Ying; rain prevented the burial.
• On the day gengyin, at midday, the burial was accomplished.
• A wall was built at Pingyang.
• The Chu army attacked Chen.

Zuo.

In spring, the White Di made peace with Jin.

In summer, we joined Jin in attacking Qin. The men of Jin caught a Qin spy and killed him in the market of Jiang; after six days he revived. There was a service in the great ancestral temple; Xiangzhong died, and yet the second-day sacrifice was performed — this was contrary to ritual propriety. Because the various Shu had revolted, Chu attacked Shuliao and extinguished it. The viscount of Chu fixed its boundaries as far as the bend of the Hua, swore covenants with Wu and Yue, and returned. Xu Ke of Jin had a wasting illness, and Xi Que took charge of the government.

In autumn, Xu Ke was dismissed, and Zhao Shuo was made assistant commander of the lower army.

In winter, Jing Ying was buried. Because of the drought there was no hemp, and kudzu ropes were used for the first time. Rain prevented the burial, and this was according to ritual propriety. By the rites, in divining for a burial the more distant day is taken first, to avoid the appearance of not cherishing the dead. A wall was built at Pingyang; the record notes that it was done in season. Chen made peace with Jin; the Chu army attacked Chen, obtained terms, and returned.

Year 9 (宣公九年)

Annals.

• In the ninth year, in spring, in the king's first month, the duke went to Qi.
• The duke arrived from Qi.
• In summer, Mengsun Mie went to the royal capital.
• The marquis of Qi attacked Lai.
• In autumn, Genmou was taken.
• In the eighth month, the viscount of Teng died.
• In the ninth month, the marquis of Jin, the duke of Song, the marquis of Wei, the earl of Zheng, and the earl of Cao met at Hu.
• Xun Linfu of Jin led an army and attacked Chen.
• On the day xinyou, Heitun, marquis of Jin, died at Hu.
• In winter, in the tenth month, on the day guiyou, Zheng, marquis of Wei, died.
• The men of Song besieged Teng.
• The viscount of Chu attacked Zheng.
• Xi Que of Jin led an army to rescue Zheng.
• Chen killed its grandee Xie Ye.

Zuo.

In spring, the king sent an envoy to us to call for a diplomatic visit.

In summer, Meng Xianzi paid a diplomatic visit to Zhou. The king held that he had ritual propriety, and gave him rich gifts.

In autumn, Genmou was taken; the record says it because it was easy. Duke Zhao of Teng died. There was a meeting at Hu, to punish those not at peace. The marquis of Chen did not attend, and Xun Linfu of Jin led the armies of the lords to attack Chen. The marquis of Jin died at Hu, and they turned back.

In winter, the men of Song besieged Teng, taking advantage of its mourning. Duke Ling of Chen, with Kong Ning and Yi Xingfu, had illicit relations with Xia Ji, and all of them wore her undergarments beneath their clothes and made sport with them at court. Xie Ye remonstrated, saying, "When the duke and his ministers make license public, the people have nothing to model themselves on, and what is heard of it is not good. Let my lord put these things away." The duke said, "I can reform." The duke told the two men, and the two asked leave to kill him. The duke did not forbid it, and so they killed Xie Ye. Confucius said: "The Odes say,

When the people have many depravities,
do not set up a standard of your own.

Surely this is said of Xie Ye!"

The viscount of Chu, on account of the campaign at Li, attacked Zheng. Xi Que of Jin rescued Zheng. The earl of Zheng defeated the Chu army at Liufen. The people of the capital were all delighted; only Ziliang was troubled, and said, "This is a calamity for the state. My own death cannot be far off."

Year 10 (宣公十年)

Annals.

• In spring, the duke went to Qi.
• The duke arrived from Qi.
• The men of Qi returned to us the fields west of the Ji.
• In summer, in the fourth month, on the day bingchen, there was an eclipse of the sun.
• On the day jisi, Yuan, marquis of Qi, died.
• The Cui clan of Qi fled to Wei.
• The duke went to Qi.
• In the fifth month, the duke arrived from Qi.
• On the day guisi, Xia Zhengshu of Chen assassinated his ruler Pingguo.
• In the sixth month, the Song army attacked Teng.
• Gongsun Guifu went to Qi.
• Duke Hui of Qi was buried.
• The men of Jin, the men of Song, the men of Wei, and the men of Cao attacked Zheng.
• In autumn, the Heavenly King sent the royal prince Jizi to us on a diplomatic visit.
• Gongsun Guifu led an army and attacked Zhu, and took Yi.
• There was a great flood.
• Jisun Xingfu went to Qi.
• In winter, Gongsun Guifu went to Qi.
• The marquis of Qi sent Guo Zuo to us on a diplomatic visit.
• There was famine.
• The viscount of Chu attacked Zheng.

Zuo.

In spring, the duke went to Qi. The marquis of Qi, because we had submitted, returned the fields west of the Ji.

In summer, Duke Hui of Qi died. Cui Zhu had been favored by Duke Hui, and the Gao and Guo families feared his pressing upon them. When the duke died they drove him out, and he fled to Wei. The record says "the Cui clan," because it was not his own fault, and also because the notice sent out named the clan and not the man. In general, when a grandee of one of the lords leaves his state, the notice given to the lords says, "So-and-so, guardian servant of such-and-such a clan, has failed in guarding the ancestral temple, and we venture to report it." Notice is given to those with whom there is an exchange of envoys bearing jade and silk; otherwise it is not.

The duke went to Qi to attend the mourning. Duke Ling of Chen, with Kong Ning and Yi Xingfu, drank wine at the house of the Xia. The duke said to Xingfu, "Zhengshu resembles you." He answered, "He resembles my lord as well." Zhengshu was mortified by it. When the duke came out, Zhengshu shot him from his stable and killed him. The two men fled to Chu. The people of Teng relied on Jin and did not serve Song.

In the sixth month, the Song army attacked Teng. Zheng made peace with Chu; the armies of the lords attacked Zheng, obtained terms, and returned.

In autumn, Duke Kang of Liu came on a return diplomatic visit. Our army attacked Zhu and took Yi. Ji Wenzi paid his first diplomatic visit to Qi.

In winter, Zijia went to Qi, on account of the attack on Zhu. Guo Wuzi came on a return diplomatic visit. The viscount of Chu attacked Zheng; Shi Hui of Jin rescued Zheng and drove the Chu army back north of the Ying, and the armies of the lords garrisoned Zheng. Zijia of Zheng died. The men of Zheng punished the disorder in which Duke You had died: they hacked open Zijia's coffin and drove out his clan, reburied Duke You, and gave him the posthumous name Ling.

Year 11 (宣公十一年)

Annals.

• In the eleventh year, in spring, the king's first month.
• In summer, the viscount of Chu, the marquis of Chen, and the earl of Zheng swore a covenant at Chenling.
• Gongsun Guifu met the men of Qi and attacked Ju.
• In autumn, the marquis of Jin met the Di at Cuanhan.
• In winter, in the tenth month, the men of Chu killed Xia Zhengshu of Chen.
• On the day dinghai the viscount of Chu entered Chen, and brought Gongsun Ning and Yi Xingfu back into Chen.

Zuo.

In the eleventh year, in spring, the viscount of Chu attacked Zheng and reached Li. Ziliang said, "Jin and Chu do not work at virtue but contend with arms. It is right to side with whichever of them comes. Jin and Chu keep no good faith; how then can we keep good faith?" And so Zheng followed Chu.

In summer, Chu swore a covenant at Chenling, because Chen and Zheng had submitted. Zizhong, left aide of Chu, raided Song, and the king awaited him at Yan. The chief minister Wei Ailie built a wall at Yi. He had the border officer plan the work and hand it over to the minister of education. They measured the labor and fixed the number of days, apportioned the materials and expenses, made level the boards and posts, weighed out baskets and rammers, reckoned the earth and the materials, deliberated on the distances near and far, marked out the foundations, provided the dry rations, and assessed the officers needed. The work was finished in thirty days and did not exceed the plan. Xi Chengzi of Jin sought terms with the various Di. The various Di were sick of their service to the Red Di, and so submitted to Jin.

In autumn there was a meeting at Cuanhan, because the various Di had submitted. On this expedition the grandees wished to summon the Di. Xi Chengzi said, "I have heard it said: where there is no virtue, nothing is like diligence; and without diligence how shall one seek men? He who can be diligent will have successors, and men will follow him. The Odes say, 'King Wen was diligent indeed.' If even King Wen was diligent, how much more one of scant virtue!"

In winter, the viscount of Chu, on account of the disorder of the Xia clan in Chen, attacked Chen. He told the men of Chen not to stir, since he would punish only the Shaoxi clan. He then entered Chen, killed Xia Zhengshu, tore him apart by chariots at the Chestnut Gate, and thereupon made Chen a county.

The marquis of Chen was in Jin. Shen Shushi, returning from a mission to Qi, reported on his mission and withdrew. The king had him reproved: "Xia Zhengshu acted without the Way and assassinated his ruler. I punished and executed him together with the lords, and all the lords and county magistrates have congratulated me. You alone do not congratulate me. Why?" He answered, "May I still explain?" The king said, "You may." He said: "Xia Zhengshu assassinated his ruler; his crime was great. To punish and execute him was my lord's righteousness. Yet people also have a saying: 'A man led his ox across another's field, and they took his ox from him.' The man who led his ox across it was indeed at fault; but to take his ox is punishment far too heavy. When the lords followed you, they said, 'He is punishing the guilty.' Now you make Chen a county, and that is coveting its wealth. To summon the lords in the name of punishment and send them home in the name of covetousness — is this not improper?" The king said, "Well said! I had not heard this. Can it be restored?" He answered, "We small men would call this taking something from one's own bosom and giving it back." So he restored Chen as a state, taking one man from each district back with him; these were called Xiazhou. Therefore the record says, "The viscount of Chu entered Chen and brought Gongsun Ning and Yi Xingfu back into Chen." The record notes that he had ritual propriety.

At the campaign of Li the earl of Zheng had escaped home, and from that time Chu had not had its will there. Zheng, having accepted the covenant at Chenling, also sought to serve Jin.

Year 12 (宣公十二年)

Annals.

• In spring, Duke Ling of Chen was buried.
• The viscount of Chu besieged Zheng.
• In summer, in the sixth month, on the day yimao, Xun Linfu of Jin led an army and fought the viscount of Chu at Bi. The Jin army was routed.
• In autumn, the seventh month.
• In winter, in the twelfth month, on the day wuyin, the viscount of Chu extinguished Xiao.
• The men of Jin, the men of Song, the men of Wei, and the men of Cao swore a joint covenant at Qingqiu.
• The Song army attacked Chen, and the men of Wei rescued Chen.

Zuo.

In spring, the viscount of Chu besieged Zheng for seventeen days. The men of Zheng divined about suing for peace, and it was unfavorable; they divined about wailing in the great ancestral temple and bringing the chariots out into the lanes, and it was favorable. The people of the capital wailed aloud, and those guarding the battlements all wept. The viscount of Chu drew off his army; the men of Zheng repaired their walls; and he advanced and besieged them again.

In the third month he took the city, entering by the Huang Gate and reaching the main thoroughfare. The earl of Zheng, baring his flesh and leading a sheep, came out to meet him and said: "I, the orphan, have not been favored by Heaven, and have been unable to serve my lord, so that my lord has harbored anger and it has come upon my poor city. The fault is mine. I dare do nothing but obey your command. If you carry us off captive to the south of the Yangzi to fill the seacoast, that too is at your command. If you cut us up and bestow us on the lords, making us your servants and handmaids, that too is at your command. But if you kindly regard our former friendship and seek blessing from Li, Xuan, Huan, and Wu, and do not blot out our altars of soil and grain, but let us change and serve my lord, ranked with your nine counties — that would be my lord's kindness and my own wish, though not what I dare hope for. I venture to lay open my heart; let my lord consider it." Those about him said, "You must not grant it. When a state has been taken, there is no pardon." The king said, "Their ruler can put himself below others; he will surely be able to use his people in good faith. How can we hope for more?" He withdrew thirty li and granted them peace. Pan Wang went in to swear the covenant, and Ziliang came out as hostage.

In summer, in the sixth month, the army of Jin went to the rescue of Zheng. Xun Linfu commanded the central army, with Xian Hu (先縠) as his second; Shi Hui commanded the upper army, with Xi Ke (郤克) as his second; Zhao Shuo commanded the lower army, with Luan Shu (欒書) as his second. Zhao Kuo and Zhao Yingqi were grandees of the central army; Gong Shuo and Han Chuan were grandees of the upper army; Xun Shou and Zhao Tong were grandees of the lower army; Han Jue was marshal.

When they reached the Yellow River they heard that Zheng had already made peace with Chu. Huanzi wished to turn back, and said, "We cannot reach Zheng in time, and to wear out the people for nothing — what use is that? Let Chu go home, and then we move; we shall not be too late."

Sui Wuzi said, "Good. I, Hui, have heard that in using an army one watches for a flaw and then moves. Where virtue, punishment, government, service, statute, and ritual are not out of order, a state cannot be opposed. It is not against such a state that one campaigns. When the Chu army punished Zheng, it was angry at Zheng's double dealing and yet pitied its humbling; when Zheng rebelled they attacked it, and when it submitted they let it be. Virtue and punishment are complete in them. To attack the rebellious is punishment; to deal gently with the submissive is virtue; both are established there.

"Last year they entered Chen, this year they entered Zheng, and yet the people are not worn out and there is no resentful murmuring against the ruler: their government has its constant rule. They muster in the jingshi array and take the field, and yet merchants, farmers, artisans, and traders do not lose their livelihoods, and footmen and chariot crews are in harmony together: their service is not disordered. Wei Ao is made steward, and he selects out the good statutes of the state of Chu. On the march, the right column keeps to the chariot shafts and the left goes for fodder and bedding; the vanguard scouts with signal grass against the unforeseen, the center takes counsel, the rear is the strong force. The hundred officers move by their standards, and the army's business is ready without any warning being given: they are able to use their statutes.

"In their ruler's appointments, from within his own surname he chooses among his kin, and from the other surnames he chooses among the long-serving. In raising men he does not overlook virtue; in rewarding he does not overlook toil. The aged receive added kindness; those on service receive grants and remissions. For noble and for common man alike each rank has its own robes and insignia; the honorable have their constant dignity, and the humble have their graded awe: their rites are not contrary. Virtue is established and punishment carried out; government is accomplished and services are timely; statutes are followed and rites are in order. How is one to oppose them?

"To advance when you see it is possible and to withdraw when you know it is hard — that is the good management of an army. To annex the weak and attack the benighted — that is the good constant of the martial art. Let my lord for the present put the army in order and govern our military. There are still those who are weak and benighted; why must it be Chu? Zhong Hui has a saying, 'Seize the disordered, slight the perishing' — that is annexing the weak. The 'Zhuo' says, 'Ah, splendid was the king's host; he kept to it and nourished it through that time of darkness' — that is subduing the benighted. The 'Wu' says, 'Unmatched was his ardor.' To comfort the weak and subdue the benighted, and so to labor where glory lies — this would be right."

Zhizi said, "It will not do. What made Jin hegemon was the army's martial spirit and the ministers' strength. To lose the lords now cannot be called strength; to have an enemy before us and not go against him cannot be called martial. If the hegemony is lost through me, I had better die. Besides, to go out with a full-formed army and then withdraw on hearing that the enemy is strong is not the act of a man. To be commissioned as a commander of the army and end as no man — you gentlemen may be capable of that; I will not do it." And with the forces under his own command as second of the central army, he crossed the river.

Zhi Zhuangzi said, "This army is in danger. The Zhou Changes has it: in 'Army' going over to 'Approach' it says, 'The army goes out by the rule; if it is not good, there is misfortune.' When the conduct of affairs is compliant and brings completion, that is 'good'; when it is contrary, that is 'not.' The host scattered becomes weakness; a river dammed becomes a marsh. Where the rule holds, the host answers as one's own body; hence the words 'rule,' 'not,' and 'good.' Moreover the rule here is drained away. Full, and yet drained; cut off in its prime and out of order — that is why it is inauspicious. Not to move is what is called 'Approach.' To have a commander and not follow him — what greater 'Approach' than that? This is what is meant. If we do meet the enemy we shall certainly be beaten, and Zhizi will bear the corpse of it. Even if he escapes and comes home, great calamity must fall on him."

Han Xianzi said to Huanzi, "Zhizi has gone in with a detached force and will be trapped, and your fault will be great. You are commander-in-chief; if the army does not obey orders, whose fault is that? To lose a subordinate division and lose the army — that guilt is heavy enough already; better to advance. If the affair does not succeed, the blame will at least be divided. Rather than bear the guilt alone, let six men share it. Is that not better?" So the army crossed.

The viscount of Chu marched his army north and halted at Yan. The yin of Shen commanded the central army, Zizhong the left, and Zifan the right; he meant to water his horses at the Yellow River and then go home. Hearing that the Jin army had crossed, the king wished to turn back. His favorite Wu Can wanted to fight; the chief minister Sunshu Ao did not, and said, "Last year we entered Chen, this year we entered Zheng; we have not been without business. If we fight and do not win, would Can's flesh be enough to eat?" Can said, "If the affair succeeds, then Sunshu will have shown himself a man without a plan. If it does not succeed, Can's flesh will be lying in the Jin army — how will you get to eat it?" The chief minister turned the chariot shafts to the south and reversed the banners.

Wu Can said to the king, "The man who now directs Jin's government is new, and cannot yet make his orders run. His second, Xian Hu, is hard, self-willed, and without humaneness, and is unwilling to obey commands. Of the three commanders, each would act alone and is not permitted to, and each must obey and yet has no one over him. Whom is the host to follow? On this expedition the Jin army must be beaten. Besides, if a ruler flees before a subject, what of the altars of the state?" The king was troubled by this. He told the chief minister, who changed the chariot shafts and turned north, and they halted at Guan to wait for the enemy.

The Jin army lay between Ao and Hao. Huang Xu of Zheng was sent to the Jin army and said, "Zheng's following of Chu was for the sake of its altars; we have no divided heart. The Chu army has won repeatedly and is arrogant; its troops are worn out and it has made no preparation. If you strike them, the army of Zheng will come up in support, and the Chu army will surely be beaten." Zhizi said, "To beat Chu and bring Zheng to submission lies in this. We must agree to it."

Luan Wuzi said, "Since Chu overcame Yong, there has not been a day when its ruler did not gather the people of the state and instruct them that living is not easy, that disaster may come on any day, and that vigilance and fear must not slacken. In the army, not a day passes without his mustering the stores and men and warning them again that victory cannot be held secure; that Zhou of Shang conquered a hundred times and in the end had no posterity. He instructs them with Ruo'ao and Fenmao, who in brushwood carts and ragged clothes opened up the hills and forests. He admonishes them, 'The people's living lies in diligence, and with diligence there is no want.' They cannot be called arrogant.

"The former grandee Zifan had a saying, 'An army in the right is vigorous; in the wrong it is worn out.' We have been without virtue and have courted the resentment of Chu. We are in the wrong and Chu is in the right; they cannot be called worn out. Their ruler's war-chariots are divided into two guang. Each guang has its company, and the company has the two half-sections of a squadron. The right guang is harnessed first and holds duty till midday; then the left takes it over and holds till dusk. The inner officers take the night watch in their order, to be ready against the unforeseen. They cannot be called unprepared.

"Ziliang is the best man of Zheng; Shishu is honored in Chu. Shishu went in to make the covenant and Ziliang is in Chu: Chu and Zheng are close. He comes urging us to fight. If we win, they will come to us; if we do not win, they will go over to Chu. They are using us as their divination. Zheng is not to be followed."

Zhao Kuo and Zhao Tong said, "We led an army here seeking nothing but the enemy. To beat the enemy and gain adherents — what more is there to wait for? We must follow Zhizi." Zhi Ji said, "Yuan and Ping are of the company of calamity." Zhao Zhuangzi said, "Luan Bo — well said! If he makes his words good, he will surely be a chief of the state of Jin."

The junior steward of Chu came to the Jin army and said, "Our unworthy ruler in his youth met with grief and misfortune, and he is not skilled in fine words. He has heard that two of his forebears went out and came in along this road, and his purpose is to instruct and settle Zheng. How should he dare seek a quarrel with Jin? Let you gentlemen not linger long." Sui Ji replied, "Long ago King Ping charged our former ruler Marquis Wen, 'Together with Zheng, support the house of Zhou on either side, and do not let the king's charge fall.' Now Zheng does not follow, and our unworthy ruler has sent his ministers to make inquiry of Zheng. How should we dare put your scouts to trouble? We venture to bow for the condescension of your ruler's message." Zhizi thought this fawning, and sent Zhao Kuo after him to alter it, saying, "Our envoy misspoke. Our unworthy ruler has sent his ministers to sweep the tracks of a great state out of Zheng, saying, 'Do not avoid the enemy; the ministers have nowhere to flee from their charge.'"

The viscount of Chu again sent to seek peace with Jin. The men of Jin agreed, and a day was set for the covenant.

Xu Bo of Chu drove for Yue Bo, with She Shu as the man on the right, to deliver a challenge to the Jin army. Xu Bo said, "I have heard that in delivering a challenge the driver makes the pennons stream flat, grazes the enemy's rampart, and returns." Yue Bo said, "I have heard that in delivering a challenge the man on the left shoots with a fine arrow, then takes the reins in the driver's place while the driver gets down, straightens the collars of the two horses, and returns." She Shu said, "I have heard that in delivering a challenge the man on the right goes inside the rampart, cuts off an ear, takes a prisoner, and returns." Each did what he had heard, and they came back.

The men of Jin pursued them, closing on them from left and right like a pair of horns. Yue Bo shot the horses on the left and the men on the right, and the horns could not press forward. He had one arrow left. An elk started up in front of them, and he shot it and struck it on the hump. Bao Gui of Jin was close behind. Yue Bo had She Shu take up the elk and present it, saying, "Since the season is not the right one, the offering of game has not yet come; we venture to make a dish of this for your attendants." Bao Gui called off the pursuit, saying, "The man on their left shoots well and the man on their right has words. They are gentlemen." And so they got away.

Wei Qi (魏錡) of Jin had sought the office of head of the Ducal Kindred and had not got it, and in his anger he wished to see the Jin army beaten. He asked to deliver a challenge and was refused; he asked to go as an envoy and was allowed, and so he went, asked for battle, and came back. Pan Dang of Chu pursued him. When he reached the marsh of Ying he saw six elk, shot one, and turning back presented it, saying, "You have military business on hand, and your huntsmen may well be short of fresh meat; I venture to present this to your attendants." Shu Dang ordered the pursuit broken off.

Zhao Zhan had sought a ministership and had not got it, and was besides angry that the Chu challengers had been let slip. He asked to provoke a battle and was refused; he asked to summon them to the covenant and was allowed. He and Wei Qi both went out with commissions. Xi Xianzi said, "Two disaffected men have gone. Without preparation we shall certainly be beaten." Zhizi said, "The men of Zheng urged battle and we dared not follow them; the men of Chu sought peace and we could not make friends with them. The army has no settled orders; what is the use of much preparation?" Shi Ji said, "It is well to prepare. If those two anger Chu and the men of Chu fall upon us, the loss of the army is only days away. Better to prepare. If Chu means no harm, we can take down the preparations and swear the covenant; what harm is that to friendship? If they come with harm, we shall be prepared and not be beaten. Besides, even when the lords meet one another the army's guard is not withdrawn — that is vigilance." Zhizi would not have it. Shi Ji sent Gong Shuo and Han Chuan to lead seven ambushes in front of Ao, and therefore the upper army was not beaten. Zhao Yingqi had his followers make boats ready on the river beforehand, and therefore when the defeat came he crossed first.

After Pan Dang had pursued Wei Qi, Zhao Zhan came by night to the Chu army, spread his mat outside the camp gate, and sent his followers in. The viscount of Chu had thirty chariots as his riding guang, divided into left and right. The right guang harnessed at cockcrow and unyoked at midday; the left then took over and unyoked at sunset. Xu Yan drove the right guang, with Yang Youji as the man on the right; Peng Ming drove the left guang, with Qu Dang as the man on the right. On the yimao day the king rode with the left guang in pursuit of Zhao Zhan. Zhao Zhan abandoned his chariot and fled into a wood; Qu Dang grappled with him and got his armored skirt.

The men of Jin, fearing that the two had angered the Chu army, sent covered war-wagons to meet them. Pan Dang saw their dust and sent a rider galloping to report, "The Jin army has come." The men of Chu, in their turn fearing that the king had gone in among the Jin troops, thereupon marched out in battle order. Sunshu said, "Push forward. Better that we press upon them than that they press upon us. The Odes say, 'Ten great war-chariots go first to open the way' — that is getting in ahead. The Records of War say, 'To get in ahead takes away the enemy's heart' — that is pressing upon them." So he advanced the army swiftly, chariots galloping and footmen running, and they rode down upon the Jin army.

Huanzi did not know what to do. He beat the drum in the middle of the army and said, "A reward to whoever crosses first." The central army and the lower army fought over the boats, and the fingers in the boats could be scooped up by the handful. The Jin army shifted to the right; the upper army had not stirred. Qi the gongyin led the troops of the right blocking wing and pursued the lower army.

The viscount of Chu sent Tang Jiao and Cai Jiuju to say to Marquis Hui of Tang, "I, the unworthy one, lacking virtue and being covetous, have met a great enemy; the fault is mine. Yet if Chu does not win, it will be your disgrace as well. I venture to borrow my lord's power to bring the army of Chu through." He had Pan Dang lead forty chariots of the roving reserve, following the marquis of Tang, to form the left blocking wing and go against the upper army. Ju Bo said, "Shall we wait for them?" Sui Ji said, "The Chu army is at its full vigor. If they gather upon us, our army will be destroyed to a man. Better to gather our men and withdraw. To share the blame and keep men alive — is that not also acceptable?" He brought up the rear of his troops as he withdrew, and was not beaten.

The king saw the right guang and was about to ride with it. Qu Dang held him back and said, "My lord began with this one; you must also end with it." From that time the riding guang of Chu had the left first.

A man of Jin whose chariot dropped into a rut could not go forward. A man of Chu called out to him to take off the cross-bar; he went a little forward, but the horses wheeled about. They called out again to him to pull out the pennon staff and throw it over the yoke, and then he got clear. Looking back, he said, "We are no match for a great state at running away so often."

Zhao Zhan used his two good horses to get his elder brother and his uncle away, and came back with other horses. Meeting the enemy, he could not get clear; he abandoned his chariot and fled into a wood. The grandee Feng was riding with his two sons, and told them not to look back. They looked back and said, "Old Zhao is behind us." Angry with them, he made them get down, and pointing to a tree said, "I shall look for your bodies here." He handed Zhao Zhan the mounting cord and so saved him. The next day he went by the mark to look for them, and both were found beneath the tree, one lying upon the other.

Xiong Fuji of Chu took Zhi Ying prisoner. Zhi Zhuangzi, with the men of his clan, turned back to get him, with Chu Wuzi (廚武子) as his driver. Many officers of the lower army followed him. Each time he shot, he drew out the best of his arrows and put them into Chuzi's quiver. Chuzi grew angry and said, "It is not your son you are looking for, but rushes you are sparing. The rushes of Dong Marsh — can they ever be used up?" Zhi Ji said, "Unless I take another man's son, how am I to get my own? I cannot shoot carelessly, for that reason." He shot Xiang Lao the lianyin, killed him, and loaded his body on the chariot; he shot Prince Guchen and took him prisoner, and returned with the two of them.

By dusk the Chu army was encamped at Bi. What was left of the Jin army could not form a camp; they crossed in the night, and the noise of it went on until morning. On the bingchen day the Chu baggage train reached Bi, and they then halted at Hengyong.

Pan Dang said, "Why does my lord not raise a martial mound and gather the Jin dead into a monument of the slain? I have heard that when one has beaten an enemy one must show it to sons and grandsons, so that martial merit is not forgotten." The viscount of Chu said, "This is not what you understand. In writing, 'stop' and 'spear' together make 'martial.' When King Wu conquered Shang he made a hymn saying:

He has stored away shield and spear,
he has cased the bows and the arrows;
I seek out fine virtue
and spread it through this great land —
truly the king will keep it.

"He also made the 'Wu,' whose last stanza says, 'You brought your work to its settled end.' Its third says, 'Spread abroad this continuing purpose; I go out only to seek a settlement.' Its sixth says, 'He gave peace to the myriad states, and harvests were rich again and again.' Martiality is to forbid violence, to store away weapons, to keep what is great, to settle merit, to give the people peace, to bring the multitudes into harmony, and to make wealth abundant; therefore he had his sons and grandsons not forget those stanzas.

"Now I have caused the bones of two states to lie exposed — that is violence. To parade weapons in order to overawe the lords — that is not storing weapons away. Violent, and not storing weapons away, how am I to keep what is great? Jin is still there; how can merit be settled? What runs contrary to the people's wishes is still much; where is the people's peace? To be without virtue and yet strive by force for the lords — how shall that bring the multitudes into harmony? To profit by another's crisis and take my ease in another's disorder, and to make it my own glory — how shall that make wealth abundant? Martiality has seven virtues, and I have not one of them; what shall I show to sons and grandsons? Let a shrine be made for the former rulers, and the accomplishment reported there, and that is all. Martial merit is not my achievement.

"The enlightened kings of old, when they attacked the irreverent, took the great whales among them and heaped earth upon them as a great execution; and so there were monuments of the slain, to punish excess and wickedness. Here there is no guilt to be found: the people all did their utmost in loyalty and died in their ruler's charge. What ground is there for a monument of the slain?" He sacrificed at the Yellow River, made a shrine to the former rulers, reported the accomplishment there, and went home.

In this campaign it was Shi Zhi of Zheng who in fact brought the Chu army in, meaning to have Zheng divided and Prince Yuchen set up. On the xinwei day Zheng put Pushu and Zifu to death. The gentleman said, "What Shi Yi meant by 'Do not rely on disorder' is this kind of thing. The Odes say, 'Disorder and separation have brought sickness; where shall it find its home?' It comes home to those who rely on disorder." The earl of Zheng and the baron of Xu went to Chu.

In autumn the Jin army returned. Huanzi asked to be put to death, and the marquis of Jin was about to allow it. Shi Zhenzi remonstrated, saying, "You must not. At the battle of Chengpu the Jin army ate the enemy's grain for three days, and yet Duke Wen still wore a troubled look. Those about him said, 'He has cause for joy and grieves; will he then have cause for grief and rejoice?' The duke said, 'Dechen is still alive; my grief is not yet over.' A cornered beast will still fight, how much more the chief minister of a state. When Chu put Ziyu to death, the duke's joy could then be seen, and he said, 'There is no one left to poison me.' That was Jin twice victorious and Chu twice beaten, and for two generations Chu could not contend because of it. Now Heaven perhaps gives Jin a great warning; and if we also kill Linfu and so double Chu's victory, shall we not be long unable to contend? In serving his ruler, Linfu, when he advanced, thought how to give his whole loyalty, and when he withdrew, thought how to make good his faults. He is a guard of the altars. How can you kill him? His defeat is like an eclipse of sun or moon: what does it take from their brightness?" The marquis of Jin had him restored to his place.

In winter the viscount of Chu attacked Xiao. Hua Jiao of Song, with men of Cai, went to the rescue of Xiao. The men of Xiao took Xiongxiang Yiliao and Prince Bing prisoner. The king said, "Do not kill them, and I will withdraw." The men of Xiao killed them. The king was enraged and besieged Xiao, and Xiao collapsed.

Wuchen, the governor of Shen, said, "Many of the soldiers are cold." The king made a round of the three armies, patting the men and encouraging them, and the officers of the three armies all felt as though they were wrapped in silk floss. So they pressed close against Xiao.

Huan Wushe, speaking with Mao the marshal, called out for Shen Shuzhan. Shuzhan said, "Have you any wheat leaven?" "No." "Have you any hill lovage?" "No." "Then what will you do about a river fish's belly sickness?" He said, "Look to a dry well and pull me out of it." "If you make a mourning band of thatch grass, I will weep over the well, and that will be enough." The next day Xiao collapsed. Shen Shu looked into the wells, and where the thatch-grass band lay he called out and drew him up.

Yuan Hu of Jin, Hua Jiao of Song, Kong Da of Wei (衛), and a man of Cao swore a joint covenant at Qingqiu, saying, "Relieve the distressed and punish the double-hearted." Here the ministers are not recorded by name, because they did not make their words good. Song, on account of the covenant, attacked Chen, and the men of Wei went to Chen's rescue. Kong Da said, "Our former ruler had a spoken agreement with them. If a great state punishes us for it, I will die for it."

Year 13 (宣公十三年)

Annals.

• In the thirteenth year, in spring, the army of Qi attacked Ju.
• In summer, the viscount of Chu attacked Song.
• In autumn, locusts.
• In winter, Jin put to death its grandee Xian Hu.

Zuo.

In the thirteenth year, in spring, the army of Qi attacked Ju, because Ju relied on Jin and did not serve Qi.

In summer the viscount of Chu attacked Song, because Song had gone to the rescue of Xiao. The gentleman said, "Of the covenant at Qingqiu, only Song can be held blameless."

In autumn the Red Di attacked Jin and reached Qing. It was Xian Hu who had called them in.

In winter the men of Jin investigated the defeat at Bi and the incursion at Qing, laid the blame on Xian Hu and put him to death, and wiped out his whole lineage. The gentleman said, "When evil comes, it is oneself that has drawn it on. Is this not said of Xian Hu? At the covenant of Qingqiu, Jin called Wei to account because Wei had gone to the rescue of Chen, and the envoy would not go away, saying, 'If the guilt has nowhere to fall, we shall bring our army against you.' Kong Da said, 'If it profits the altars, let me be the excuse. The guilt came through me: I directed the government and stood out against a great state's punishment. Who else is to bear it? I will die for it.'"

Year 14 (宣公十四年)

Annals.

• In the fourteenth year, in spring, Wei put to death its grandee Kong Da.
• In summer, in the fifth month, on the renshen day, Shou, earl of Cao, died.
• The marquis of Jin attacked Zheng.
• In autumn, in the ninth month, the viscount of Chu besieged Song.
• Duke Wen of Cao was buried.
• In winter, Gongsun Guifu met the marquis of Qi at Gu.

Zuo.

In the fourteenth year, in spring, Kong Da hanged himself and died. The men of Wei used this to excuse themselves to Jin and were let off, and then announced to the lords, "Our unworthy ruler had an ill-behaved minister, Da, who entangled our poor city with a great state. He has now submitted to his punishment; we venture to announce it." The men of Wei counted this a completed service; they gave his son a wife again and had him restored to his father's place.

In summer the marquis of Jin attacked Zheng, on account of Bi. He announced it to the lords, held a review of the hunt there, and returned. This was the plan of Zhonghang Huanzi, who said, "Show them our good order, and they will take thought and come over." The men of Zheng were afraid, and sent Zizhang to replace Ziliang in Chu; the earl of Zheng went to Chu, to take counsel about Jin. Zheng held that Ziliang had ritual propriety, and therefore called him back.

The viscount of Chu sent Shen Zhou on a diplomatic visit to Qi, saying, "Do not ask passage of Song." He also sent Prince Feng on a visit to Jin, without asking passage of Zheng. Because of the affair at Mengzhu, Shen Zhou was hated in Song, and he said, "Zheng sees clearly, Song is deaf. The envoy to Jin will come to no harm; I shall certainly die." The king said, "If they kill you, I will attack them." So he had his son Xi presented to the king, and set out. When he reached Song, the men of Song stopped him. Hua Yuan said, "To pass through us without asking passage is to treat us as a border district of his own. To be treated as a border district is extinction. If we kill his envoy he will certainly attack us, and if he attacks us that too is extinction. Either way it is extinction." So they killed him. When the viscount of Chu heard of it, he flung down his sleeve and rose. His shoes caught up with him in the courtyard, his sword outside the door of his chamber, and his chariot in the market of Puxu.

In autumn, in the ninth month, the viscount of Chu besieged Song.

In winter Gongsun Guifu met the marquis of Qi at Gu. He saw Yan Huanzi, and spoke with him of how pleasant Lu was. Yan Huanzi told Gao Xuanzi, "Zijia will surely be ruined; he is fond of Lu. Fondness must bring greed, and greed must bring plotting against others; plot against others, and others will plot against you. If a whole state plots against him, how shall he not be ruined?"

Meng Xianzi said to the duke, "I have heard that a small state escapes a great one by making diplomatic visits and presenting goods — hence the hundred rows of gifts filling the courtyard — and by going to court and presenting its accomplishments — hence the proper bearing, the colored insignia, the fine and excellent things, with valuables added to them. If it takes thought only when it can no longer escape, and offers bribes after it has been punished, it is too late. Now Chu is in Song; let my lord consider it." The duke was pleased.

Year 15 (宣公十五年)

Annals.

• In the fifteenth year, in spring, Gongsun Guifu met the viscount of Chu at Song.
• In summer, in the fifth month, the men of Song made peace with the men of Chu.
• In the sixth month, on the guimao day, the army of Jin extinguished the Lu (潞) lineage of the Red Di and brought back Ying'er, viscount of Lu.
• The men of Qin attacked Jin.
• Zhazi, son of the king, killed the earl of Shao and the earl of Mao.
• In autumn, locusts.
• Zhongsun Mie met Gao Gu of Qi at Wulou.
• The tax on the fields was levied for the first time.
• In winter, locust larvae appeared; there was famine.

Zuo.

In the fifteenth year, in spring, Gongsun Guifu met the viscount of Chu at Song. The men of Song sent Yue Yingqi to report their distress to Jin. The marquis of Jin wished to rescue them. Bo Zong said, "You must not. The ancients had a saying, 'Long as the whip is, it does not reach the horse's belly.' Heaven is now giving to Chu, and we cannot contend with it. Strong as Jin is, can it go against Heaven? The proverb says, 'High and low lie in the heart; rivers and marshes take in filth; hills and thickets hide disease; fine jade conceals a flaw; the ruler of a state swallows disgrace — this is the way of Heaven.' Let my lord wait." So he gave it up.

He sent Xie Yang to Song to tell them not to surrender to Chu, saying, "The Jin army has risen in full force and will soon arrive." The men of Zheng seized him and handed him over to Chu. The viscount of Chu bribed him richly to reverse his message; he refused, and at the third asking he agreed. They set him up on a tower-cart and had him call out to Song and tell them, and he delivered his own ruler's charge. The viscount of Chu was about to kill him, and had it said to him, "You had agreed with me and then went back on it. Why? It is not I who am without good faith; you are the one who threw it away. Go quickly to your punishment." He answered, "I have heard that a ruler's ability to frame commands is righteousness, and a servant's ability to carry out commands is good faith. Good faith carrying righteousness and putting it into action is benefit. To plan without losing the benefit, and so to guard the altars, is to be the master of the people. Righteousness admits no second good faith, and good faith admits no second command. Your bribing me showed that you did not understand what a command is. Having received my charge and gone out, I may die but I will not let it fall; can that be bought? My agreeing with you was in order to complete my charge. To die and complete my charge is your servant's good fortune. My unworthy ruler has a minister of good faith, and I, his lowly servant, have attained my fulfillment. Dying, what more should I ask?" The viscount of Chu released him and let him go home.

In summer, in the fifth month, the Chu army was about to leave Song. Shen Xi bowed his head to the ground before the king's horses and said, "Wuwei knew that he would die, and yet dared not set aside the king's charge; and the king has abandoned his word." The king could not answer. Shen Shushi, who was driving, said, "Build huts and send men back to the ploughing, and Song will surely obey your command." He followed this. The men of Song were afraid, and sent Hua Yuan by night into the Chu army. He climbed onto Zifan's bed, roused him, and said, "My unworthy ruler has sent me, Yuan, to tell you of our distress. He says, 'In our poor city we exchange our children and eat them, and split the bones for fuel. Even so, a covenant beneath our walls we cannot accept, though the state perish for it. Withdraw thirty li from us, and we will obey whatever you command.'" Zifan was frightened; he made a covenant with him and told the king, and they withdrew thirty li. Song made peace with Chu, with Hua Yuan as hostage, and the covenant said, "I will not deceive you; you will not take me unawares."

The wife of Ying'er, viscount of Lu (潞), was the elder sister of Duke Jing of Jin. Feng Shu, who directed the government there, killed her, and also wounded the viscount of Lu in the eye. The marquis of Jin was about to attack him. All the grandees said, "You must not. Feng Shu has three outstanding talents; better to wait for the man who comes after him." Bo Zong said, "He must be attacked. The Di have five crimes; however many outstanding talents there may be, what do they mend? They do not sacrifice — that is one. They are addicted to drink — that is two. They cast off Zhong Zhang and seized the land of the Li lineage — that is three. They abused our Boji — that is four. He wounded his own ruler's eye — that is five. To rely on outstanding talent and not put it to abundant virtue only adds to the crime. The man who comes after may reverently uphold virtue and righteousness, serving spirits and men, and so make his mandate firm; why should we wait for him? Not to punish the guilty, saying, 'We shall wait for his successor,' and then to punish the successor when he has good ground to stand on — would that not be wrong? To rely on talent and on numbers is the road to ruin; Zhou of Shang went that road and was destroyed for it. When Heaven reverses its seasons there is calamity; when earth reverses its creatures there are portents; when the people reverse virtue there is disorder; and where there is disorder, portents and calamities arise. So in writing, 'upright' reversed makes 'wanting.' All of it is in the Di." The marquis of Jin followed him.

In the sixth month, on the guimao day, Xun Linfu of Jin defeated the Red Di at Quliang; on the xinhai day he extinguished Lu. Feng Shu fled to Wei; the men of Wei sent him back to Jin, and the men of Jin killed him. Wangsun Su contended for the government with the houses of Shao and Mao, and had Prince Jie kill Duke Dai of Shao and Wei, earl of Mao; in the end Xiang of Shao was set up.

In autumn, in the seventh month, Duke Huan of Qin attacked Jin and halted at Fushi. On the renwu day the marquis of Jin marshalled his troops at Ji, in order to take in the Di lands; he set up the marquis of Li and returned. When he reached Luo, Wei Ke defeated the Qin army at Fushi and captured Du Hui, a strong man of Qin. Earlier, Wei Wuzi had a favorite concubine who bore him no son. When Wuzi fell ill he charged Ke, "Be sure to marry her off." When the illness grew grave he said, "Be sure to have her buried with me." When he died, Ke married her off, saying, "In grave illness the mind is disordered; I follow what he said while it was sound." At the affair of Fushi, Ke saw an old man knotting grass to block Du Hui; Du Hui stumbled over it and fell, and so was captured. That night Ke dreamed of him, and he said, "I am the father of the woman you married off. You acted on your forebear's sound command, and I have repaid you for it."

The marquis of Jin rewarded Huanzi with a thousand households of Di subjects, and rewarded Shi Bo with the district of Guayan, saying, "That I have gained the Di lands is your merit. But for you I should have lost Boshi." Yangshe Zhi approved of these rewards, and said, "What the Documents of Zhou call 'employing the employable and revering the reverend' — this is the thing meant. Shi Bo employed Zhonghang Bo; the ruler trusted him and employed Shi Bo in turn. This is what is called bright virtue. It was by no more than this that King Wen made Zhou. Therefore the Odes say, 'He set out gifts and founded Zhou' — that is being able to give. Follow this way, and what will not succeed?"

The marquis of Jin sent Zhao Tong to present the Di captives at Zhou, and he was disrespectful. Duke Kang of Liu said, "Within ten years Yuan Shu will certainly meet great calamity: Heaven has taken away his soul."

The first taxing of the fields was contrary to ritual propriety: the grain levied should not exceed what the public-field service yields, so that wealth may be abundant.

In winter locust larvae appeared and there was famine; the entry records it as a piece of good fortune.

Year 16 (宣公十六年)

Annals.

• In the sixteenth year, in spring, in the king's first month, the men of Jin extinguished the Jia lineage of the Red Di, and Liuxu.
• In summer, the Xuan gallery at Chengzhou caught fire.
• In autumn, Boji of Tan came back.
• In winter, a great year of abundance.

Zuo.

In the sixteenth year, in spring, Shi Hui of Jin led an army and extinguished the Jia lineage of the Red Di, and Liuxu and Duochen.

In the third month the Di captives were presented to the marquis of Jin. He made request of the king, and on the wushen day, with the embroidered robe and cap, Shi Hui was commissioned to command the central army and to be grand tutor besides. At this the robbers of the state of Jin fled away to Qin. Yangshe Zhi said, "I have heard that when Yu raised up good men, the not-good went far off; this is what is meant. The Odes say, 'Trembling and cautious, as though facing a deep abyss, as though treading on thin ice' — that is when good men are above. When good men are above, then the state has no people who live by luck. The proverb says, 'Many lucky people mean an unlucky state.' That is said of a place without good men."

In summer the Xuan gallery at Chengzhou caught fire; a man set it alight. In general, for fires: when a man sets it, it is called a fire; when Heaven sets it, it is called a calamity.

In autumn Boji of Tan came back — she had been sent away. Because of the trouble of Mao and Shao, the royal house fell into disorder again. Wangsun Su fled to Jin, and the men of Jin restored him.

In winter the marquis of Jin sent Shi Hui to settle the royal house. King Ding feasted him, and Duke Xiang of Yuan assisted at the rite; the meat was served in whole joints. Wuzi privately asked the reason for this. The king heard of it, summoned Wuzi, and said, "Ji, have you not heard? At a royal feast there is the presentation of whole joints; at a banquet there are cut portions on the stand. A duke is entitled to a feast, a minister to a banquet. This is the ritual of the royal house." Wuzi went home and studied the statutes and rites, and so put in order the laws of the state of Jin.

Year 17 (宣公十七年)

Annals.

• In the seventeenth year, in spring, in the king's first month, on the gengzi day, Xiwo, baron of Xu, died.
• On the dingwei day, Shen, marquis of Cai, died.
• In summer, Duke Zhao of Xu was buried, and Duke Wen of Cai was buried.
• In the sixth month, on the guimao day, there was an eclipse of the sun.
• On the jiwei day, the duke met the marquis of Jin, the marquis of Wei, the earl of Cao, and the viscount of Zhu, and swore a joint covenant at Duandao.
• In autumn, the duke arrived from the meeting.
• In winter, in the eleventh month, on the renwu day, Shuxi, the duke's brother, died.

Zuo.

In the seventeenth year, in spring, the marquis of Jin sent Xi Ke to Qi to summon them to the meeting. Duke Qing of Qi set women behind a curtain and let them watch. When Xizi mounted the steps, the women laughed in the chamber. Xianzi was enraged; he went out and swore, "If I do not requite this, may I never cross the Yellow River again." Xianzi went home first, leaving Luan Jinglu in Qi to await orders, and saying, "Until you have the business of Qi settled, do not report back." When Xizi arrived he asked leave to attack Qi, and the marquis of Jin would not allow it; he asked to go with his private retainers, and again he was not allowed. The marquis of Qi sent Gao Gu, Yan Ruo, Cai Zhao, and Nanguo Yan to the meeting; when they reached Lianyu, Gao Gu fled home.

In summer they met at Duandao, to punish the double-hearted. They covenanted at Juanchu, and turned the men of Qi away. The men of Jin seized Yan Ruo at Yewang, Cai Zhao at Yuan, and Nanguo Yan at Wen. Miao Benhuang, being on a mission, saw Yan Huanzi, and on his return said to the marquis of Jin, "What is Yanzi's crime? Formerly the lords served our late ruler as though they could never do enough. Now it is said on every side that our ministers are not to be trusted, and the lords all have divided hearts. The lord of Qi feared that he would not be treated with due ritual, and therefore did not come himself but sent these four men. Some about him discouraged it, saying, 'If our lord does not come, they will certainly seize our envoys'; and therefore Gaozi fled when he reached Lianyu. These three said, 'Rather than break off our ruler's friendship, we would go home and die,' and for this they braved the danger and came. If we ought to receive them well, so as to draw others to come, and instead we seize them and so make good the words of those who discouraged Qi — have we not already erred? To err and not correct it, and to prolong it besides, so completing their regret — what profit is there in that? To give those who turned back their argument and to injure those who came, and so frighten the lords — what use is that?" The men of Jin loosened their guard, and they escaped.

In autumn, in the eighth month, the Jin army returned. Fan Wuzi was about to retire, and called Wenzi and said, "Xie, I have heard that those whose joy and anger fit the case are few, and those who reverse them are many indeed. The Odes say, 'If the noble man shows anger, disorder will soon be checked; if the noble man shows favor, disorder will soon end.' The noble man's joy and anger are for putting an end to disorder; he who does not end it must add to it. Xizi perhaps wishes to end the disorder in Qi; if not, I fear he will add to it. I shall retire and let Xizi have his will; perhaps there will be a resolution. Follow the others, and be only respectful." So he asked leave to retire, and Xi Xianzi directed the government.

In winter Shuxi, the duke's brother, died; he was the duke's brother by the same mother. In general, of the full brothers of an heir apparent: while the duke is alive, such a man is called a prince; when he is gone, he is called a brother. In every case where "brother" is used, a brother by the same mother is meant.

Year 18 (宣公十八年)

Annals.

• In the eighteenth year, in spring, the marquis of Jin and Zang, heir apparent of Wei, attacked Qi.
• The duke attacked Qi (杞).
• In summer, the fourth month.
• In autumn, in the seventh month, the men of Zhu murdered the viscount of Zeng in Zeng.
• On the jiaxu day, Lü, viscount of Chu, died.
• Gongsun Guifu went to Jin.
• In winter, in the tenth month, on the renxu day, the duke passed away in the main chamber; Guifu, returning from Jin, reached Sheng, and thereupon fled to Qi.

Zuo.

In the eighteenth year, in spring, the marquis of Jin and Zang, heir apparent of Wei, attacked Qi and reached Yanggu. The marquis of Qi met the marquis of Jin and covenanted at Zeng, giving Prince Qiang as hostage to Jin. When the Jin army returned, Cai Zhao and Nanguo Yan fled home.

In summer the duke sent to Chu to beg for troops, wishing to attack Qi with them.

In autumn the men of Zhu murdered the viscount of Zeng in Zeng. In general, when violence is done to a ruler from within, it is called assassination; when from outside, it is called murder. King Zhuang of Chu died, and the Chu army did not go out. Afterwards the Jin army was used, and Chu on that account had the affair at Shu. Gongsun Guifu, because Xiangzhong had set the duke up, enjoyed favor. He wished to remove the Three Huan and enlarge the ducal house; he took counsel with the duke and went on a diplomatic visit to Jin, meaning to use the men of Jin to remove them.

In winter the duke passed away. Ji Wenzi said in court, "The man who made us kill the rightful heir and set up a son of a secondary wife, and so lose a great support, was Zhong." Zang Xuanshu said angrily, "At the time it could not be dealt with; what is the crime of the man who comes after? If you want them removed, I will ask leave to remove them." So they drove out the Dongmen house. Zijia, on his way back, reached Sheng; he raised an altar with curtains and made his report through his assistant envoy. Having made his report, he bared his shoulder, bound up his hair, took his mourning station and wailed, leapt three times, and went out; and so he fled to Qi. The record says, "Guifu returned from Jin." This was to commend him.

Colophon

This translation was prepared for the Chinese shelf of the Good Works Library and made independently from the classical Chinese text printed in full below. The Zuo Commentary is bound to the Spring and Autumn Annals it explains, and the form has been kept visible rather than smoothed away: under each year the terse annal entries of the Chunqiu are given first, marked Annals. and set out one entry to a line, and the Zuo narrative follows, marked Zuo. Not one annal entry has been dropped or merged with its neighbor, and the years are never run together. Speeches, of which this book is full, are rendered as speech; quotations from the Odes, the Documents, and the lost hymns of the Zhou keep their lines; the dates are given in the text's own reckoning, with sexagenary day names left in pinyin.

The Zuo Commentary has been translated into English before, and no claim of firstness is made for this version. James Legge's rendering appeared in 1872 in the fifth volume of his Chinese Classics; Burton Watson published selections in 1989; and a complete scholarly translation by Stephen Durrant, Wai-yee Li, and David Schaberg appeared in 2016. These are named here as translations known to exist. None of them was fetched or consulted: every English sentence above was derived from the Chinese characters printed below.

A note on names. Noblemen of this period appear under many designations, and the text switches between them freely: Xun Linfu is also Huanzi and Zhonghang Huanzi; Shi Hui is Sui Wuzi, Sui Ji, Shi Ji, and Fan Wuzi; Xian Hu is Zhizi and Yuan Hu. The designations have been kept as the source gives them rather than reduced to one name apiece. Several distinct names also fall together in pinyin: Wei is the state 衛, the Jin lineage 魏, and the Chu lineage 蒍; Qi is both 齊 and the small state 杞; Lu is both 魯 and the Red Di lineage 潞. Where the ambiguity could mislead, the character has been added in parentheses. The Chu chariot division guang has been left untranslated, there being no English equivalent.

Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted translation and editorial work.

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Source Text: 春秋左氏傳 宣公

Classical Chinese text in the Chinese Wikisource transcription. Presented complete for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

宣公元年

經

元年春王正月，公即位。公子遂如齊逆女。

三月，遂以夫人婦姜至自齊。

夏，季孫行父如齊。晉放其大夫胥甲父于衛。公會齊侯于平州。公子遂如齊。

六月，齊人取濟西田。

秋，邾子來朝。楚子、鄭人，侵陳，遂侵宋。晉趙盾帥師救陳。宋公、陳侯、衛侯、曹伯，會晉師于棐林，伐鄭。

冬，晉趙穿帥師侵崇。晉人、宋人，伐鄭。

傳

元年春王正月，公子遂如齊逆女，尊君命也。

三月，遂以夫人婦姜至自齊，尊夫人也。

夏，季文子如齊，納賂，以請會。晉人討不用命者，放胥甲父于衛，而立胥克，先辛奔齊。會于平州，以定公位。東門襄仲如齊拜成。

六月，齊人取濟西之田。為立公故，以賂齊也。宋人之弒昭公也，晉荀林父以諸侯之師伐宋。宋及晉平，宋文公受盟于晉。又會諸侯于扈，將為魯討齊，皆取賂而還。鄭穆公曰：「晉不足與也。」遂受盟于楚。陳共公之卒，楚人不禮焉。陳靈公受盟于晉。

秋，楚子侵陳，遂侵宋。晉趙盾帥師救陳宋，會于棐林，以伐鄭也。楚蒍賈救鄭，遇于北林，囚晉解揚，晉人乃還。晉欲求成於秦，趙穿曰：「我侵崇，秦急崇必救之，吾以求成焉。」

冬，趙穿侵崇，秦弗與成。晉人伐鄭，以報北林之役。於是晉侯侈，趙宣子為政，驟諫而不入，故不競於楚。

宣公二年

經

二年春王二月，壬子，宋華元帥師，及鄭公子歸生帥師，戰于大棘，宋師敗績，獲宋華元。秦師伐晉。

夏，晉人、宋人、衛人、陳人，侵鄭。

秋，九月，乙丑，晉趙盾弒其君夷皋。

冬，十月，乙亥，天王崩。

傳

二年春，鄭公子歸生受命于楚，伐宋。宋華元、樂呂，御之。

二月，壬子，戰于大棘，宋師敗績，囚華元，獲樂呂，及甲車四百六十乘，俘二百五十人，馘百人。狂狡輅鄭人，鄭人入于井，倒戟而出之，獲狂狡。君子曰：「失禮違命，宜其為禽也。戎昭果毅以聽之，之謂禮。殺敵為果，致果為毅。易之戮也。」將戰，華元殺羊食士，其御羊斟不與。及戰，曰：「疇昔之羊，子為政，今日之事，我為政，與入鄭師，故敗。」君子謂羊斟非人也，以其私憾，敗國殄民，於是刑孰大焉。詩所謂人之無良者，其羊斟之謂乎。殘民以逞，宋人以兵車百乘，文馬百駟，以贖華元于鄭。半入，華元逃歸，立于門外，告而入，見叔牂，曰：「子之馬然也。」對曰：「非馬也，其人也。既合而來奔。」宋城，華元為植，巡功。城者謳曰：「睅其目，皤其腹，棄甲而復，于思于思，棄甲復來。」使其驂乘，謂之曰：「牛則有皮，犀兕尚多，棄甲則那。」役人曰：「從其有皮，丹漆若何。」華元曰：「去之，夫其口眾我寡。」秦師伐晉，以報崇也，遂圍焦。

夏，晉趙盾救焦，遂自陰地，及諸侯之師侵鄭，以報大棘之役。楚鬥椒救鄭，曰：「能欲諸侯而惡其難乎？」遂次于鄭，以待晉師。趙盾曰：「彼宗競于楚，殆將斃矣，姑益其疾，乃去之。」晉靈公不君，厚斂以彫牆，從臺上彈人，而觀其辟丸也。宰夫胹熊蹯不熟，殺之，寘諸畚，使婦人載以過朝。趙盾、士季，見其手，問其故，而患之。將諫，士季曰：「諫而不入，則莫之繼也。會請先，不入，則子繼之。」三進及溜，而後視之，曰：「吾知所過矣，將改之。」稽首而對曰：「人誰無過，過而能改，善莫大焉。詩曰：『靡不有初，鮮克有終。』夫如是，則能補過者鮮矣。君能有終，則社稷之固也，豈惟群臣賴之。又曰：『袞職有闕，惟仲山甫補之。』能補過也。君能補過，袞不廢矣。」猶不改。宣子驟諫，公患之，使鉏麑賊之。晨往，寢門闢矣，盛服將朝，尚早，坐而假寐。麑退，歎而言曰：「不忘恭敬，民之主也。賊民之主，不忠。棄君之命，不信。有一於此，不如死也。」觸槐而死。

秋，九月，晉侯飲趙盾酒，伏甲將攻之，其右提彌明知之，趨登曰：「臣侍君宴，過三爵，非禮也。」遂扶以下。公嗾夫獒焉。明搏而殺之。盾曰：「棄人用犬，雖猛何為。」鬥且出。提彌明死之。初，宣子田于首山，舍于翳桑，見靈輒餓，問其病，曰：「不食三日矣。」食之，舍其半，問之，曰：「宦三年矣，未知母之存否，今近焉，請以遺之。」使盡之，而為之簞食與肉，寘諸橐以與之。既而與為公介，倒戟以禦公徒，而免之。問何故，對曰：「翳桑之餓人也。」問其名居，不告而退。遂自亡也。乙丑，趙穿攻靈公于桃園。宣子未出山而復。大史書曰：「趙盾弒其君。」以示于朝。宣子曰：「不然。」對曰：「子為正卿，亡不越竟，反不討賊，非子而誰？」宣子曰：「嗚呼，我之懷矣，自詒伊慼，其我之謂矣。」孔子曰：「董狐，古之良史也，書法不隱。趙宣子，古之良大夫也，為法受惡，惜也。越竟乃免。」宣子使趙穿逆公子黑臀于周，而立之。壬申，朝于武宮。初，麗姬之亂，詛無畜群公子，自是晉無公族。及成公即位，乃宦卿之適子，而為之田，以為公族。又宦其餘子，亦為餘子。其庶子為公行。晉於是有公族、餘子、公行。趙盾請以括為公族，曰：「君姬氏之愛子也，微君姬氏，則臣狄人也。」公許之。

冬，趙盾為旄車之族，使屏季以其故族為公族大夫。

宣公三年

經

三年春王正月，郊牛之口傷，改卜牛，牛死，乃不郊，猶三望。葬匡王。楚子伐陸渾之戎。

夏，楚人侵鄭。

秋，赤狄侵齊，宋師圍曹。

冬，十月，丙戌，鄭伯蘭卒，葬鄭穆公。

傳

三年春，不郊而望，皆非禮也。望，郊之屬也；不郊，亦無望可也。晉侯伐鄭，及郔，鄭及晉平，士會入盟。楚子伐陸渾之戎，遂至于雒，觀兵于周疆。定王使王孫滿勞楚子。楚子問鼎之大小輕重焉。對曰：「在德不在鼎。昔夏之方有德也，遠方圖物，貢金九牧，鑄鼎象物，百物而為之備，使民知神姦，故民入川澤山林，不逢不若，螭魅罔兩，莫能逢之，用能協于上下，以承天休。桀有昏德，鼎遷于商，載祀六百。商紂暴虐，鼎遷于周。德之休明，雖小，重也。其姦回昏亂，雖大，輕也。天祚明德，有所底止。成王定鼎于郟鄏，卜世三十，卜年七百，天所命也。周德雖衰，天命未改。鼎之輕重，未可問也。」

夏，楚人侵鄭，鄭即晉故也。宋文公即位三年殺母弟須，及昭公子，武氏之謀也。使戴桓之族，攻武氏於司馬子伯之館，盡逐武穆之族。武穆之族，以曹師伐宋。

秋，宋師圍曹，報武氏之亂也。

冬，鄭穆公卒。初，鄭文公有賤妾，曰燕姞，夢天使與己蘭，曰：「余為伯鯈，余而祖也，以是為而子，以蘭有國香，人服媚之如是。」既而文公見之，與之蘭而御之，辭曰：「妾不才，幸而有子，將不信，敢徵蘭乎？」公曰：「諾。」生穆公，名之曰蘭。文公報鄭子之妃，曰陳媯，生子華、子臧。子臧得罪而出，誘子華而殺之南里，使盜殺子臧于陳宋之間。又娶于江，生公子士，朝于楚，楚人酖之，及葉而死。又娶于蘇，生子瑕、子俞彌，俞彌早卒。洩駕惡瑕，文公亦惡之，故不立也。公逐群公子，公子蘭奔晉，從晉文公伐鄭。石癸曰：「吾聞姬姞耦，其子孫必蕃。姞，吉人也，后稷之元妃也。今公子蘭，姞甥也，天或啟之，必將為君，其後必蕃。先納之，可以亢寵。」與孔將鉏、侯宣多，納之，盟于大宮，而立之，以與晉平。穆公有疾，曰：「蘭死，吾其死乎，吾所以生也。」刈蘭而卒。

宣公四年

經

四年春王正月，公及齊侯平莒及郯，莒人不肯，公伐莒，取向。秦伯稻卒。

夏，六月，乙酉，鄭公子歸生弒其君夷。赤狄侵齊。

秋，公如齊，公至自齊。

冬，楚子伐鄭。

傳

四年春，公及齊侯平莒及郯，莒人不肯，公伐莒取向，非禮也。平國以禮，不以亂。伐而不治，亂也。以亂平亂，何治之有？無治，何以行禮？楚人獻黿於鄭靈公，公子宋與子家將見，子公之食指動，以示子家，曰：「他日我如此，必嘗異味。」及入，宰夫將解黿，相視而笑，公問之，子家以告。及食大夫黿，召子公而弗與也。子公怒，染指於鼎，嘗之而出。公怒，欲殺子公。子公與子家謀先，子家曰：「畜老猶憚殺之，而況君乎？」反譖子家，子家懼而從之。

夏，弒靈公，書曰：「鄭公子歸生弒其君夷。」權不足也。君子曰：「仁而不武，無能達也。凡弒君稱君，君無道也；稱臣，臣之罪也。」鄭人立子良，辭曰：「以賢則去疾不足，以順則公子堅長。」乃立襄公。襄公將去穆氏而舍子良，子良不可曰：「穆氏宜存，則固願也。若將亡之，則亦皆亡，去疾何為？」乃舍之，皆為大夫。初，楚司馬子良，生子越椒，子文曰：「必殺之，是子也，熊虎之狀而豺狼之聲，弗殺，必滅若敖氏矣。」諺曰：「狼子野心。」是乃狼也，其可畜乎？子良不可，子文以為大慼。及將死，聚其族曰：「椒也知政，乃速行矣，無及於難。」且泣曰：「鬼猶求食，若敖氏之鬼，不其餒而？」及令尹子文卒，鬥般為令尹，子越為司馬，蒍賈為工正，譖子揚而殺之。子越為令尹，已為司馬，子越又惡之，乃以若敖氏之族，圄伯嬴於轑陽而殺之，遂處烝野，將攻王。王以三王之子為質焉，弗受，師于漳澨。

秋，七月，戊戌，楚子與若敖氏戰于皋滸，伯棼射王，汰輈，及鼓跗，著於丁寧。又射，汰輈，以貫笠轂。師懼，退。王使巡師曰：「吾先君文王克息，獲三矢焉，伯棼竊其二，盡於是矣。」鼓而進之，遂滅若敖氏。初，若敖娶于鄖，生鬥伯比，若敖卒，從其母畜于邧，淫于邧子之女，生子文焉。邧夫人使棄諸夢中，虎乳之，邧子田，見之，懼而歸，夫人以告，遂使收之。楚人謂乳穀，謂虎於菟，故命之曰鬥穀於菟。以其女妻伯比，實為令尹子文。其孫箴尹克黃，使于齊，還及宋，聞亂，其人曰：「不可以人矣。」箴尹曰：「棄君之命，獨誰受之？君，天也，天可逃乎？」遂歸復命，而自拘於司敗。王思子文之治楚國也，曰：「子文無後，何以勸善？」使復其所，改命曰生。

冬，楚子伐鄭，鄭未服也。

宣公五年

經

五年春，公如齊。

夏，公至自齊。

秋，九月，齊高固來逆叔姬，叔孫得臣卒。

冬，齊高固及子叔姬來，楚人伐鄭。

傳

五年春，公如齊，高固使齊侯止公，請叔姬焉。

夏，公至自齊，書過也。

秋，九月，齊高固來逆女，自為也，故書曰：「逆叔姬」，即自逆也。

冬，來，反馬也。楚子伐鄭，陳及楚平，晉荀林父救鄭伐陳。

宣公六年

經

六年春，晉趙盾、衛孫免，侵陳。

夏，四月。

秋，八月，螽。

冬，十月。

傳

六年春，晉衛侵陳，陳即楚故也。

夏，定王使子服求后于齊。

秋，赤狄伐晉，圍懷，及邢丘。晉侯欲伐之，中行桓子曰：「使疾其民，以盈其貫，將可殪也。周書曰：『殪戎殷。』此類之謂也。」

冬，召桓公逆王后于齊，楚人伐鄭，取成而還。鄭公子曼滿，與王子伯廖語，欲為卿。伯廖告人曰：「無德而貪，其在周易豐之離，弗過之矣。」間一歲，鄭人殺之。

宣公七年

經

七年春，衛侯使孫良夫來盟。

夏，公會齊侯伐萊。

秋，公至自伐萊，大旱。

冬，公會晉侯、宋公、衛侯、鄭伯、曹伯，于黑壤。

傳

七年春，衛孫桓子來盟，始通，且謀會晉也。

夏，公會齊侯伐萊，不與謀也。凡師出，與謀曰及，不與謀曰會。赤狄侵晉，取向陰之禾。鄭及晉平，公子宋之謀也，故相鄭伯以會。

冬，盟于黑壤，王叔桓公臨之，以謀不睦。晉侯之立也，公不朝焉，又不使大夫聘，晉人止公于會，盟于黃父，公不與盟，以賂免。故黑壤之盟不書，諱之也。

宣公八年

經

八年春，公至自會。

夏，六月，公子遂如齊，至黃，乃復。辛巳，有事于大廟，仲遂卒于垂。壬午，猶繹，萬入，去籥。戊子，夫人嬴氏薨。晉師、白狄，伐秦。楚人滅舒蓼。

秋，七月，甲子，日有食之，既。

冬，十月，己丑，葬我小君敬嬴，雨不克葬。庚寅，日中而克葬。城平陽，楚師伐陳。

傳

春，白狄及晉平。

夏，會晉伐秦。晉人獲秦諜，殺諸絳市，六日而蘇。有事于大廟，襄仲卒而繹，非禮也。楚為眾舒叛故，伐舒蓼，滅之。楚子疆之，及滑汭，盟吳越而還。晉胥克有蠱疾，郤缺為政。

秋，廢胥克，使趙朔佐下軍。

冬，葬敬嬴，旱無麻，始用葛茀，雨不克葬，禮也。禮，卜葬先遠日，辟不懷也。城平陽，書時也。陳及晉平，楚師伐陳，取成而還。

宣公九年

經

九年春王正月，公如齊，公至自齊。

夏，仲孫蔑如京師。齊侯伐萊。

秋，取根牟。

八月，滕子卒。

九月，晉侯、宋公、衛侯、鄭伯、曹伯，會于扈。晉荀林父帥師伐陳。辛酉，晉侯黑臀卒于扈。

冬，十月，癸酉，衛侯鄭卒。宋人圍滕。楚子伐鄭。晉郤缺帥師救鄭。陳殺其大夫洩冶。

傳

春，王使來徵聘。

夏，孟獻子聘于周，王以為有禮，厚賄之。

秋，取根牟，言易也。滕昭公卒。會于扈，討不睦也。陳侯不會，晉荀林父以諸侯之師伐陳。晉侯卒于扈，乃還。

冬，宋人圍滕，因其喪也。陳靈公與孔寧、儀行父，通於夏姬，皆衷其衵服以戲于朝。洩冶諫曰：「公卿宣淫，民無效焉，且聞不令，君其納之。」公曰：「吾能改矣。」公告二子，二子請殺之，公弗禁，遂殺洩冶。孔子曰：「詩云：『民之多辟，無自立辟。』其洩冶之謂乎！」楚子為厲之役故，伐鄭。晉郤缺救鄭，鄭伯敗楚師于柳棼，國人皆喜，唯子良憂，曰：「是國之災也，吾死無日矣。」

宣公十年

經

春，公如齊，公至自齊，齊人歸我濟西田。

夏，四月，丙辰，日有食之。己巳，齊侯元卒。齊崔氏出奔衛。公如齊。

五月，公至自齊。癸巳，陳夏徵舒弒其君平國。

六月，宋師伐滕。公孫歸父如齊。葬齊惠公。晉人、宋人、衛人、曹人，伐鄭。

秋，天王使王季子來聘。公孫歸父帥師伐邾，取繹。大水。季孫行父如齊。

冬，公孫歸父如齊。齊侯使國佐來聘。饑。楚子伐鄭。

傳

春，公如齊，齊侯以我服故，歸濟西之田。

夏，齊惠公卒，崔杼有寵於惠公，高、國畏其偪也。公卒而逐之，奔衛。書曰：「崔氏」，非其罪也，且告以族，不以名。凡諸侯之大夫違，告於諸侯曰：「某氏之守臣某，失守宗廟，敢告。」所有玉帛之使者則告，不然則否。公如齊奔喪。陳靈公與孔寧、儀行父，飲酒于夏氏。公謂行父曰：「徵舒似汝。」對曰：「亦似君。」徵舒病之。公出，自其廄射而殺之。二子奔楚。滕人恃晉而不事宋。

六月，宋師伐滕。鄭及楚平，諸侯之師伐鄭，取成而還。

秋，劉康公來報聘。師伐邾，取繹。季文子初聘于齊。

冬，子家如齊，伐邾故也。國武子來報聘。楚子伐鄭，晉士會救鄭，逐楚師于潁北，諸侯之師戍鄭。鄭子家卒。鄭人討幽公之亂，斲子家之棺而逐其族，改葬幽公，諡之曰靈。

宣公十一年

經

十有一年春王正月。

夏，楚子、陳侯、鄭伯，盟于辰陵。公孫歸父會齊人伐莒。

秋，晉侯會狄于欑函。

冬，十月，楚人殺陳夏徵舒。丁亥，楚子入陳，納公孫寧、儀行父于陳。

傳

十一年春，楚子伐鄭，及櫟，子良曰：「晉楚不務德而兵爭，與其來者可也。晉楚無信，我焉得有信。」乃從楚。

夏，楚盟于辰陵，陳鄭服也。楚左尹子重侵宋，王待諸郔。令尹蒍艾獵城沂，使封人慮事，以授司徒，量功命日，分財用，平板榦，稱畚築，程土物，議遠邇，略基趾，具餱糧，度有司，事三旬而成，不愆于素。晉郤成子求成于眾狄，眾狄疾赤狄之役，遂服于晉。

秋，會于欑函，眾狄服也。是行也，諸大夫欲召狄，郤成子曰：「吾聞之，非德莫如勤，非勤何以求人。能勤有繼，其從之也。詩曰：『文王既勤止。』文王猶勤，況寡德乎。」

冬，楚子為陳夏氏亂故，伐陳，謂陳人無動，將討於少西氏，遂入陳，殺夏徵舒，轘諸栗門，因縣陳。陳侯在晉，申叔時使於齊反，復命而退。王使讓之曰：「夏徵舒為不道，弒其君，寡人以諸侯討而戮之，諸侯縣公皆慶寡人，女獨不慶寡人，何故？」對曰：「猶可辭乎？」王曰：「可哉。」曰：「夏徵舒弒其君，其罪大矣。討而戮之，君之義也。抑人亦有言曰：『牽牛以蹊人之田，而奪之牛。』牽牛以蹊者，信有罪矣，而奪之牛，罰已重矣。諸侯之從也，曰：『討有罪也。』今縣陳，貪其富也。以討召諸侯，而以貪歸之，無乃不可乎？」王曰：「善哉，吾未之聞也。反之，可乎？」對曰：「吾儕小人，所謂取諸其懷而與之也。」乃復封陳，鄉取一人焉以歸，謂之夏州。故書曰：「楚子入陳，納公孫寧、儀行父于陳。」書有禮也。厲之役，鄭伯逃歸，自是楚未得志焉。鄭既受盟于辰陵，又徼事于晉。

宣公十二年

經

春，葬陳靈公。楚子圍鄭。

夏，六月，乙卯，晉荀林父帥師及楚子戰于邲，晉師敗績。

秋，七月。

冬，十有二月，戊寅，楚子滅蕭。晉人、宋人、衛人、曹人，同盟于清丘。宋師伐陳，衛人救陳。

傳

春，楚子圍鄭，旬有七日。鄭人卜行成不吉，卜臨于大宮，且巷出車，吉。國人大臨，守陴者皆哭。楚子退師，鄭人脩城，進復圍之。

三月，克之，入自皇門，至于逵路。鄭伯肉袒牽羊以逆，曰：「孤不天，不能事君，使君懷怒，以及敝邑，孤之罪也，敢不唯命是聽。其俘諸江南，以實海濱，亦唯命。其翦以賜諸侯，使臣妾之，亦唯命。若惠顧前好，徼福於厲、宣、桓、武，不泯其社稷，使改事君，夷于九縣，君之惠也，孤之願也，非所敢望也，敢布腹心，君實圖之。」左右曰：「不可許也，得國無赦。」王曰：「其君能下人，必能信用其民矣，庸可幾乎。」退三十里，而許之平。潘尪入盟，子良出質。

夏，六月，晉師救鄭，荀林父將中軍，先縠佐之，士會將上軍，郤克佐之，趙朔將下軍，欒書佐之，趙括、趙嬰齊為中軍大夫，鞏朔、韓穿為上軍大夫，荀首、趙同為下軍大夫，韓厥為司馬。及河，聞鄭既及楚平，桓子欲還，曰：「無及於鄭，而勦民，焉用之。楚歸而動，不後。」隨武子曰：「善。會聞用師觀釁而動，德、刑、政、事、典禮不易，不可敵也。不為是征。楚軍討鄭，怒其貳而哀其卑，叛而伐之，服而舍之，德刑成矣。伐叛，刑也；柔服，德也；二者立矣。昔歲入陳，今茲入鄭，民不罷勞，君無怨讟，政有經矣。荊尸而舉，商農工賈，不敗其業，而卒乘輯睦，事不奸矣。薦敖為宰，擇楚國之令典。軍行，右轅，左追蓐，前茅慮無，中權，後勁，百官象物而動，軍政不戒而備，能用典矣。其君之舉也，內姓選於親，外姓選於舊，舉不失德，賞不失勞，老有加惠，旅有施舍，君子小人，物有服章，貴有常尊，賤有等威，禮不逆矣。德立刑行，政成事時，典從禮順，若之何敵之？見可而進，知難而退，軍之善政也。兼弱攻昧，武之善經也。子姑整軍而經武乎？猶有弱而昧者，何必楚？」仲虺有言曰：「取亂侮亡，兼弱也。」汋曰：「於鑠王師，遵養時晦，耆昧也。」武曰：「無競惟烈，撫弱耆昧，以務烈所，可也。」彘子曰：「不可。晉所以霸，師武臣力也。今失諸侯，不可謂力；有敵而不從，不可謂武。由我失霸，不如死。且成師以出，聞敵彊而退，非夫也。命有軍師，而卒以非夫，唯群子能，我弗為也。」以中軍佐濟。知莊子曰：「此師殆哉。周易有之，在師之臨曰：『師出以律，否臧凶。』執事順成為臧，逆為否；眾散為弱，川壅為澤。有律以如己也，故曰律否臧。且律竭也，盈而以竭，夭且不整，所以凶也。不行謂之臨，有帥而不從，臨孰甚焉，此之謂矣。果遇必敗，彘子尸之，雖免而歸，必有大咎。」韓獻子謂桓子曰：「彘子以偏師陷，子罪大矣。子為元帥，師不用命，誰之罪也？失屬亡師，為罪已重，不如進也。事之不捷，惡有所分，與其專罪，六人同之，不猶愈乎？」師遂濟。楚子北師次於郔。沈尹將中軍，子重將左，子反將右，將飲馬于河而歸。聞晉師既濟，王欲還。嬖人伍參欲戰，令尹孫叔敖弗欲，曰：「昔歲入陳，今茲入鄭，不無事矣。戰而不捷，參之肉，其足食乎？」參曰：「若事之捷，孫叔為無謀矣。不捷，參之肉，將在晉軍，可得食乎？」令尹南轅反旆，伍參言於王曰：「晉之從政者新，未能行令，其佐先縠，剛愎不仁，未肯用命。其三帥者，專行不獲，聽而無上，眾誰適從。此行也，晉師必敗。且君而逃臣，若社稷何？」王病之，告令尹，改乘轅而北之，次于管以待之。晉師在敖鄗之間，鄭皇戌使如晉師曰：「鄭之從楚，社稷之故也，未有貳心。楚師驟勝而驕，其師老矣，而不設備，子擊之，鄭師為承，楚師必敗。」彘子曰：「敗楚服鄭，於此在矣，必許之。」欒武子曰：「楚自克庸以來，其君無日不討國人而訓之，于民生之不易，禍至之無日，戒懼之不可以怠。在軍，無日不討軍實而申儆之，于勝之不可保，紂之百克，而卒無後，訓之以若敖、蚡冒，篳路藍縷，以啟山林。箴之曰：『民生在勤，勤則不匱。』不可謂驕。先大夫子犯有言曰：『師直為壯，曲為老。』我則不德，而徼怨于楚，我曲楚直，不可謂老。其君之戎，分為二廣，廣有一卒，卒偏之兩。右廣初駕，數及日中，左則受之，以至于昏。內官序當其夜，以待不虞，不可謂無備。子良，鄭之良也；師叔，楚之崇也。師叔入盟，子良在楚，楚鄭親矣。來勸我戰，我克則來，不克遂往，以我卜也，鄭不可從。趙括、趙同曰：「率師以來，唯敵是求，克敵得屬，又何俟？必從彘子。」知季曰：「原屏，咎之徒也。」趙莊子曰：「欒伯，善哉！實其言，必長晉國。」楚少宰如晉師，曰：「寡君少遭閔凶，不能文。聞二先君之出入此行也，將鄭是訓定，豈敢求罪于晉？二三子無淹久。」隨季對曰：「昔平王命我先君文侯曰：『與鄭夾輔周室，毋廢王命。』今鄭不率，寡君使群臣問諸鄭，豈敢辱候人？敢拜君命之辱。」彘子以為諂，使趙括從而更之曰：「行人失辭，寡君使群臣遷大國之跡於鄭，曰：『無辟敵，群臣無所逃命。』」楚子又使求成于晉，晉人許之，盟有日矣。楚許伯御樂伯，攝叔為右，以致晉師。許伯曰：「吾聞致師者，御靡旌，摩壘而還。」樂伯曰：「吾聞致師者，左射以菆，代御執轡，御下兩馬，掉鞅而還。」攝叔曰：「吾聞致師者，右入壘，折馘，執俘而還。」皆行其所聞而復。晉人逐之，左右角之。樂伯左射馬而右射人，角不能進，矢一而已。麋興於前，射麋麗龜。晉鮑癸當其後，使攝叔奉麋獻焉，曰：「以歲之非時，獻禽之未至，敢膳諸從者。」鮑癸止之曰：「其左善射，其右有辭，君子也。」既免，晉魏錡求公族未得，而怒，欲敗晉師，請致師，弗許，請使，許之，遂往請戰而還。楚潘黨逐之，及熒澤，見六麋，射一麋以顧獻，曰：「子有軍事，獸人無乃不給於鮮，敢獻於從者。」叔黨命去之。趙旃求卿未得，且怒於失楚之致師者，請挑戰，弗許，請召盟，許之，與魏錡皆命而往。郤獻子曰：「二憾往矣，弗備必敗。」彘子曰：「鄭人勸戰，弗敢從也。楚人求成，弗能好也。師無成命，多備何為？」士季曰：「備之善，若二子怒楚，楚人乘我，喪師無日矣。不如備之。楚之無惡，除備而盟，何損於好？若以惡來，有備不敗。且雖諸侯相見，軍衛不徹，警也。」彘子不可。士季使鞏朔、韓穿帥七覆于敖前，故上軍不敗。趙嬰齊使其徒先具舟于河，故敗而先濟。潘黨既逐魏錡，趙旃夜至於楚軍，席於軍門之外，使其徒入之。楚子為乘廣三十乘，分為左右。右廣，雞鳴而駕，日中而說，左則受之，日入而說。許偃御右廣，養由基為右。彭名御左廣，屈蕩為右。乙卯，王乘左廣，以逐趙旃。趙旃棄車而走林，屈蕩搏之，得其甲裳。晉人懼二子之怒楚師也，使軘車逆之。潘黨望其塵，使騁而告曰：「晉師至矣。」楚人亦懼王之入晉軍也，遂出陳。孫叔曰：「進之，寧我薄人，無人薄我。詩云：『元戎十乘，以先啟行，先人也。』軍志曰：『先人有奪人之心，薄之也。』」遂疾進師，車馳卒奔，乘晉軍。桓子不知所為，鼓於軍中，曰：「先濟者有賞。」中軍下軍爭舟，舟中之指可掬也。晉師右移，上軍未動。工尹齊將右拒卒，以逐下軍。楚子使唐狡與蔡鳩居，告唐惠侯曰：「不穀不德而貪，以遇大敵，不穀之罪也。然楚不克，君之羞也，敢藉君靈，以濟楚師。」使潘黨率游闕四十乘，從唐侯以為左拒，以從上軍。駒伯曰：「待諸乎？」隨季曰：「楚師方壯，若萃於我，吾師必盡，不如收而去之，分謗生民，不亦可乎？殿其卒而退，不敗。」王見右廣，將從之乘，屈蕩尸之曰：「君以此始，亦必以終。」自是楚之乘廣先左。晉人或以廣隊，不能進，楚人惎之脫扃，少進，馬還，又惎之拔旆投衡，乃出。顧曰：「吾不如大國之數奔也。」趙旃以其良馬二，濟其兄與叔父，以他馬反。遇敵不能去，棄車而走林。逢大夫與其二子乘，謂其二子無顧。顧曰：「趙傁在後。」怒之，使下，指木曰：「尸女於是。」授趙旃綏以免。明日以表尸之，皆重獲在木下。楚熊負羈囚知罃，知莊子以其族反之，廚武子御。下軍之士多從之，每射，抽矢菆，納諸廚子之房。廚子怒曰：「非子之求，而蒲之愛，董澤之蒲，可勝既乎？」知季曰：「不以人子，吾子其可得乎？吾不可以苟射故也。」射連尹襄老，獲之，遂載其尸。射公子穀臣，囚之，以二者還。及昏，楚師軍於邲，晉之餘師不能軍，宵濟，亦終夜有聲。丙辰，楚重至於邲，遂次于衡雍。潘黨曰：「君盍築武軍，而收晉尸以為京觀？臣聞克敵，必示子孫，以無忘武功。」楚子曰：「非爾所知也。夫文，止戈為武。武王克商，作頌曰：『載戢干戈，載櫜弓矢，我求懿德，肆于時夏，允王保之。』又作武，其卒章曰：『耆定爾功。』其三曰：『鋪時繹思，我徂維求定。』其六曰：『綏萬邦，屢豐年。』夫武，禁暴、戢兵、保大、定功、安民、和眾、豐財者也，故使子孫無忘其章。今我使二國暴骨，暴矣；觀兵以威諸侯，兵不戢矣；暴而不戢，安能保大？猶有晉在，焉得定功？所違民欲猶多，民何安焉？無德而彊爭諸侯，何以和眾？利人之幾，而安人之亂，以為己榮，何以豐財？武有七德，我無一焉，何以示子孫？其為先君宮，告成事而已，武非吾功也。古者明王，伐不敬，取其鯨鯢而封之，以為大戮，於是乎有京觀，以懲淫慝。今罪無所，而民皆盡忠，以死君命，又何以為京觀乎？祀于河作先君宮，告成事而還。」

是役也，鄭石制，實入楚師，將以分鄭，而立公子魚臣。辛未，鄭殺僕叔及子服。君子曰：「史佚所謂毋怙亂者，謂是類也。詩曰：『亂離瘼矣，爰其適歸。』歸於怙亂者也夫。」鄭伯、許男，如楚。

秋，晉師歸，桓子請死，晉侯欲許之。士貞子諫曰：「不可。城濮之役，晉師三日穀，文公猶有憂色。左右曰：『有喜而憂，如有憂而喜乎？』公曰：『得臣猶在，憂未歇也。』困獸猶鬥，況國相乎？及楚殺子玉，公喜而後可知也，曰：『莫余毒也已。』是晉再克而楚再敗也。楚是以再世不競。今天或者大警晉也，而又殺林父以重楚勝，其無乃久不競乎？林父之事君也，進思盡忠，退思補過，社稷之衛也，若之何殺之？夫其敗也，如日月之食焉，何損於明？」晉侯使復其位。

冬，楚子伐蕭，宋華椒以蔡人救蕭。蕭人囚熊相宜僚及公子丙，王曰：「勿殺，吾退。」蕭人殺之。王怒，遂圍蕭，蕭潰。申公巫臣曰：「師人多寒，王巡三軍，拊而勉之，三軍之士，皆如挾纊。」遂傅于蕭。還無社與司馬卯言，號申叔展。叔展曰：「有麥麴乎？」曰：「無。」「有山鞠窮乎？」曰：「無。」「河魚腹疾奈何？」曰：「目于眢井而拯之。」「若為茅絰，哭井則已。」明日，蕭潰，申叔視其井，則茅絰存焉，號而出之。晉原縠、宋華椒、衛孔達、曹人，同盟于清丘，曰：「恤病討貳。」於是卿不書，不實其言也。宋為盟故，伐陳，衛人救之。孔達曰：「先君有約言焉，若大國討，我則死之。」

宣公十三年

經

十有三年春，齊師伐莒。

夏，楚子伐宋。

秋，螽。

冬，晉殺其大夫先縠。

傳

十三年春，齊師伐莒，莒恃晉而不事齊故也。

夏，楚子伐宋，以其救蕭也。君子曰：「清丘之盟，唯宋可以免焉。」

秋，赤狄伐晉，及清。先縠召之也。

冬，晉人討邲之敗，與清之師，歸罪於先縠而殺之，盡滅其族。君子曰：「惡之來也，己則取之，其先縠之謂乎？清丘之盟，晉以衛之救陳也，討焉，使人弗去，曰：『罪無所歸，將加而師。』孔達曰：『苟利社稷，請以我說。罪我之由，我則為政，而亢大國之討，將以誰任？我則死之。』」

宣公十四年

經

十有四年春，衛殺其大夫孔達。

夏，五月，壬申，曹伯壽卒。晉侯伐鄭。

秋，九月，楚子圍宋。葬曹文公。

冬，公孫歸父會齊侯于穀。

傳

十四年春，孔達縊而死，衛人以說于晉而免，遂告于諸侯曰：「寡君有不令之臣達，構我敝邑于大國，既伏其罪矣，敢告。」衛人以為成勞，復室其子，使復其位。

夏，晉侯伐鄭，為邲故也，告於諸侯，蒐焉而還。中行桓子之謀也，曰：「示之以整，使謀而來。」鄭人懼，使子張代子良于楚，鄭伯如楚，謀晉故也。鄭以子良為有禮，故召之。楚子使申舟聘于齊，曰：「無假道于宋。」亦使公子馮聘于晉，不假道于鄭。申舟以孟諸之役惡宋，曰：「鄭昭，宋聾，晉使不害，我則必死。」王曰：「殺女，我伐之。」見犀而行。及宋，宋人止之，華元曰：「過我而不假道，鄙我也。鄙我，亡也。殺其使者，必伐我。伐我，亦亡也。亡一也。」乃殺之。楚子聞之，投袂而起，屨及于窒皇，劍及于寢門之外，車及于蒲胥之市。

秋，九月，楚子圍宋。

冬，公孫歸父會齊侯于穀，見晏桓子，與之言魯樂。桓子告高宣子曰：「子家其亡乎，懷於魯矣。懷必貪，貪必謀人，謀人，人亦謀己，一國謀之，何以不亡？」孟獻子言於公曰：「臣聞小國之免於大國也，聘而獻物，於是有庭實旅百；朝而獻功，於是有容貌、采章、嘉淑，而有加貨。謀其不免也，誅而薦賄，則無及也。今楚在宋，君其圖之。」公說。

宣公十五年

經

十有五年春，公孫歸父會楚子于宋。

夏，五月，宋人及楚人平。

六月，癸卯，晉師滅赤狄潞氏，以潞子嬰兒歸。秦人伐晉。王札子殺召伯、毛伯。

秋，螽。仲孫蔑，會齊高固于無婁。初稅畝。

冬，蝝生，饑。

傳

十五年春，公孫歸父會楚子于宋。宋人使樂嬰齊告急于晉。晉侯欲救之，伯宗曰：「不可。古人有言曰：『雖鞭之長，不及馬腹。』天方授楚，未可與爭。雖晉之彊，能違天乎？諺曰：『高下在心，川澤納汙，山藪藏疾，瑾瑜匿瑕，國君含垢，天之道也。』君其待之。」乃止。使解揚如宋，使無降楚，曰：「晉師悉起，將至矣。」鄭人囚而獻諸楚，楚子厚賂之，使反其言，不許，三而許之。登諸樓車，使呼宋而告之，遂致其君命。楚子將殺之，使與之言曰：「爾既許不穀，而反之，何故？非我無信，女則棄之，速即爾刑。」對曰：「臣聞之，君能制命為義，臣能承命為信。信載義而行之為利，謀不失利，以衛社稷，民之主也。義無二信，信無二命。君之賂臣，不知命也。受命以出，有死無霣，又可賂乎？臣之許君，以成命也，死而成命，臣之祿也。寡君有信臣，下臣獲考，死又何求？」楚子舍之以歸。

夏，五月，楚師將去宋，申犀稽首於王之馬前，曰：「毋畏知死，而不敢廢王命，王棄言焉。」王不能荅。申叔時僕曰：「築室反耕者，宋必聽命。」從之，宋人懼，使華元夜入楚師，登子反之床，起之曰：「寡君使元以病告，曰：『敝邑易子而食，析骸以爨，雖然，城下之盟，有以國斃，不能從也。去我三十里，唯命是聽。』」子反懼，與之盟，而告王，退三十里。宋及楚平，華元為質，盟曰：「我無爾詐，爾無我虞。」潞子嬰兒之夫人，晉景公之姊也，酆舒為政而殺之，又傷潞子之目。晉侯將伐之，諸大夫皆曰：「不可，酆舒有三雋才，不如待後之人。」伯宗曰：「必伐之。狄有五罪：雋才雖多，何補焉？不祀，一也；耆酒，二也；棄仲章而奪黎氏地，三也；虐我伯姬，四也；傷其君目，五也。怙其雋才，而不以茂德，茲益罪也。後之人，或者將敬奉德義，以事神人，而申固其命。若之何待之？不討有罪，曰：『將待後。』後有辭而討焉，毋乃不可乎？夫恃才與眾，亡之道也，商紂由之故滅。天反時為災，地反物為妖，民反德為亂，亂則妖災生，故文反正為乏，盡在狄矣。」晉侯從之。

六月，癸卯，晉荀林父敗赤狄于曲梁，辛亥，滅潞，酆舒奔衛，衛人歸諸晉，晉人殺之。王孫蘇與召氏、毛氏，爭政，使王子捷殺召戴公及毛伯衛，卒立召襄。

秋，七月，秦桓公伐晉，次于輔氏。壬午，晉侯治兵于稷，以略狄土，立黎侯而還。及雒，魏顆敗秦師于輔氏，獲杜回，秦之力人也。初，魏武子有嬖妾，無子，武子疾，命顆曰：「必嫁是，疾病則曰：『必以為殉。』」及卒，顆嫁之，曰：「疾病則亂，吾從其治也。」及輔氏之役，顆見老人，結草以亢杜回，杜回躓而顛，故獲之。夜夢之曰：「余，而所嫁婦人之父也。爾用先人之治命，余是以報。」

晉侯賞桓子狄臣千室，亦賞士伯以瓜衍之縣，曰：「吾獲狄土，子之功也。微子，吾喪伯氏矣。」羊舌職說是賞也，曰：「周書所謂庸庸祗祗者，謂此物也夫。士伯庸中行伯，君信之，亦庸士伯，此之謂明德矣。文王所以造周，不是過也。故詩曰：『陳錫哉周，能施也。』率是道也，其何不濟！」晉侯使趙同，獻狄俘于周，不敬，劉康公曰：「不及十年，原叔必有大咎，天奪之魄矣。」

初，稅畝，非禮也，穀出不過藉，以豐財也。

冬，蝝生，饑，幸之也。

宣公十六年

經

十有六年春王正月，晉人滅赤狄甲氏及留吁。

夏，成周宣榭火。

秋，郯伯姬來歸。

冬，大有年。

傳

十六年春，晉士會帥師滅赤狄甲氏及留吁、鐸辰。

三月，獻狄俘晉侯，請于王，戊申，以黻冕命士會將中軍，且為大傅。於是晉國之盜，逃奔于秦。羊舌職曰：「吾聞之，禹稱善人，不善人遠，此之謂也。夫詩曰：『戰戰兢兢，如臨深淵，如履薄冰。』善人在上也，善人在上，則國無幸民。諺曰：『民之多幸，國之不幸也。』是無善人之謂也。」

夏，成周宣榭火，人火之也。凡火，人火曰火，天火曰災。

秋，郯伯姬來歸，出也。為毛召之難故，王室復亂。王孫蘇奔晉，晉人復之。

冬，晉侯使士會平王室。定王享之，原襄公相禮，殽烝。武子私問其故，王聞之，召武子曰：「季氏，而弗聞乎？王享有體薦，晏有折俎，公當享，卿當宴，王室之禮也。」武子歸而講求典禮，以脩晉國之法。

宣公十七年

經

十有七年春王正月，庚子，許男錫我卒。丁未，蔡侯申卒。

夏，葬許昭公，葬蔡文公。

六月，癸卯，日有食之。己未，公會晉侯、衛侯、曹伯、邾子，同盟于斷道。

秋，公至自會。

冬，十有一月，壬午，公弟叔肸卒。

傳

十七年春，晉侯使郤克徵會于齊。齊頃公帷婦人使觀之，郤子登，婦人笑於房。獻子怒，出而誓曰：「所不此報，無能涉河。」獻子先歸，使欒京廬待命于齊，曰：「不得齊事，無復命矣。」郤子至，請伐齊，晉侯弗許，請以其私屬，又弗許。齊侯使高固、晏弱、蔡朝、南郭偃，會，及斂盂。高固逃歸。

夏，會于斷道，討貳也。盟于卷楚，辭齊人。晉人執晏弱于野王，執蔡朝于原，執南郭偃于溫。苗賁皇使，見晏桓子，歸言於晉侯曰：「夫晏子何罪？昔者諸侯事吾先君，皆如不逮，舉言群臣不信，諸侯皆有貳志。齊君恐不得禮，故不出，而使四子來。左右或沮之曰：『君不出，必執吾使。』故高子及斂盂而逃。夫三子者曰：『若絕君好，寧歸死焉。』為是犯難而來。吾若善逆彼，以懷來者，吾又執之，以信齊沮，吾不既過矣乎？過而不改，而又久之，以成其悔，何利之有焉？使反者得辭，而害來者，以懼諸侯，將焉用之？」晉人緩之，逸。

秋，八月，晉師還。范武子將老，召文子曰：「燮乎，吾聞之，喜怒以類者鮮，易者實多。詩曰：『君子如怒，亂庶遄沮。君子如祉，亂庶遄已。』君子之喜怒，以已亂也。弗已者，必益之。郤子其或者欲已亂于齊乎？不然，余懼其益之也。余將老，使郤子逞其志，庶有豸乎？爾從二三子，唯敬。」乃請老，郤獻子為政。

冬，公弟叔肸卒，公母弟也。凡大子之母弟，公在曰公子，不在曰弟。凡稱弟，皆母弟也。

宣公十八年

經

十有八年春，晉侯、衛世子臧，伐齊。公伐杞。

夏，四月。

秋，七月，邾人戕鄫子于鄫。甲戌，楚子旅卒。公孫歸父如晉。

冬，十月，壬戌，公薨于路寢，歸父還自晉，至笙，遂奔齊。

傳

十八年春，晉侯、衛大子臧，伐齊，至于陽穀。齊侯會晉侯盟于繒，以公子彊為質于晉。晉師還，蔡朝、南郭偃，逃歸。

夏，公使如楚乞師，欲以伐齊。

秋，邾人戕鄫子于鄫。凡自虐其君曰弒，自外曰戕。楚莊王卒，楚師不出。既而用晉師，楚於是乎有蜀之役。公孫歸父以襄仲之立公也，有寵，欲去三桓，以張公室，與公謀而聘于晉，欲以晉人去之。

冬，公薨。季文子言於朝曰：「使我殺適立庶，以失大援者，仲也夫。」臧宣叔怒曰：「當其時，不能治也，後之人何罪？子欲去之，許請去之。」遂逐東門氏。子家還及笙，壇帷，復命於介。既復命，袒括髮，即位哭，三踊而出，遂奔齊。書曰：「歸父還自晉。」善之也。

Source Colophon

The Chinese text follows the Chinese Wikisource transcription of the Zuo Commentary (articles: 春秋左氏傳 宣公, revisions of 21 March 2026 to 21 March 2026), inspected from a witness copy captured on 22 August 2026. Chinese Wikisource transcriptions are published under CC BY-SA 4.0 and the GFDL; the text itself is ancient and in the public domain. The wiki header and license templates have been removed; the text is otherwise complete and unaltered.

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