詩經 Book of Odes - 烝民 ZHENG MIN
天生烝民、有物有則。
民之秉彝、好是懿德。
天監有周、昭假于下、保茲天子、生仲山甫。
仲山甫之德、柔嘉維則。
令儀令色、小心翼翼。
古訓是式、威儀是力、天子是若、明命使賦。
王命仲山甫、式是百辟。
纘戎祖考、王躬是保。
出納王命、王之喉舌。
賦政于外、四方爰發。
肅肅王命、仲山甫將之。
邦國若否、仲山甫明之。
既明且哲、以保其身。
夙夜匪解、以事一人。
人亦有言、柔則茹之、剛則吐之。
維仲山甫、柔亦不茹、剛亦不吐、不侮矜寡、不畏疆禦。
人亦有言、德輶如毛、民鮮克舉之。
我儀圖之、維仲山甫舉之、愛莫助之。
袞職有闕、維仲山甫補之。
仲山甫出祖、四牡業業、征夫捷捷、每懷靡及。
四牡彭彭、八鸞鏘鏘。
王命仲山甫、城彼東方。
四牡騤騤、八鸞喈喈。
仲山甫徂齊、式遄其歸。
吉甫作誦、穆如清風。仲山甫永懷、以慰其心。
Heaven , in giving birth to the
multitudes of the people ,
To every faculty and relationship annexed its law .
The people possess this normal nature ,
And they [consequently] love its normal virtue .
Heaven beheld the ruler of Zhou ,
Brilliantly affecting it by his conduct below ;
And to maintain him , its Son ,
Gave birth to Zhong Shan-fu .
The virtue of Zhong Shan-fu ,
Is mild and admirable , according as it ought to be .
Good is his deportment ; good his looks ;
The lessons of antiquity are his law ;
He is strenuously attentive to his deportment .
In full accord with the Son of Heaven ,
He is employed to spread abroad his bright decrees .
The king gave charge to Zhong Shan-fu :
--
'Be a pattern to all the princes ;
Continue [the services of] your ancestors .
You have to protect the royal person ;
Give out the royal decrees , and report on them .
Be the king's throat and tongue ;
Spread his government abroad ,
So that in all quarters it shall be responded to . '
Most dignified was the king's charge ,
And Zhong Shan-fu carries it into execution .
In the States , the princes , be they good or bad ,
Are clearly distinguished by Zhong Shan-fu .
Intelligent is he and wise ,
Protecting his own person ;
Never idle , day or night ,
In the service of the One man .
The people have a saying : --
'The soft is devoured ,
And the hard is ejected from the mouth . '
But Zhong Shan-fu ,
Does not devour the soft ,
Nor eject the powerful .
He does not insult the poor or the widow ;
He does not fear the strong or the oppressive .
The people have a saying : --
'Virtue is light as a hair ,
But few are able to lift it . '
When I think of the matter ,
It is only Zhong Shan-fu that can lift it .
I love him , but can do nothing to help him .
Any defects in the king's duties ,
Are supplied by Zhong Shan-fu .
Zhong Shan-fu went forth , having
sacrificed to the Spirit of the road .
His four steeds were strong ;
His men were alert ;
He was always anxious lest he should not be equal to his commission ;
His steeds went on without stopping ,
To the tinkling of their eight bells .
The king had given charge to Zhong Shan-fu ,
To fortify the city there in the east .
With his four steeds so strong ,
And their eight bells , all tinkling ,
Zhong Shan-fu proceeded to Qi ; --
And he will soon return .
I , Yin Ji-fu , have made this song : --
May it enter like a quiet wind ,
Among the constant anxieties of Zhong Shan-fu ,
To soothe his mind !

