15. 無逸

周公曰：「嗚呼！君子所其無逸。先知稼穡之艱難，乃逸；則知小人之依。相小人，厥父母勤勞稼穡，厥子乃不知稼穡之艱難，乃逸乃諺既誕。否則侮厥父母曰：『昔之人，無聞知！』」

周公曰：「嗚呼！我聞曰：昔在殷王中宗，嚴恭寅畏，天命自度，治民祗懼，不敢荒寧。肆中宗之享國，七十有五年。其在高宗，時舊勞于外，爰暨小人。作其即位，乃或亮陰，三年不言；其惟不言，言乃雍。不敢荒寧，嘉靖殷邦。至于小大，無時或怨。肆高宗之享國，五十有九年。其在祖甲，不義惟王，舊為小人。作其即位，爰知小人之依；能保惠于庶民，不敢侮鰥寡。肆祖甲之享國，三十有三年。自時厥後，立王生則逸；生則逸，不知稼穡之艱難，不聞小人之勞，惟耽樂之從。自時厥後，亦罔或克壽：或十年，或七、八年，或五、六年，或四、三年。」

周公曰：「嗚呼！厥亦惟我周太王、王季，克自抑畏。文王卑服，即康功田功。徽柔懿恭，懷保小民，惠鮮鰥寡。自朝至于日中昃，不遑暇食，用咸和萬民。文王不敢盤于游田，以庶邦惟正之供。文王受命惟中身，厥享國五十年。」

周公曰：「嗚呼！繼自今嗣王，則其無淫于觀、于逸、于游、于田，以萬民惟正之供。無皇曰：『今日耽樂。』乃非民攸訓，非天攸若，時人丕則有愆。無若殷王受之迷亂，酗于酒德哉！」

周公曰：「嗚呼！我聞曰：『古之人猶胥訓告，胥保惠，胥教誨；民無或胥??張為幻。』此厥不聽，人乃訓之；乃變亂先王之正刑，至于小大。民否則厥心違怨，否則厥口詛祝。」

周公曰：「嗚呼！自殷王中宗，及高宗，及祖甲，及我周文王，茲四人迪哲。厥或告之曰：『小人怨汝詈汝。』則皇自敬德。厥愆，曰：『朕之愆，允若時。』不啻不敢含怒。此厥不聽，人乃或??張為幻。曰：『小人怨汝詈汝。』則信之。則若時，不永念厥辟，不寬綽厥心；亂罰無罪，殺無辜。怨有同，是叢于厥身。」

周公曰：「嗚呼！嗣王其監于茲！」

BOOK XV. AGAINST LUXURIOUS EASE.

¹

The duke of Kâu said, 'Oh! the superior man rests in this,--that he will indulge in no luxurious ease. He first understands how the painful toil of sowing and reaping conducts to ease, and thus he understands how the lower people depend on this toil (for their support). I have observed among the lower people, that where the parents have diligently laboured in sowing and reaping, their sons (often) do not understand this painful toil, but abandon themselves to ease, and to village slang, and become quite disorderly. Or where they do not do so, they (still) throw contempt on their parents, saying, "Those old people have heard nothing and know nothing."'

The duke of Kâu said, 'Oh! I have heard that aforetime Kung Zung, one of the kings of Yin ², was grave, humble, reverential, and timorously cautious. He measured himself with reference to the decree of Heaven, and cherished a reverent apprehension in governing the people, not daring to indulge in useless ease.* It was thus that he enjoyed the throne seventy and five years. If we come to the time of Kâo Zung ³, he toiled at first away from the court, and was among the lower people ⁴. When he came to the throne, and occupied the mourning shed, it may be said that he did not speak for three years. (Afterwards) he was (still inclined) not to speak; but when he did speak, his words were full of harmonious (wisdom). He did not dare to indulge in useless ease, but admirably and tranquilly presided over the regions of Yin, till throughout them all, small and great, there was not a single murmur. It was thus that he enjoyed the throne fifty and nine years. In the case of Zû-kiâ ⁵, he refused to be king unrighteously, and was at first one of the lower people. When he came to the throne, he knew on what they must depend (for their support), and was able to exercise a protecting kindness towards their masses, and did not dare to treat with contempt the wifeless men and widows. Thus it was that he enjoyed the throne thirty and three years. The kings that arose after these, from their birth enjoyed ease. Enjoying ease from their birth, they did not know the painful toil of sowing and reaping, and had not heard of the hard labours of the lower people. They sought for nothing but excessive pleasure; and so not one of them had long life. They (reigned) for ten years, for seven or eight, for five or six, or perhaps (only) for three or four.'

The duke of Kâu said, 'Oh! there likewise were king Thâi and king Kî of our own Kâu, who were humble and reverentially cautious. King Wan dressed meanly, and gave himself to the work of tranquillization and to that of husbandry. Admirably mild and beautifully humble, he cherished and protected the inferior people, and showed a fostering kindness to the wifeless men and widows. From morning to mid-day, and from mid-day to sundown, he did not allow himself leisure to eat;--thus seeking to secure the happy harmony of the myriads of the people. King Wan did not dare to go to excess in his excursions or his hunting, and from the various states he would receive only the correct amount of contribution. The appointment (of Heaven) came to him in the middle of his life ⁶, and he enjoyed the throne for fifty years.'*

The duke of Kâu said, 'Oh! from this time forward, do you who have succeeded to the throne imitate Wan's avoiding of excess in his sight-seeing, his indulgence in ease, his excursions, his hunting; and from the myriads of the people receive only the correct amount of contribution. Do not allow yourself the leisure to say, "To-day I will indulge in pleasure." This would not be holding out a lesson to the people, nor the way to secure the favour of Heaven. Men will on the contrary be prompt to imitate you and practise evil. Become not like Shâu the king of Yin, who went quite astray, and, became abandoned to drunkenness.'

The duke of Kâu said, 'Oh! I have heard it said that, in the case of the ancients, (their ministers) warned and admonished them, protected and loved them, taught and instructed them; and among the people there was hardly one who would impose on them by extravagant language or deceiving tricks. If you will not listen to this (and profit by it), your ministers will imitate you, and so the correct laws of the former kings, both small and great, will be changed and disordered. The people, blaming you, will disobey and rebel in their hearts;--yea, they will curse you with their mouths.'

The duke of Kâu said, 'Oh! those kings of Yin,--Kung Zung, Kâo Zung, and Zû-kiâ, with king Wan of our Kâu,--these four men carried their knowledge into practice. If it was told them, "The lower people murmur against you and revile you," then they paid great and reverent attention to their conduct; and with reference to the faults imputed to them they said, "Our faults are really so," thus not simply shrinking from the cherishing of anger. If you will not listen to this (and profit by it), when men with extravagant language and deceptive tricks say to you, "The lower people are murmuring against you and reviling you," you will believe them. Doing this, you will not be always thinking of your princely duties, and will not cultivate a large and generous heart, You will confusedly punish the guiltless, and put the innocent to death. There will be a general murmuring, which will be concentrated upon your person.'

The duke of Kâu said, 'Oh! let the king, who has succeeded to the throne, make a study of these things.'