3. 五子之歌

太康尸位以逸豫，滅厥德，黎民咸貳，乃盤游無度。畋于有洛之表，十旬弗反。有窮后羿，因民弗忍，距于河；厥弟五人，御其母以從，徯于洛之汭，五子咸怨；述大禹之戒以作歌。

其一曰：皇祖有訓，民可近，不可下。民惟邦本，本固邦寧。予視天下，愚夫愚婦，一能勝予。一人三失，怨豈在明，不見是圖。予臨兆民，檁乎若朽索之馭六馬。為人上者，奈何不敬！其二曰：訓有之內作色荒，外作禽荒。甘酒嗜音，峻宇雕墻。有一于此，未或不亡。其三曰：惟彼陶唐，有此冀方。今失厥道，亂其紀綱，乃厎滅亡。其四曰：明明我祖，萬邦之君，有典有則，貽厥子孫。關石和鈞，王府則有，荒墜厥緒，覆宗絕祀。其五曰：嗚呼！曷歸！予懷之悲。萬姓仇予，予將疇依。郁陶乎予心，顏厚有忸怩。弗慎厥德，雖悔可追。

BOOK III. THE SONGS OF THE FIVE SONS.

¹

Thâi Khang occupied the throne like a personator of the dead ². By idleness and dissipation he extinguished his virtue, till the black-haired people all wavered in their allegiance. He, however, pursued his pleasure and wanderings without any self-restraint. He went out to hunt beyond the Lo, and a hundred days elapsed without his returning. (On this) Î, the prince of Khiung, taking advantage of the discontent of the people, resisted (his return) on (the south of) the Ho. The (king's) five brothers had attended their mother in following him, and were waiting for him on the north of the Lo; and (when they heard of Î's movement), all full of dissatisfaction, they related the Cautions of the great Yü in the form of songs.

The first said, 'It was the lesson of our great ancestor:-- The people should be cherished, And not looked down upon. The people are the root of a country; The root firm, the country is tranquil. When I look at all under heaven, Of the simple men and simple women, Any one may surpass me. If the One man err repeatedly ³, Should dissatisfaction be waited for till it appears? Before it is seen, it should be guarded against. In my dealing with the millions of the people, I should feel as much anxiety as if I were driving six horses with rotten reins. The ruler of men-- How should he be but reverent (of his duties)?' The second said, 'It is in the Lessons:-- When the palace is a wild of lust, And the country is a wild for hunting; When spirits are liked, and music is the delight; When there are lofty roofs and carved walls;-- The existence of any one of these things Has never been but the prelude to ruin.' The third said, 'There was. the lord of Thâo and Thang ⁴, Who possessed this region of Kî. Now we have fallen from his ways, And thrown into confusion his rules and laws;-- The consequence is extinction and ruin.' The fourth said, Brightly intelligent was our ancestor, Sovereign of the myriad regions. He had canons, he had patterns, Which he transmitted to his posterity. The standard stone and the equalizing quarter Were in the royal treasury. Wildly have we dropt the clue he gave us, Overturning our temple, and extinguishing our sacrifices.'* The fifth said, 'Oh! whither shall we turn? The thoughts in my breast make me sad. All the people are hostile to us; On whom can we rely? Anxieties crowd together in our hearts; Thick as are our faces, they are covered with blushes. We have not been careful of our virtue; And though we repent, we cannot overtake the past.'