Lunheng - 尚 - Chinese Text Project

逢遇:

進能有益，納說有補，人之所知也；或以不補而得祐，或以有益而獲罪。且夏時鑪以炙濕，冬時扇以翣火。世可希，主不可准也；說可轉，能不可易也。世主好文，己為文則遇；主好武，己則不遇。主好辯，有口則遇；主不好辯，己則不遇。文王不好武，武主不好文；辯主不好行，行主不好辯。文與言，尚可暴習；行與能，不可卒成。學不宿習，無以明名；名不素著，無以遇主。倉猝之業，須臾之名，日力不足。不預聞，何以准主而納其說，進身而託其能哉？昔周人有仕數不遇，年老白首，泣涕於塗者。人或問之：「何為泣乎？」對曰：「吾仕數不遇，自傷年老失時，是以泣也。」人曰：「仕柰何不一遇也？」對曰：「吾年少之時，學為文，文德成就，始欲仕宦，人君好用老。用老主亡，後主又用武，吾更為武，武節始就，武主又亡。少主始立，好用少年，吾年又老，是以未嘗一遇。」仕宦有時，不可求也。夫希世准主，尚不可為，況節高志妙，不為利動，性定質成，不為主顧者乎？

《氣壽》

氣壽:

何以明人年以百為壽也？世間有矣。儒者說曰：「太平之時，人民侗長，百歲左右，氣和之所生也。」《堯典》曰：「朕在位七十載。」求禪得舜，舜徵三十歲在位，堯退而老，八歲而終，至殂落，九十八歲。未在位之時，必已成人。今計數百有餘矣。又曰：「舜生三十，徵用三十，在位五十載，陟方乃死。」適百歲矣。文王謂武王曰：「我百，爾九十，吾與爾三焉。」文王九十七而薨，武王九十三而崩。周公、武王之弟也，兄弟相差，不過十年。武王崩，周公居攝七年，復政退老，出入百歲矣。邵公、周公之兄也，至康王之時，尚為太保，出入百有餘歲矣。聖人稟和氣，故年命得正數。氣和為治平，故太平之世，多長壽人。百歲之壽，蓋人年之正數也，猶物至秋而死，物命之正期也。物先秋後秋，則亦如人死，或增百歲，或減百也；先秋後秋為期，增百減百為數。物或出地而死，猶人始生而夭也；物或踰秋不死，亦如人年多度百至於三百也。《傳》稱：老子二百餘歲，邵公百八十。高宗享國百年，周穆王享國百年，並未享國之時，皆出百三十四十歲矣。

《幸偶》

幸偶:

非唯人行，物亦有之。長數仞之竹，大連抱之木，工技之人，裁而用之，或成器而見舉持，或遺材而遭廢棄。非工伎之人有愛憎也，刀斧如有偶然也。蒸穀為飯，釀飯為酒，酒之成也，甘苦異味；飯之熟也，剛柔殊和。非庖廚酒人有意異也，手指之調有偶適也。調飯也殊筐而居，甘酒也異器而處，蟲墯一器，酒棄不飲；鼠涉一筐，飯捐不食。夫百草之類，皆有補益，遭醫人采掇，成為良藥；或遺枯澤，為火所爍。等之金也，或為劍戟，或為鋒銛。同之木也，或梁於宮，或柱於橋。俱之火也，或爍脂燭，或燔枯草。均之土也，或基殿堂，或塗軒戶。皆之水也，或溉鼎釜，或澡腐臭。物善惡同，遭為人用，其不幸偶，猶可傷痛，況含精氣之徒乎？虞舜、聖人也，在世宜蒙全安之福，父頑母嚚，弟象敖狂，無過見憎，不惡而得罪，不幸甚矣！孔子、舜之次也，生無尺土，周流應聘，削迹絕糧。俱以聖才，並不幸偶。舜尚遭堯受禪，孔子已死於闕里。以聖人之才，猶不幸偶，庸人之中，被不幸偶，禍必眾多矣！

《率性 - Shuaixing》

English translation: Albert Forke ^[?]

6 Jump to dictionary Show parallel passages Show photographic representation	率性:	「賜不受命，而貨殖焉。」賜本不受天之富命，所加貨財積聚，為世富人者，得貨殖之術也。夫得其術，雖不受命，猶自益饒富。性惡之人，亦不稟天善性，得聖人之教，志行變化。世稱利劍有千金之價，棠谿、魚腸之屬，龍泉、太阿之輩，其本鋌，山中之恆鐵也，冶工鍜鍊，成為銛利。豈利劍之鍜與鍊，乃異質哉？工良師巧，鍊一數至也。試取東下直一金之劍，更熟鍜鍊，足其火，齊其銛，猶千金之劍也。夫鐵石天然，尚為鍜鍊者變易故質，況人含五常之性，賢聖未之熟鍜鍊耳，奚患性之不善哉？古貴良醫者，能知篤劇之病所從生起，而以針藥治而已之。如徒知病之名而坐觀之，何以為奇？夫人有不善，則乃性命之疾也，無其教治，而欲令變更，豈不難哉？
	Shuaixing:	Ci though not predestinated thereto, made a fortune. His capital increased without a decree from Heaven which would have him rich. The accumulation of wealth is due to the cleverness of the rich men of the time in making a fortune. Through this ability of theirs they are themselves the authors of their growing wealth without a special decree from Heaven. Similarly, he who has a wicked nature changes his will and his doings, if he happens to be taught by a Sage, although he was not endowed with a good character by Heaven. One speaks of good swords for which a thousand jin are paid, such as the Yuchang sword of Tangqi and the Tai'a sword of Longquan. Their blade is originally nothing more than a common piece of iron from a mountain. By the forger's smelting and hammering they become sharp-edged. But notwithstanding this smelting and hammering the material of good swords is not different from others. All depends on excellent workmanship and on the blade-smith's ability in working the iron. Take a sword worth only one jin from Dongxia, heat it again, and forge it, giving it sufficient fire, and smoothing and sharpening its edge, and it will be like a sword of a thousand jin. Iron and stones are made by Heaven, still being worked, they undergo a modification of their substance. Why then should man, whose nature is imbued with the five virtues, despair of the badness of his character, before he has been thoroughly worked upon by Worthies and Sages? The skillful physicians that in olden days were held in high esteem, knew the sources where virulent diseases sprang from, and treated and cured them with acupuncture and medicines. Had they merely known the names of the complaints, but done nothing besides, looking quietly on, would there have been anything wonderful in them? Men who are not good have a disease of their nature. To expect them to change without proper treatment and instruction would be hopeless indeed.

《骨相》

骨相:

文帝之後六年，匈奴入邊，乃以亞夫為將軍。至景帝之時，亞夫為丞相，後以疾免。其子為亞夫買工官尚方甲盾五百被可以為葬者，取庸苦之，不與錢。庸知其盜買官器，怨而上告其子。景帝下吏責問，因不食五日，嘔血而死。

《書虛》

Books referencing 《書虛》 Library Resources

1 Jump to dictionary Show photographic representation	書虛:	世信虛妄之書，以為載於竹帛上者，皆賢聖所傳，無不然之事，故信而是之，諷而讀之；睹真是之傳，與虛妄之書相違，則并謂短書不可信用。夫幽冥之實尚可知，沈隱之情尚可定，顯文露書，是非易見，籠總并傳，非實事，用精不專，無思於事也。
8 Jump to dictionary Show photographic representation	書虛:	世稱柳下惠之行，言其能以幽冥自脩潔也。賢者同操，故千歲交志。置季子於冥昧之處，尚不取金，況以白日，前後備具，取金於路，非季子之操也。
57 Jump to dictionary Show parallel passages Show photographic representation	書虛:	說《尚書》者曰：「周公居攝，帶天子之綬，戴天子之冠，負扆南面而朝諸侯。」戶牖之間曰扆，南面之坐位也。負扆南面鄉坐，扆在後也。桓公朝諸侯之時，或南面坐，婦人立於後也。世俗傳云，則曰負婦人於背矣。此則夔一足、宋丁公鑿井得一人之語也。

《變虛》