| Chinese Text Project |
《咸有一德 - Common Possession of Pure Virtue》 | English translation: James Legge [?] | Books referencing 《咸有一德》 Library Resources |
| 咸有一德: | 伊尹作《咸有一德》。 | |
| 1 | 咸有一德: | 伊尹既復政厥辟，將告歸，乃陳戒于德。曰：「嗚呼！天難諶，命靡常。常厥德，保厥位。厥德匪常，九有以亡。夏王弗克庸德，慢神虐民。皇天弗保，監于萬方，啟迪有命，眷求一德，俾作神主。惟尹躬暨湯，咸有一德，克享天心，受天明命，以有九有之師，爰革夏正。非天私我有商，惟天祐于一德；非商求于下民，惟民歸于一德。德惟一，動罔不吉；德二三，動罔不凶。惟吉凶不僭在人，惟天降災祥在德。今嗣王新服厥命，惟新厥德。終始惟一，時乃日新。任官惟賢材，左右惟其人。臣為上為德，為下為民。其難其慎，惟和惟一。德無常師，主善為師。善無常主，協于克一。俾萬姓咸曰：『大哉王言。』又曰：『一哉王心』。克綏先王之祿，永厎烝民之生。嗚呼！七世之廟，可以觀德。萬夫之長，可以觀政。后非民罔使；民非后罔事。無自廣以狹人，匹夫匹婦，不獲自盡，民主罔與成厥功。」 |
| Common Possession of Pure...: |
Yi Yin, having returned the government into the hands of his sovereign, and being about to announce his retirement, set forth admonitions on the subject of virtue. He said, 'Oh! it is difficult to rely on Heaven;--its appointments are not constant. (But if the sovereign see to it that) his virtue be constant, he will preserve his throne; if his virtue be not constant, the nine provinces will be lost by him. The king of Xia could not maintain the virtue (of his ancestors) unchanged, but contemned the spirits and oppressed the. people. Great Heaven no (longer) extended its protection to him. It looked out among the myriad regions to give its guidance to one who should receive its favouring appointment, fondly seeking (a possessor of) pure virtue; whom it might make lord of all the spirits. Then there were I, Yin, and Tang, both possessed of pure virtue, and able to satisfy the mind of Heaven. He received (in consequence) the bright favour of Heaven, so as to become possessor of the multitudes of the nine provinces, and proceeded to change Xia's commencement of the year. It was not that Heaven had any private partiality for the lord of Shang; it simply gave its favour to pure virtue. It was not that Shang sought (the allegiance of) the lower people; the people simply turned to pure virtue. Where (the sovereign's) virtue is pure, his enterprizes are all fortunate; where his virtue is wavering and uncertain, his enterprizes are all unfortunate. Good and evil do not wrongly befal men, but Heaven sends down misery or happiness according to their conduct.' 'Now, O young king, you are newly entering on your (great) appointment, you should be seeking to make new your virtue. At last, as at first, have this as your one object, so shall you make a daily renovation. Let the officers whom you employ be men of virtue and ability, and let the ministers about you be the right men. The minister, in relation to (his sovereign) above him, has to promote his virtue, and, in relation to the (people) beneath him, has to seek their good. How hard must it be (to find the proper man)! what careful attention must be required! (Thereafter) there must be harmony (cultivated with him), and a oneness (of confidence placed in him). There is no invariable model of virtue; a supreme regard to what is good gives the model of it. There is no invariable characteristic of what is good that is to be supremely regarded; it is found where there is a conformity to the uniform consciousness (in regard to what is good). (Such virtue) will make the people with their myriad surnames all say, How great are the words of the king!" and also, "How single and pure is the king's heart!" It will avail to maintain in tranquillity the rich possession of the former king, and to Secure for ever the (happy) life of the multitudes of the people.' 'Oh! (to retain a place) in the seven-shrined temple of ancestors is a sufficient witness of virtue. To be acknowledged as chief by the myriad heads of families is a sufficient evidence of one's government. The sovereign without the people has none whom he can employ; and the people without the sovereign have none whom they can serve. Do not think yourself so large as to deem others small. If ordinary men and women do not find the opportunity to give full development to their ability, the people's lord will be without the proper aids to complete his merit.' | |
| 2 | 咸有一德: | 沃丁既葬伊尹于亳，咎單遂訓伊尹事，作《沃丁》。 |
| 3 | 咸有一德: | 伊陟相大戊，亳有祥桑谷共生于朝。伊陟贊于巫咸，作《咸乂》四篇。 |
| 4 | 咸有一德: | 太戊贊于伊陟，作《伊陟》、《原命》。 |
| 5 | 咸有一德: | 仲丁遷于囂，作《仲丁》。 |
| 6 | 咸有一德: | 河但甲居相，作《河但甲》。 |
| 7 | 咸有一德: | 祖乙圯于耿，作《祖乙》。 |
URN: ctp:shang-shu/common-possession-of-pure-virtue