| | 武成: |
既戊午，師逾孟津。癸亥，陳于商郊，俟天休命。甲子昧爽，受率其旅若林，會于牧野。罔有敵于我師，前徒倒戈，攻于後以北，血流漂杵。一戎衣，天下大定。乃反商政，政由舊。釋箕子囚，封比干墓，式商容閭。散鹿臺之財，發鉅橋之粟，大賚于四海，而萬姓悅服。 |
| Successful Completion of the...: |
On the day Wu-wu, the army crossed the ford of Meng, and on Gui-hai it was drawn up in array in the borders of Shang, waiting for the gracious decision of Heaven. On Jia-zi, at early dawn, Shou led forward his troops, (looking) like a forest, and assembled them in the wild of Mu. But they offered no opposition to our army. Those in the front inverted their spears, and attacked those behind them, till they fled; and the blood flowed till it floated the pestles of the mortars. Thus did (king Wu) once don his armour, and the kingdom was grandly settled. He overturned the (existing) rule of Shang, and made government resume its old course. He delivered the count of Qi from prison, and raised a mound over the grave of Bi-gan. He bowed forward to the cross-bar of his carriage at the gate of Shang Rong's village. He dispersed the treasures of the Stag Tower, and distributed the grain of Ju-qiao, thus conferring great gifts on all within the four seas, so that the people joyfully submitted to him. |
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列爵惟五，分土惟三。建官惟賢，位事惟能。重民五教，惟食、喪、祭。惇信明義，崇德報功。垂拱而天下治。 |
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He arranged the nobles in five orders, assigning the territories to them according to a threefold scale. He gave offices only to the worthy, and employments only to the able. He attached great importance to the people's being taught the duties of the five relations of society, and to measures for ensuring a sufficient supply of food, attention to the rites of mourning, and to sacrifices. He showed the reality of his truthfulness, and proved clearly his righteousness. He honoured virtue, and rewarded merit. Then he had only to let his robes fall down, and fold his hands, and the kingdom was orderly ruled. |
| | 康誥: |
成王既伐管叔、蔡叔，以殷余民封康叔，作《》、《》、《》。 |
| | 康誥: |
王若曰：「孟侯，朕其弟，小子封。惟乃丕顯考文王，克明德慎罰；不敢侮鰥寡，庸庸，祗祗，威威，顯民，用肇造我區夏，越我一、二邦以修我西土。惟時怙冒，聞于上帝，帝休，天乃大命文王。殪戎殷，誕受厥命越厥邦民，惟時敘，乃寡兄勖。肆汝小子封在茲東土。 |
| Announcement to the Prince...: |
The king speaks to this effect: 'Head of the princes, and my younger brother, little one, Feng, it was your greatly distinguished father, the king Wen, who was able to illustrate his virtue and be careful in the use of punishments. He did not dare to treat with contempt (even) wifeless men and widows. He employed the employable, and revered the reverend; he was terrible to those who needed to be awed - so getting distinction among the people. It was thus he laid the foundations of (the sway of) our small portion of the kingdom, and the one or two (neighbouring) regions were brought under, his improving influence, until throughout our western land all placed in him their reliance. The fame, of him ascended up to the high God, and God approved. Heaven accordingly gave a grand charge to king Wen, to exterminate the great (dynasty of) Yin, and grandly receive its appointment, so that the various countries belonging to it and their peoples were brought to an orderly condition. Then your unworthy elder brother exerted himself; and thus it is that you Feng, the little one, are here in this eastern region.' |
| | 康誥: |
王曰：「嗚呼！封，汝念哉！今民將在祗遹乃文考，紹聞衣德言。往敷求于殷先哲王用保乂民，汝丕遠惟商耇成人宅心知訓。別求聞由古先哲王用康保民。弘于天，若德，裕乃身不廢在王命！」 |
| Announcement to the Prince...: |
The king says, 'Oh! Feng, bear these things in mind. Now (your success in the management of) the people will depend on your reverently following your father Wen; do you carry out his virtuous words which you have heard, and clothe yourself with them. (Moreover), where you go, seek out among (the traces of) the former wise kings of Yin what you may use in protecting and regulating their people. (Again), you must in the remote distance study the (ways of) the old accomplished men of Shang, that you may establish your heart, and know how to instruct (the people). (Further still), you must search out besides what is to be learned of the wise kings of antiquity, and employ it in tranquillizing and protecting the people. (Finally), enlarge (your thoughts) to (the comprehension of all) heavenly (principles), and virtue will be richly displayed in your person, so that you will not render nugatory the king's charge.' |
| | 康誥: |
王曰：「嗚呼！小子封，恫瘝乃身，敬哉！天畏棐忱；民情大可見，小人難保。往盡乃心，無康好逸豫，乃其乂民。我聞曰：『怨不在大，亦不在小；惠不惠，懋不懋。』 |
| Announcement to the Prince...: |
The king says, 'Oh! Feng, the little one, be respectfully careful, as if you were suffering from a disease. Awful though Heaven be, it yet helps the sincere. The feelings of the people can for the most part be discerned; but it is difficult to preserve (the attachment of) the lower classes. Where you go, employ all your heart. Do not seek repose, nor be fond of ease and pleasure. I have read the saying, "Dissatisfaction is caused not so much by great things, or by small things, as by (a ruler's) observance of principle or the reverse, and by his energy of conduct or the reverse." |
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已！汝惟小子，乃服惟弘王應保殷民，亦惟助王宅天命，作新民。」 |
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Yes, it is yours, O little one, it is your business to enlarge the royal (influence), and to protect the people of Yin in harmony with their feelings. Thus also shall, you assist the king, consolidating the appointment of Heaven, and renovating the people.' |
| | 康誥: |
王曰：「嗚呼！封，敬明乃罰。人有小罪，非眚，乃惟終自作不典；式爾，有厥罪小，乃不可不殺。乃有大罪，非終，乃惟眚災：適爾，既道極厥辜，時乃不可殺。」 |
| Announcement to the Prince...: |
The king says, 'Oh! Feng, deal reverently and intelligently in your infliction of punishments. When men commit small crimes, which are not mischances, but purposed, they of themselves doing what is contrary to the laws intentionally, though their crimes be but small, you may not but put them to death. But in the case of great crimes, which were not purposed, but from mischance and misfortune, accidental, if the transgressors confess their guilt without reserve, you must not put them to death.' |
| | 康誥: |
王曰：「嗚呼！封，有敘時，乃大明服，惟民其敕懋和。若有疾，惟民其畢棄咎。若保赤子，惟民其康乂。非汝封刑人殺人，無或刑人殺人。非汝封又曰劓刵人，無或劓刵人。」 |
| Announcement to the Prince...: |
The king says, 'Oh! Feng, there must be the orderly regulation (of this matter). When you show a great discrimination, subduing (men's hearts), the people will admonish one another, and strive to be obedient. (Deal firmly yet tenderly with evil), as if it were a disease in your own person, and the people will entirely put away their faults;. (Deal with them) as if you were protecting your own infants, and the people will be tranquil and orderly. It is not you, O Feng, who (can presume to) inflict a (severe) punishment or death upon a man; do not, to please yourself, so punish a man or put him to death.' Moreover, he says, 'It is not you, O Feng, who (can presume to inflict a lighter punishment), cutting off a man's nose or ears; do not, to please yourself, cause a man's nose or ears to be cut off.' |
| | 康誥: |
王曰：「汝陳時臬事罰。蔽殷彝，用其義刑義殺，勿庸以次汝封。乃汝盡遜曰時敘，惟曰未有遜事。 |
| Announcement to the Prince...: |
The king says, 'In setting forth the business of the laws, the punishments will be determined by (what were) the regular laws of Yin. But you must see that those punishments, and (especially) the penalty of death, be righteous. And you must not let them be warped to agree with your own inclinations, O Feng. Then shall they be entirely accordant with right, and you may say, "They are properly ordered;" yet you must say (at the same time), "Perhaps they are not yet entirely accordant with right." |
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已！汝惟小子，未其有若汝封之心。朕心朕德，惟乃知。 |
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Yes, though you are the little one, who has a heart like you, O Feng? My heart and my virtue are also known to you. |
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凡民自得罪：寇攘奸宄，殺越人于貨，暋不畏死，罔弗憝。 |
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'All who of themselves commit crimes, robbing, stealing, practising villainy and treachery, and who kill men or violently assault them to take their property, being reckless and fearless of death - these are abhorred by all.' |
| | 康誥: |
王曰：「封，元惡大憝，矧惟不孝不友。子弗祗服厥父事，大傷厥考心；于父不能字厥子，乃疾厥子。于弟弗念天顯，乃弗克恭厥兄；兄亦不念鞠子哀，大不友于弟。惟弔茲，不于我政人得罪，天惟與我民彝大泯亂，曰：乃其速由文王作罰，刑茲無赦。 |
| Announcement to the Prince...: |
The king says, 'O Feng, such great criminals are greatly abhorred, and how much more (detestable) are the unfilial and unbrotherly! - as the son who does not reverently discharge his duty to his father, but greatly wounds his father's heart, and the father who can (no longer) love his son, but hates him; as the younger brother who does not think of the manifest will of Heaven, and refuses to respect his elder brother, and the elder brother who does not think of the toil of their parents in bringing up their children, and is very unfriendly to his junior. If we who are charged with government do not treat parties who proceed to such wickedness as offenders, the laws (of our nature) given by Heaven to our people will be thrown into great disorder and destroyed. You must resolve to deal speedily with such according to the penal laws of king Wen, punishing them severely and not pardoning. |
