1.15 [15] 景公欲祠靈山河伯以禱雨晏子諫

齊景公打算祭祀靈山河伯來(lái)祈禱降雨，晏子進(jìn)諫

【原文】

齊大旱逾時(shí)，景公召群臣問(wèn)曰：“天不雨久矣，民且有饑色。吾使人卜（云）〔之〕，祟在高山廣水。寡人欲少賦斂以祠靈山，可乎？”群臣莫對(duì)。晏子進(jìn)曰：“不可，祠此無(wú)益也。夫靈山固以石為身，以草木為發(fā)，天久不雨，發(fā)將焦，身將熱，彼獨(dú)不欲雨乎？祠之（無(wú)）〔何〕益。”〔景〕公曰：“不然，吾欲祠河伯，可乎？”晏子曰：“不可。〔夫〕河伯以水為國(guó)，以魚(yú)鱉為民，天久不雨，〔水〕泉將下，百川〔將〕竭，國(guó)將亡，民將滅矣，彼獨(dú)不欲雨乎？祠之何益？”景公曰：“今為之奈何？”晏子曰：“君誠(chéng)避宮殿暴露，與靈山河伯共憂(yōu)，其幸而雨乎！”于是景公出野（居）暴露，三日，天果大雨，民盡得種時(shí)。景公曰：“善哉，晏子之言，可無(wú)用乎？其維有德。”

【今譯】

齊國(guó)大旱過(guò)了農(nóng)時(shí)，齊景公召集群臣問(wèn)道：“上天很久不降雨了，百姓面有饑色。我命人去占卜，說(shuō)是禍祟（災(zāi)禍）在高山大水之間。我想稍微增加一些賦稅來(lái)祭祀靈山，可以嗎？”群臣都默不作聲。晏子進(jìn)諫說(shuō)：“不可以，祭祀靈山?jīng)]什么幫助。靈山以石頭為身體，以草木為頭發(fā)，上天長(zhǎng)時(shí)間不下雨，它的頭發(fā)快要焦枯了，身體快要熱壞了，它不是也盼著下雨嗎？所以祭祀它沒(méi)什么幫助。”景公說(shuō)：“不行的話(huà)，我打算祭祀河伯，可以嗎？”晏子說(shuō)：“不可以。河伯以水為國(guó)家，以魚(yú)鱉為百姓，上天長(zhǎng)時(shí)間不下雨，泉水下降，河流枯竭，它的國(guó)家將要衰亡，百姓將要滅絕，它難道不希望下雨嗎？祭祀它有什么好處？”景公說(shuō)：“那現(xiàn)在怎么辦呢？”晏子說(shuō)：“如果您能誠(chéng)心離開(kāi)宮殿，到野外露宿，和靈山、河伯共同承擔(dān)憂(yōu)患，也許就能僥幸下雨！”于是景公離開(kāi)宮殿露宿于野外，過(guò)了三天，果然下了一場(chǎng)大雨，百姓全都得以及時(shí)耕種。景公說(shuō)：“好啊，晏子的話(huà)怎能不采納呢？他是個(gè)有德行的人啊。”

There was a great drought in Qi for an extended period of time. Duke Jing summoned all his m inisters and asked them: “Rain has not fallen from Heaven for a long time,and the people appear to be nearly famished. I had someone divine in the matter and he said that the noxious influence is in the high mountains and the w ide waters. I would like to collect a small assessment in order to offer a sacrifice to the Num inous Mountain. Is this permissible?”

Not one of the various ministers answered. Yanzi stepped forward and said: “It would not be proper. There is no advantage in offering this sacrifice. In fact,the Numinous Mountain has stones as its body,and grass and trees as its hair. When rain has not fallen from Heaven for a long time,its hair w ill be scorched and its body w ill be seething. How would he alone not wish for rain? What would be the point of offering him a sacrifice?”

Duke Jing said: “If not so,then I w ish to sacrifice to the Lord of the Yellow River. Is this perm issible?”

Yanzi said: “It would not be proper. There is no advantage in offering it a sacrifice. The Lord of the Yellow River has water as his state and fish and turtles as his people. When rain has not fallen from Heaven for a long time,the level of the springs w ill recede and all the water will dry up. His country w ill perish and his people w ill die. How could he himself not w ish for rain? What would be the point of offering the Lord of the Yellow River a sacrifice?”

Duke Jing said: “But what alternatives do I have now?”

Yanzi replied: “M y Lord,were you to really leave your palace and expose yourself to the sun,sharing the worries of the Numinous Mountain and the Lord of the Yellow River—isn’t it possible that this m ight be considered a blessing,and rain might fall?”

Thereupon,Duke Jing went out to the open field and exposed himself to the sun. In fact,after three days,Heaven did pour down heavy rain and all the people could sow at the right time.^[4] Duke Jing said: “Excellent! How could Yanzi’s words not be put to use? He alone has virtue.”

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注釋

[1]“Num inous Mountain,” (靈山),is located twenty m iles North-East of Linqu 臨朐district in the present Shandong province.

[2]He-bo 河伯—the God of the Yellow River.

[3]Item 1.15 [15] ? Shuoyuan,18.11/153/16. For an episode that has the same structure as this item but different protagonists and a different ending,see Hanshi waizhuan,3.8/17/3.

[4]The sim ilarities between the present episode and the story about Honi the Circle Maker from the Babylonian Talmud (BT) tractate Ta’anit 19a; 23a is striking. According to the latter story,there was a prolonged drought that the inhabitants of the country were unable to relieve. As a last resort,they turned to Honi. Honi drew a large circle in the ground and p laced him self inside it. He called out to God,saying,as a threat,that he would not leave the circle until God would cause rain to fall. Eventually,God obeyed. See also Mozi,4.3/29/10.