1.16 [16] 景公貪長有國之樂晏子諫

齊景公貪圖長久保有國家的樂趣，晏子進諫

【原文】

景公（將）觀于淄上，與晏子閑立。公喟然嘆曰：“嗚呼！使國可長保而（傅）〔傳〕于子孫，豈不樂哉？”晏子對曰：“嬰聞明王不徒立，百姓不虛至。今君以政亂國，以行棄民久矣，而（聲）欲保之，不亦難乎？嬰聞之，能長保國者，能終善者也。諸侯并立，能終善者為長；列士并學，能終善者為師。昔先君桓公，其方任賢而贊德之時，亡國恃以存，危國仰以安，是以民樂其政，而世高其德。行遠征暴，勞者不疾，驅海內使朝天子，而諸侯不怨。當是時，盛君之行不能進焉。及其卒而衰，怠于德而并于樂，身溺于婦侍而謀因〔于〕豎刁，是以民苦其政，而世非其行，故身死于胡宮而不舉，蟲出而不收。當是時也，桀、紂之卒不能惡焉?！对姟吩唬骸也挥谐?，鮮克有終。’不能終善者，不遂其君。今君臨民若寇讎，見善若避熱，亂政而危賢，必逆于眾，肆欲于民，而（誅虐）〔虐誅〕于下，恐及于身。嬰之年老，不能待（于）君使矣，行不能革，則持節以沒世耳?！?/p>

【今譯】

齊景公在淄水岸上觀賞景色，和晏子站著閑聊。景公長嘆一聲說：“唉！如果能永遠保有國家并傳給后世子孫，這難道不是一件讓人高興的事嗎？”晏子說：“我聽說賢明的國君不是憑空被擁立的，百姓的歸附也不是無緣無故的。現在您的政令禍亂國家，您的行為拋棄百姓已經很久了，卻想要要保有國家，這不是很困難嗎？我聽說能長久保有國家的，是那些能夠堅持行善的人。諸侯并立的時候，能夠堅持行善的才能成為君長；讀書人一起學習的時候，能夠堅持行善的才能成為師長。以前您的先祖桓公，當他任用賢良、贊譽有德之人的時候，即將滅亡的國家依靠他而得以保全，動蕩不安的國家仰仗他得以安定，因此百姓樂于遵行他的政令，天下人也推崇他的德行。跟著他長途跋涉去征討兇暴，雖然辛苦但沒人抱怨，號召天下諸侯朝見天子，而諸侯們也沒有怨言。那時候，他的德行聲望已經到達頂峰了。等到他最終德行衰敗，懈怠于道德修養而縱情享樂，自己沉迷女色而聽信奸邪小人的計謀，所以百姓苦于他的統治，天下也譴責他的行為，因此他死在胡宮不能發喪，尸體生了蛆蟲也無人收斂。那時候，夏桀、商紂的下場也不會比他更慘了。《詩經》中說：‘事情都有好的開頭，卻很少能夠善始善終’。不能始終堅持行善，就不能持續保有國君之位?，F在您對待百姓如同對待仇敵，見到善行就像躲避火災，擾亂國家的政務，危害賢良的臣子，一定要違背民意，肆意地掠奪百姓，誅殺臣民，這樣恐怕災禍遲早要落在您自己身上。我已經老了，不能供國君您差遣了，如果您不能改變這些行為，那么我只能保持節操直至死亡了?！?/p>

Duke Jing was looking at the view from the bank of the Zi River^[1] while he was standing idly w ith Yanzi. The Duke heaved a sigh and said: “Oh,if my state could be protected for a long time and then be passed on to my descendants,would that not be a joy?”

Yanzi answered: “I have heard that the enlightened kings did not ascend the throne w ithout a reason,and the people did not come to them in vain. But now for a long time you,my Lord,have played havoc w ith the state through your government and by your conduct you have abandoned the people; yet you say^[2] you w ish to protect the state—is this not difficult? I have heard that he who can protect his state over an extended period is the one who can do good his entire life. Moreover,the regional prince who is able to persist in doing good his entire life becomes the superior among his peers. When officers study together,he who does good his entire life becomes their master. In the past,when our former ruler Duke Huan first employed the worthy and praised the virtuous,even a doomed state m ight have maintained its existence by relying on him,and an endangered state might have been made safe by looking up to him. For that reason,the people rejoiced at his way of governing,and the entire world highly esteemed his virtue. He traveled to distant places in his campaigns against the violent,and those who labored for him did not complain. He had sway over the entire country between the seas and induced the regional princes to pay court to the Son of Heaven,^[3] and they did not complain. During that period,our mighty ruler’s virtuous conduct could not have been surpassed. In his final days,however,when the state declined,he neglected virtue and was overcome by pleasure. He became besotted w ith women,and he plotted matters with Shu Diao.^[4] For this reason,the people suffered from his government and the entire world condemned his conduct. Therefore,when he died in the Hu Palace,the burial ceremonies were not performed; even when worms crept out of his corpse,he was still not put into a coffin.^[5] During that period,even Jie and Zhou could not have come to a worse end. As it says in the Odes:

A ll are good at first;

But only few succeed to the last.^[6]

He who is not able to do good through the end of his days is one who cannot successfully fulfill his role as ruler. But now you,my Lord,rule the people as if they were an enemy; at the sight of someone good,you seem as if you want to escape the heat; you play havoc w ith the government and you endanger the worthy; you are bound to act contrary to the multitude; you make unrestrained demands on the people and cruelly punish your subjects. I am afraid you w ill personally suffer the consequences. I am already old and cannot be expected to continue in my service to you,my Lord,much longer. Unless you are able to radically change your conduct,I w ill maintain my moral integrity until I die—that and nothing more.”

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注釋

[1]River Zi 淄 appears on the historical maps of the Chunqiu period. It is located in present Shandong province near M ount Tai 泰山.

[2]Retain 聲 (SBCK,I,19a3).

[3]Tianzi 天子—“Son of Heaven,” from the Zhou dynasty on,a standard designation to the supreme sovereign of China. The Son of Heaven was traditionally regarded the mediator between Heaven and the human world and the capital from which he ruled was an axis mundi,a pivot about which the four quarters revolved. For a detailed discussion of the title of “The Son of Heaven,” see “Son of Heaven: Shamanic Kingship,” and “Son of Heaven: Kingship as Cosmic Paradigm” in Julia Jing,ibid,1-66.

[4]Shu Diao 豎刁 w as a member of an infamous group of officials who served Duke Huan in his final days. He emasculated himself in order to take charge of the Duke’s harem. See Guanzi,11.2/86/1.

[5]See Guanzi,10.1/76/1.

[6]Shijing,255/131/14.