2.7 [32] 景公為鄒之長涂晏子諫

齊景公修筑通往鄒邑的道路，晏子進諫

【原文】

景公筑路寢之臺，三年未息；又為長庲之役，二年未息；又為鄒之長涂。晏子諫曰：“百姓之力勤矣！公不息乎？”公曰：“涂將成矣，請成而息之。”對曰：“（明）君（不）屈民財者，不得其利；（不）窮民力者，不得其樂。昔者楚靈王作傾宮，三年未息也；又為章華之臺，五年（又不）〔未〕息也；〔而又為〕乾溪之役，八年，百姓之力不足而〔自〕息也。靈王死于乾溪，而民不與君歸。今君不遵明君之義，而循靈王之跡，嬰懼君有暴民之行，而不睹長庲之樂也，不若息之。”公曰：“善！非夫子者，寡人不知得罪于百姓深也。”于是令勿委壞，余財勿〔收〕，斬板而去之。

【今譯】

齊景公修建寢宮的高臺，三年還沒有完工；又修建長庲，兩年還沒有修好；又修筑通往鄒地的道路。晏子勸諫說：“百姓的勞役已經夠多的了！您還不停止這些工程嗎？”景公說：“道路馬上就要修好了，等完成之后再停止吧。”晏子說：“國君如果耗盡民財，自己也得不到利益；耗盡民力，自己也得不到樂趣。從前楚靈王修建傾宮，三年沒有完工；又修建章華之臺，五年沒有完工；又開始修建乾溪臺的勞役，到了第八年，百姓實在疲憊不堪，于是這些工程被迫停止。楚靈王死在乾溪，但百姓不和他一起回國。現在您不遵行明君的道義，而走楚靈王的老路，我怕您有殘害百姓的行為，而看不到長庲中的樂事了，不如停止這些工程吧。”景公說：“好！如果不是您，我還不知道已經把百姓得罪得這么嚴重了。”于是下令（百姓）不要損壞已經修好的路，已經發下去的財物也不收繳，拆掉筑路的模板后就可以自行離去。

Duke Jing built a terrace over the Road Bedchamber,^[1] and the work went on for three years w ithout cessation. In addition,he conscripted laborers for the Changlai Terrace for two years w ithout cessation,and he also built the Long Road to Zou.

Yanzi remonstrated and said: “The strength of the people is exhausted; shouldn’t you cease?”

The Duke said: “The road is about to be completed; do let it be completed and then let the labor cease.”

Yanzi replied: “A ruler who exhausts the wealth of the people cannot benefit from this act; a ruler who depletes the strength of the people cannot enjoy it. Formerly,King Ling of Chu^[2] built the Towering-Leaning Palace,and the work went on for three years w ithout cessation. He also built the Terrace of Zhanghua for five years w ithout cessation,and he waged the War of Qianxi for eight years; the people’s strength was overtaxed and so they ceased of their own accord. King Ling died in Qianxi,and the people did not take part in the return of his coffin. But now you,my Lord,are not guided by the righteousness of the enlightened rulers and you follow in the footsteps of King Ling. I am afraid,my Lord,that your conduct is oppressing the people and you w ill never see delights in Changlai. It would be better to cease.”

The Duke said: “Well argued. Were it not for someone like you,Master,I would never have known how gravely I had offended the people.”

Thereupon,he ordered that the part of the road already built not be given over to ruin; that the remaining resources for the completion of the project should not be collected; and that the frame-boards be cut up and removed from the road.

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注釋

[1]路寢,either the “Road Bedchamber o f the Right” (右路寢) or the “Road Bedchamber of the Left” (左路寢),one of the three royal bedchambers. For a detailed discussion of the nature,location and function of each of these three chambers,see Shuoyuan,19.13/163/14; Liji 禮記,22.3/115/1; JS,116/1; James Legge,tr. The Chinese Classics,Vol. V,The Ch’un Ts’ew w ith the Tso Chuen. Reprint,Hong Kong University Press (1970): 121.

[2]The notorious King Ling of Chu 楚靈王 lived in the same generation as Duke Jing. He reigned from 540–529 BCE.