皐陶謨
曰若稽古皋陶，曰：「允迪厥德，謨明弼諧。」禹曰：「俞，如何？」皋陶曰：「都！慎厥身，修思永。惇敘九族，庶明勵翼，邇可遠在兹。」禹拜昌言曰：「俞。」 皋陶曰：「都！在知人，在安民。」禹曰：「吁！咸若時，惟帝其難之。知人則哲，能官人；安民則惠，黎民懷之。能哲而惠，何憂乎驩兜？何遷乎有苗？何畏乎巧言令色孔壬？」 皋陶曰：「都！亦行有九德，亦言其人有德，乃言曰：載采采。」禹曰：「何？」皋陶曰：「寬而栗，柔而立，愿而恭，亂而敬，擾而毅，直而溫，簡而廉，剛而塞，彊而義。彰厥有常，吉哉。日宣三德，夙夜浚明有家。日嚴祗敬六德，亮采有邦。翕受敷施九德，咸事俊乂在官，百僚、師師、百工。惟時撫于五辰，庶績其凝。無教逸欲有邦，兢兢業業，一日二日萬幾。無曠庶官，天工人其代之。天敘有典，勑我五典五惇哉。天秩有禮，自我五禮有庸哉。同寅協恭和衷哉。天命有德，五服五章哉；天討有罪，五刑五用哉。政事懋哉懋哉。天聰明，自我民聰明；天明畏，自我民明威。達于上下，敬哉有土！」 皋陶曰：「朕言惠可厎行？」禹曰：「俞，乃言厎可績。」皋陶曰：「予未有知，思曰贊贊襄哉。」 帝曰：「來，禹。汝亦昌言。」禹拜曰：「都，帝。予何言？予思日孜孜。」皋陶曰：「吁！如何？」禹曰：「洪水滔天，浩浩懷山襄陵；下民昏墊。予乘四載，隨山刊木，暨益奏庶鮮食。予決九川，距四海，浚畎澮，距川。暨稷播奏庶艱食，鮮食，懋遷有無化居。烝民乃粒，萬邦作乂。」皋陶曰：「俞，師汝昌言。」禹曰：「都，帝。慎乃在位。」帝曰：「俞。」禹曰：「安汝止，惟幾惟康，其弼直，惟動丕應。徯志以昭受上帝，天其申命用休。」 帝曰：「吁！臣哉，鄰哉！鄰哉，臣哉！」禹曰：「俞。」帝曰：「臣作朕股肱耳目，予欲左右有民，汝翼。予欲宣力四方，汝爲。予欲觀古人之象，日、月、星辰；山、龍、華蟲、作會宗彝、藻、火；粉米、黼、黻、絺、繡，以五采彰施于五色作服，汝明。予欲聞六律、五聲、八音、在治，忽以出納五言，汝聽。予違，汝弼。汝無面從，退有後言。欽四鄰。庶頑讒說，若不在時，侯以明之，撻以記之；書用識哉，欲並生哉。工以納言，時而揚之。格則承之庸之，否則威之。」 禹曰：「俞哉，帝！光天之下，至于海隅蒼生，萬邦黎獻，共惟帝臣。惟帝時舉，敷納以言，明庶以功，車服以庸。誰敢不讓，敢不敬應？帝不時，敷同日奏罔功。無若丹朱敖，惟慢遊是好，敖虐是作，罔晝夜頟頟，罔水行舟，朋淫于家，用殄厥世，予創若時。娶于塗山，辛壬癸甲，啟呱呱而泣，予弗子，惟荒度土功。弼成五服，至于五千；州十有二師，外薄四海，咸建五長。各迪有功，苗頑弗即工。帝其念哉。」帝曰：「迪朕德，時乃功惟敘。皋陶方祗厥敘，方施象刑惟明。 夔曰：「戛擊鳴球，搏拊琴瑟以詠，祖考來格，虞賓在位，羣后德讓。下管鼗鼓，合止柷敔，笙鏞以間；鳥獸蹌蹌。《簫韶》九成，鳳皇來儀。」夔曰：「於！予擊石拊石，百獸率舞，庶尹允諧。」 帝庸作歌，曰：「勑天之命，惟時惟幾。」乃歌曰：「股肱喜哉，元首起哉，百工熙哉。」皋陶拜手稽首，颺言曰：「念哉！率作興事，慎乃憲，欽哉！屢省乃成，欽哉！」乃賡載歌曰：「元首明哉，股肱良哉，庶事康哉！」又歌曰：「元首叢脞哉，股肱惰哉，萬事墮哉！」帝拜曰：「俞，往欽哉！」
Book III. The Counsels of Kâo-yâo.
Examining into antiquity, (we find that) Kâo-yâo said, 'If (the sovereign) sincerely pursues the course of his virtue, the counsels (offered to him) will be intelligent, and the aids (of admonition that he receives) will be harmonious.' Yü said, 'Yes, but explain yourself.' Kâo-yâo said, 'Oh! let him be careful about his personal cultivation, with thoughts that are far-reaching, and thus he will produce a generous kindness and nice observance of distinctions among the nine branches of his kindred. All the intelligent (also) will exert themselves in his service; and in this way from what is near he will reach to what is distant.' Yü did homage to the excellent words, and said, 'Yes.' Kâo-yâo continued, 'Oh! it lies in knowing men, and giving repose to the people.' Yü said, 'Alas! to attain to both these things might well be a difficulty even to the Tî. When (the sovereign) knows men, he is wise, and can put every one into the office for which he is fit. When he gives repose to the people, his kindness is felt, and the black-haired race cherish him in their hearts. When he can be (thus) wise and kind, what occasion will he have for anxiety about a Hwan-tâu? what to be removing a lord of Miâo? what to fear any one of fair words, insinuating appearance, and great artfulness?' Kâo-yâo said, 'Oh! there are in all nine virtues to be discovered in conduct, and when we say that a man possesses (any) virtue, that is as much as to say he does such and such things.' Yü asked, 'What (are the nine virtues)?' Kâo-yâo replied, 'Affability combined with dignity; mildness combined with firmness; bluntness combined with respectfulness; aptness for government combined with reverent caution; docility combined with boldness; straightforwardness combined with gentleness; an easy negligence combined with discrimination; boldness combined with sincerity; and valour combined with righteousness. (When these qualities are) displayed, and that continuously, have we not the good (officer)? When there is a daily display of three (of these) virtues, their possessor could early and late regulate and brighten the clan (of which he was made chief). When there is a daily severe and reverent cultivation of six of them, their possessor could brilliantly conduct the affairs of the state (with which he was invested). When (such men) are all received and advanced, the possessors of those nine virtues will be employed in (the public) service. The men of a thousand and men of a hundred will be in their offices; the various ministers will emulate one another; all the officers will accomplish their duties at the proper times, observant of the five seasons (as the several elements predominate in them), and thus their various duties will be fully accomplished. Let not (the Son of Heaven) set to the holders of states the example of indolence or dissoluteness. Let him be wary and fearful, (remembering that) in one day or two days there may occur ten thousand springs of things. Let him not have his various officers cumberers of their places. The work is Heaven's; men must act for it!'* 'From Heaven are the (social) relationships with their several duties; we are charged with (the enforcement of) those five duties;—and lo! we have the five courses of honourable conduct. From Heaven are the (social) distinctions with their several ceremonies; from us come the observances of those five ceremonies;—and lo! they appear in regular practice. When (sovereign and ministers show) a common reverence and united respect for these, lo! the moral nature (of the people) is made harmonious. Heaven graciously distinguishes the virtuous;—are there not the five habiliments, five decorations of them? Heaven punishes the guilty;—are there not the five punishments, to be severally used for that purpose? The business of government!—ought we not to be earnest in it? ought we not to be earnest in it?* 'Heaven hears and sees as our people hear and see; Heaven brightly approves and displays its terrors as our people brightly approve and would awe; such connexion is there between the upper and lower (worlds). How reverent ought the masters of territories to be!'* Kâo-yâo said, 'My words are in accordance with reason, and may be put in practice.' Yü said, 'Yes, your words may be put in practice, and crowned with success.' Kâo-yâo added, '(As to that) I do not know, but I wish daily to be helpful. May (the government) be perfected!'