蔡仲之命
惟周公位冢宰，正百工。群叔流言，乃致辟管叔于商，囚蔡叔于郭鄰，以車七乘；降霍叔于庶人，三年不齒；蔡仲克庸祗德，周公以為卿士。叔卒，乃命諸王邦之蔡。王若曰：「小子胡！惟爾率德改行，克慎厥猷；肆予命爾侯于東土，往即乃封，敬哉！爾尚蓋前人之愆，惟忠惟孝；爾乃邁跡自身，克勤無怠，以垂憲乃後；率乃祖文王之彝訓，無若爾考之違王命。 皇天無親，惟德是輔，民心無常，惟惠之懷；為善不同，同歸于治，為惡不同，同歸于亂。 爾其戒哉！慎厥初，惟厥終，終以不困，不惟厥終，終以困窮；懋乃攸績，睦乃四鄰，以蕃王室，以和兄弟。 康濟小民，率自中，無作聰明亂舊章；詳乃視聽，罔以側言改厥度，則予一人汝嘉。」 王曰：「嗚呼！小子胡，汝往哉！無荒棄朕命。」
Book XVII. The Charge to Kung of Zhâi.
When the duke of Kâu was in the place of prime minister and directed all the officers, the (king's) uncles spread abroad an (evil) report, in consequence of which (the duke) put to death the prince of Kwan in Shang; confined the prince of Zhâi in Kwo-lin, with an attendance of seven chariots; and reduced the prince of Hwo to be a private man, causing his name to be erased from the registers for three years. The son of the prince of Zhâi having displayed a reverent virtue, the duke of Kâu made him a high minister, and when his father died, requested a decree from the king, investing him with the country of Zhâi. 'The king speaks to this effect:—"My little child, Hû, you follow the virtue (of our ancestors), and have changed from the conduct (of your father); you are able to take heed to your ways;—I therefore appoint you to be a marquis in the east. Go to your fief, and be reverent! "In order that you may cover the faults of your father, be loyal, be filial. Urge on your steps in your own way, diligent and never idle, and so shall you hand down an example to your descendants. Follow the constant lessons of your grandfather king Wăn, and be not, like your father, disobedient to the royal orders. "Great Heaven has no partial affections;—it helps only the virtuous.* The people's hearts have no unchanging attachment;—they cherish only the kind. Acts of goodness are different, but they contribute in common to good order. Acts of evil are different, but they contribute in common to disorder. Be cautious! "In giving heed to the beginning think of the end;—the end will then be without distress. If you do not think of the end, it will be full of distress, even of the greatest. "Exert yourself to achieve your proper merit. Seek to be in harmony with all your neighbours. Be a fence to the royal House. Live in amity with your brethren. Tranquillize and help the lower people. "Follow the course of the Mean, and do not by aiming to be intelligent throw old statutes into confusion. Watch over what you see and hear, and do not for one-sided words deviate from the right rule. Then I, the One man, will praise you." 'The king says, "Oh! my little child, Hû, go, and do not idly throw away my charge."'