Heaven ， in giving birth to the multitudes of the people ，
To every faculty and relationship annexed its law .
The people possess this normal nature ，
And they [consequently] love its normal virtue .
Heaven beheld the ruler of Zhou ，
Brilliantly affecting it by his conduct below ；
And to maintain him ， its Son ，
Gave birth to Zhong Shan-fu .
The virtue of Zhong Shan-fu ，
Is mild and admirable ， according as it ought to be .
Good is his deportment ； good his looks ；
The lessons of antiquity are his law ；
He is strenuously attentive to his deportment .
In full accord with the Son of Heaven ，
He is employed to spread abroad his bright decrees .
The king gave charge to Zhong Shan-fu ： ——
'Be a pattern to all the princes ；
Continue [the services of] your ancestors .
You have to protect the royal person ；
Give out the royal decrees ， and report on them .
Be the king's throat and tongue ；
Spread his government abroad ，
So that in all quarters it shall be responded to . '
Most dignified was the king's charge ，
And Zhong Shan-fu carries it into execution .
In the States ， the princes ， be they good or bad ，
Are clearly distinguished by Zhong Shan-fu .
Intelligent is he and wise ，
Protecting his own person ；
Never idle ， day or night ，
In the service of the One man .
The people have a saying ： ——
'The soft is devoured ，
And the hard is ejected from the mouth . '
But Zhong Shan-fu ，
Does not devour the soft ，
Nor eject the powerful .
He does not insult the poor or the widow ；
He does not fear the strong or the oppressive .
The people have a saying ： ——
'Virtue is light as a hair ，
But few are able to lift it . '
When I think of the matter ，
It is only Zhong Shan-fu that can lift it .
I love him ， but can do nothing to help him .
Any defects in the king's duties ，
Are supplied by Zhong Shan-fu .
Zhong Shan-fu went forth ， having sacrificed to the Spirit of the road .
His four steeds were strong ；
His men were alert ；
He was always anxious lest he should not be equal to his commission ；
His steeds went on without stopping ，
To the tinkling of their eight bells .
The king had given charge to Zhong Shan-fu ，
To fortify the city there in the east .
With his four steeds so strong ，
And their eight bells ， all tinkling ，
Zhong Shan-fu proceeded to Qi ； ——
And he will soon return .
I ， Yin Ji-fu ， have made this song ： ——
May it enter like a quiet wind ，
Among the constant anxieties of Zhong Shan-fu ，
To soothe his mind ！
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
天生烝民、有物有則。
民之秉彝、好是懿德。
天監(jiān)有周、昭假于下、保茲天子、生仲山甫。
仲山甫之德、柔嘉維則。
令儀令色、小心翼翼。
古訓(xùn)是式、威儀是力、天子是若、明命使賦。
王命仲山甫、式是百辟。
纘戎祖考、王躬是保。
出納王命、王之喉舌。
賦政于外、四方爰發(fā)。
肅肅王命、仲山甫將之。
邦國若否、仲山甫明之。
既明且哲、以保其身。
夙夜匪解、以事一人。
人亦有言、柔則茹之、剛則吐之。
維仲山甫、柔亦不茹、剛亦不吐、不侮矜寡、不畏疆御。
人亦有言、德輶如毛、民鮮克舉之。
我儀圖之、維仲山甫舉之、愛莫助之。
袞職有闕、維仲山甫補(bǔ)之。
仲山甫出祖、四牡業(yè)業(yè)、征夫捷捷、每懷靡及。
四牡彭彭、八鸞鏘鏘。
王命仲山甫、城彼東方。
四牡骙骙、八鸞喈喈。
仲山甫徂齊、式遄其歸。
吉甫作誦、穆如清風(fēng)。仲山甫永懷、以慰其心。
To every faculty and relationship annexed its law .
The people possess this normal nature ，
And they [consequently] love its normal virtue .
Heaven beheld the ruler of Zhou ，
Brilliantly affecting it by his conduct below ；
And to maintain him ， its Son ，
Gave birth to Zhong Shan-fu .
The virtue of Zhong Shan-fu ，
Is mild and admirable ， according as it ought to be .
Good is his deportment ； good his looks ；
The lessons of antiquity are his law ；
He is strenuously attentive to his deportment .
In full accord with the Son of Heaven ，
He is employed to spread abroad his bright decrees .
The king gave charge to Zhong Shan-fu ： ——
'Be a pattern to all the princes ；
Continue [the services of] your ancestors .
You have to protect the royal person ；
Give out the royal decrees ， and report on them .
Be the king's throat and tongue ；
Spread his government abroad ，
So that in all quarters it shall be responded to . '
Most dignified was the king's charge ，
And Zhong Shan-fu carries it into execution .
In the States ， the princes ， be they good or bad ，
Are clearly distinguished by Zhong Shan-fu .
Intelligent is he and wise ，
Protecting his own person ；
Never idle ， day or night ，
In the service of the One man .
The people have a saying ： ——
'The soft is devoured ，
And the hard is ejected from the mouth . '
But Zhong Shan-fu ，
Does not devour the soft ，
Nor eject the powerful .
He does not insult the poor or the widow ；
He does not fear the strong or the oppressive .
The people have a saying ： ——
'Virtue is light as a hair ，
But few are able to lift it . '
When I think of the matter ，
It is only Zhong Shan-fu that can lift it .
I love him ， but can do nothing to help him .
Any defects in the king's duties ，
Are supplied by Zhong Shan-fu .
Zhong Shan-fu went forth ， having sacrificed to the Spirit of the road .
His four steeds were strong ；
His men were alert ；
He was always anxious lest he should not be equal to his commission ；
His steeds went on without stopping ，
To the tinkling of their eight bells .
The king had given charge to Zhong Shan-fu ，
To fortify the city there in the east .
With his four steeds so strong ，
And their eight bells ， all tinkling ，
Zhong Shan-fu proceeded to Qi ； ——
And he will soon return .
I ， Yin Ji-fu ， have made this song ： ——
May it enter like a quiet wind ，
Among the constant anxieties of Zhong Shan-fu ，
To soothe his mind ！
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
天生烝民、有物有則。
民之秉彝、好是懿德。
天監(jiān)有周、昭假于下、保茲天子、生仲山甫。
仲山甫之德、柔嘉維則。
令儀令色、小心翼翼。
古訓(xùn)是式、威儀是力、天子是若、明命使賦。
王命仲山甫、式是百辟。
纘戎祖考、王躬是保。
出納王命、王之喉舌。
賦政于外、四方爰發(fā)。
肅肅王命、仲山甫將之。
邦國若否、仲山甫明之。
既明且哲、以保其身。
夙夜匪解、以事一人。
人亦有言、柔則茹之、剛則吐之。
維仲山甫、柔亦不茹、剛亦不吐、不侮矜寡、不畏疆御。
人亦有言、德輶如毛、民鮮克舉之。
我儀圖之、維仲山甫舉之、愛莫助之。
袞職有闕、維仲山甫補(bǔ)之。
仲山甫出祖、四牡業(yè)業(yè)、征夫捷捷、每懷靡及。
四牡彭彭、八鸞鏘鏘。
王命仲山甫、城彼東方。
四牡骙骙、八鸞喈喈。
仲山甫徂齊、式遄其歸。
吉甫作誦、穆如清風(fēng)。仲山甫永懷、以慰其心。