吴无君，无大夫，此何以有君，有大夫？贤季子也。In the state of Wu, there was no recognized legitimate ruler or high-ranking ministers. Why then does it seem here that there are a ruler and ministers? It is because of the virtue of Ji Zha.
何贤乎季子？让国也。其让国奈何？谒也，馀祭也，夷昧也，与季子同母者四。季子弱而才，兄弟皆爱之，同欲立之以为君。Why is Ji Zha regarded as virtuous? It is because of his act of declining the throne. How did he decline the throne? There were four brothers who had the same mother as Ji Zha: Yi, Yuji, Yimei, and Ji Zha himself. Ji Zha was young but talented. All his brothers loved him and wanted to install him as the ruler.
谒曰：“今若是迮而与季子国，季子犹不受也。请无与子而与弟，弟兄迭为君，而致国乎季子。”皆曰诺。Yi said, "If we thrust the state of Wu upon Ji Zha like this now, he would still not accept it. Let's not pass the throne to our sons but to our younger brothers instead. Let us brothers take turns to be the ruler until the state is finally handed over to Ji Zha." Everyone agreed.
故诸为君者皆轻死为勇，饮食必祝，曰：“天苟有吴国，尚速有悔于予身。”Therefore, all those who became rulers were brave in the face of death. Whenever they ate or drank, they would offer a prayer, saying, "If Heaven wishes to preserve the state of Wu, may it quickly bring misfortune upon me."
故谒也死，馀祭也立。馀祭也死，夷昧也立。夷昧也死，则国宜之季子者也，季子使而亡焉。So when Yi died, Yuji ascended the throne. When Yuji died, Yimei ascended the throne. When Yimei died, the state should have rightfully gone to Ji Zha. But Ji Zha was on a diplomatic mission and died during the journey.
僚者长庶也，即之。季之使而反，至而君之尔。Liao was the eldest among the sons born of concubines. He took the throne. When Ji Zha returned from his mission, he simply treated Liao as the ruler.
注：阖庐是吴王诸樊（谒）之子，而僚是吴王夷昧之子，诸樊和夷昧是兄弟，阖庐和僚是堂兄弟。
阖庐曰：“先君之所以不与子国，而与弟者，凡为季子故也。将从先君之命与，则国宜之季子者也；如不从先君之命与子，我宜当立者也。僚恶得为君？”于是使专诸刺僚，而致国乎季子。Helü said, "The reason why our late father did not pass the state to his sons but to his younger brothers was all for the sake of Ji Zha. If we were to follow our late father's will, the state should go to Ji Zha. If we do not follow our late father's will and instead pass it to me, I am the one who should rightfully ascend the throne. How could Liao be the ruler?" So he sent Zhuan Zhu to assassinate Liao and then offered the state to Ji Zha.
注：阖庐是诸樊（谒）之子，季子是阖庐的叔叔。吴王寿梦曾希望王位兄终弟及，最终传至季札，但季札无心王位。夷昧死后，僚继承了王位，然而阖庐认为按照兄终弟及的顺序，自己才应是吴王，于是派专诸刺杀了僚，夺取了王位。
季子不受，曰：“尔杀吾君，吾受尔国，是吾与尔为篡也。尔杀吾兄，吾又杀尔，是父子兄弟相杀，终身无已也。”去之延陵，终身不入吴国。Ji Zha refused, saying, "You killed my ruler. If I accept the state from you, it would mean that I am complicit in usurpation. You killed my brother. If I were to kill you in return, it would mean that fathers, sons, and brothers would keep killing each other endlessly." Then he left for Yanling and never entered the state of Wu again for the rest of his life.
