敬姜论劳逸
Jing Jiang's Discourse on Hard Work and Leisure
公父文伯退朝，朝其母，其母方绩，文伯曰：“以歜之家而主犹绩，惧干季孙之怒也。其以歜为不能事主乎？”Gongfu Wenbo returned from court and went to pay his respects to his mother. His mother was spinning at that time. Wenbo said, "In a family like ours, with you, the mistress, still spinning, I'm afraid it will incur the wrath of Jisun. Does he think that I'm incapable of serving you?"
其母叹曰：“鲁其亡乎？使僮子备官而未之闻耶？居，吾语女。His mother sighed and said, "Is Lu going to perish? Has this young lad taken up an official post without having heard of these things? Sit down, and I'll tell you.
昔圣王之处民也，择瘠土而处之，劳其民而用之，故长王天下。In the past, when the sage kings arranged for the people to live, they chose infertile land for them to settle on. They made the people work hard and then employed them. That's why they were able to reign over the world for a long time.
夫民劳则思，思则善心生；逸则淫，淫则忘善；忘善则恶心生。When the people work hard, they will think; when they think, good thoughts will arise. When they are idle, they will become indulgent; when they are indulgent, they will forget about goodness; when they forget about goodness, evil thoughts will emerge.
沃土之民不材，淫也。瘠土之民，莫不向义，劳也。The people living on fertile land are of no use, because they are indulgent. The people living on infertile land all tend towards righteousness, because they work hard.
是故天子大采朝日，与三公九卿，祖识地德，日中考政，与百官之政事。Therefore, the Son of Heaven would hold grand ceremonies to worship the sun in the morning, together with the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers. They would first understand the virtues of the earth, examine the government affairs at noon, and deal with the administrative matters of all the officials.
师尹惟旅牧相，宣序民事。少采夕月，与大史司载纠虔天刑。The ministers and governors would proclaim and arrange the civil affairs. In the evening, the Son of Heaven would hold ceremonies to worship the moon with less grandeur, together with the Grand Historian and the official in charge of astronomical records, to correct and enforce the celestial laws.
日入，监九御，使洁奉禘郊之粢盛，而後即安。When the sun set, he would supervise the nine palace ladies, making them cleanly prepare the offerings for the grand sacrifices in the suburbs and then he would rest.
诸侯朝修天子之业命，昼考其国职，夕省其典刑，夜儆百工，使无慆淫，而後即安。The feudal lords would attend to the tasks assigned by the Son of Heaven in the morning, examine the duties of their own states during the day, review their laws and regulations in the evening, and warn the various craftsmen at night to prevent them from being indulgent, and then they would rest.
卿大夫朝考其职，昼讲其庶政，夕序其业，夜庀其家事，而後即安。The high-ranking officials would examine their own duties in the morning, discuss various government affairs during the day, arrange their work in the evening, and manage their family affairs at night, and then they would rest.
士朝受业，昼而讲贯，夕而习复，夜而计过，无憾，而後即安。The scholars would receive instruction in the morning, study and practice during the day, review and repeat in the evening, and reflect on their mistakes at night. When they had no regrets, they would rest.
自庶人以下，明而动，晦而休，无日以怠。王后亲织玄紞，公侯之夫人，加之纮、綖。For the common people and below, they would start working when it was bright and rest when it was dark, without being idle any day. The queen would personally weave the black silk strings for the imperial crown. The wives of the dukes and marquises would add the red and green silk strings.
卿之内子为大带，命妇成祭服。列士之妻，加之以朝服。自庶士以下，皆衣其夫。The principal wives of the high-ranking officials would make the large belts. The noblewomen would complete the sacrificial robes. The wives of the lower-ranking scholars would add the court robes. For the common people and below, the women would all make clothes for their husbands.
社而赋事，蒸而献功，男女效绩，愆则有辟。古之制也！At the spring sacrifice to the earth god, tasks would be assigned; at the autumn sacrifice, the achievements would be presented. Men and women would all contribute their efforts, and those who failed would be punished. This was the ancient system!
君子劳心，小人劳力，先王之训也！自上以下，谁敢淫心舍力？It is the teaching of the former kings that the noblemen should use their minds while the common people should use their strength. From the top to the bottom, who would dare to be indulgent and slack off?
今我寡也，尔又在下位，朝夕处事，犹恐忘先人之业。况有怠惰，其何以避辟？Now I'm a widow, and you are in a low position. Even if we are busy with affairs day and night, we still fear forgetting the undertakings of our ancestors. How could we avoid punishment if we are lazy?
吾冀而朝夕修我，曰：‘必无废先人。’尔今曰：‘胡不自安？’以是承君之官，余惧穆伯之绝祀也？”I hoped that you would exhort me day and night, saying, 'We must not abandon the undertakings of our ancestors.' But now you say, 'Why don't you take it easy?' With such an attitude to hold your official post, I'm afraid that the line of Mu Bo will be cut off."
仲尼闻之曰：“弟子志之，季氏之妇不淫矣！”When Confucius heard this, he said, "Disciples, remember that the old mistress of the Ji family does not seek ease and comfort!"
