单子知陈必亡
Dan Knew That the State of Chen Would Surely Perish
定王使单襄公聘于宋。遂假道于陈，以聘于楚。火朝觌矣，道茀不可行也。King Ding sent Dan, the Earl of Shan, on a diplomatic mission to the State of Song. Then he took a detour through the State of Chen on his way to visit the State of Chu. When the planet Mars was visible in the morning sky, the roads were so overgrown that they were impassable.
侯不在疆，司空不视涂，泽不陂，川不梁，野有庾积，场功未毕。The feudal lord was not at the border to greet the envoy, the minister of public works did not inspect the roads, the marshes were not dammed, the rivers were not bridged, there were piles of grain in the fields left uncollected, the work in the threshing grounds was not yet finished.
道无列树，垦田若蓺，膳宰不置饩，司里不授馆，国无寄寓，县无旅舍。There were no rows of trees lining the roads, the cultivated fields looked like wild wastelands, the chief cook did not prepare provisions for the guest, the official in charge of accommodation did not assign a lodging place, there were no inns in the capital, and there were no hostels in the counties.
民将筑台于夏氏。及陈，陈灵公与孔宁、仪行父南冠以如夏氏，留宾不见。The people were about to build a terrace for the Xia family. When Dan, the Earl of Shan, arrived in Chen, Duke Ling of Chen, along with Kong Ning and Yi Xingfu, wearing the southern-style hats, went to the Xia family's place and left the guest without receiving him.
单子归，告王曰：“陈侯不有大咎，国必亡。”王曰：“何故？”When Dan returned, he reported to the king, saying, "If Duke Ling of Chen does not suffer a great misfortune, his state will surely perish." The king asked, "Why is that?"
对曰：“夫辰角见而雨毕，天根见而水涸，本见而草木节解，驷见而陨霜，火见而清风戒寒。He replied, "When the Horn star of the constellation Virgo appears, the rainy season ends; when the Tian Gen star appears, the waters dry up; when the Ben star appears, the joints of plants and trees start to loosen; when the Si star appears, frost begins to fall; when the planet Mars appears, the cool breeze warns of the coming cold.
故《先王之教》曰：Therefore, in 'The Teachings of the Former Kings', it is said:
‘雨毕而除道，水涸而成梁，草木节解而备藏，陨霜而冬裘具，清风至而修城郭宫室。’'When the rain stops, repair the roads; when the waters dry up, build bridges; when the joints of plants and trees loosen, prepare for storage; when frost falls, get winter clothes ready; when the cool breeze comes, repair the city walls and palaces.'
故《夏令》曰：‘九月除道，十月成梁。’Therefore, in 'The Xia Season Ordinances', it is said: 'In the ninth month, repair the roads; in the tenth month, build bridges.'
其时儆曰：‘收而场功，待而畚梮，营室之中，土功其始，火之初见，期于司里。’At that time, the people were warned: 'Gather the harvest from the threshing grounds, prepare the baskets and carrying poles, when the constellation Shiwu is in the middle of the sky, start the earthwork, when the planet Mars first appears, go to the official in charge of accommodation.'
此先王所以不用财贿，而广施德于天下者也。This is how the former kings were able to spread their virtue widely throughout the world without spending much money.
今陈国火朝觌矣，而道路若塞，野场若弃，泽不陂障，川无舟梁，是废先王之教也。”Now in the State of Chen, when the planet Mars is visible in the morning sky, the roads are blocked as if, the fields and threshing grounds are left abandoned, the marshes are not dammed, and the rivers have no boats or bridges. This is a disregard for the teachings of the former kings.
“《周制》有之曰：In 'The Zhou System', it is said:
‘列树以表道，立鄙食以守路，国有郊牧，疆有寓望，薮有圃草，囿有林池，所以御灾也，其余无非谷土。 'Plant rows of trees to mark the roads, set up small stations to guard the roads, the state should have suburbs and pastures, the borders should have lookout posts, the swamps should have grasslands, the parks should have forests and ponds. These are for preventing disasters. The rest of the land should all be used for growing grains.
民无悬耜，野无奥草。不夺民时，不蔑民功。The people should not have their farming tools hanging idle, and there should be no overgrown grass in the fields. Do not take away the farmers' time for farming, and do not despise the work of the people.
有优无匮，有逸无罢。国有班事，县有序民。’There should be plenty without shortage, and there should be ease without exhaustion. The state should have its tasks arranged in an orderly manner, and the counties should have their people organized in an orderly way.'
今陈国道路不可知，田在草间，功成而不收，民罢于逸乐，是弃先王之法制也。Now in the State of Chen, the roads are in such a bad state that one can hardly recognize them, the fields are overgrown with grass, the work is done but the harvest is not collected, and the people are exhausted from indulging in pleasure. This is a abandonment of the legal systems of the former kings.
“周之《秩官》有之曰：In 'The Zhou Official Hierarchy', it is said:
‘敌国宾至，关尹以告，行理以节逆之，候人为导，卿出郊劳，门尹除门，宗祝执祀；'When an envoy from a state of equal status visits, the gatekeeper of the pass reports it, the traveling official goes to meet him with the credentials, the frontier official acts as a guide, the high official goes out to the suburbs to welcome him, the gatekeeper of the city gate cleans the gate, the priest and sacrificer perform the sacrificial rites.
司里授馆，司徒具徒，司空视途，司寇诘奸，虞人入材，甸人积薪；The official in charge of accommodation assigns a lodging place, the minister of education provides laborers, the minister of public works inspects the roads, the minister of justice interrogates the evildoers, the forest ranger provides timber, the official in charge of the suburbs accumulates firewood.
火师监燎，水师监濯，膳宰致饔，廪人献饩，司马陈刍，工人展车，百官以物至，宾入如归。The fire official supervises the bonfires, the water official supervises the washing, the chief cook serves the meals, the official in charge of the granary presents the provisions, the minister of war arranges the fodder, the artisan examines the chariots, and all the officials bring things to welcome the guest.
是故小大莫不怀爱。其贵国之宾至，则以班加一等，益虔。Thus, everyone, whether high or low, feels loved. When an envoy from a more important state arrives, the treatment is upgraded by one level and is even more respectful.
至于王吏，则皆官正莅事，上卿监之。若王巡守，则君亲监之。’When it is an envoy from the king, all the officials in charge of their respective affairs are present, supervised by the highest official. When the king makes an inspection tour, the feudal lord himself supervises it.'
今虽朝也不才，有分族于周，承王命以为过宾于陈，而司事莫至，是蔑先王之官也。Now although I, Dan, am not a man of great talent, I am a member of a branch clan of the Zhou royal family. I have been entrusted by the king's order to be a passing guest in the State of Chen, yet none of the officials in charge of the relevant affairs has come to attend to me. This is a contempt for the officials of the former kings.
“《先王之令》有之曰：‘天道赏善而罚淫，故凡我造国，无从非彝，无即慆淫，各守尔典，以承天休。’In 'The Decrees of the Former Kings', it is said: 'Heaven rewards the good and punishes the wicked. Therefore, whenever we establish a state, we should not follow the unrighteous ways, nor should we indulge in excessive pleasures. Each should abide by his own code and receive the blessings of Heaven.'
今陈侯不念胤续之常，弃其伉俪妃嫔，而帅其卿佐以淫于夏氏，不亦渎姓矣乎？Now Duke Ling of Chen does not think about the continuation of his lineage. He has abandoned his consorts and concubines and led his ministers to indulge in debauchery with the Xia family. Isn't this a desecration of the family name?
陈，我大姬之后也。弃衮冕而南冠以出，不亦简彝乎？是又犯先王之令也。Chen is the descendant of the Great Ji of our Zhou dynasty. He has abandoned the imperial robes and hats and gone out wearing the southern-style hats. Isn't this a violation of propriety? This is yet another violation of the decrees of the former kings.
“昔先王之教，懋帅其德也，犹恐殒越。"In the past, following the teachings of the former kings and diligently practicing their virtues, people were still afraid of making mistakes.
若废其教而弃其制，蔑其官而犯其令，将何以守国？居大国之间，而无此四者，其能久乎？”If one abandons their teachings, discards their systems, despises their officials, and violates their decrees, how can one defend one's state? Located among the great powers, without these four things, can it last long?"
六年，单子如楚。八年，陈侯杀于夏氏。九年，楚子入陈。In the sixth year, Dan went to the State of Chu. In the eighth year, Duke Ling of Chen was killed by the Xia family. In the ninth year, the King of Chu invaded the State of Chen.
