书经 The Book of History -- 《太甲中-- Tai Jia II》(James Legge 英译)
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太甲中: 惟三祀十有二月朔，伊尹以冕服奉嗣王归于亳，作书曰：“民非后，罔克胥匡以生；后非民，罔以辟四方。皇天眷佑有商，俾嗣王克终厥德，实万世无疆之休。”
Tai Jia II: On the first day of the twelfth month of his third year, Yi Yin escorted the young king in the royal cap and robes back to Bo. (At the same time) he made the following writing: 'Without the sovereign, the people cannot have that guidance which is necessary to (the comfort of) their lives; without the people, the sovereign would have no sway over the four quarters (of the kingdom). Great Heaven has graciously favoured the House of Shang, and granted to you, O young king, at last to become virtuous. This is indeed a blessing that will extend without limit to ten thousand generations.'
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太甲中: 王拜手稽首曰：“予小子不明于德，自砥1不类。欲败度，纵败礼，以速戾于厥躬。天作孽，犹可违；自作孽，不可逭(huàn)。既往背师保之训，弗克于厥初，尚赖匡救之德，图惟厥终。”
Tai Jia II: The king did obeisance with his face to his hands and his head to the ground, saying, 'I, the little child, was without understanding of what was virtuous, and was making myself one of the unworthy. By my desires I was setting at nought all rules of conduct, and violating by my self-indulgence all rules of propriety, and the result must have been speedy ruin to my person. Calamities sent by Heaven may be avoided, but from calamities brought on by one's self there is no escape." Heretofore I turned my back on the instructions of you, my tutor and guardian;--my beginning has been marked by incompetency. Let me still rely on your correcting and preserving virtue, keeping this in view that my end may be good!"
砥 : 原错为“底”。《尚书正义》曰：“类，善也。暗于德，故自致不善。”又曰：“底，之履反”。
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太甲中: 伊尹拜手稽首曰：“修厥身，允德协于下，惟明后。先王子惠困穷，民服厥命，罔有不悦。并其有邦厥邻，乃曰：‘徯我后，后来无罚。’王懋乃德，视乃厥祖，无时豫怠。奉先思孝，接下思恭。视远惟明；听德惟聪。朕承王之休无斁(yì)。”
Tai Jia II: Yi Yin did obeisance with his face to his hands and his head on the ground, and said, 'To cultivate his person, and by being sincerely virtuous, bring (all) below to harmonious concord with him; this is the work of the intelligent sovereign. The former king was kind to the distressed and suffering, as if they were his children, and the people submitted to his commands - all with sincere delight. Even in the states of the neighbouring princes, (the people) said, "We are waiting for our sovereign; when our sovereign comes, we shall not suffer the punishments (that we, now do)." O king, zealously cultivate your virtue. Regard (the example of) your meritorious grandfather. At no time allow yourself in pleasure and idleness. In worshipping your ancestors, think how you can prove your filial piety; in receiving your ministers, think how you can show yourself respectful; in looking to what is distant. Try to get clear views; have your ears ever open to lessons of virtue - then shall I acknowledge (and respond to) the excellence of your majesty with an untiring (devotion to your service).
