尚书 The Book of History -- 《君奭-- Prince Shi》(James Legge 英译)（1）
君奭: 召公为保，周公为师，相成王为左右。召公不说，周公作《君奭》。
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君奭: 周公若曰：“君奭！弗吊天降丧于殷，殷既坠厥命，我有周既受。我不敢知曰厥基永孚于休。若天棐忱，我亦不敢知曰其终出于不祥。呜呼！君已曰时我，我亦不敢宁于上帝命，弗永远念天威越我民；罔尤违，惟人。在我后嗣子孙，大弗克恭上下，遏佚前人光在家，不知天命不易，天难谌，乃其坠命，弗克经历。嗣前人，恭明德，在今予小子旦非克有正，迪惟前人光施于我冲子。”又曰：“天不可信，我道惟宁王德延，天不庸释于文王受命。”
Prince Shi: The duke of Zhou spoke to the following effect: 'Prince Shi, Heaven, unpitying, sent down ruin on Yin. Yin has lost its appointment (to the throne), which our House of Zhou has received. I do not dare, however, to say, as if I knew it, "The foundation will ever truly abide in prosperity. If Heaven aid sincerity,"Nor do I dare to say, as if I knew it, "The end will issue in our misfortunes." Oh! you have said, O prince, "It depends on ourselves." I also do not dare to rest in the favour of God, not forecasting at a distance the terrors of Heaven in the present time, when there is no murmuring or disobedience among the people; (the issue) is with men. Should our present successor to his fathers prove greatly unable to reverence (Heaven) above and (the people) below, and so bring to an end the glory of his predecessors, could we in (the retirement of) our families be ignorant of it? The favour of Heaven is not easily preserved; Heaven is difficult to be depended on. Men lose its favouring appointment, because they cannot pursue and carry out the reverence and brilliant virtue of their forefathers. Now I, Dan, the little child, am not able to make (the king) correct. I would simply conduct him to the glory of his fathers, and make him, who is my young charge, partaker of that.' He also said, 'Heaven is not to be trusted. Our course is only to seek the prolongation of the virtue of the Tranquillizing king, that Heaven may not find occasion to remove its favouring decree which king Wen received.'
