2.7 [32] 景公为邹之长涂晏子谏

齐景公修筑通往邹邑的道路，晏子进谏

【原文】

景公筑路寝之台，三年未息；又为长庲之役，二年未息；又为邹之长涂。晏子谏曰：“百姓之力勤矣！公不息乎？”公曰：“涂将成矣，请成而息之。”对曰：“（明）君（不）屈民财者，不得其利；（不）穷民力者，不得其乐。昔者楚灵王作倾宫，三年未息也；又为章华之台，五年（又不）〔未〕息也；〔而又为〕乾溪之役，八年，百姓之力不足而〔自〕息也。灵王死于乾溪，而民不与君归。今君不遵明君之义，而循灵王之迹，婴惧君有暴民之行，而不睹长庲之乐也，不若息之。”公曰：“善！非夫子者，寡人不知得罪于百姓深也。”于是令勿委坏，余财勿〔收〕，斩板而去之。

【今译】

齐景公修建寝宫的高台，三年还没有完工；又修建长庲，两年还没有修好；又修筑通往邹地的道路。晏子劝谏说：“百姓的劳役已经够多的了！您还不停止这些工程吗？”景公说：“道路马上就要修好了，等完成之后再停止吧。”晏子说：“国君如果耗尽民财，自己也得不到利益；耗尽民力，自己也得不到乐趣。从前楚灵王修建倾宫，三年没有完工；又修建章华之台，五年没有完工；又开始修建乾溪台的劳役，到了第八年，百姓实在疲惫不堪，于是这些工程被迫停止。楚灵王死在乾溪，但百姓不和他一起回国。现在您不遵行明君的道义，而走楚灵王的老路，我怕您有残害百姓的行为，而看不到长庲中的乐事了，不如停止这些工程吧。”景公说：“好！如果不是您，我还不知道已经把百姓得罪得这么严重了。”于是下令（百姓）不要损坏已经修好的路，已经发下去的财物也不收缴，拆掉筑路的模板后就可以自行离去。

Duke Jing built a terrace over the Road Bedchamber,^[1] and the work went on for three years w ithout cessation. In addition,he conscripted laborers for the Changlai Terrace for two years w ithout cessation,and he also built the Long Road to Zou.

Yanzi remonstrated and said: “The strength of the people is exhausted; shouldn’t you cease?”

The Duke said: “The road is about to be completed; do let it be completed and then let the labor cease.”

Yanzi replied: “A ruler who exhausts the wealth of the people cannot benefit from this act; a ruler who depletes the strength of the people cannot enjoy it. Formerly,King Ling of Chu^[2] built the Towering-Leaning Palace,and the work went on for three years w ithout cessation. He also built the Terrace of Zhanghua for five years w ithout cessation,and he waged the War of Qianxi for eight years; the people’s strength was overtaxed and so they ceased of their own accord. King Ling died in Qianxi,and the people did not take part in the return of his coffin. But now you,my Lord,are not guided by the righteousness of the enlightened rulers and you follow in the footsteps of King Ling. I am afraid,my Lord,that your conduct is oppressing the people and you w ill never see delights in Changlai. It would be better to cease.”

The Duke said: “Well argued. Were it not for someone like you,Master,I would never have known how gravely I had offended the people.”

Thereupon,he ordered that the part of the road already built not be given over to ruin; that the remaining resources for the completion of the project should not be collected; and that the frame-boards be cut up and removed from the road.

注释

[1]路寝,either the “Road Bedchamber o f the Right” (右路寝) or the “Road Bedchamber of the Left” (左路寝),one of the three royal bedchambers. For a detailed discussion of the nature,location and function of each of these three chambers,see Shuoyuan,19.13/163/14; Liji 礼记,22.3/115/1; JS,116/1; James Legge,tr. The Chinese Classics,Vol. V,The Ch’un Ts’ew w ith the Tso Chuen. Reprint,Hong Kong University Press (1970): 121.

[2]The notorious King Ling of Chu 楚灵王 lived in the same generation as Duke Jing. He reigned from 540–529 BCE.