《中庸》英译（十七）

子曰：“舜其大孝也与！德为圣人，尊为天子，富有四海之内；宗庙飨之，子孙保之。故大德，必得其位，必得其禄，必得其名，必得其寿。故天之生物，必因其材而笃焉，故栽者培之，倾者覆之。《诗》曰：‘嘉乐君子，宪宪令德，宜民宜人，受禄于天；保佑命之，自天申之。’故大德者必受命。”

XVII.

Confucius remarked: “The Emperor Shun might perhaps be considered, in the highest sense of the word, a pious man. In moral qualities he was a saint. In dignity of office he was the ruler of the Empire. In wealth all that the wide world contained belonged to him. After his death his spirit was sacrificed to in the ancestral temple, and his children and grandchildren preserved the sacrifice for long generations.”

“Thus it is that he who possesses great moral qualities will certainly attain to corresponding high position; to corresponding great prosperity; to corresponding great name; to corresponding great age.”

“For God in giving life to all created things, is surely bountiful to them according to their qualities. Hence the tree that is full of life, he fosters and sustains; while that which is ready to fall, he cuts off and destroys.”

The Book of Songs says:

“He is our good and noble King

And oh ! how charming in all his way !

The land and people all do sing

The praise of his impartial sway.

Heaven to his sires the Kingdom gave

And him with equal favour views;

Heaven’s strength and aid will ever save

The throne whose grant it oft renews.”

“It is therefore true that he who possesses exceedingly great moral qualities will certainly receive the divine call to the Imperial throne.”