王安石·《商鞅》英译

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今人未可非商鞅，商鞅能令政必行。

On Shang Yang*

Wang Anshi

Since ancient times it’s great to keep faith with the people,

A word of honor is mightier than the worth of gold.

Today we’d better not slander Lord Shang so much,

He put through reforms with due reward and punishment.

* Lord Shang Yang( ?-338 BC) is famous for his impartial administration to carry out his “New Laws” reform during the Warring States period (390-338 BC). The Confucian disciples attacked both Shang Yang and Wang Anshi for their drastic reforms. So Wang wrote this poem to rebuff those die-hards who opposed to his great reforms.

（黄新渠 译）