Tû, with the message, "I was wrong in not thinking (more) of your words, my old friend, and that neglect is occasioning my death. Though I do not presume to grudge dying, yet our ruler is old, and his (favourite) son is (quite) young. Many difficulties are threatening the state, and you, old Sir, do not come forth (from your retirement), and consult for (the good of) our ruler. If you will come forth and do this, I will die (with the feeling that I) have received a (great) favour from you." He (then) bowed twice, laying his head to the ground, after which he died (by his own hand). On this account he became (known in history as) "the Reverential Heir-son[1]."
16. There was a man of Lû, who, after performing in the morning the ceremony which introduced the 25th month of his mourning, began to sing in the evening. Зze-lû laughed at him, (but) the Master said, "Yû, will you never have done with your finding fault with people? The mourning for three years is indeed long." When Зze-lû went out, the Master said, "Would he still have had to wait long? In another month (he might have sung, and) it would have been well."
17. Duke Kwang of Lû fought a battle with the men of Sung at Shǎng-khiû. Hsien Păn-fû was driving, and Pû Kwo was spearman on the right. The horses got frightened, and the carriage was broken, so that the duke fell down[2].
They handed the strap
- ↑ The marquis of Зin, who is known to us as duke Hsien, ruled from B.C. 676 to 651. Infatuated by his love for a barbarian captive from among the Lî, he behaved recklessly and unnaturally to his children already grown up. One very tragical event is the subject of this paragraph.
- ↑ The text would seem to say here that the army of the duke was defeated; but the victory was with the duke. See the Зo Kwan, under B.C. 684, and there was a different reading, to which Lû Teh-ming refers on the passage, that leaves us free to translate as I have done.
