1.8 [8] 景公信用馋佞赏罚失中晏子谏

齐景公信赖任用谗佞小人赏罚丧失公平，晏子进谏

【原文】

景公信用谗佞，赏无功，罚不辜。晏子谏曰：“臣闻明君望圣人而信其教，不闻听馋佞以诛赏。今与左右相说颂也，曰：‘比死者勉为乐乎！吾安能为仁而愈黥民耳矣！’故内宠之妾，迫夺于国，外宠之臣，矫夺于鄙，执法之吏，并荷百姓。民愁苦约病，而奸驱尤佚，隐情奄恶，蔽謟其上，故虽有至圣大贤，岂能胜若馋哉！是以忠臣（之）常有灾伤也。臣闻古者之士，可与得之，不可与失之；可与进之，不可与退之。臣请逃之矣。”遂鞭（而马）〔马而〕出。公使韩子休追之，曰：“孤不仁，不能顺教，以至此极。夫子休国焉而往，寡人将从而后。”晏子遂鞭马而返。

其仆曰：“向之去何速？今之返又何速？”晏子曰：“非子之所知也，公之言至矣。”

【今译】

齐景公听信奸佞之臣的谗言，赏赐无功的人，惩罚无罪的人。晏子进谏说：“我听说贤明的君主仰慕圣人的德行，信奉他们的教诲，没听说过听信奸佞之臣的谗言来诛杀或赏赐。现在国君和左右的近臣相互取悦称颂，说：‘那些快要死去的人尚且尽力寻找快乐，我怎么能为了仁义而过得仅胜于罪犯呢！’所以宫内受宠的姬妾在国都内放肆掠夺，朝堂上受宠的臣子在地方上强行聚敛，执法的官吏，一起苛刻虐待百姓，百姓忧愁苦闷贫病交加，而隐藏的奸佞之人更加猖狂，他们隐瞒真相掩盖罪恶，蒙蔽欺骗国君，所以即使有至圣大贤，也难以胜过这些善于进谗言的奸佞之徒！所以忠诚的臣子常常有灾祸。我听说古时候做官的人，能与国君相处就辅佐他，不能与国君相处就离开他；国君可以相处，他们就做官；不可以相处，他们就隐退。我请求离开这里了。”于是晏子策马扬鞭离开了朝廷。景公命韩子休追赶晏子，说：“我不仁义，不能顺从先王的教诲，因此到了极端昏庸的地步。您丢下国家要到哪里去，我就在后边跟您到哪里去。”晏子于是策马返回。

晏子的仆人问他说：“刚刚您离去时怎么那么急？现在返回怎么又这么迅速？”晏子说：“这不是你所能理解的，国君的话说的太到位了。”

Duke Jing entrusted slanderers and sycophants. He rewarded those who were lacking in merit and punished the innocent.

Yanzi remonstrated w ith him,saying: “I have heard that the enlightened ruler looks up to the sages and believes in their moral instructions. I have not heard that he listens to slanderers and sycophants in meting out punishments and rewards. But now you and your entourage take pleasure in singing each other songs of praise: ‘With death at hand let us apply all our energy to amusements.^[1] There is no way for us to practice humaneness and care for the common people.’^[2] Therefore,favored concubines in the palace relentlessly plunder the capital; beyond the palace,favored ministers vigorously plunder the border towns; and the officials who execute the laws lay their yoke^[3] on the people. The people grow miserable and sorrow ful,poor and sick,while the w icked and the devious^[4] enjoy the pinnacle of leisure. The actual state of affairs is obscured and evil is concealed.^[5] They hoodw ink their superiors,so that even a perfect sage or a great worthy could not possibly stand up to these slanderers. And so,the loyal ministers are often struck by personal disaster. I have heard that in ancient times,if the ruler could ally himself with the officer,he would win him over—if not,he would lose him. If the ruler could ally himself w ith an officer,he would advance the officer’s career—if not,he would hold him back. I request to escape from all this.” Thereupon,he whipped his horses and departed.

The Duke ordered Han Zixiu^[6] to pursue him,saying: “I am not humane and am incapable of acting in accordance w ith your instructions. Thus,we have reached this extreme state of affairs. If you,my Master,w ithdraw from the capital and leave,I w ill follow right behind you.”

Thereupon,Yanzi whipped his horses and turned back. His servant said: “Why did you hastily disappear before,and why do you now just as hastily turn back?”

Yanzi answered: “This is beyond your understanding. The Duke’s words were perfect.”

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注释

[1]Cf. Bible,Isaiah 22:13: “Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we shall die.”

[2]黥→黔 (YZCQ-ICS,3,n. 3).

[3]荷→苛 (JS,31/8).

[4]驱→匿 (JS,31/10).

[5]掩→奄 (JS,31/11).

[6]An unidentified figure.