1
夫學者載籍極博，猶考信於六藝。 詩書雖缺，然虞夏之文可知也。 堯將遜位，讓於虞舜，舜禹之閒，岳牧咸薦，乃試之於位，典職數十年，功用既興，然後授政。 示天下重器，王者大統，傳天下若斯之難也。 而說者曰堯讓天下於許由，許由不受，恥之逃隱。 及夏之時，有卞隨、務光者。 此何以稱焉？ 太史公曰：余登箕山，其上蓋有許由冢云。 孔子序列古之仁聖賢人，如吳太伯、伯夷之倫詳矣。 余以所聞由、光義至高，其文辭不少概見，何哉？
The writings preserved by scholars are exceedingly vast, yet they still verify their trustworthiness against the Six Classics. Though the Poetry and Documents are incomplete, the writings of Yu and Xia can still be known. When Yao was about to abdicate the throne and yield it to Yu Shun, the mountain lords and pastors all recommended him. They tested him in office; he held his duties for several decades, and when his merits and achievements had flourished, they transferred the administration to him. Thus, they showed the world the great vessel of state and the king's supreme succession—transmitting the realm is so difficult. Yet storytellers say that Yao yielded the realm to Xu You, that Xu You did not accept, and that, ashamed, he fled into seclusion. By the time of Xia, there were men such as Bian Sui and Wu Guang. How is this to be regarded? The Grand Historian says: I climbed Mount Ji, where there is said to be the tomb of Xu You. Confucius arranged and set forth the ancient benevolent sages and worthy men, including figures such as Wu Taibo and Bo Yi, in detail. The righteousness of men such as Xu You and Wu Guang, of which I have heard, is very lofty indeed; yet one cannot find even the slightest trace of them in the writings of the past—why is this?
2
孔子曰：「伯夷、叔齊，不念舊惡，怨是用希。」 「求仁得仁，又何怨乎？」 余悲伯夷之意，睹軼詩可異焉。 其傳曰：
Confucius said, "Bo Yi and Shu Qi do not remember old wrongs; therefore resentment toward them is rare." "They sought benevolence and obtained benevolence—what resentment then?" I grieve for Bo Yi's intent; when one sees the lost poem, it is strange indeed. The biography says:
3
伯夷、叔齊，孤竹君之二子也。 父欲立叔齊，及父卒，叔齊讓伯夷。 伯夷曰：「父命也。」 遂逃去。 叔齊亦不肯立而逃之。 國人立其中子。 於是伯夷、叔齊聞西伯昌善養老，盍往歸焉。 及至，西伯卒，武王載木主，號為文王，東伐紂。 伯夷、叔齊叩馬而諫曰：「父死不葬，爰及干戈，可謂孝乎？ 以臣弒君，可謂仁乎？」 左右欲兵之。 太公曰：「此義人也。」 扶而去之。 武王已平殷亂，天下宗周，而伯夷、叔齊恥之，義不食周粟，隱於首陽山，采薇而食之。 及餓且死，作歌。 其辭曰：「登彼西山兮，采其薇矣。 以暴易暴兮，不知其非矣。 神農、虞、夏忽焉沒兮，我安適歸矣？ 于嗟徂兮，命之衰矣！」 遂餓死於首陽山。
Bo Yi and Shu Qi were sons of the ruler of Guzhu. Their father wished to establish Shu Qi. When their father died, Shu Qi yielded to Bo Yi. Bo Yi said, "It is our father's command." Thus, he fled away. Shu Qi likewise refused to take the throne and fled. The people of the state then installed the middle son. Thereupon Bo Yi and Shu Qi heard that the Earl of the West, Chang, was good at supporting the elderly, and thought they would go and attach themselves to him. When they arrived, the Earl of the West had died. King Wu carried the wooden spirit tablet, styled him King Wen, and marched east to attack King Zhou. Bo Yi and Shu Qi grasped the horse's bridle and remonstrated, saying: 'Father has died and not been buried, yet you resort to weapons—can this be called filial? For a minister to kill his lord—can this be called benevolent?' Those at his side wished to kill them with weapons. The Grand Duke said, "These men are righteous." He supported them and sent them away. After King Wu had pacified the disorder of Yin and the world acknowledged Zhou as paramount, Bo Yi and Shu Qi were ashamed of it. For righteousness' sake they would not eat Zhou grain. They hid on Mount Shouyang, gathered ferns, and ate them. When they were hungry and about to die, they composed a song. Its words said, "We climb that western mountain, gathering its ferns. To replace violence with violence, not knowing that it is wrong. Shennong, Yu, and Xia have suddenly perished—where shall I return? Alas, I am going—fate's decline!' So they starved to death on Mount Shouyang.
4
由此觀之，怨邪非邪？
Looking at it this way, did they feel resentment, or did they not?
5
或曰：「天道無親，常與善人。」 若伯夷、叔齊，可謂善人者非邪？ 積仁絜行如此而餓死！ 且七十子之徒，仲尼獨薦顏淵為好學。 然回也屢空，糟糠不厭，而卒蚤夭。 天之報施善人，其何如哉？ 盜蹠日殺不辜，肝人之肉，暴戾恣睢，聚黨數千人橫行天下，竟以壽終。 是遵何德哉？ 此其尤大彰明較著者也。 若至近世，操行不軌，專犯忌諱，而終身逸樂，富厚累世不絕。 或擇地而蹈之，時然後出言，行不由徑，非公正不發憤，而遇禍災者，不可勝數也。 余甚惑焉，儻所謂天道，是邪非邪？
Some say: 'Heaven's way has no partiality—it constantly sides with good people.' Could Bo Yi and Shu Qi not be called good men? They accumulated benevolence and pure conduct like this, yet starved to death! Moreover, among the seventy disciples, Confucius singled out Yan Yuan alone as one who loved learning. Yet Yan Hui often went hungry, did not reject coarse food, and ultimately died young. Heaven's rewards and punishments for good people—what are they like? Robber Zhi daily killed the innocent and ate human flesh. Violent and arrogant, he gathered a band of several thousand men and rampaged across the realm, yet in the end died of old age. What virtue did this follow? This is the clearest and most conspicuous example. If we come to recent times, there are those whose conduct is unseemly and who deliberately violate taboos, yet enjoy ease and pleasure all their lives, with wealth and eminence continuing for generations without end. Others choose proper ground before stepping, speak only when the moment is right, refuse to take crooked paths, and grow indignant only over injustice, yet those among them who suffer disaster are innumerable. I am greatly confused about this. Perhaps what is called heaven's way—is it so or not?
6
子曰「道不同不相為謀」，亦各從其志也。 故曰「富貴如可求，雖執鞭之士，吾亦為之。 如不可求，從吾所好」。 「歲寒，然後知松柏之後凋」。 舉世混濁，清士乃見。 豈以其重若彼，其輕若此哉？
The Master said, "Those whose ways differ do not take counsel together"—each follows his own aim. Therefore, it is said, "If wealth and nobility can be sought, even as one who holds the whip I would do it. If they cannot be sought, I will follow what I love." 'In the year's cold, then know the pine and cypress wither late.' When the whole world is muddy and confused, only then does the pure gentleman become visible. Is it because what is weighty counts for that, and what is light counts for this?
7
「君子疾沒世而名不稱焉。」 賈子曰：「貪夫徇財，烈士徇名，夸者死權，眾庶馮生。」 「同明相照，同類相求。」 雲從龍，風從虎，聖人作而萬物睹。 伯夷、叔齊雖賢，得夫子而名益彰。 顏淵雖篤學，附驥尾而行益顯。 巖穴之士，趣舍有時若此，類名堙滅而不稱，悲夫！ 閭巷之人，欲砥行立名者，非附青雲之士，惡能施于後世哉？
"The gentleman hates to leave the world with his name unpraised." Master Jia said, "The greedy man dies for wealth, the ardent knight dies for fame, the boaster dies for power, the common multitude cling to life." "Like brightness illuminates one another; like kind seeks one another." Clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger; when a sage arises, the myriad things look to him. Bo Yi and Shu Qi were worthy men, but once they had the Master, their names became all the more illustrious. Yan Yuan studied with utmost devotion; by attaching himself to a great steed's tail, his conduct became all the more prominent. Recluses of cliff and cave, advancing and withdrawing as the times require—like these, entire classes of names are buried in oblivion and go unmentioned. Alas! People of the lanes and alleys who wish to hone their conduct and establish a name: unless they attach themselves to men who have risen to the blue clouds, how can they make themselves known to later generations?