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？
Scholars' recorded writings are extremely broad, yet they still verify trustworthiness from the Six Classics. Though the Poetry and Documents are incomplete, yet the writings of Yu and Xia can be known. Yao was about to abdicate the throne and yielded to Yu Shun. Between Shun and Yu, the mountain officials all recommended him. Then they tested him in position, he managed duties for several decades, his merits and functions having flourished, and then they transferred the administration to him. Showing the world the heavy vessel—the king's great succession—transmitting the world is so difficult. Yet storytellers say Yao yielded the world to Xu You, Xu You did not accept, ashamed and fled to hide. And in Xia's time, there were Bian Sui and Wu Guang. How is this to be regarded? The Grand Historian says: I ascended Mount Ji, above it apparently has Xu You's tomb. Confucius sequenced the ancient benevolent sages and worthy men, like Wu Taibo and Bo Yi and such, in detail. I consider what I have heard of Xu You and Wu Guang's righteousness extremely high—their literary writings not a little visible in overview—why?
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 evils—resentment thus is rare.' 'Sought benevolence and obtained benevolence—moreover what resentment?' I pity Bo Yi's intent—seeing the lost poem is wondrous. 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 the two sons of Lord Gu Zhu. Their father wished to establish Shu Qi. When their father died, Shu Qi yielded to Bo Yi. Bo Yi said: 'It is father's command.' Thus he fled away. Shu Qi also refused to establish himself and fled. The people of the state established their middle son. Thus Bo Yi and Shu Qi heard that Western Lord Chang was good at supporting the elderly—why not go and attach themselves to him? When they arrived, the Western Lord died. King Wu carried his wooden spirit tablet, called him King Wen, and marched east to attack 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?' The attendants wished to kill them with weapons. The Grand Duke said: 'These are righteous men.' He supported them and sent them away. King Wu had pacified the Yin disorder and the world revered Zhou, yet Bo Yi and Shu Qi were ashamed of it. For righteousness' sake they would not eat Zhou grain. They hid on Shouyang Mountain, gathered ferns, and ate them. When they were hungry and about to die, they composed a song. The lyrics say: 'Ascending that western mountain, gathering its ferns. Replacing tyranny with tyranny—not knowing its wrongness. Shennong, Yu, and Xia have suddenly perished—where shall I return? Alas, I am going—fate's decline!' Thus they starved to death on Shouyang Mountain.
4
由此觀之，怨邪非邪？
From this observing—is it resentment or 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.' As for Bo Yi and Shu Qi—can they be called good people or not? They accumulated benevolence and pure conduct like this, yet starved to death! Moreover, among the seventy disciples' followers, Confucius alone recommended Yan Yuan as good at 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? Dao Zhi daily killed the innocent and devoured people's flesh. He was tyrannical and arrogant, gathered bands of several thousand men rampaging through the world, and ultimately died of old age. What virtue did this follow? This is the especially great, clear, obvious, and evident case. If we look to the recent age—conduct and behavior not on track, specially violating taboos, yet lifelong leisurely pleasure, with wealth and thickness continuing for generations without end. Some choose places to tread, speak only after the right time, walk not by crooked paths, are not indignant unless just and upright, yet those who encounter calamities cannot be counted. 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 'Ways different do not plan for each other'—each also follows their will. Therefore said 'If wealth and nobility can be sought, though holding the whip as servant, I also will do it. If cannot be sought, follow my likes.'' 'In the year's cold, then know the pine and cypress wither late.' The whole world is turbid and mixed—clear gentlemen then appear. Is it because their weight is like that, their lightness like 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？
'Gentlemen hate dying in the world with their name not worthy.' Master Jia said: 'Greedy men pursue wealth, ardent knights pursue fame, boasters die for power, the masses rely on life.' 'Same brightness mutually illuminates, same kind mutually seeks.' Clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger, sages arise and ten thousand things are seen.'' Bo Yi and Shu Qi, though worthy, obtained the Master and their name became more illustrious. Yan Yuan, though he diligently studied, attached to the horse's tail and his conduct became more prominent. Mountain cave gentlemen—advance and retreat sometimes like this—their kind names buried and extinguished without being called. Alas! People of alleys and lanes who wish to polish their conduct and establish their names—if they do not attach themselves to gentlemen of azure clouds, how can they extend to later generations?