晋太宗宣武帝实录4(1 / 2)

晋略 巴奀月 0 字 2022-10-25

 陈牧:何为礼也,先生教我。

萧凡:夫礼者,所以定亲疏、决嫌疑、别同异、明是非也。

陈牧:先生试述之。

萧凡:道德仁义,非礼不成,教训正俗,非礼不备,纷争辨讼,非礼不决,君臣上下,父子兄弟,非礼不定,宦学事师,非礼不亲,班朝治军,莅官行法,非礼,威严不行,祷祠祭祀,供给鬼神,非礼,不诚不庄,故圣人示人以礼。

陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人受教矣,然其于国乃何?

萧凡:夫礼之于国,犹衡之于轻重也,绳墨之于曲直也,规矩之于方圆也,故衡诚悬,不可欺以轻重,绳墨诚陈,不可欺以曲直,规矩诚设,不可欺以方圆,君子审礼,不可诬以奸诈,故安国治民,莫善于礼也。

陈牧:非先生之言,寡人不悟也。

chenmu:whatisthetruemeaningofetiquette,sirtaughtme。

xiaofan:etiquettecandistinguishbetweennearandfarrelatives,aswellasdistinguishbetweenrightandwrongandsuspicion。

chenmu:sir,pleaseelaborate。

xiaofan:moralbenevolencecannotsucceedwithoutetiquettetoregulate,withoutetiquettenorms,theworldcannotbecivilized,contradictionsanddisputescannotberesolvedwithoutetiquettenorms,thereischaoswithoutetiquettebetweenfathersandsons,learningfromateacherwithoutetiquettenormswillnotbeclose,governingthecountryandthearmywithoutetiquettenormswillhavenomajesty,sacrificestoancestorsandghostsandgodswouldbeinsincerewithoutetiquettenorms,therefore,thesaintsusedliturgicalnormstoeducatetheworld。

chenmu:sirisright,iacceptyourteachings,butwhatgoodisitforthecountry。

xiaofan:etiquetteisofgreatsignificancetothecountry,itisequivalenttomeasuringtheweightofthescale,itisequivalenttomeasuringcurvaturewitharuler,itisequivalenttodrawingacirclewithacompass,therefore,itisveryimportanttouseetiquettetostabilizethecountryandgovernthepeople。

chenmu:ifitwasn‘tforsirteachingme,iwouldn‘thaveunderstood。

陈牧:今已息兵三载,士马精悍,且梁国内乱不休,寡人欲伐之以救民于水火,可乎?先生以为如何?

萧凡:臣以为时机已至,梁与国邻接,沃野万里,士民殷富,若据而有之,此帝王之资也。梁王已故,二子不协,军中诸将,各有彼此。刘斌险诈,与其有隙,寄寓于其地,梁恶其能而不能用也,大王欲取梁国,宜抚安之,与结盟好,以断大梁之翼,方可兴师伐梁。

陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人谨受教。

chenmu:nowthearmyhasbeentrainedforthreeyearsandisveryelite,therewasagreatdisturbanceinliang,andiwantedtotaketheopportunitytoattackittosavethepeoplefromtheseaofsuffering,sirwhatdoyouthink?

xiaofan:ithinkthetimehascome,liangguobordersus,ithasfertilelandandalargepopulation,ifyouoccupythisplace,itistherootofhegemony,kinglianghaddied,buthissonsandgeneralswerenotcooperating,liubinwassinisterandcunning,andhisarmywasstationedinliangguo,butthereisabigdividebetweenliubinandothers,sohewashatedandnottrusted,therefore,ifyouwanttoattackliangguo,youmustfirstappeaseliubin,andyouwanttoallywithhim,withtheaimofcuttingofftheflankofliangguo,onlythencanyoustartattackingliangguo。

chenmu:sirisright,irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。

陈牧:今西凉以平,寡人欲以先生为司徒,录尚书事,封平阳侯,先生以为如何?

萧凡:臣以为,今齐、楚未平,戎车方驾,而始灭一国,即受三事之赏,若克殄二寇,将何以加之,且平西凉,乃郭况之功,非臣之力也。

陈牧:先生之言甚善,然先生不受,寡人不安,请先生录尚书事,勉从王命。

chenmu:nowthewesternliangkingdomhasbeenpacified,iwantsirtobetheprimeministertohandletheaffairsofthestatecouncil,andgivesiraknighthood,sirthoughtso。

xiaofan:ithinkthestateofqi,thestateofchu,isstillthereandthewarhasjustbegun,nowihavereceivedsuchagreatrewardfortakingoveracountry,ifidefeatthestateofqiandthestateofchuagain,howwilliberewarded?besides,itwasthegenerallishengwhoannihilatedthewesternliangkingdom,notme。