The original text and translation of Su Shi's "Gang Shuo"

Introduction: Su Shi is the representative of the highest achievements in literature in the Song Dynasty, and has achieved high achievements in poetry, lyrics, prose, calligraphy, and painting. Now I will share the original text and translation of Su Shi's "Gang Shuo", hoping it will be helpful to everyone.

Original text

Confucius said: "Fortitude and dullness are close to benevolence." He also said: "Knowledge and beauty are the most benevolent." Benevolence. What you hate about a sycophant is not because you hate him for being a sycophant, but because you hate him for being unkind. I have faced many difficulties in my life, and I often test them with my own experience. Anyone who saves me from disaster is a person I can fear in ordinary times; anyone who squeezes me out of frugality is a person I am happy with at different times. I know that a strong person must be benevolent, and a sycophantic person must be unkind.

At the beginning of the founding of the Jingguo period, I returned to Hainan. I met my old friends and asked about them. If Sun Junjie is a man who abstains from his husband, he can be said to be a strong man.

At first my disciple was an official of the Department of Regulations, but he was dismissed due to disagreements. Wang Jinggong said to you: "My regulations department should be as open-minded as a son." Jun said with a smile: "You have said too much, you should try to win me. If I were the same person, I would not be willing to be the regulations department." You don't. Answer: As soon as you enter the house, you will also go out. You are the Secretary of the Zhenjiang Army, and I have been guarding Qiantang for a long time. I often come and go, and I see you at Jingkou. At the beginning of the new law, all the supervisors and supervisors were young and new, and they were as rude as a bunch of officials. They no longer treated the scholar-bureaucrats with courtesy, but only respected and feared the king, saying: "This is the one who resists the prime minister and refuses to be the director of regulations."

Xie Lin was involved in the control of Xidong. The governor of the state, Wang Qi, died in battle with the barbarians. You became the judge of Guizhou Jiedu, and you were ordered to punish the guilty officials. Linyin collected twelve envoys, big and small, and handed them over to the king and ordered them to be investigated and punished together, and all of them were executed. You can't hold it. Lin invades the king with words. The king said: "Prisons should be judged according to circumstances, and officials should abide by the law. If you don't go in after being teased, it will be a crime for the generals. Now that they are guilty, the rest can be killed! If you want to kill someone illegally, then the governor will do it himself. , what should I do with you?" Lin told you that you resisted, and you also reported that Lin invaded the prison. The Ministry of Punishment decided that as the king said, none of the twelve people would die, or they might be moved to official positions. I think this makes me realize that a strong person must be kind. If you are unkind and can live twelve people with one word, you will surely die!

During the time of Confucius, there were many gentlemen, and he said, "I have never seen a strong man" to show that it was rare for him to be like this. But Shi Nai said, "If it is too strong, it will break!" A scholar is worried that his ears are not strong enough, and when he grows up and achieves success, he is still afraid of not being enough. He should be worried that his ears are too strong, and he is afraid that they will break! It is God's fault that it is not broken. Those who argue for this are despicable people who worry about loss. (Selected from "Su Shi's Collection of Volume Ninety-Two Just Says")

Translation:

Confucius said: "A person who is strong, resolute, simple and talks little is almost a benevolent person." Confucius said. He also said: "A person who is smooth-talking and good at pretentiousness probably has no kindness." Confucius likes those who are strong and resolute, not because he likes their strength and perseverance, but because he likes the kindness in them. Confucius hates those people who talk softly, not that he hates smooth talk, but hates that they don't have a heart of kindness. I have encountered many hardships in my life, and I can often experience this firsthand. Anyone who helped me when I was in trouble in life. They are all people who are awe-inspiring in normal times (strong and determined); those who pushed me out when my career was difficult and dangerous were all people who were lovable in the past (smooth words). So I know that a strong-willed person must have a benevolent heart, while a smooth-talking person must not have a benevolent heart.

People like Sun Jiefu (Ming Lijie) can really be regarded as resolute people. At first, my younger brother served as a subordinate officer in the Ordinance Department. I asked to leave because I had different views on government affairs than my colleagues. Wang Anshi said to Sun Jiefu: "Our Ordinance Department should hire people who are open-minded and agile like you." Sun Jiefu said with a smile: "You are wrong. You must hire people better than me. People like me, too Those who refuse to serve as officials of the Regulations Department." Wang Anshi walked directly into the door without answering, and Sun Jiefu also left quickly. Sun Jiefu served as Secretary of the Zhenjiang Army. Just as the new law had just begun to be implemented, the supervisors were all young people who had just entered the officialdom. They no longer treated the scholar-bureaucrats with courtesy, but they only respected and feared Sun Jiefu. He said: "This is the man who refused The Prime Minister is unwilling to serve as a subordinate officer of the Ordinance Department.

"

Xie Lin was in charge of affairs in Xidong and other places. Wang Qi, the governor of Guizhou, was killed in battle with the barbarians. At that time, Sun Jiefu served as the judge of Guizhou Jiedu and interrogated the guilty officials and soldiers according to the emperor's order. Xie Lin then handed over the arrested officials to Sun Jiefu for review, but Sun Jiefu insisted not to do so. Sun Jiefu said: "The case should be handled according to the facts." We should abide by the law. It was the fault of several generals that the army was not stationed forward. They have already admitted their guilt. Can the others be killed? If you must kill someone illegally, then you, Director, do it yourself. How could I be involved in this? Xie Lin then submitted a memorial saying that Sun Jiefu resisted the order of his superiors, and Sun Jiefu also reported Xie Lin's infringement management trial. The Ministry of Punishment finally finalized the case according to Sun Jiefu's memorial, and all twelve people were exempted from the death penalty. Some people were only sentenced to be demoted. Therefore, I am more convinced. I believe that a resolute person must have a benevolent heart.

In the era when Confucius lived, there were many virtuous people, but Confucius said that "there are no resolute people". This is to illustrate this. It is difficult to meet people. But the world actually says that "people who are too resolute are easily damaged." Scholars are worried about not being resolute. They are not worried about achieving this kind of character through long-term cultivation. Why are they worried about being too resolute and afraid of being damaged? It's God's will to be damaged or not. People who hold this view are shallow people who worry about gains and losses.