On Reading The Records of History (in Nine Poems)
读史述九章
When I read The Records of History’ I wrote some comments on the following historical figures.
余读《史记》，有所感而述之
1. On Bo Yi and Shu Qi
Both modestly declining the throne,
Bo Yi and Shu Qi fled to the North Sea.
When King Wu of Zhou raised troops,
They fled further to a remote place.
They picked herbs and sang aloud,
In praise of the golden days in the past.
Their constant faith that topped the world
Will move the most cowardly hearts.
夷 齐
二子让国，相将海隅。天人革命，绝景穷居。采薇高 歌，慨想黄虞。贞风凌俗，爰感懦夫。
2. On Jizi
On the day of departure from the native land,
Jizi hesitated to move each step.
At a time when dynasties changed hands，
Everything in sight had taken on a new look.
Oh, how grievous was Jizi,
Unable to relieve from countless thoughts!
As to his song about the dethroned king.
How moving and touching it does ring!
箕 子
去乡之感，犹有迟迟。矧伊代谢，触物皆非。哀哀箕 子，云胡能夷！狡童之歌，凄矣其悲。
3. On Guan Zhong and Bao Shu
It's no easy job to understand a man,
Let alone to know him by heart.
Men talk about friendship when they first meet,
But conflicting interests may tear them apart.
When Guan Zhong had a sense of content,
Bao Shu would be able to rest at ease.
Lauded as men of integrity all the times.
Their names have passed down from year to year.
管鲍
知人未易，相知实难。淡美初交，利乖岁寒。管生称 心，鲍叔必安。奇情双亮，令名俱完。
4. On Cheng Ying and Gongsun Chujiu
Men would not be willing to give up their lives,
But gentlemen would die for their bosom friends.
None but Cheng Ying and Gongsun Chujiu
Faced death calmly for a just cause.
Cheng Ying killed himself in the end，
For fear that he would feel the shame.
Their virtues have been lauded from then on，
Leaving their names in the historical records.
程 杵
遗生良难，士为知己。望义如归，允伊二子。程生挥 剑，惧兹馀耻。令德永闻，百代见纪。
5.Seventy-two Confucian Disciples
All the Confucian disciples in their day
Were sages with fame and name.
With virtues that outshine the sun and moon,
They heard and learned the true wisdom.
Confucius wept for Yan Hui known for his wit
And sang in tears for Zigong before death.
Yan Hui died when he was young
While Zigong alone lived a long life.
七十二弟子
恂恂舞雩，莫闩匪贤。倶映日月，共滄至言。恸由才 难，感为情牵。回也早夭，赐独长年。
6.On Qu Yuan and Jia Yi
Every man should strive in time
To cultivate himself and improve learning.
Ministers like Ji and Xie who served a wise king
Have been admired by people of all times.
It is a pity that Qu Yuan an Jia Yi
Suffered from suspicion in their days.
Qu Yuan went for help from the fortune-tellers
While Jia Yi wrote about the owl when he was upset
屈贾
进德修业，将以及时。如彼稷契，孰不愿之？嗟呼二 贤，逢世多疑。候詹写志，感鹕献辞。
7. On Han Fei
The fox with rich furs hides in a cave,
Incurring misfortune for its pretty furs.
A gentleman not in proper times
Has to be in the lowest rank in old age.
A man of wit will be trapped in disasters;
A man with a ready tongue will be harmed.
What a miserable man is Han Fei,
Who died for his essay on eloquent men.
韩 非
丰狐隐穴，以文自残。君子失时，白首抱关。巧行居 灾，忮辩召患。哀矣韩生，竟死《说难》。
8. On Two Confucian Scholars from Lu
People shift their views with the change of times;
People who do not shift their views are fools.
The two arrogant scholars from Lu
Were men of integrity sticking to their faith.
They held that a dynasty less than a hundred years
Harmed the classics if laws were to be changed.
Determined to keep away from the mundane world，
They lived in poverty and kept a secluded life.
鲁二儒
易代随时，迷变则愚。介介若人，特为贞夫。德不百 年，汙我诗书。逝然不顾，被褐幽居。
9. On Zhang Changgong
For an extraordinary man like Zhang Changgong
Why should he be left in the oblivion?
With so many ways in the world，
His way stood out alone.
When he left the official career.
He returned home to cultivate his virtue.
He led a secluded life until his death,
But who can appreciate his aspirations?
张长公
远哉长公，萧然何事？世路多端，皆为我异。敛辔揭 来，独养其志。寝迹穷年，谁知斯意！