Life of No Geukcheong盧克淸傳
盧克淸者。不知何許人也。官止散官直長同正。家貧將賣宅未售。而方因事之外郡。其婦與郞中玄德秀受白銀十二斤賣之。及克淸還京師。見其直多剩。遂持三斤詣德秀曰。予實賈此宅。只給九斤耳。居數年。無所加修。而剩得三斤。非理也。請還之。德秀亦義士也。拒而不納曰。爾何獨守公理而予不爾也。遂不受。克淸曰。予平生義不爲非。豈可賤賈貴賣。黷于化乎。設閣下不從。請盡納其直。復受吾家也。德秀不得已受之。因謂曰。予豈不逮克請者耶。遂納其銀於佛寺。聞者莫不嘆息曰。末俗奔競之時。亦有如此人者乎。予恨記事者不詳其家世及餘所行而已。
Of the man called No Geukcheong it is not known what manner of man he was. He rose no higher in office than supernumerary Director of equivalent rank (散官直長同正). His house was poor and he tried to sell it, but it would not sell; and then he happened to go to an outlying district on business. His wife sold it to Hyeon Deoksu (玄德秀), a Director, for twelve catties of white silver. When Geukcheong came back to the capital and saw that the price was excessive, he took three catties and went to Deoksu and said: "In truth, when I bought this house I gave only nine catties. I have lived in it some years and have done nothing more to it, and yet I have been given three catties over, which does not accord with reason. I beg to return them to you."
Deoksu too was a righteous gentleman. He refused them and would not take them, saying: "Why should you alone keep to fair dealing, and I not be able to?" And in the end he would not take them. Geukcheong said: "All my life I have acted righteously and have done nothing wrong. How should I buy cheap and sell dear and so sully good custom? If Your Excellency will not comply, then I shall return the whole price and take my house back again." Deoksu, unable to do otherwise, took them, and then said: "How should I be less than Geukcheong?" And in the end he gave that silver to a temple.
There was none among those who heard of it who did not sigh and say: "In a latter age, in a time of struggling and scrambling, is there yet such a man as this?" I only regret that the one who recorded the matter did not write down in detail his family's history and the rest of his conduct.
Interlinear notes 1
予修明宗實錄。立此傳。有可激貪競故附之。
When I was compiling the Annals of King Myeongjong I set up this life. Because there is in it something that may rouse the covetous and contentious heart, I append it here.