Memorial submitted to the Emperor of the Mongols蒙古皇帝上起居表 表
云云。戴天無貳。指日可明。諒直之懷。披露迺已。伏念臣邈居荒服。叨據蔽藩。自惟僻陋之小邦。須必庇依於大國。矧我應期之聖。方以寬臨。其於守土之臣。敢不誠服。申以兩年之講好。約爲萬世之通和。投拜已夾。聊生有冀。蓋昔己卯辛卯兩年講和已後。自謂依倚愈固。擧國欣喜。惟天地神明知之。豈謂事難取必。信或見疑。反煩君父之譴訶。屢降軍師而徵詰。民無地著。農不時收。顧玆茂草之場。有何所出。惟是苞茅之貢。無奈未供。進退俱難。慞惶罔極。因念與其因循一時而姑息。孰若冒昩萬死而哀號。玆殫瘠土之宜。粗達微臣之𨗿。伏望皇帝陛下。仁深柔遠。德尙好生。但勿加兵革之威。俾全遺俗。雖不腆海山之賦。安有曠年。非上于今。期以爲永。云云。
That we bear heaven above us and have no second heart may be made plain by pointing to the sun; our straight bosom we only open out and show.
Prostrate, I consider that your servant dwells far off on a rough border and presumptuously holds a screened-off land of the hedge. I consider for myself that a small country, remote and narrow, must lean upon a great country and receive its covering. How much more when a sage born in answer to the age is now ruling with generosity — how then should a vassal who keeps a land not submit in sincerity? Over two years we have made our peace fast again and again and pledged to be in communication and concord for ten thousand generations. Our submission had already reached everywhere, and we had, for what it was worth, a hope of living.
Indeed, since making peace in those two years, Gimyo (己卯) and Sinmyo (辛卯), we held our reliance to be the firmer and the whole country rejoiced; the spirits of heaven and earth alone know it. How should we have known that the matter would be hard to bring about after all, and that our faith would instead be doubted? Instead we have troubled the reproof of our sovereign father, who several times has sent down armies to question us.
The people have no land to cling to, and the farming does not come in at its season. Looking round upon this yard overgrown with weeds, what is to come forth from it? We cannot offer up so much as this tribute the size of a bundle of thatch; what can be done? To go forward and to withdraw are both hard, and our dread and confusion are without end.
Upon this we consider that it is better to brave ten thousand deaths and cry out in grief than to get by for a season and throw dust in the eyes. So, exhausting what our barren ground brings forth, we report in outline your servant's paltry intent.
Prostrate we hope that Your Imperial Majesty, whose benevolence is deep and soothes the far, whose virtue holds the giving of life high, will only not add the majesty of arms, and so make whole the people that remain. As for the poor tribute of our sea and hills, how should we let a year go by? We shall offer it not only now, but pledge ourselves to do so for ever.
Interlinear notes 1
中謝
Here the words of thanks (中謝) are inserted.