Memorial of Cha Yaksong (車若松), Envoy for the Fast and Sacrifice, thanking Your Majesty for the banquet bestowed at the state guest house of the Western Capital齋祭使車公若松。謝賜宴西京公館表
臣某言。云云。榮踐綺都。方稅星奔之騎。叨參藻宴。遽蒙露湑之恩。俯伏拜嘉。感兢失措。伏念臣。心素期於公耳。才不稱於使乎。戾平壤區。光秉韓家之龍節。凌大同水。擬乘博望之仙槎。豈意聖上陛下。俯矜靡盬之勞。遙賜示慈之禮。玉俎之八珍綺錯。雲罍之九醞星浮。臣敢不飽義飮仁。滌情洗慮。攝事惟敬。承無疆之天休。仗國之靈。期不辱於君命。云云。
I, your servant so-and-so, report. And so forth. In glory I trod the brocade-like capital and at last let rest the horse that had galloped like a star; presumptuously I took part in a splendid banquet and suddenly received the kindness of clear wine bestowed. Prostrate and bowing I bear up this beauty, and in gratitude and dread I do not know what to do.
Prostrate, I consider that your servant in his heart pledged himself from the first to the public good, but his talent does not match the office of an envoy. Reaching the land of Pyeongyang I held in radiance the dragon tally the court had given me, and crossing the Daedong River it was as though I rode the immortal raft of the Marquis of Bangmang (博望侯).
How should I have thought that Your Sage Majesty would look down and pity the toil of my ceaseless labour and send down from afar the rite that shows your affection? The eight delicacies on the jade platter were mingled like brocade, and the wine nine times brewed in the cloud-figured jar floated like stars.
How should your servant dare not eat his fill of righteousness and drink benevolence, and wash his feelings and wash his thoughts? Taking up my charge in reverence alone, I pledge to bear up the endless beauty of heaven, and, leaning upon the spirits of the state, not to disgrace my sovereign's command. And so forth.
Interlinear notes 1
中謝。
Here the words of thanks (中謝) are inserted.