Memorial of Remonstrancer Geum (琴諫議) declining the post of Associate Director of the Examinations琴諫議讓同知貢擧表
云云。有命忽加。俾貳掄材之任。撫躬非稱。懼貽代匠之譏。輒露危悰。切思追寢。竊以詞賦之選。古今所難。才長者或局於對偶而騁氣未周。識近者或工於剽掠而使人易眩。苟不精於取捨。卽有濫於賢愚。如臣者。記問荒唐。襟靈淺鯫。汗靑積學。曾未造於淵源。餬白戰文。幸首登於科第。夤緣盛際。汚衊淸班。備更儒者之極榮。已越平生之素望。敢圖渙號。復委重權。雖聖度之有容。顧人言之可畏。力辭至懇。頷肯爲期。伏望聖上陛下。史決無留。離明委照。惟勝職之是急。忘反汗之小嫌。更擇宗工。使持文柄。得賢爲寶。上旣充泛駕之求。守分自安。臣亦免負山之愧。云云。
And so forth. The command came down suddenly, charging me as second in the seat that selects men of talent. Stroking my person, I am unfitting, and I fear I shall leave behind the mockery of one who stands in for the carpenter. All at once I show forth my fearful heart and think earnestly that you will withdraw it.
Quietly I consider that choosing men by poetry and by rhymed prose is a thing hard both in old times and now. Those whose talent is ample are sometimes shut up in the matching of couplets so that the spreading of their spirit does not reach all round; those whose knowledge is shallow are sometimes skilful at stealing others' writing so that they readily confuse the one who reads. Truly, if one is not fine in choosing and discarding, then the worthy and the foolish are mixed together.
One such as your servant is empty in what he has heard and memorized, and shallow and narrow in what he harbours in his breast. Even with a learning piled up by sweating over the green bamboo I never reached its deep source; yet with writing contended for by a single brush on white paper I was happily placed at the head of the examination list. Riding upon a flourishing age I sullied the pure ranks. As a scholar I have passed through the utmost glory, and it already exceeds the hope I had from the first for a lifetime.
How should I have thought that a great command would come down again and charge me with a weighty authority? Though your holy magnanimity may take me in, yet looking back I fear what men will say. My declining with all my strength is utterly earnest, and I look for your nod of consent.
Prostrate I hope that Your Sage Majesty will decide without lingering and look down with your enlightened eye. Hold urgent only the finding of one who can bear the charge, and forget the small reluctance of withdrawing a command already issued. Choose again a great hand and let him grasp the handle of letters. If you make the getting of a worthy man your treasure, then above you will fulfil your intent of seeking outstanding talent, and your servant will keep his station and be at ease of himself and escape the shame of carrying a mountain. And so forth.