Memorial on behalf of Chancellor Yi (李侍中) Hang (抗), begging leave to withdraw for the first time爲李侍中抗初度乞退表
云云。寵難酌損。已孤夙退之心。年至耄衰。益懼夜行之誚。敢敷危衽。丐解煩機。伏念臣用不適時。才非經遠。藉門蔭而從仕。無經術之飾身。幸緣際會之通嘉。進預論思之密勿。値聖考之踐祚。厚沐甄升。及陛下之膺圖。過蒙器使。驟陟上台之重秩。至登常伯之峻資。位則極於人臣。望不符於師尹。有妨賢路。無補王家。分固莫踰。本期引避。事難可必。坐積素飡。今則齒及從心。理當告老。寧有未盈之望。復懷冒處之情。伏望聖上陛下。曲諒誠祈。俯垂頷肯。俾釋珪裳之縳。得從泉石之遊。則倦鳥飛還。樂自期於巢樹。疲馬退伏。心豈弛於戀軒。云云。
And so forth. Favor being hard to lay aside, I have already betrayed the heart that meant to withdraw early; and my years having come to age and decay, I fear the more the reproach of walking the road by night. I dare to unfold my fearful heart and beg that the troublesome business of state be loosed from me.
Prostrate, I consider that your servant's usefulness does not fit the times and his talent is not such as can govern far. Leaning upon hereditary privilege I merely followed office, and I have adorned myself with no learning in the classics. Happily, leaning upon a fair meeting, I went forward and took part in the place where one helps the sovereign and labors at the secret affairs of state. Meeting the accession of the holy late king, I was thickly singled out; and when Your Majesty received the great seat, I was employed beyond the measure of my vessel.
Suddenly I rose to the weighty rank of the Upper Terrace (上台) and came even to the lofty seat of a Sangbaek (常伯). My place is the utmost for a subject, yet my repute does not match a minister who is a preceptor. I block the road of worthy men and am of no help to the royal house. One's portion truly cannot be overstepped, and so from the first I looked to withdraw and get out of the way; but things are hard to have as one wills, and sitting idle I only piled up bread I had not earned.
Now my years have reached seventy, and by right I ought to declare my old age. How should I have some wish still unfilled, and harbor a heart that would make bold to stay on?
Prostrate I hope that Your Majesty the Holy Sovereign will look down and weigh this sincere begging and bend down to nod his consent, stripping from me the bonds of tablet and court robe and letting me roam among springs and stones. If you do so, it will be as a weary bird flying home to look of itself for joy in the tree where it has nested; yet though a weary horse draw back and lie down, how should its heart be loosed from longing for the sovereign's carriage?
Interlinear notes 1
中謝。
Here the words of thanks (中謝) are inserted.