Memorial of thanks from the Duke of Jingang (晉康公) for the investiture of his two wives as Ladies of the House (宅主)晉康公謝冊二妃爲宅主表
云云。宸衷獨斷。命出於雲霄。婦爵驟崇。光生於門戶。恩榮稠疊。喜愧交幷。伏念臣德謝經邦。才非緯世。乘時奮義。偶成社稷之功。開府置寮。早處藩維之寄。子姓竝都於高秩。宗親皆列於顯途。況聖考以婚姻之故而款密有加。及陛下念擁立之庸而眷憐滋厚。凡加禮貌。示特異於列侯。雖至壼闈。亦許容於二室。故自天而降勅。遂同日而疏封。星使甫臨。芝函載煥。旣錫光華之甲宅。申頒膏沃之上田。齊拜寵嘉。共深感戴。此蓋伏遇聖上陛下乾坤大度。日月至明。俯記微勞。誓已深於帶礪。特宣茂典。賞又及於帷房。臣謹當更激初心。勉圖來效。後天之壽。偕伉儷以司祈。報國之誠。質神明而求勵。云云。
And so forth. Resolving it alone in the sovereign's own heart, the command came out of the high heaven, and my wives' rank being raised all at once, light shines upon my gate. Grace and glory are piled fold upon fold, and joy and shame hang over me together.
Prostrate, I consider that your servant's virtue does not reach to governing a state and his talent is not fit for weaving a world. Riding the times and rousing up righteousness, I came by chance to merit toward the altars of the state; and opening a headquarters and setting officers under me, I was early placed in the charge of guarding the country. My sons and grandsons are all gathered into high ranks, and my kin are all ranged along the roads of distinction.
How much more when the holy late king added to his thickness toward me through the tie of marriage, and Your Majesty, thinking upon the merit of having upheld and set up the sovereign, has been thicker still in regard and tender favor. In all that you add in the way of honor I have been set apart from the other lords; and even as it touches the inner chamber, you have besides suffered me two households.
Therefore you sent down an edict from heaven and at last bestowed their ranks upon the same day. The star-like envoys had just arrived and the fair caskets were shining; you had already bestowed a splendid fine house, and again you set apart rich fine fields. Bowing side by side we receive your favor, and the feeling of it runs deep in us together.
This is because, prostrate, I have met with Your Majesty the Holy Sovereign, who with a great measure like heaven and earth and an utmost brightness like the sun and moon bent down and remembered a small labor, so that your oath is already deep as the girdle and the whetstone, and who, unfolding especially a luxuriant favor, has let the reward reach even into the inner chamber.
Your servant will reverently rouse up his first heart again and strive to contrive merit for the days ahead. I take upon myself, together with my wives, the praying that your span may end later than heaven's; and I shall seek, asking of the bright spirits, to strive in the sincerity with which I repay the state. And so forth.
Interlinear notes 1
中謝。
Here the words of 中謝, that is, the words of thanks, are inserted.