Memorial declining the post of Expectant Official of the Bomun Pavilion (待制)讓寶文閣待制表
云云。儒林高選。宜推卓爾之才。宸極異恩。誤及蕞然之品。力辭至切。頷肯爲期。竊以處文籍之司。待帝王之制。非有該通之學。曷承顧問之辭。任旣稱難。自先朝屢虛此職。間或有授。閱數代猶無幾人。如臣者。學本涉獵而未析毫芒。文亦浮彯而略無氣骨。四十強仕。晚參文翰之官。九五時升。端遇聖明之代。再玷掖垣之淸切。久叨法從之禁嚴。顧屢遷華要之資。皆不落制誥之職。此猶溢望。恐或招尤。敢圖聖慮之至仁。又擢詞臣之緊秩。感恩則切。撫己非宜。況以亞卿之聯。僭加三品之服。臣猶自愧。物孰不欺。伏望聖上陛下諒臣非妄飾之言。知臣有不稱之懼。追還成命。更擇可人。則騏驥見縻。來當六轡之馭。鷦鷯守分。自適一枝之安。臣無任云云。
And so forth. A high place among the company of scholars ought rightly to have a man of towering talent recommended to it, yet an extraordinary royal favour has wrongly reached one of a petty grade. My strenuous declining is utterly earnest, and I look for a nod of consent.
Quietly I consider that to be in the office that has charge of books and there await the sovereign's rescripts — without learning that runs through all things, how should one receive the words with which he turns and asks? The charge has already been called a hard one, so that from the former court this office was several times left empty; and though now and then it has been given, over several reigns they have been but a few men.
One such as your servant has learning that was from the first skimmed over at random, so that I have not split and made clear so much as a hair's tip; and my writing too floats and flutters, with almost nothing of spirit or bone to it. At forty I bent myself to office and late took part among the officials charged with writing; and when the sovereign in due season ascended the precious throne, I happened upon a holy and enlightened age. Twice I defiled the pure and pressing places of a remonstrance official, and long I presumptuously held a post in the stern palace in attendance upon the sovereign. Looking back, I was moved several times among shining and essential posts, yet never put off the office of composing rescripts. By this alone my hopes are overflowed, and I fear I may be calling down blame.
Should I have dared to reckon that Your Sage Majesty's thought, being utterly benevolent, would choose me besides for an essential grade among the officials charged with writing? My gratitude for the favour is earnest, yet when I stroke my own person it is unfitting. How much more, when with the rank of a Vice Minister (亞卿) I presumptuously add the robe of the third grade: your servant is ashamed before himself, and among the multitude whom is he not deceiving?
Prostrate I hope that Your Sage Majesty will reckon that your servant's words are no idle dressing-up, and will know that your servant has a heart that fears what does not befit him, and will withdraw the command already issued and choose instead a fitting man. Then the thousand-league courser, bound to the reins, will rightly come forward to the place where six reins are driven; and the wren, keeping to its measure, will of itself suit the ease that is ample with a single branch. Your servant cannot contain, and so forth.
Interlinear notes 1
中謝。
Here the words of thanks (中謝) are inserted.