Memorial declining the post of Right Grand Master of Remonstrance讓右諫議大夫表
云云。墮眷中宸。備員西掖。地兼淸要之選。宜足自榮。官以諫議。爲名曷當是責。撫己惶駭。叩閽訴號。伏念臣學識空疏。性資近淺。幸遘通嘉之會。過蒙甄奬之私。步驟銀臺。徒被私人之誚。優游壁水。謬叨師氏之稱。豈意上心復豐。褒典遽降。芝函之明命。擢除藥省之華資。寵過尋常。理難忝竊。雖欲冒顔而受。可堪交口之譏。伏望云云。俯諒哀祈。追還渙號。以藹然之多士。更揀英才。令蕞爾之微軀。少安愚分。云云。
And so forth. From within the palace your regard came down and filled out the complement in the western place of the remonstrance officials. The post is one chosen for purity and essential weight together, and I ought rightly to count it a glory; yet the office is named "Remonstrance and Deliberation" (諫議) — how should I bear that responsibility? Stroking myself I am afraid and startled, and knock at the gate and cry out my plea.
Prostrate I consider that your servant is empty and sparse in learning and discernment, and shallow and near-sighted in nature and stuff. Happily meeting an open and fair age, I received beyond measure the private favour of being picked out and encouraged. Walking and running at the Silver Terrace (銀臺), I merely incurred the rebuke of being a man employed by private favour; roaming at ease in the Moat of Learning (壁水), I wrongly and presumptuously received the title of teacher.
How should I have thought that the mind above would be ample once more, and that a favour of commendation would suddenly come down? By a bright command in a mushroom-sealed casket (芝函) you chose and sent me down to a shining place in the Medicine Department (藥省). The grace passes what is ordinary, and by reason it is hard to steal and defile it. Though I would brave the shame and receive it, could I endure the rebuke that comes from many mouths?
Prostrate I hope, and so forth. Bend down and reckon this sorrowful request and withdraw the great command, and choose instead an outstanding talent from among the thick throng of scholars, so that a petty and lowly person may be a little at ease in his foolish measure. And so forth.
Interlinear notes 1
中謝。
Here the words of thanks (中謝) are inserted.