Memorial declining the post of Associate Director of the Examinations讓同知貢擧表
云云。世稱鉅儒。至掄材則未免視眩。臣以短識。其臨試也決若醉昏。勅雖有嚴。理豈冒受。伏念臣蔽蒙之性。涉獵之儒。講業未精。若廢耕而求穫。著詞多誤。恒操末以續顚。少本寡於聰明。老益加於遲鈍。粗將膚受之末學。妄播翰音之虛名。至忝聖知。夙參朝綴。祭酒儒林之美職也。已曾閱過。學士內翰之昵官也。尙爾冒居。出入諫垣者。或幾九年。優游誥院者。亦僅一紀。豈意仁明之眷。俾提選擧之權。昔嘗典試於成均。世多譏者。今復主盟於宗伯。孰曰宜哉。苟貪自榮。勉就斯任。雖欲不迷於揀採。固難遽革於昏愚。士林之騰謗也。猶可任聞。聖朝之失賢也。實非細事。過如忽至。悔可能追。伏望云云。忘返汗之嫌。寢出綸之命。更擇精強之鑑。伻當奔踶之求。則必不漏於魁才。仰足裨於文德。臣亦安分。心專守官。云云。
And so forth. Even those the world calls great scholars do not escape a dizziness of the eye when it comes to choosing timber. Your servant, with his short discernment, would in facing the examinations have a judgment as though drunk and darkened. Stern though the command is, by reason how should I brave it and accept?
Prostrate I consider that your servant is of a blocked and darkened nature, a scholar who has only skimmed at random. My expounding of studies is not precise, so that it is like abandoning the ploughing and seeking the harvest; and my composing has many faults, so that I am always taking the tail and joining it to the head. In youth I had little quickness of mind from the first, and in age slowness and dullness have been added the more. Holding coarsely a shallow learning that got no further than the surface, I presumptuously spread abroad the empty name of writing well.
It came even to my defiling Your Sage Majesty's recognition, and early I took part in the ranks of the court. Libationer is a fair office among the company of scholars, and I have passed through it already; Academician is a close office in the Hallim within the palace, and I brave it still. My going in and out of the place of a remonstrance official is near nine years, perhaps, and my roaming at ease in the bureau of rescripts is a bare twelve years.
How should I have thought that by your benevolent and enlightened regard you would have me take up the authority of choosing scholars? Long ago, when I had charge of an examination at the National Academy, there were many in the world who reproached me; and now again I am made the chief at the place of the Ancestral Director (宗伯) — who will call it fitting?
If, meanly coveting my own glory, I strove to go forward to this charge — though I would wish not to lose my way in the choosing, it is truly hard to mend darkness and folly all at once. That the company of scholars should raise slanders is a thing that may still be borne and let be; but that the holy court should lose worthy men is truly no small matter. If blame suddenly arrives, can repentance overtake it?
Prostrate I hope, and so forth. Forget the scruple that sweat once shed cannot be taken back, and withdraw the command you have issued; choose again with a precise and firm discernment, and entrust to another the seeking of good horses that run and kick. Then assuredly the foremost talents will not be let slip, and the virtue of letters may be aided from above; and your servant too, at ease in his measure, will set his mind wholly on keeping his office. And so forth.
Interlinear notes 1
中謝。
Here the words of thanks (中謝) are inserted.