Memorial declining the posts of Grand Master of the Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon, Manager of Affairs of the Chancellery, Minister of Revenue, and Grand Academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies讓金紫光祿大夫知門下省事戶部尙書集賢殿大學士表
云云。命出紫霄。位崇黃閣。自初頒制。無所措顔。不待歸家。尋已形於憂色。豈宜貪寵。忍不訴於愚衷。伏念臣庸鄙寡能。孤寒少援。虛讀古書而學難淹貫。不護細行而名涉輕狂。故當鼎盛之年。未免平沈之歎。及晚從微宦。望不過於郞官。雖稍進顯途。意敢期於宰相。幸遭明旦。屢沐優恩。居侍從之邇。聯。掌制誥者累載。古人以三入承明而自詑。小臣凡五忝省郞之爲榮。況復歲方半而進參帷幄之謀。臘未終而又擢鈞衡之地。入中樞無幾月而超受。人亦指爲非常。越先進許多員而躐登。臣豈安然無愧。雖欲濫處。其如疾顚。伏望云云。曲徇哀祈。追還誤寵。當富賢之代。所乏者非人。得鳴世之才。何嫌於改命。云云。
And so forth. The command came forth from the purple sky, and the post stands high in the Yellow Pavilion (黃閣). From the moment the rescript was first promulgated I had nowhere to put my face. I did not wait to return home before the colour of my anxiety showed. How should it be fitting to covet your grace and bear not to plead this foolish inward heart?
Prostrate I consider that your servant is mean and base and of little talent, solitary and poor and with few to help him. In vain I read the writings of old, yet my learning is hard to drive deeply through; and not keeping to small points of conduct, my name was caught in rashness and wildness. Therefore in my prime I did not escape the lament of being buried among the common. Even when late I came to follow a lowly office, my hopes went no further than a gentleman of the departments (郞官). Though I advanced a little upon a manifest road, should I have dared in intent to look for a councillorship?
Happily meeting an enlightened morning, I have bathed many times in your ample favour. Being in the near ranks that attend upon the sovereign, I have had charge of rescripts for several years. A man of old boasted of himself for having entered the Lodge of Received Brightness (承明廬) three times; this small servant counted it a glory to have defiled the place of a gentleman of the departments (省郞) five times in all.
How much more, when the year was just half gone I went forward to take part in the planning within the curtain, and before the last month was out I was chosen besides for a councillor's place. Not many months after entering the Privy Council I received it by a leap, so that people too point and say it is no ordinary thing; and I have sprung up over several who went forward before me, so how should your servant be at ease and without shame? Though I would loosely remain, what is to be done about a fall that comes quickly?
Prostrate I hope, and so forth. Bend down and follow this sorrowful request and withdraw a grace mistakenly given. In an age when worthy men are ample, what is wanting is not men. If you obtain a talent whose name will ring through the world, why should you scruple to change the command? And so forth.
Interlinear notes 1
中謝。
Here the words of thanks (中謝) are inserted.