Edict refusing the petition of Bak Hyeongyu (朴玄珪), Deputy Commissioner of the Privy Council, to withdraw from office樞密院副使朴玄珪乞退不允敎書
云云。大夫當七十歲而乞身。雖則禮之常也。人主有一二臣而圖政。尤所寶者賢歟。苟或許以毛皮。譬自翦其羽翮。卿越從先代。逮事寡人。道直行方而趣尙不爲雷同。經明識博而論議皆有根據。累涉班聯之貴。歷司臺諫之權。義有可行。則扼腕申臂而直進無疑。事有堪陳。則明目張膽而極言迺已。故先試樞機之任。將擢升台鉉之司。朕之佇聽嘉謀者。固非一端。卿之進參密地者。猶無幾歲。何自徇身全之計。而遽稱病篤之辭。況今胡羯肆淫。官家多故。是縉紳憂國之日。非宰相求安之時。姑俟大平。方圖退逸。云云。
And so forth.
That a great officer, on reaching seventy, begs to have his person released is the common course of ritual; yet in a sovereign's taking counsel on affairs of state with one or two ministers, what he treasures the more is the worthy man. To permit such a one to shed his hair and hide would be comparable to cutting off one's own pinions.
You, my lord, have served from the reigns of my forebears far back down to serving me. Your way is straight and your conduct upright, so that your aims never fell in with others merely to go along; you are clear in the classics and wide in discernment, so that your arguments all had ground. Many times you passed through the noble ranks and held the authority of the censors and remonstrators. When there was something right to be done, you rolled up your sleeves and stretched out your arm and went straight on without doubting; when there was something fit to be reported, you brightened your eyes and made your gall large and did not stop until you had spoken it to the end.
Therefore I had you first pass through the charge of secrets, meaning in time to raise you up to the chancellor's seat. The fine counsels I wait to hear from you are truly not of one kind, and it is not yet many years since you advanced to take part in the posts of secrecy. Why then, following a scheme to keep your own person whole, do you of a sudden speak of a deep illness?
How much more now, when the barbarians rampage at will and the state has much afoot: this is a day for officials to be anxious for the state, not a time for chancellors to seek their ease. Wait first for great peace, and only then plan to withdraw into leisure.
And so forth.