Dirge for Jin, Minister of Works and Pillar of State, of the royal kin宗室司空柱國珒誄詞
某年月日。守司空柱國某薨。爰殯于地藏蘭若。越八月某日。葬于五龍山之麓。禮也。公神廟第二子。襄陽公之冢嗣也。於今上爲弟行。神姿温裕。玉質夙沖。自幼年游心文雅。好賢樂士。恂恂有古賢王風。人皆曰是必爲宗室之羽儀矣。矧相貌奇厖。似若享祿無疆。而殊不類早世者。然年方弱冠。其夭如此。甚哉天道之難知也。上震悼。遣使弔贈。勑有司典喪事。仍贈諡曰懷敬公。乃命小臣爲之誄。其詞曰。
On such a day of such a month of such a year, So-and-so, Acting Minister of Works and Pillar of State, passed away. His coffin was accordingly laid in the monastery called Jijang, and on such a day of the eighth month he was buried at the foot of Oryongsan (五龍山), which was in accord with propriety.
The lord was the eldest son of the Duke of Yangyang (襄陽公), the second son of Sinjong, and stood as a younger brother to the present king. His inborn appearance was warm and ample, and his jade-like substance was cheerful from early on. From childhood he let his mind roam among letters and elegance, loved worthy men and delighted in scholars. Trustworthy and circumspect, he had the bearing of the worthy kings of old, and so men all said, "This one will surely become the example of the royal kin."
Still more, his features were remarkable and generous, as though he would enjoy blessing and emolument without end, and he was quite unlike one who would die young. And yet at barely twenty years of age he died thus early. How grievous — the ways of heaven are hard to know.
The king grieved deeply, sent envoys to condole and to present funeral gifts, and commanded the officials to take charge of the funeral. He then granted him the posthumous title Lord Hoegyeong (懷敬公) and commanded this small subject to compose a dirge. Its words are these.
Interlinear notes 1
在省受勑述
Composed by royal command while in the Chancellery
2Words of the dirge
天子之孫。上公之胄。璿漢聯源。瓊林託秀。慈和惠友。寔自天授。位躡三公。冠方加首。貴固自有。所乏者壽。瞥然長辭。間不容手。夜舟朝露。比之猶久。嗚呼。蘭方秀兮暴悴。苗未實兮先僵。天理莫測。孰詰其常。上心哀悼。六膳輟嘗。寵行孔縟。九壤有光。俾臣執簡。誄以揚芳。
Grandson of the Son of Heaven, eldest son of a ducal minister, his source runs on in the jade-like Milky Way, and he lodged his eminence in the grove of pearls. His tenderness and harmony, his kindness and brotherly love were truly heaven's gift. His place had trodden the Three Ducal Ministries, and the cap had only just been set upon his head. Eminence he had from the first; what fell short was his span of life. In the space of a glance he took his leave forever, and into that gap not even a hand can enter. Even a night boat and the morning dew are long compared with this. Alas, the orchid was just about to come out and withered all at once; the sprout toppled before it had borne its fruit. The principle of heaven cannot be fathomed; who shall reckon up its constancy? The sovereign's heart grieved, and he ceased to taste of the six dishes. The favor of his sending-off is most generous, and there shall be light in the world below. He has had your subject take up the brush, and in a dirge let his fragrance be made to soar.