Dirge for Lord Chae, Minister of the Secretariat, Associate Administrator and Junior Preceptor of the Heir Apparent中書侍郞平章事大子少師蔡公誄詞
夫大丈夫之生於世。官至宰相。七十得謝。頤神養性。克享天年。令終有俶者。求之古今。不可多得。我少師蔡公其有之。公諱順禧。系出光州。考諱某仕至某官。公毅廟時。籍內廷。至明宗禪位。猶不離近密。上嘗居壽昌宮。賊臣曹元正，石麟等謀爲不軌。夜踰垣而入禁中作亂。是夜內直近臣。聞難驚怖。皆越堞奔避。公獨入侍紫宸。無須臾去左右。上嘆曰。昔人有云疾風知勁草。子之謂矣。逮仕至五朝。歷踐華要。至今上某年。進位中書侍郞平章事大子少師。乞身退逸。逍遙琴酒之間。凡閱若干年。大期奄臻。蟬蛻而化。所謂哀榮終始。皆備而無缺。是可稱大丈夫者。性寬和容衆。未嘗見慍色。雖古之吐茵容吏翻羹恕婢者。其何以加之。然曹石之亂。有以見臨難不懼耿介特立之節。此豈仁者必有勇耶。訃聞。上哀悼輟聽政。勑有司備明器鹵簿。葬于某山。贈諡某公。申命小臣掇實以誄之。其詞曰。王佐之才。先卜以器。曁曁我公。負器固異。曹石搆亂。夜撞禁門。內臣鼠竄。越墻竝奔。公獨入衛。神色不移。後凋之節。歲寒乃知。有守如此。宜貴而榮。果相五聖。望峻台衡。急流勇退。名全德卲。天其不弔。國棟斯撓。宸衷軫悼。贈終禮備。孰揚厥美。小臣作誄。
Now of great men who come into the world, whose office reaches the ministry, who withdraw at seventy to nurture their spirit and nurture their nature, who enjoy the years heaven granted them and whose beginning and end are both fair — even seeking in past and present, not many can be found. Our Junior Preceptor Lord Chae possessed it.
The lord's name was Sunhui (順禧), and his line came out of Gwangju (光州). His father So-and-so held office up to such-and-such a post. The lord's name was entered in the inner court in Uijong's time, and even until Myeongjong succeeded to the throne he did not leave a post near the sovereign.
When the king was once at Suchang Palace (壽昌宮), the traitorous subjects Jo Wonjeong (曹元正) and Seok Rin (石麟) and their fellows plotted a thing against all rule, climbed the wall at night, entered within the palace and raised a revolt. That night the near attendants who were on duty within heard the turmoil, were startled and afraid, and all of them climbed over the parapets and fled away. The lord alone went in and attended at the sovereign's side, and did not leave his right or left for a moment. The king sighed and said, "The men of old said that in a fierce wind one knows the strong grass; it is you they named."
His office reached through five courts, and he trod the brilliant and essential posts all about. When such-and-such a year of the present king came, his place rose to Minister of the Secretariat, Associate Administrator and Junior Preceptor of the Heir Apparent. He asked to withdraw from office and lived at leisure, and roamed among his zither and his wine for a good number of years. Then the great appointed time came suddenly, and he died as a cicada sheds its shell. What is called grief and glory were in him from beginning to end all complete and without anything wanting; and this indeed may be called a great man.
His nature was lenient and harmonious and took in the multitude, and he never showed an angry look. Even those of old who pardoned a clerk for vomiting on a carriage-cushion or forgave a maidservant for spilling the soup — how should they have gone beyond this? Yet in the revolt of Jo Wonjeong and Seok Rin one may see the integrity with which he did not fear in the face of hardship and stood alone, straight and unbending. Is this what is meant by saying that a worthy man must have courage?
When word of his death was heard, the king grieved and ceased to attend to government. He commanded the officials to prepare the grave goods and the procession, buried him on such a mountain and granted him the posthumous title Lord So-and-so. He then commanded this small subject to gather up the facts and compose a dirge. Its words are these.
In the talent that aids a sovereign, one divines first by the vessel. Firm and firm, our lord — the vessel he held was truly beyond others'. Jo Wonjeong and Seok Rin wove a revolt and beat at the palace gates by night; the subjects within hid like mice and climbed the wall and fled together. The lord alone went in and kept guard, and his face did not change. An integrity that withers late is known only when the days turn cold. His keeping of it being such, he deserved to be eminent and glorious. He did indeed aid five sovereigns, and his renown stood high at the ministers' seats. He withdrew bravely from the swift current, and his name was whole and his virtue lofty. Heaven did not look after us, and the ridgepole of the state has bent at this. The sovereign's heart ached and grieved, and he made the rites of his sending-off complete. Who shall make his fairness soar? This small subject composes a dirge.