To Supervising Secretary Lu Shao盧紹給事
1Congratulating the younger brother on the elder brother's rise as Left Aide
近睹除書。恭承賢兄左丞。榮膺寵命。伏惟感慰。竊以國有司直。野無遺賢。蓋前代之所難。實我朝之獨盛。況乃上可以糺彈八座。下可以整肅百官。永言其才。固屬全德。賢兄左丞。中庸處厚。大雅含淸。柱晴空而嶽頂無雲。瑩秋色而潭心有月。是得歷游華貫。輝綽令猷。頃遇分憂。暫作甘棠。太守尋聆徵詔。請爲仙桂主人。此時也歡聲則風振儒林。喜氣則雲鋪筆陣。有口皆賀。無心不歸。蓬島靈珠。想離頷下。荊山瑞玉。待入掌中。而屬鶯谷藏春。鳳城陷寇。不見孔門盛事。唯傷魏闕餘災。今者遠從行朝。久臨憲府。旣躡淸資於侍極。榮升重位於肅機。傅咸之畏愼無虧。鄭晉之矜莊有裕。正當今日。必繼芳塵。給事避地經時。陟岡勞念。今聆美拜。稍慰遠思。然每於絳帳馳心。共懷遺恨。須到洪勻入手。方洽群情。高接雁行。佇迎鳳詔。虔禱瞻戀。無以披陳云云。
Of late I saw the writ of appointment. I respectfully learn that his worthy elder brother, the Left Aide, has received a favored command in honor, and I bow low in thanks and gladness. I humbly consider that for the state to have officers who keep it straight and for no worthy man to be left in the fields was hard in former ages, and that it is truly our court alone that flourishes so. Still more, above he may call the eight seats to account, and below he may set the hundred officers in order. To speak long of his talent, it belongs surely to whole virtue. The worthy elder brother, the Left Aide, keeps the middle way and dwells in what is thick, and holds the clear within his great refinement. He props up the clear sky, and there is no cloud on the mountaintop. He polishes the autumn color, and there is a moon in the heart of the pool. So he has passed through brilliant offices and made his fine plans shine broad. Of late, coming to share the ruler's cares, he was for a time a sweet pear tree to his people, as the Elder of Shao had been. As governor he soon heard the summoning writ and asked to be the master of the immortal cassia. At that time the glad sound was a wind that shook the forest of scholars, and the joyful air was a cloud spread over the ranks of brushes. All who had mouths gave their congratulations, and there was no heart that did not turn to him. The holy pearl of the isle of Penglai, one thought, was leaving the place beneath the chin, and the lucky jade of Mount Jing waited to come into his palm. But then the oriole valley hid its spring and the phoenix city fell to the raiders. The full deeds of the gate of Kong were not seen, and there was only grief at the ruin left over at the towers of Wei. Now he has followed the traveling court far and has long presided over the Censorate. He has already trodden a clear rank in attendance upon the highest, and in honor he rises to a weighty seat among the stern offices. The fearful care of Fu Xian is not wanting in him, and the grave dignity of Zheng Jin he has to spare. This is exactly the case today, and he will surely carry on that fragrant trace. The Supervising Secretary has shunned his land and passed through the season, and he climbed the ridge in weary thought. Now that he hears of this fine appointment, his distant longing will be a little comforted. Yet each time he sets his heart racing toward the crimson curtain, he holds with others a lingering regret. Only when the great potter's wheel comes into that hand will the feeling of the many be satisfied. He joins the line of wild geese high above and waits to greet the phoenix writ. In reverent prayer I gaze and long, and I have no way to spread out my words, and so on.