Letter on moving the shrine of Minister over the Masses Chen of Zhexi移浙西陳司徒廟書
1Do not long for Shitou; move your jade steps
滔滔逝水。幽顯雖殊。凜凜雄風。古今何讓。苟或同心立事。必能異代論交。司徒壯節奇功。備載外孫之碣。靈恩顯驗。高傳太伯之鄕。譚揚而不假再三。徵引而難窮萬一。今則冀動玄鑑。直書素誠。旣當可擧而行。固在不言而信。且此誓除國難。齊命舟師。將泛西江。卽離北岸。練鋪一水。指疆界以雖分。黛列千山。望威靈而如在。今於弊境。已立嚴祀。敬迓來儀。迺酬前願。幸移玉趾。無戀石頭。桂檝蘭檣。早決遷居之計。鸞絲鳳管。佇申迎奉之儀。況乃近境無虞。芳筵不絶。但得禍淫福善。何妨捨舊從新。北渚煙花。休起別離之恨。東塘風月。好追歌舞之歡。必能依統帥指揮。永可振司徒勳業。特差專价。用啓至誠。昔之靑骨標奇。已謂陰陽不測。今也赤眉稔惡。豈宜征戰無功。將申烈烈之威。實假冥冥之助。所冀八公山上。遍設雄師。五里霧中。能呈異術。則必陰子春之破賊。吳大帝之封王。共立功名。若合符契。無誤會稽之軍備。有慙卽墨之神謀。早詳禴祭之言。永副里仁之義。某白。
The water goes by rolling on. The hidden world and the bright are different, yet in stern and manly air what does the present yield to old times? If men set up their work with one heart, they can surely speak of friendship across the ages. The Minister's bold fidelity and rare merit are fully set down on the stele of his daughter's son, and the plain proofs of his numinous grace are told high in the district of Taibo. To speak of them needs no second or third telling, and to cite them one can hardly exhaust a ten-thousandth part. Now, hoping to move your dark discernment, I write my plain sincerity straight out. Since this is a matter that may be taken up and done, it rests surely on being trusted without words. Moreover, this side has sworn to clear away the country's troubles and has given orders alike to the naval forces. They are about to float on the West River and will straightway leave the north bank. One stretch of water is spread out like white silk, and pointed to as a border it does divide, yet a thousand hills stand ranged like eyebrow-black, and looking toward your awesome spirit it is as if you were there. Now in this poor district a solemn sacrifice has already been set up, to welcome your coming with reverence and so repay the earlier vow. Be pleased to move your jade steps, and do not long for Shitou. With cassia oars and orchid masts, settle early on the plan to move your dwelling, and with luan strings and phoenix pipes we wait to unfold the rite of welcome and service. Still more, the near districts are without alarm and the fragrant feasts do not cease. If only calamity may come to the wanton and blessing to the good, what harm is there in leaving the old and following the new? Let the mist and blossom on the northern shoal raise no regret at parting, and let the wind and moon on the eastern pool gladly pursue the joy of song and dance. Surely you can rely on the commander's direction and forever shake out the Minister's merit and achievement. A special messenger is sent to open my utmost sincerity. Of old the green bones marked out a marvel, and it was said then that yin and yang cannot be fathomed. Now the Red Eyebrows have ripened in evil; how should this campaign be without merit? About to unfold a fierce and blazing power, we truly borrow help from the unseen. What we hope is that on Mount Bagong a mighty host be set out everywhere, and that in the five-li mist a rare art be shown, so that, as Yin Zichun broke the bandits and the Great Emperor of Wu enfeoffed a king, merit and name may be set up together like tallies that match. Do not spoil the armament of Kuaiji, and feel shame before the divine stratagem of Jimo. Look early into the words about the spring sacrifice, and forever answer the sense of dwelling where benevolence is. So-and-so states this.
Interlinear notes 2
The Jiji hexagram of the Book of Changes says the eastern neighbor's slaughtered ox is worth less than the western neighbor's plain spring offering: sincerity outweighs the gift. — translator
Paired with "do not let it go wrong" in the preceding clause, this is rendered as a petition. It may also be read as the writer's own self-deprecation: "our plans fall short of those of Jimo." — translator