A memorial thanking him for leave to submit a recommendation謝許奏薦狀
1Like Nangong Kuo, who asked Confucius
右某。昨日見衙前兵馬使曠師禮奉傳處分。特賜慰問。兼許奏薦。令自修狀本來者。俯慙蓬跡。仰聽蘭言。喜抃而身輕欲飛。兢惶而心戰難遏。何者。某職叨鄭驛。已謂極榮。名達堯階。實爲過望。憑何展效。佩此恩光。況乃朗鑑氷開。英才霧集。所宜倒屣則先迎王粲。築臺則次接劇辛。如某者。輟耕海上之田。來泣塵中之路。雖云游學。尙未成功。豈料勤勞莫副於指蹤。將念已全於卵翼。許令伐善。將使警愚。每思郄子之驟稱。深慙速謗。欲效黃公之多讓。又恐失時。冀緝拙詞。仰遵嚴命。南宮适之問宣父。實有所歸。東方朔之對漢皇。寧辭自責。旣忝風雷之變化。佇期雨露之沾濡。下情無任感戴榮抃兢灼之至。謹奉狀陳謝。謹狀。
As to the above: yesterday I saw Kuang Shili, the headquarters commissioner of troops and horses, convey your order. You graciously sent me your comfort, and besides gave leave for a recommendation to be submitted for me, telling me to draw up the draft myself and bring it. I look down in shame at my tumbleweed traces, and look up to hear your orchid words. I am so glad that I clap my hands, and my body is light and would fly. I am so afraid that my heart trembles and I can hardly stop it. Why is this? My post as keeper of Zheng Zhuang's posthouses I already called the height of honor. For my name to reach the steps of Yao is truly beyond my hopes. On what can I lean to show my worth and wear this light of favor? Still more, your bright mirror has opened like ice, and men of talent gather like mist. It would be right for you to put on your shoes backward and go out first to meet Wang Can, and to raise a terrace and next receive Ju Xin. As for one like me, I stopped plowing my field beyond the sea, and came here to weep on a road full of dust. Though it is called studying abroad, I have yet to make anything of it. How could I have reckoned that, when my toil falls short of what you pointed to, your thought should already be wholly on brooding over my egg, giving me leave to speak of my own merits and making me a warning to the foolish? Whenever I think of how suddenly Xi Zi was praised, I am deeply ashamed of the slander that would come so fast. I would copy Huang Gong, who yielded so often, yet I am afraid of missing my moment. So I hope to string together my clumsy words and look up and obey your stern command. When Nangong Kuo asked Confucius, there was truly something he was driving at. When Dongfang Shuo answered the Han emperor, how could he have refused to blame himself? Since I have undeservedly received the change wrought by wind and thunder, I now wait for the wetting of rain and dew. My humble heart cannot bear the fullness of its gratitude for your kindness, its clapping at such honor, its awe and its burning. I respectfully present this memorial to set out my thanks. Respectfully submitted.