Mulgyeja勿稽子
1Contending for Merit Is Not What a Man of Purpose Does
勿稽子第十奈解王即位十七年壬辰,保羅國·古自國〔今固城〕·史勿國〔今泗州〕等八國併力來侵过境.王命太子㮈音·将軍一伐等率兵拒之,八國皆降.時勿稽子軍㓛第一,然爲太子所嫌不賞其㓛.或謂勿稽子,“此戰之㓛唯子而已.而賞不及子,太子之嫌君其㤪乎.”稽曰,“國君在上何㤪人臣.”或曰,“然則奏聞子王幸矣.”稽曰,“伐功爭命掦己掩人志士之所不爲也,勵之待時而已.”
Mulgyeja.
In the seventeenth year after the tenth king, King Naehae, ascended the throne, the year imjin, eight states, including Bora, Goja〔It is the present Goseong.〕, and Samul〔It is the present Saju.〕, joined forces and invaded the border.
The king ordered the crown prince Naeeum, General Ilbeol, and others to lead troops and hold them off, and the eight states all surrendered.
At that time the military merit of Mulgyeja (勿稽子) was the highest, but the crown prince disliked him and gave no reward for his merit.
Someone said to Mulgyeja, "The merit of this battle was yours alone, yet the reward did not reach you. Do you resent the crown prince's dislike?"
Mulgyeja said, "With the king above, how could I resent another subject?"
The man said, "Then it would be well to report it to the king."
Mulgyeja said, "To boast of merit and contend for one's life, to show oneself off and cover others, is not what a man of purpose does. I will only strive and wait for the time."
Interlinear notes 2
今固城
It is the present Goseong.
今泗州
It is the present Saju.
2Having Lost Both Loyalty and Filial Piety, with What Face?
十年乙未骨浦國〔今合浦也.〕䓁三國王各率兵来攻竭火.〔疑屈弗也,今蔚州.〕王親率禦之,三國皆敗.稽所獲数十級,而人不言稽之功.稽謂其妻曰,“吾聞仕君之道見危致命,臨難忘身,仗於節義不顧死生之謂忠也.夫保羅〔疑發羅,今羅州.〕·竭火之役誠是國之難君之危,而吾未曽有忘身致命之勇,此乃不忠甚也.旣以不忠而仕君累及於先人可謂孝乎.旣失忠孝,何顔復逰朝市之中乎.”乃被髮荷琴入師彘山〔未詳〕,悲竹樹之性病,寄托作歌擬溪澗之咽響扣琴制曲,隠居不復現世.
In the tenth year, the year eulmi, the kings of three states, including Golpo〔It is the present Happo.〕, each led troops and attacked Galhwa.〔Probably Gulbul, the present Ulju.〕
The king led the defense in person, and the three states were all defeated.
Mulgyeja took several dozen heads, but people did not speak of his merit.
Mulgyeja said to his wife:
"I have heard that the way of serving a lord is this: to give one's life when danger is seen, to forget oneself when facing hardship, and to rely on integrity and duty without regard for life or death. That is called loyalty.
The battles of Bora〔Probably Balla, the present Naju.〕 and Galhwa were truly the country's hardship and the lord's danger.
Yet I never had the courage to forget myself and give my life. This is a grave failure of loyalty.
Having failed in loyalty and yet served my lord, I have brought fault upon my ancestors. Can that be called filial piety?
Having lost both loyalty and filial piety, with what face could I walk again in the court and the market?"
So he let down his hair, shouldered his zither, and went into Sachesan.〔The details are not known.〕
Grieving that the nature of the bamboo was sickly, he made a song about it, and imitating the choking sound of the mountain stream he played the zither and composed a tune.
He lived in hiding and never appeared in the world again.
Interlinear notes 5
今合浦也.
It is the present Happo.
疑屈弗也, 今蔚州.
Probably Gulbul, the present Ulju.
疑發羅, 今羅州.
Probably Balla, the present Naju.
未詳
The details are not known.
The preceding paragraph gives the seventeenth year of the reign, the year imjin, so the year eulmi would be the twentieth year. The base text has 十年, which does not agree with the cyclical year. — tr.