8 The Floods

A1.12

Yao asked: "Who is eligible to get it done?" Fangqi answered: "Your heir Danzhu is the enlightened one." Yao said: "Humph! He is stubborn and vicious, not to be used."  Yao asked again: "Then who else can?" Huandou said: "Gonggong had gathered people extensively and made achievements, so he can be the one." Yao said: "Gonggong is good at talking, but his intentions are not the good ones. He appears to be respectful but actually deceitful, so he can't be the one." Yao said again: "Alas, Siyue, the governors of four directions, now the floods are everywhere, surging and mighty, surrounding the mountains and covering hills, the people are extremely miserable. Who can be sent to control it?" Everyone said that Gun could do it. Yao said: "It's impossible. Gun betrayed his duties and destroyed his clan." The governors all said: "It's different, it won't work until you try!" Yao listened and Gun was then put to use. And after nine years trial. Gun proved useless.

尧曰：“谁可顺此事？”放齐曰：“嗣子丹朱开明。”尧曰：“吁！顽凶，不用。”尧又曰：“谁可者？”讙兜曰：“共工旁聚布功，可用。”尧曰：“共工善言，其用僻，似恭漫天，不可。”尧又曰：“嗟，四岳，汤汤洪水滔天，浩浩怀山襄陵，下民其忧，有能使治者？”皆曰鲧可。尧曰：“鲧负命毁族，不可。”岳曰：“异哉，试不可用而已。”尧于是听岳用鲧。九岁，功用不成。