30 Gaoyao

A2.19|20

Emperor Shun said to Yu, "You can also give me some good suggestions."  Yu bowed down and said, "Ah, what should I say? All I think about every day is how to do my job diligently."  Picking on Yu, Gaoyao asked: "What do you mean to do your job diligently?" Yu said: "The floods were sky-high all over the world, surrounded the mountains and submerged the hills, and the people all over the world were suffering from the floods. I drove chariots while on flat land, rode in boats when on waterways, used wooden sleds when on muddy ground, and wore spiked shoes when climbing the mountains, and cut trees along the mountains to set up road signs. Yi and I delivered rice and other made-ready eats to people. I channeled the nine rivers into the four seas, and dug up ditches in the fields to dredge floods into the major rivers. And also, Ji and I sent emergency food to the people. And whenever and wherever there was a food shortage, we brought it from somewhere there was a surplus, or we had the people relocated. And now, all the people had settled down happily and the world were at peace."  Gao Yao said: "That's it. This is a wonderful achievement."

Yu said: "Yes! My Emperor, so in my position all I can do is to be cautious and cool. And while assisting Your Majesty of virtues, I see people in the world all come to follow. With a clear mind I shall be waiting to be summoned by the Supreme Being, for the mission granted by Heaven with great responsibility till the end. The Emperor said: “Oh, dear! My ministers! My ministers! you are my legs, my arms, my ears and my eyes. If I wish to aid and support the people, you come to help me to do so. If I wish to see the emblematic figures of the ancients — the sun, moon, and stars — which are embroidered on the robes and coloured silks, you make it clear. If I wish to hear the six pitchpipes, the five notes, and the eight musical instruments on the adjustment of which depend good government or misrule, and the consequent rise or decline of the five duties, you distinguish them for me. If I am going to do wrong, you correct me beforehand. You won't flatter me to my face and speak evil of me behind my back. And you are reverent to your four ministers. And about those calumniating minions of officials, as long as my virtue is honestly displayed,  they all are out of the ways.”Yu said: “That's right! Should Your Majesty have not done so, but equally employed the good and the bad, then there won't be much achievement so far.”

帝舜谓禹曰：“女亦昌言。”禹拜曰：“于，予何言！予思日孳孳。”皋陶难禹曰：“何谓孳孳？”禹曰：“鸿水滔天，浩浩怀山襄陵，下民皆服于水。予陆行乘车，水行乘舟，泥行乘橇，山行乘檋，行山栞木。与益予众庶稻鲜食。以决九川致四海，浚畎浍致之川。与稷予众庶难得之食。食少，调有余补不足，徙居。众民乃定，万国为治。”皋陶曰：“然，此而美也。”

禹曰：“于，帝！慎乃在位，安尔止。辅德，天下大应。清意以昭待上帝命，天其重命用休。”帝曰：“吁，臣哉，臣哉！臣作朕股肱耳目。予欲左右有民，女辅之。余欲观古人之象。日月星辰，作文绣服色，女明之。予欲闻六律五声八音，来始滑，以出入五言，女听。予即辟，女匡拂予。女无面谀。退而谤予。敬四辅臣。诸众谗嬖臣，君德诚施，皆清矣。”禹曰：“然。帝即不时，布同善恶则毋功。”