39 Yiyin and Birds

A3.5|6

Yiyin's name was A-Heng. He wanted to meet Tang but had no opportunity to do so, he therefore became a cook as one of the servants accompanying the princess of Youxin, Tang’s bride. While servicing dishes, by talking about the taste, he urged Tang to perfect himself in the way of the ancient kings. And there were also some saying, that when he was living in seclusion, Tang sent for him five times before he okayed it, and he preached about the matters connected with the ten different kinds of previous rulers. Tang promoted him to the administration of the country’s affairs. But he left Tang and went to Xia. And after having observed the ugliness of the Xia Dynasty, Yiyin returned to Bo. On his entry through the north gate of the city, he met with two ministers of Tang by the name of Nujiu and Nufang, and so the “Nujiu” and “Nufang” were written.

Tang went out and saw the followings, some hunters in the wild were setting up nets in four directions and praying all the prey from all directions enter the nets. Tang said: "Oh, no! That way you will catch them all!" So he had the nets in three directions removed and prayed: "If you want to go to the left, go left. If you want to go to the right, go right. Only those who disobey will enter my net." The princes heard of it and were touched by it, they were all saying: "Tang's virtue has reached the highest level, and even birds and beasts get to enjoy his blessings."

伊尹名阿衡。阿衡欲奸汤而无由，乃为有莘氏媵臣，负鼎俎，以滋味说汤，致于王道。或曰，伊尹处士，汤使人聘迎之，五反然后肯往从汤，言素王及九主之事。汤举任以国政。伊尹去汤適夏。既丑有夏，复归于亳。入自北门，遇女鸠、女房，作女鸠女房。

汤出，见野张网四面，祝曰：“自天下四方皆入吾网。”汤曰：“嘻，尽之矣！”乃去其三面，祝曰：“欲左，左。欲右，右。不用命，乃入吾网。”诸侯闻之，曰：“汤德至矣，及禽兽。”