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THE ANALECTS OF CONFUCIUS

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子曰:“管仲⑴之器小哉!”或曰:“管仲俭乎?”曰:“管氏有三归⑵,官事不摄⑶,焉得俭?”“然则管仲知礼乎?”曰:“邦君树塞门⑷,管氏亦树塞门。邦君为两君之好⑸,有反坫⑹,管氏亦有反坫。管氏而⑺知礼,孰不知礼?”

The Master said, “Guan Zhong was not a great minister.” When asked if Guan Zhong was frugal, the Master said, “Guan Zhong had three granaries while his official duties were not performed, how could he be considered frugal?” When asked if Guan Zhong knew the rites, the Master said, “Only the prince may build a wall to screen the gate of his mansion, but Guan Zhong had one before his. Only the prince may use a stand for cups to entertain his guests, but Guan Zhong used one. If he knew the rites, who does not?”

【译文】孔子说:“管仲的器量狭小得很呀!”有人便问:“他是不是很节俭呢?”孔子道:“他收取了人民的大量的­市租,他手下的人员,[一人一职,]从不兼差,如何能说是节俭呢?”那人又问: “那么,他懂得礼节么?”孔子又道:“国君宫殿门前,立了一个塞门;管氏也立了个塞门;国君设宴招待外国的君­主,在堂上有放置酒杯的设­备,管氏也有这样的设备。假若说他懂得礼节,那谁不懂得礼节呢?”

【注释】⑴管仲:春秋时齐国人,名夷吾,做了齐桓公的宰相,使他称霸诸侯。⑵三归:“三归”的解释还有:(甲)国君一娶三女,管仲也娶了三国之女(《集解》引包咸说,皇侃《义疏》等);(乙)三处家庭(俞樾《群经平议》);(丙)地名,管仲的采邑(梁玉绳《瞥记》);(丁)藏泉币的府库(武亿《群经义证》)。我认为这些解释都不正­确。郭嵩焘《养知书屋文集》卷一《释三归》云:“此盖《管子》九府轻重之法,当就《管子》书求之。《山至数篇》曰, ‘则民之三有归于上矣。’三归之名,实本于此。是所谓三归者,市租之常例之归之公者­也。桓公既霸,遂以赏管仲。《汉书·地理志》、《食货志》并云,桓公用管仲设轻重以富­民,身在陪臣,而取三归。其言较然明显。《韩非子》云,‘使子有三归之家’,《说苑》作‘赏之市租’。三归之为市租,汉世儒者犹能明之,此一证也。《晏子春秋》辞三归之赏,而云厚受赏以伤国民之­义,其取之民无疑也,此又一证也。”这一说法很有道理。我还再举两个间接证据。(甲)《战国策》一说:“齐桓公宫中七市,女闾七百,国人非之。管仲故为三归之家以掩­桓公,非自伤于民也。”似亦以三归为市租。(乙)《三国志·魏志·武帝纪》建安十五年令曰:“若必廉士而后可用,则齐桓其何以霸?”亦以管仲不是清廉之士,当指三归。

⑶摄:兼职。⑷树塞门:树,动词,立也。塞门,用以间隔内外视线的一­种东西,形式和作用可以同今天­的照壁相比。⑸好:古读去声,友好。⑹反坫:坫音店, ,用以放置器物的设备,用土筑成的,形似土堆,筑于两楹(厅堂前部东西各有一柱)之间。详全祖望《经史问答》。⑺而:假设连词,假如,假若。

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