臣密言：臣以險釁［1］,，夙遭閔兇［2］,。生孩六月，慈父見背［3］,；行年四歲,，舅奪母志［4］。祖母劉愍臣孤弱,，躬親撫養(yǎng),。臣少多疾病，九歲不行,，零丁孤苦,，至于成立［5］。既無叔伯,，終鮮兄弟,，門衰祚薄［6］,，晚有兒息［7］,。外無期功強近之親［8］，內(nèi)無應(yīng)門五尺之僮［9］,，煢煢孑立［10］,，形影相吊［11］。而劉夙嬰疾?。?/span>12］,，常在床蓐［13］，臣侍湯藥,，未曾廢離［14］,。

A Letter to His Majesty

Li Mi

Your humble servant Mi begs to say:
Born with ill fortune, I live a miserable and disastrous life in my early childhood. My father died when I was six months old and my mother was forced by her brother to remarry when I was four years old. Feeling deep sympathy for my loneliness and poor health, Grandmother Liu brought me up on her own. Being susceptible to illness in my childhood, I could hardly walk even at the age of nine. Having neither uncles nor cousins, I grew up helpless and forlorn without any intimate companions. Destined not to have the joy of a big family, I only got a male descendent late in life. I have neither close relatives who will wear mourning for me when I die, nor a boy servant to attend to the household affairs. Oh! How wretched and lonely I am, with only body and shadow comforting each other. Grandmother Liu has been bedridden for a long time, and I have to wait upon her without negligence.

【注釋】

［1］險釁（ｘìｎ信）：災(zāi)難禍患。指命運坎坷,。

［2］夙：早,。這里指幼年時。閔兇：憂患,。

［3］背：背棄,。指死亡。

［4］舅奪母志：指由于舅父的意志侵奪了李密母親守節(jié)的志向,。

［5］成立：長大成人,。

［6］祚（ｚｕò作）：福澤。

［7］兒息：兒子,。

［8］期功強近之親：指比較親近的親戚,。古代喪禮制度以親屬關(guān)系的親疏規(guī)定服喪時間的長短，服喪一年稱“期”,，九月稱“大功”,，五月稱“小功”,。

［9］應(yīng)門五尺之僮：指照管客來開門等事的小童。

［10］煢（ｑｉóｎｇ窮）煢孑（ｊｉé結(jié)）立：生活孤單無靠,。

［11］吊：安慰,。

［12］嬰：糾纏。

［13］蓐（ｒù入）：通“褥”,，褥子,。

［14］廢離：廢養(yǎng)而遠(yuǎn)離。逮奉圣朝,，沐浴清化［15］,。前太守臣逵［16］，察臣孝廉［17］,；后刺史臣榮［18］,，舉臣秀才［19］。臣以供養(yǎng)無主,，辭不赴命。詔書特下,，拜臣郎中［20］,，尋蒙國恩［21］，除臣洗馬［22］,。猥以微賤［23］,，當(dāng)侍東宮［24］，非臣隕首所能上報［25］,。臣具以表聞,，辭不就職。詔書切峻［26］,，責(zé)臣逋慢［27］,；郡縣逼迫，催臣上道,；州司臨門［28］,，急于星火。臣欲奉詔奔馳,，則劉病日篤［29］,，欲茍順?biāo)角椋?/span>30］，則告訴不許,。臣之進退,，實為狼狽。

Immersed in the enlightenment of Your Majesty's just and wise rule, I was first recommended as xiaolian (1) by Prefect Kui, and then as xiucai (2) by Cish Rong of the District (3). I declined both offers on the ground that I had to look after my grandmother. Then your imperial edict came, offering me the position of langzhong (4), and later further granting me the imperial favor that I, your humble servant, was appointed xianma (5) to serve His Highness. Even if I should have my head cut off, I could hardly express my gratitude for Your Majesty's great favor. I have written to Your Majesty a letter declining this offer. Another edict came, which, in severe terms, criticized me for my hesitation. Both the magistrates of the prefecture and the county urged me to set off immediately. Then the governor of the District came to my house, commanding me to start without delay. I should have done so but my grandmother's failing health detained me. I appealed to them, begging for their sympathy, but they were adamant. I am in a dilemma, knowing not what to do.

(1)Xiaolian was an official position, recommended by the local government for one's filial piety and moral records.

(2)Xiucai, an official position, was recommended by local governments.

(3)Cishi was an official in the administrative district, who was in charge of military and administrative affairs. Here the "District" refers to the administrative district.

(4)Langzhong was an official waiting on the emperor and was in charge of administrative work.

(5)Xianma was an attendant who served the Prince.

【注釋】

［15］清化：清明的政治教化,。

［16］太守：郡的地方長官,。

［17］察：考察,。這里是推舉的意思。孝廉：當(dāng)時推舉人才的一種科目,，“孝”指孝順父母,，“廉”指品行廉潔。

［18］刺史：州的地方長官,。

［19］秀才：當(dāng)時地方推舉優(yōu)秀人才的一種科目,，由州推舉，與后來經(jīng)過考試的秀才不同,。

［20］拜：授官,。郎中：官名。晉時各部有郎中,。

［21］尋：不久,。

［22］除：任命官職。洗馬：官名,。太子的屬官,，在宮中服役，掌管圖書,。［23］猥：辱,。自謙之詞。

［24］東宮：太子居住的地方,。這里指太子,。

［25］隕（ｙǔｎ允）首：喪命。

［26］切峻：急切嚴(yán)厲,。

［27］逋慢：回避怠慢,。

［28］州司：州官。

［29］日篤：日益沉重,。

［30］茍順：姑且遷就,。伏惟圣朝以孝治天下［31］，凡在故老［32］,，猶蒙矜育［33］,，況臣孤苦，特為尤甚,。且臣少仕偽朝［34］,，歷職郎署［35］，本圖宦達(dá),，不矜名節(jié)［36］,。今臣亡國賤俘，至微至陋，過蒙拔擢,，寵命優(yōu)渥［37］,，豈敢盤桓，有所希冀,！但以劉日薄西山,，氣息奄奄，人命危淺,，朝不慮夕,。臣無祖母，無以至今日,，祖母無臣,，無以終余年，祖孫二人,，更相為命,，是以區(qū)區(qū)不能廢遠(yuǎn)［38］。臣密今年四十有四,，祖母劉今年九十有六,，是臣盡節(jié)于陛下之日長［39］，報劉之日短也,。烏鳥私情［40］,，愿乞終養(yǎng)。

Now Your Majesty is ruling the country on the principle of filial piety. Old people of high virtue are being taken care of and well provided for. It is apparent that I am more distressed than others. Besides, out of vainglory to secure a high position in the government regardless of my personal integrity, I served in the last dynasty during my youth as shangshulang (6), and now, I, a captive, a slave, am getting undeserved favor from Your Majesty. How dare I hesitate and cherish any aspirations? But my grandmother is at her last breath, and she is like the setting sun beyond the western hills. Her life is at stake and she may die at any moment. But for her, I would not have become what I am today. But for me, she would have been long dead. It is because the two of us depend upon each other that I, your humble servant, cannot leave home at present. I am forty-four years of age and my grandmother is ninety-six. Ahead lie many years during which I may faithfully serve Your Majesty, but there remain only a few brief moments during which I can serve my grandmother. Given that even the crow looks after its elderly, I pray Your Majesty will allow me to stay with my grandparent until her last breath.

(6)Shangshulang was an official chosen from xiaolian to help the emperor in administrative work.

【注釋】

［31］伏惟：舊時奏疏,、書信中下級對上級常用的敬語。

［32］故老：遺老,。

［33］矜育：憐惜撫育,。

［34］偽朝：指蜀漢。

［35］歷職郎署：指曾在蜀漢官署中擔(dān)任過郎官職務(wù),。

［36］矜：矜持愛惜,。

［37］寵命：恩命。指拜郎中,、洗馬等官職,。優(yōu)渥（ｗò握）：優(yōu)厚。

［38］區(qū)區(qū)：形容感情懇切,。

［39］陛下：對帝王的尊稱,。

［40］烏鳥私情：相傳烏鴉能反哺，所以常用來比喻子女對父母的孝養(yǎng)之情,。臣之辛苦,，非獨蜀之人士及二州牧伯所見明知［41］，皇天后土［42］，實所共鑒,，愿陛下矜愍愚誠［43］,，聽臣微志［44］，庶劉僥幸,，保卒余年,。臣生當(dāng)隕首，死當(dāng)結(jié)草［45］,。臣不勝犬馬怖懼之情［46］,，謹(jǐn)拜表以聞。

——選自《文選》六臣注本

Not only do the people of Shu, but also the officials of Liang and Ye know my situation well. Heaven and Earth, too, bear witness to my misery. I sincerely hope Your Majesty may show mercy on me so that I can fulfill my lifelong wish to serve my grandmother till she has lived her full span. I will do anything for Your Majesty for the rest of my life and will repay your kindness by twisting grass (7) for Your Majesty after my death. I am trembling all over as I present to Your Majesty this petition.

(7)Wei Ou, a prince of the Jin Dynasty, during the Spring and Autumn Period was saved by the ghost of an old man whose daughter he had saved. The ghost plucked a handful of grass and twisted it into a rope by which the opponent Wei Ou was fighting with during a battle was pulled down from his horse and was killed. 

【注釋】

［41］二州：指益州和梁州,。益州治所在今四川省成都市,，梁州治所在今陜西省勉縣東，二州區(qū)域大致相當(dāng)于蜀漢所統(tǒng)轄的范圍,。牧伯：刺史,。上古一州的長官稱牧，又稱方伯,，所以后代以牧伯稱刺史,。

［42］皇天后土：猶言天地神明。

［43］愚誠：愚拙的至誠之心,。

［44］聽：聽許,，同意。

［45］結(jié)草：據(jù)《左傳·宣公十五年》記載,，晉國大夫魏武子臨死的時候,，囑咐他的兒子魏顆，把他的遺妾殺死以后殉葬,。魏顆沒有照他父親說的話做,。后來魏顆跟秦國的杜回作戰(zhàn)，看見一個老人把草打了結(jié)把杜回絆倒,，杜回因此被擒,。到了晚上，魏顆夢見結(jié)草的老人,，他自稱是沒有被殺死的魏武子遺妾的父親,。后來就把“結(jié)草”用來作為報答恩人心愿的表示。

［46］犬馬：作者自比,，表示歉卑,。