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第4章 晋太宗宣武帝实录4

    陈牧:何为礼也,先生教我。

    萧凡:夫礼者,所以定亲疏、决嫌疑、别同异、明是非也。

    陈牧:先生试述之。

    萧凡:道德仁义,非礼不成,教训正俗,非礼不备,纷争辨讼,非礼不决,君臣上下,父子兄弟,非礼不定,宦学事师,非礼不亲,班朝治军,莅官行法,非礼,威严不行,祷祠祭祀,供给鬼神,非礼,不诚不庄,故圣人示人以礼。

    陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人受教矣,然其于国乃何?

    萧凡:夫礼之于国,犹衡之于轻重也,绳墨之于曲直也,规矩之于方圆也,故衡诚悬,不可欺以轻重,绳墨诚陈,不可欺以曲直,规矩诚设,不可欺以方圆,君子审礼,不可诬以奸诈,故安国治民,莫善于礼也。

    陈牧:非先生之言,寡人不悟也。

    chenmu:Whatisthetruemeaningofetiquette,Sirtaughtme。

    xiaofan:Etiquettecandistinguishbetweennearandfarrelatives,aswellasdistinguishbetweenrightandwrongandsuspicion。

    chenmu:Sir,pleaseelaborate。

    xiaofan:Moralbenevolencecannotsucceedwithoutetiquettetoregulate,Withoutetiquettenorms,theworldcannotbecivilized,Contradictionsanddisputescannotberesolvedwithoutetiquettenorms,Thereischaoswithoutetiquettebetweenfathersandsons,Learningfromateacherwithoutetiquettenormswillnotbeclose,Governingthecountryandthearmywithoutetiquettenormswillhavenomajesty,Sacrificestoancestorsandghostsandgodswouldbeinsincerewithoutetiquettenorms,Therefore,thesaintsusedliturgicalnormstoeducatetheworld。

    chenmu:Sirisright,Iacceptyourteachings,Butwhatgoodisitforthecountry。

    xiaofan:Etiquetteisofgreatsignificancetothecountry,Itisequivalenttomeasuringtheweightofthescale,Itisequivalenttomeasuringcurvaturewitharuler,Itisequivalenttodrawingacirclewithacompass,Therefore,itisveryimportanttouseetiquettetostabilizethecountryandgovernthepeople。

    chenmu:Ifitwasn'tforSirteachingme,Iwouldn'thaveunderstood。

    陈牧:今西凉以平,寡人欲以先生为司徒,录尚书事,封平阳侯,先生以为如何?

    萧凡:臣以为,今齐、楚未平,戎车方驾,而始灭一国,即受三事之赏,若克殄二寇,将何以加之,且平西凉,乃郭况之功,非臣之力也。

    陈牧:先生之言甚善,然先生不受,寡人不安,请先生录尚书事,勉从王命。

    chenmu:NowtheWesternLiangKingdomhasbeenpacified,IwantsirtobethePrimeMinistertohandletheaffairsoftheStateCouncil,andgivesiraknighthood,Sirthoughtso。

    xiaofan:IthinktheStateofQi,theStateofChu,isstillthereandthewarhasjustbegun,NowIhavereceivedsuchagreatrewardfortakingoveracountry,IfIdefeattheStateofQiandtheStateofChuagain,howwillIberewarded?Besides,itwasthegeneralLiShengwhoannihilatedtheWesternLiangKingdom,notme。

    chenmu:Sirisright,Iamdisturbedthatyoudonotaccepttheappointment,Ihopeyouwillreluctantlyacceptmyappointmenttohandlestatedepartmentaffairs。

    陈牧:今委卿以关东之任,以讨残梁,先生当如何处置,寡人愿闻其详。

    萧凡:臣以为,当先破居庸,平洛阳,拒虎牢,长驱汴梁,所谓“疾雷不及掩耳”。吾当亲督万众,星夜继发,舟车粮运,水陆俱进,大王勿以为忧也。