..续本文上一页 accepted the protection offered by Zhou and became a feudal state under the Zhou dynastic rule. During the middle of the Spring and Autumn Period, the state of Wu grew and gained strength until in the reign of King Shoumeng it became a great state. Of the King”s four sons, the youngest one, Jizha, possessed the greatest talent and virtue. King Shoumeng believed that the only way the state of Wu could prosper would be for Jizha to become king. But Jizha adamantly refused to become the crown prince ahead of his three older brothers. Right before he died. King Shoumeng instructed his four sons that the throne was to be passed not from father to son, but from older brother to younger brother, until it passed to the youngest brother, Jizha.

　　寿梦王去世后，长兄再度让位季札没成功，只好先继位；可是他打起仗来奋不顾身，不多久就在战事中被射死了。二哥继位后经常对天祷告，希望自己快点死。为什么呢？因为他认为吴国之有今日的强盛，是他的祖先太王(即古公亶父)立贤不立长的结果；况且吴国根本就是在泰伯兄弟相让之下而产生的。兄弟礼让，既是家风，他也愿效法先人美德，所以希望自己快点死，好让季札有机会早点成为吴王。不多久，二哥也在战事中死了。

　　After the King passed away, the eldest brother tried to yield the throne directly to Jizha, but had no success, so he could only assume the throne himself first. Since he was always going to battle without regard for his own life, it was not long before he was shot to death on the battlefield. After the second brother became king, he constantly prayed to heaven for an early death. Why

　　 Because he felt the state of Wu had reached its prosperity because its founder (the Ancient Lord of Tan) had chosen its ruler on the basis of virtue rather than seniority. What was more, the state of Wu had been founded as a result of the yielding of the two elder brothers Taibo and Zhongyong. Thus yielding among brothers was a family tradition, and he was willing to emulate this virtue of his ancestors. That”s why he wanted to die sooner so that Jizha could become the King of Wu earlier. Not long afterwards, he was also killed in battle.

　　三哥继位后，请季札做宰相，帮忙治理吴国；季札认为战争太多，百姓生活不能安定，于是以和平大使的身分，到各国去友好访问。他高尚的道德和过人的才华，在诸侯间备受敬重，使吴国安享了数年的太平。可是他的三哥也只做了四年的吴王就死了，临终要把王位传给季札；季札还是不接受，就跑到延陵一地住下。季札一走，吴国的朝臣们都慌了，匆忙中立了他三哥的儿子公子僚为吴王。

　　When the third brother became King, he asked Jizha to help rule the state as prime minister. Jizha felt that with so much warfare, there was no way for the people to live in peace and security. Thus he traveled throughout the states making goodwill missions as a "peace ambassador. "His lofty virtue and exceptional talent and intelligence won the respect of the other feudal lords, and as a result the state of Wu enjoyed many years of peace. But the third brother died after only four years as king. Right before his death he tried to pass the throne to Jizha, but Jizha still refused and retreated to Yanling to live. With Jizha”s abrupt departure, the ministers of Wu panicked and hastily set up the third brother”s son, Prince Liao, as king.

　　因此，他长兄的儿子公子光就不高兴了，他认为季札不做吴王，那么王位就该传回给他，而且吴王僚连让都没让，令他心里更加不满。后来，公子光趁着季札去访问晋国时，派人刺杀了吴王僚。等季札回来，公子光就表示要把王位让给他，说是尊重祖父、父亲和两位叔叔的意思。季札对公子光说：“你一心想做吴王，现在你的目的已达到了，你还让什么呢？做君王的，只要能善待百姓，我就会拥护他。”于是公子光就做了吴王，并改名阖闾。

　　At this turn of events, Prince Guang, the son of the eldest brother, was unhappy; he thought that if Jizha didn”t want to be the king of Wu, the throne should pass to him. Yet King Liao of Wu didn”t show the slightest intention of yielding the throne, which dissatisfied him even more. Later, taking advantage of the fact that Jizha was away visiting the state ofJin, he sent an assassin to kill King Liao. When Jizha returned. Prince Guang made a show of yielding the throne to him, saying that he wished to honor the wishes of his grandfather, father, and two uncles. Jizha said to him, "You were dead set on being the King of Wu. Now you”ve obtained what you wanted; what are you yielding it up for

　　 Whoever the king is, as long as he treats the people well, I will support him. " Thus Prince Guang became the King of Wu and changed his name to He Lyu.

　　季札对公子光与吴王僚抢夺王位的事情 ，感到非常羞耻，因此就一直住在延陵，不再过问吴国的事，直到老死；历史上尊称他为“延陵公子”。而吴王阖闾后来死于对越国的战争中，到他儿子夫差时，吴国就被越国灭亡了。

　　Since Jizha felt greatly ashamed at the way Prince Guang had usurped the throne from King Liao, he stayed in Yanling for the rest of his life and did not concern himself with the affairs of the state of Wu anymore. In history he is honorically referred to as the Prince of Yanling. After King Helyu of Wu was killed in battle with the state of Yue and his son Fucai assumed the throne, the state of Wu was conquered by the state of Yue.

　　从以上两个故事看，礼让带来吉庆，可使一国兴盛永久；争夺导致戾气，不祥莫大焉。一国如此，一家何尝不是如此？所以俗话说：“兄弟和而家不分。”要想兄弟和，就要教子弟们自小明白长幼有序的道理，从日常生活的饮食起居做，凡事知礼与让。

　　From the two stories above, we can see that the auspicious blessings brought by propriety and yielding can enable a country to prosper for a long time. On the other hand, there is no greater misfortune than the violence brought about by strife and contention. If this is the case for a country, would it not be the case for a family

　　 There is a common saying, "When siblings get along, the family will not break up." If we want siblings to get along, we have to teach our children so they can understand the order governing seniors and juniors, and so they will know to practice propriety and yielding in all matters in their daily life.

《弟子规浅释 Standards for Students 第三章﹕悌 Chapter Three﹕ FRATERNITY - 3》全文阅读结束。