Chieh made a wine lake in which a boat could move about, and the resulting mound of dregs was so high that from it one could see for a distance of ten li. There were three thousand men who drank from the lake like cattle.
Kuan Lung-fêng proffered a remonstrance: "In antiquity rulers themselves practiced li and i. They loved the people and were sparing of property. As a result their states were at peace and they themselves lived out their span of life. But your Highness now is using up property as though it could not be exhausted and is putting people to death as though he were afraid he would not be able to kill them all. If Your Highness does not reform, the retribution of Heaven will certainly descend on him and punishment will inevitably come to him. May Your Highness reform!"
He stood at his post without leaving the court until Chieh imprisoned him and put him to death. On hearing of this the superior man says, "It was the will of Heaven." The Ode says,
The terrors of Great Heaven are very excessive;
I shall take care to commit no offence.
桀为酒池，可以运舟：糟丘，足以望十里；而牛饮者三千人。关龙逢进谏曰：“古之人君，身行礼义，爱民节财，故国安而身寿。今君用财若无穷，杀人若恐弗胜，君若弗革，天殃必降，而诛必至矣。君其革之！”立而不去朝。桀囚而杀之。君子闻之曰：“天之命矣！”《诗》曰：“昊天太怃，予慎无辜！”
Kuan Lung-fêng proffered a remonstrance: "In antiquity rulers themselves practiced li and i. They loved the people and were sparing of property. As a result their states were at peace and they themselves lived out their span of life. But your Highness now is using up property as though it could not be exhausted and is putting people to death as though he were afraid he would not be able to kill them all. If Your Highness does not reform, the retribution of Heaven will certainly descend on him and punishment will inevitably come to him. May Your Highness reform!"
He stood at his post without leaving the court until Chieh imprisoned him and put him to death. On hearing of this the superior man says, "It was the will of Heaven." The Ode says,
The terrors of Great Heaven are very excessive;
I shall take care to commit no offence.
桀为酒池，可以运舟：糟丘，足以望十里；而牛饮者三千人。关龙逢进谏曰：“古之人君，身行礼义，爱民节财，故国安而身寿。今君用财若无穷，杀人若恐弗胜，君若弗革，天殃必降，而诛必至矣。君其革之！”立而不去朝。桀囚而杀之。君子闻之曰：“天之命矣！”《诗》曰：“昊天太怃，予慎无辜！”
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