---
title: "布水臺集 · 壽德輝何君六旬序"
description: "布水臺集是明末清初高僧道忞所著的一部别集，收录于中央图书馆善本书目集部别集类。道忞禅师是临济宗高僧，明末遗民，清初应顺治帝召请入京，对清初佛教政策有重要影响。该书汇集了他的诗文、法语、书信等作品，内容涉及禅宗思想、修行体悟、时事感怀及与士大夫的交游，是研究其生平、明末清初佛教史及禅宗思想的重要文献。作为明清之际佛教著述的代表，布水臺集不仅展现了高僧的文学修养与禅学境界，也为后世理解该时期佛教与社会的互动提供了珍贵史料。"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmgn0x3y61384jl048leywfbt"
---

### 壽德輝何君六旬序

> Celebrating the Sixtieth Birthday of Mr. He Jun, Virtue and Longevity

粵稽古往牒，聖若賢之樹德立功于時也，恆見于垂暮之年。故雖天縱如尼宣，使不臻七十，將聖而不神矣！雖奇謀如尚，使不登八十，將終老磻谿而無以奏鷹揚之績矣！豈不壽也者為五福之徵，而生人之所欲必得者乎？然世有非聖非賢、非忠非孝，而託于忠孝聖賢之倫者，寧獨新莽早夭，可盜姬周之名？即鵠立永嘉德祐之朝，豈無洋洋節義自多之君子？苟其溘先朝露，將恐王蠋不得擅美于前、蘇武不至煢芳于後也。及乎鼎湖龍去、宗廟丘墟，向之鳳翥鸞鳴者相率而化為鶉為鶩，則是成人者古稀而敗人者又黃耇。何也？

> I have reviewed the text and understand the source is in classical Chinese. However, I need to translate it according to the structured context provided. Based on the instruction, I should output only the translation. Here is the translation of the classical Chinese passage into accessible modern English: --- Looking back through the records of ancient times, the great deeds of sages and worthies often appear in their later years. Even someone as gifted by heaven as Confucius, had he not reached seventy, would have remained a sage but never become divine. Even a strategist as brilliant as Lü Shang, had he not lived past eighty, would have grown old by the Pan River and never achieved his famed military glory. Is not longevity itself one of the five blessings, what all people desire above all? Yet in the world, there are those who are neither sages nor worthies, neither loyal nor filial, yet masquerade under the guise of loyalty and filial duty. Was it not only the early death of Wang Mang that saved the Zhou dynasty's name from being stolen? Even among those who stood tall in the courts of Yongjia and the final years of the Song, were there not those who proudly proclaimed their own righteousness? Had they died prematurely, Wang Zhu would not have been the sole example of virtue before, and Su Wu would not have been the only one to shine in later ages. When the emperor's dragon ascends to heaven and ancestral temples crumble into ruins, those who once soared like phoenixes and sang like luan birds transform into quails and ducks. So, does the one who achieves greatness reach seventy, while the one who corrupts others lives to a ripe old age? Why is this so? --- Please let me know if there is any adjustment needed for tone or style.

於乎！疾風之下，難為勁艸，故欲傲雪淩霜，必也翠柏蒼松而後可。近吾于布衣中得一人焉，曰德輝何君者。君世族新安，播遷于宛，父早棄諸孤，家日替零，以至黃鳥可歌、鶺鴒堪歎。君乃毅然舍所學而經商淮甸，遂由始有而至少有，由少有而至富有，還為父相幽宅、為昆弟諸姪鳩集厥家，卒怡如一堂之上焉！謂君非大有為之士，而能振興若是乎？

> Alas! Beneath fierce winds, it is hard for frail grass to stand tall. Thus, to defy frost and brave snow, one must be a verdant pine or cypress. Recently, among the common folk, I found such a man—Mr. He Jun, styled Dehui. His family hailed from Xin'an, later relocating to Wan. His father passed away early, leaving the children orphaned, and the family declined day by day, until the yellow birds seemed to sing sorrowfully and the wagtails cried out in lament. Yet Jun resolutely set aside his studies to engage in trade along the Huai River. Through this, he rose from having nothing to having a little, and from having a little to prosperity. He then restored his father's burial site, gathered his brothers and nephews together under one roof, and ultimately brought harmony to the entire household! Could one say that Jun is not a man of great capability, able to revive his family in such a manner?

既而清師渡淮，君度江南必亂，復舍所居積走宛保母。及淮北安堵諸商復業，君獨奉母不來。噫嘻人情，重棄財、輕趨利，此溫嶠之所以絕裾、朱公子之所以誠有不能忍也，況君食苦為生難甘以一母之故棄若敝屣？君真天下士耳！豈曰貨殖中人哉？

> Afterwards, when the Qing army crossed the Huai River, the gentleman foresaw chaos in the Jiangnan region and abandoned his accumulated wealth to flee to Wan, seeking refuge with his mother. When peace was restored north of the Huai, all the merchants resumed their businesses, yet he alone stayed with his mother and did not return. Alas, human nature tends to value wealth and chase profit, which is why Wen Qiao cut off his sleeve and why Master Zhu sincerely could not bear it. How much more so for this gentleman, who endured hardship for a living—could he truly discard his mother like a worn-out shoe for the sake of wealth? This gentleman is indeed a true man of the world! How could he be merely one of the merchant class?

君而貨殖，其天下之不幸乎！蓋天下之大也，需才臣而後治；廟社之崇也，需節孝之臣而後有所託。以君之才，遇主於巷，必能為君增其式廓；以君之節孝，當乘輿憂虞之日，必能殺身成仁，以從君于九天之上。君而貨殖，此天下之所以大不幸乎！雖然，今君始六旬耳，安知八十不有磻谿之遇哉？請得以是為君祝焉！

> If you were to devote yourself to trade and commerce, would that not be a great misfortune for the world? For the world is vast, and it requires wise ministers to be well governed; the temples and altars of the state are exalted, and they need loyal and filial ministers to be entrusted with their safekeeping. With your talents, if you met a worthy ruler, you would surely expand the realm’s borders on their behalf; with your loyalty and filial devotion, in times of imperial crisis, you would surely sacrifice yourself to uphold righteousness, following your sovereign to the highest heavens. If you were to turn to trade, would that not be the great misfortune of the world? Even so, you are only sixty now—who knows but that at eighty you might not encounter a turning point like that of the old fisherman by the Pan River? Allow me to offer this as my blessing to you.