陈牧:寡人闻,法者,当与天下共之,故着大理寺卿荀顗,修编《晋律》以求平允,先生以为如何?
萧凡:臣以为,死者不可再生,用法务在宽简,又当去虚务实,然今法司核理一狱,必求深刻,欲成其考课,今作此法,使得平允,岂不谬哉?
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人知过矣。
chenmu:i‘veheardthatthelawisenforcedbythepeopleoftheworld,soiappointedxunyanasthepresidentofthecourt,andlethimrevisethelawsofthejindynastyforthesakeofjustice,sirthoughtso?
xiaofan:ithinkhumanlifeisprecious,thetruemeaningofthelawisleniencyandsimplicityandseekingtruthfromfacts,nowadays,thecourttrialscasesveryharshlyandmustbedoneironclad,itisimpossibletousesuchalawwithoutachievingjustice。
chenmu:sirisright,iwaswrong。
陈牧:寡人闻,不详有五,何也?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,损人而自益,身之不详也,释贤而任不肖,国之不详也,老者不教,幼者不学,俗之不详也,圣人伏匿,愚者擅权,天下之不详也。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人受教矣。
chenmu:i‘veheardoffiveunluckythings,sirtaughtme。
xiaofan:ithink,self-interestisapersonalmisfortune,appointingstupidpeopleisamisfortuneforthecountry,noteducatingthepeopleisthemisfortuneofsociety,itisthemisfortuneoftheworldthatthesagesdonotcomeout。
chenmu:sirisright,iacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:今世子年已九岁,寡人欲置少保、少傅、少师以辅世子,可乎?先生以为如何?
萧凡:臣以为大王圣明,选端士以卫世子,世子乃见正事,闻正言,行正道,左右皆正人,习与正人居之,不能无正,犹生长楚之乡,不能不楚言也,所谓少成如天性,习惯如自然也。
陈牧:先生之言甚善,寡人亦以为然。
chenmu:nowthattheprinceisnineyearsold,iwanttoarrangeafewteachersforhimtoteachhim,sirthoughtso?
xiaofan:ithinkit‘sverywiseforyoutodothat,choosepeopleofintegritytoassistthecrownprince,thenthecrownprincewillseetherightthingandheartherightwordsandtaketherightpath,ifyougetalongwitharighteouspersoneveryday,thenhewillalsobecomeupright,justlikelivinginthechucountryyouhavetospeakthechudialect,thisishowhabitsbecomenatural。
chenmu:sirisright,andithinkso。
陈牧:寡人闻,先王有至德要道,以顺天下,民用和睦,上下无怨,何也?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,此乃孝也,夫孝,德之本也,教之所由生也,身体发肤,受之父母,不敢毁伤,孝之始也,立身行道,扬名于后世,以显父母,孝之终也,夫孝,始于事亲,本于事君,终于立身,《大雅》云:无念尔祖,聿修厥德。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人受教矣。
chenmu:i‘veheardthatpreviouskingshadtheultimatemoralandgoverningmethods,therefore,ithasbeenblessedbyheavenandrecognizedbythepeople,whatisit?sirtaughtme。
xiaofan:ithinkitisfilialpiety,itistherootofmoralityandthebeginningofindoctrination,lifeisgivenbyparents,socherishit,thisisthebeginningoffilialpiety,self-cultivationandfameinthehereafter,sothatparentscanbeproudofthemselves,thisistheendoffilialpiety,filialpietybeginswithlovingone‘sparents,followedbyloyaltytotheking,andfinallywithbeingresponsibleforoneself。
chenmu:sirisright,iacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:寡人闻,母以子贵,今寡人君临天下,显荣祖宗,而太后不乐,何也?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,为君诚难,大王置身兆庶之上,若治得其道,则此位诚尊,苟或失驭,求为匹夫而不可得,是以太后忧也。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人谨受教。
chenmu:i‘veheardthatmothersareprecioustotheirchildren,nowidominatetheworldbutmymotherisnothappy,whatisthereasonsirtaughtme。