」對曰：「君之老臣也。
“You could extend your family compound to the west,” said Lord Wen. “My devotion to duty cannot compare with that old officer’s,” said Jiu Ji, “Though his wall is in disrepair, he has not rebuilt it.” “Why doesn’t he rebuild it?” asked Lord Wen. “One day’s absence from harvesting results in a hundred days with nothing to eat,” said Jiu Ji.
」公曰：「西益而宅。
Lord Wen went out and repeated this to his carriage driver.
」對曰：「臣之忠，不如老臣之力，其墻壞而不築。
The driver bowed his head to the ground behind the carriage and said, “When one man has cause for rejoicing, the innumerable multitudes rely upon him.
」公曰：「何不築？
Your Lordship’s wisdom is a blessing to your officers.” Lord Wen thereupon issued a decree that said, “It is forbidden to disturb the dwellings of the people through wanton construction of residential palaces.
」對曰：「一日不稼，百日不食。
All levies for wall construction shall be carried out in the proper season so that farming work is not interrupted.”50 49 “Lord Wen” is Lord Wen of Jin 晉文公 (p.n. Chong’er 重耳; r. 636–628); Jiu Ji 咎季 (c.n. Jizi 季子; a.k.a. Xu Chen 胥臣 and Sikong Jizi 司空季子) was among the loyal followers of Lord Wen during his years in exile.
」公出而告之僕，僕頓首於軫曰：「呂刑云：『一人有慶，兆民賴之。
Since he dispensed rice from a mortar, he was also known as Jiu 臼 (mortar) Ji.
』君之明，群臣之福也。
」乃令於國曰：「毋淫宮室，以妨人宅，板築以時，毋奪農功。」
The Chinese text refers specifically to earth ramming; this was how walls were raised.