Has it ever occurred before?” “It has” was the reply.
“When states are about to flourish, their rulers are invariably enlightened, correct, pure, and kind; their virtue is sufficient to make glorious their fragrant incense, and their favor is sufficient to unite their men and their people to them.
The spirits partake of their sacrifices, and the people are submissive to their decrees; both people and spirits are devoid of resentment, and so the spirits descend to observe the virtue of their rule and to distribute blessings in response.
“When states are about to perish, their rulers are greedy, deluded, profligate, lethargic, filthy, and tyrannical.
Their ruler is putrid, so fragrant incense cannot rise; their punishments are arbitrary, so their people harbor double loyalties.
The bright spirits do not cleanse them, and the people harbor distant aims.
Both people and spirits are filled with resentment that have no means of expression, so spirits also go to those rulers to observe their harsh wickedness and visit calamities upon them.
This is why the appearance of spirits sometimes signifies that a state will flourish, and sometimes that it will perish.
“In former times, when Xia was about to flourish, Zhu Rong66 came down to Mount Song.
When Xia was about to perish, Hui Lu68 appeared at Ting Sui.
When Shang was about to flourish, Tao Wu70 appeared at Mount Pi.
When Shang was about to perish, Yi Yang72 appeared at Mu.
When Zhou was about to flourish, Yue Zhuo74 sang at Mount Qi, and, when Zhou declined, Du Bo shot the king76 at Hao.
These were all expressions of the will of the bright spirits.