16.3 孔子曰:“禄之去公室五世矣1,政逮于大夫四世矣2,故夫三桓之子孙微矣3。”
【译文】
孔子说:“国家失去爵禄之权已经五代了,国政落在大夫手里也已经四代了,因此桓公后代的三家子孙现在也衰微了。”
【YZG解释】
孔子说:“爵禄分配之权不在鲁君手上已经五代了,政权旁落大夫之手也已经四代了,因此三桓的子孙现在也衰微了。”
【English Translation】
Confucius said: “The power to grant someone with official positions and salaries has not been in the hands of the monarch of Lu for five generations. The political power has fallen into the hands of ministers for four generations. Therefore, the descendants of the Three Huan Families1 are now in decline.”
【Note】