The Speech at Mu

King Wu had three hundred war chariots and three hundred Tiger Brave warriors, and he engaged in battle with Shou of Shang at Muye, composing the "Speech at Mu." (This paragraph is not in the original text.)

On this day, the Jiazi day, as the sky was about to dawn, King Wu arrived in the morning at the outskirts of Shang, at Muye, and there he made his oath. King Wu held a yellow battle-axe in his left hand and a white yak-tail pennon in his right, directing, and said: "You people from the western lands, who have come from afar!"

King Wu said: "Alas! You sovereign lords of my friendly states and the officers in charge of affairs, the Ministers of Instruction, of War, and of Works, the subordinate officers of the second and third ranks, the commanders of a thousand men and the commanders of a hundred men."

And also the people of the Yong, Shu, Qiang, Mao, Wei, Lu, Peng, and Pu tribes.

Lift up your halberds, arrange your shields, and raise your spears; I am about to make my oath.

King Wu said: "The ancients had a saying: 'A hen does not announce the dawn; if a hen announces the dawn, the household will come to ruin.'"

Now Shou, the king of Shang, heeds only the words of his women, and in disorder has abandoned the constant sacrifices, not repaying his ancestors; in disorder he has abandoned the surviving parents and younger brothers of his former kings, not guiding them. Yet he exalts the many guilty fugitives from all quarters, raises them up, makes them his leaders, trusts them, employs them, and appoints them as high ministers and officers, causing them to oppress the common people and commit crimes and disorders in the city of Shang.

Now I, Ji Fa, merely reverently carry out Heaven's punishment. In this day's battle, do not advance more than six or seven paces before halting to re-form the ranks. Strive hard, you men!

Do not engage in more than four, five, six, or seven exchanges of blows before halting to re-form the ranks. Strive hard, you men!

I hope you will be valiant and fierce, like tigers and leopards, like bears and brown bears, in the battle on the outskirts of Shang. Do not attack those who are willing to come over and surrender, but make them serve the western lands. Strive hard, you men!

If you do not strive hard, you will bring slaughter upon yourselves.