幸臣

幸臣

1. (dated, derogatory) favourite courtier

   • 燕君甚怒其使者，將加誅焉。幸臣諫曰：“人所憂者莫急乎死，己所重者莫過乎生。彼自喪其生，安能令君不死也？”乃不誅。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     燕君甚怒其使者，将加诛焉。幸臣谏曰：“人所忧者莫急乎死，己所重者莫过乎生。彼自丧其生，安能令君不死也？”乃不诛。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: Liezi, 1^st – 5^th century CE

     Yān jūn shèn nù qí shǐzhě, jiāng jiā zhū yān. Xìngchén jiàn yuē: “Rén suǒ yōu zhě mò jí hū sǐ, jǐ suǒ zhòng zhě mò guò hū shēng. Bǐ zì sàng qí shēng, ānnéng lìng jūn bùsǐ yě?” Nǎi bù zhū. [Pinyin]

     The king of Yan became very angry and ordered to have his envoy executed. A minister the king favoured remonstrated, ‘Nothing apprehended in this world is more urgent than death, and nothing thought much of by oneself is more important than life. How can you expect a man who has lost his own life to know the means to make you immortal?’ And the order was withdrawn.