The following is the first preface from the 1754 Edition of the Kimhae Kim Family Clan Jokbo (族譜, 족보), or the Gapsulbo (甲戌譜, 갑술보). The translation is from the original Classical Chinese (漢文, 한문) and checked with the Korean translation. The few points of disagreement between the English and the Korean translation is where this blogger thought that the Korean translation was a loose translation of the original.
甲戌譜序一
갑술보서일
1754 Edition (Gapsul Year) of the Kimhae Kim Family Clan Genealogy Records, Preface I
歸源英譯
귀원영역
Translated into English by Kuiwon
國有史, 史有世家, 家有牒, 牒有世譜, 譜之出久矣, 而欲其傳之也亦久矣.
국유사, 사유세가, 가유첩, 첩유세보, 보지출구의, 이욕기전지야역구의.
[Each] country has a history; [each] history has distinguished families; [each distinguished] family has a genealogy; [each] genealogy has [its own] record of the generations. We record genealogy to be shown for the ages. It is our intent to hand down this genealogy, also for the ages.
以之紀世尊系, 以之明倫敦俗, 譜之有關於家國也.
이지기세존계, 이지명륜돈속, 보지유관어가국야.
With it, we record generations and respect our Family Line. With it, we illuminate human relations and make courteous our customs. The existence of the genealogical records is related to our family clan and our country.
有如是而使故家世族, 咸知其祖先之立朝事君之道, 世守其忠節,
유여시이사고가세족, 함지기조선지립조사군지도, 세수기충절,
Since it is like this, let all the generations of our Family Clan know that [certain] Forefathers entered into bureaucratic ranks, knew the way of serving our Kings, and throughout the generations protected their loyalty and fidelity;
- 故家世族(고가세족) – Generations of one illustrious family clan.
- 立朝(입조) – To be raised to a bureaucratic position.
使遐苗微裔, 咸知其系派之同源分流之由,
사하묘미예, 함지기계파지동원분류지유,
Let all the distant descendants and faraway offspring know the identical fountainhead of their family branches and the origin of their dividing streams.
- 分流(분류) – Literally “dividing streams.” Refers to different branches of the family clan.
各興其孝悌, 然後國可國家可家, 譜之不可無也, 又如是.
각흥기효제, 연후국가국가가가, 보지불가무야, 우여시.
After each member has been instilled with the sense of filial piety and fraternal love, a country can be like a country and a family clan can be like a family clan. We cannot help but record this, and again it is like this.
第各派世繼, 皆中絶莫有以詳. 其派分者, 無乃逸於兵, 世遠無憑而然耶.
제각파세계, 개중절막유이상. 기파분자, 무내일어병, 세원무빙이연야.
However, the records of each branch and the succeeding generations all have discontinuations in the middle and none of them are fully detailed. [The records] of each branch and division no longer exist or have been lost during invasions, and generations have grown distant without reliable records.
- Korea was invaded during the 16th century by the Japanese and 17th century by the Manchus.
今世有氏族者, 必有譜. 有譜者, 皆有印本.
금세유씨족자, 필유보. 유보자, 개유인본.
In today’s age, those who belong to a family clan must have genealogical records. Those who have genealogical records all have printed editions.
惟我之金有所闕焉不徒, 爲吾宗之一大欠事. 追惟先代實有文獻莫徵之歎也.
유아지김유소궐언불도. 위오종지일대흠사. 추유선대실유문헌막징지간야.
If one ponders, the fact that our Kim Clan has [this familial] relation but has not followed through has become our Family Clan’s one great defect. If one ponders again, there is lament over the fact that our previous generation truly had these documents, but they are now lost.
曾王考少痊公嘗興慨於斯, 始聚諸宗派系撰爲一帙藏在巾, 而尙多疏漏未成梓.
증왕고소전공상흥개어사, 시취저종파계찬위일실장재건, 이상다소루미성재.
Our Great-grandfather Sojeon’gong (少痊公, 소전공, 1595-1658) from early on sorrowed over this, began to gather all the kinsmen in order to compile one volume of the genealogical records and stored it in a book bin; however, much of it was sloppily done and not yet finished.
- Sojeon’gong refers to Kim Deokseung (金德承, 김덕승), a literati bureaucrat. He was the son of Kim Jinseon (金盡善, 김진선, ?-?). His courtesy name (字, 자) was Gagu (可久, 가구); and his pen name (號, 호) was Sojeon (少痊, 소전) and Socheop (巢睫, 소첩). He was well-versed in Confucian Classics, Classical Chinese poetry, and art. He was also fluent in Mandarin. He passed the civil examinations in 1617 and 1619, and advanced through various bureaucratic ranks, making it up to the position of Moksa (牧使, 목사), which was of the Jeong 3 Rank (正三品, 정3품).
- 梓(재) – Refers to wooden block for printing.
在辛亥春, 不肖孫運熙敬承家君之敎, 謹因舊本, 專精博考有所, 集期成完帙, 庶幾少副曾王考遺意
재신해춘, 불초손운희경승가군지교, 근인구본, 전정박고유소, 집기성완질, 서기소폭증왕고유의
During the Spring of the Shinhae Year (1731), I, Kim Unheui (金運熙, 김운희), an unworthy son, reverently received the teachings of the head of the household, respectfully based [the genealogical record] on the old volume, devotedly examined what he had [finished] in detail and in whole, collected what was bound, completed a volume, and hopefully fulfilled at least a part of last wishes of our Great-grandfather.
- 不肖(불초) – A self-diminutive first person pronoun.
- Kim Unheui (金運熙, 김운희, 1704-1775) is the author of this preface. He attained the bureaucratic rank of Tongdeokrang (通德郞, 통덕랑), which is of the Jeong 5 Rank (正五品, 정오품).
- 家君(가군) – Refers to Kim Unheui’s father, Kim Ujip (金宇楫, 김우집, ?-?).
而堂叔父星州公亦嘗有意未克, 就季堂叔佐郞公銳意續成之,
이당숙부성주공역상유의미극, 취계당숙좌랑공예의전성지,
Our father’s cousin, Seongjugong (星州公, 성주공), also early on had the intent [to compile a genealogical record] but did not succeed. Our father’s other younger cousin Jwaranggong (佐郞公, 좌랑공) firmly had the intent [to compile] and continuously persevered,
- Seongjugong (星州公, 성주공) refers Kim Ujip (金宇集, 김우집, 1668-1730).
- The translator of the Korean text was did not indicate who Jwaranggong (佐郞公, 좌랑공) was. This blogger is also unsure who Jwaranggong either. A quick search indicates that there are a few kinsmen who were referred by that name.
一日, 謂余曰: “吾宗之久而無牒可異也, 當與汝力焉.”
일일, 위여왈: “오종지구이무첩가이야, 당여여력언.”
One day, he called me saying, “The fact that Our Family Clan for a long time did not have a genealogical record is verily abnormal! Certainly, I together with you should put our efforts [towards compiling family records].”
於供職之暇時, 以考閱釐正, 亦有年所而不幸功未成遽爾捐世.
어공직지하시, 이고열리정, 역유년소이불행공미성거이손세.
When he was free time from his bureaucratic tasks, he finely perused [the records] and arranged and corrected them. He too was elderly and unluckily was not able to finish, and suddenly departed the world.
- 捐世(손세) – A respectful way of referring to someone’s passing away.
噫! 此乃先世遺托, 宗中大事,
희! 차내선세유탁, 종중대사,
Oh, alas! This is the will of the prior generations, the great work of the family clan.
而若漫過時日, 則固无可成之期. 自致前功之虧爲是之懼獨自任是役,
이약만과시일, 즉고무가성지기. 자치전공지휴위시지구독자임시역,
As the times and days scatter and pass by, truly the opportunity to succeed will no [longer exist]. That the the previous merits achieved [by ancestors] will be lost, we fear and solely by ourselves we take on this task.
- 爲是之懼(위시지구) – The fear that it will become this.
而先代之事蹟, 配位之某氏, 子孫之多寡, 官爵之有无, 名字之異同, 曾未稽考者, 閱譜本以百數積.
이선대지사적, 배위지모씨, 자손지다과, 관작지유무, 명자지이동, 증미계자자, 열보본이백수적.
[To determine] the legacies of previous generations, which clan the spouses are, how many or how few [the number of] offspring, whether or not [they had attained] bureaucratic posts, the similarity and differences in names, whatever [affairs] not carefully considered earlier on, We perused the genealogical volumes over hundreds [of texts] collected.
- 配位(배위) – Respectful term for one’s spouse that has passed away.
年歲殆三紀參互考較採錄纖悉, 而立規設例亦似得宜.
년세태삼기참호고교채록첨실, 이립규설례역사득의.
For almost three years, we consulted [each record with one another] and compared [them] in detail, picked out [certain] records and exhaustively searched. We set up rules and constructed an arrangement, and also obtained something like harmony.
同宗金上舍宬甫亦於是事專心一誠自嶠南來言
동종김상사성보역어시사전심일성자교남래언
Kim Seong (金宬, 김성, ?-?), of the same kinsmen and who had passed the civil examination, also for this task dedicated his mind with great sincerity and having come from the Gyonam region said:
- 同宗金上舍宬(동종김상사성) – Refers to Kim Seong (金宬, 김성, ?-?), a member of the Bulbi Branch (不比派, 불비파).
- 上舍(상사) – Refers to someone that has passed the civil examination.
- 嶠南(교남) – Gyonam is another name for the Yeongnam region (嶺南, 영남), which refers to the Gyeongsang Province (慶尙道, 경상도).
“吾鄕大丘地有活字可以印譜本, 而功役比鏤板甚省, 當以幷力齊聲期於刊布,
“오향대구지유활자가이인보본, 이공역차루판심성, 당이병력제성기어간포.
“In Daegu, my home village, we have a metal type that can print the genealogical records, and since the labor [to print with a metal type] compared to [using] a wooden block type is much less, truly by gathering our strength and solemnly speaking we promise to publish and widely distribute [the volumes].”
- 鏤板(누판) – Wooden block type.
遂簡于諸宗收取譜單, 而其裔孫之素未譜者, 余卽躬探頗有覺悟處, 於吾宗亦云幸矣.
수간어제종수취보단, 이기예손지소미보자, 여즉궁탐파유각오처, 어오종역운행의.
In the end, having sent a letter to all our kinsmen, we gathered and collected the characters in the records. Those descendants not yet recorded, I thus devoted myself greatly into inquiring [those descendants] and resolved to [find their] places. To our family clan, it is said to be fortunate.
於是, 議于諸宗謹付諸氏, 而不肖伊時哀麻身未能勇赴使堂弟緝熙往幹是役,
어시, 의우제종근부제씨, 이불초이시애마신미능용부사당제읍희주관시역,
Thereafter, we discussed with all the kinsmen and humbly requested all everyone. I, an unworthy son, at that time lamented over my weakened body and was not able to summon up the courage to ask my younger cousin, Kim Jipheui (金緝熙, 김집희, ?-?) to come over and supervise this task.
- 堂弟(당제) – Refers to paternal younger cousin.
今旣告訖吾宗印本之譜出有日矣.
금기고걸오종인보지보출유일의.
Today, already, I have informed the completion [of the records] to the family clan and that we have printed a volume of the records and it will be released on some day.
凡爲我鼻祖之苗裔者, 有以觀斯譜, 則尊祖敬宗, 忠節孝悌之心可以油然,
범위아비조지묘예자, 유이관사보, 즉존조경종, 충절효제지심가이유연,
Generally, for those who are the offspring of the founding progenitor, they can see these records and then revere their ancestors, have high esteem for the family clan; a heart with fidelity to integrity, filial piety, and fraternal love can be effortlessly formed;
- 苗裔(모예) – Offspring of distant generations.
- 有以(유의) – To be able to (可也).
- 油然(유연) – Refers to the scene of a cloud naturally expanding.
而生未知斯譜之, 亦有關於家國也而, 或爲風化之一助云爾.
이생미지사보지, 역유관어가국야이, 혹위풍화지일조운이.
And any [descendants] alive not yet known, this [record] will record them. Also, since there is a relationship [between the genealogical records] with the family clan and the country, it might be of assistance to the edification of proper customs.
建隆十九年甲戌季秋 後孫運熙謹序
건륭십구년갑술계추 후손운희근서
On the Ninth Month of 1754, Nineteenth Year of the Qianlong Emperor (建隆, 건륭, Geonryung), descendant Kim Unheui respectfully composes the preface.
- Emperor Qianlong (建隆, 건륭) – Emperor of the Qing Dynasty at the time. He reigned from 1735 to 1796.
Copyright Notice This work by Kuiwon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. |