Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 27.djvu/491

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SECT. I.
THE NÊI 𝖅EH.
457

flows, he should not presume to be angry and resentful, but be (still) more reverential and more filial.

16. If parents have a boy born (to the father) by a handmaid, or the son or grandson of one of his concubines, of whom they are very fond, their sons should after their death, not allow their regard for him to decay so long as they live.

If a son have two concubines, one of whom is loved by his parents, while he himself loves the other, yet he should not dare to make this one equal to the former whom his parents love, in dress, or food, or the duties which she discharges, nor should he lessen his attentions to her after their death. If he very much approves of his wife, and his parents do not like her, he should divorce her[1]. If he do not approve of his wife, and his parents say, "she serves us well," he should behave to her in all respects as his wife,—without fail even to the end of her life.

17. Although his parents be dead, when a son is inclined to do what is good, he should think that he will thereby transmit the good name of his parents, and carry his wish into effect. When he is inclined to do what is not good, he should think that he will thereby bring disgrace on the name of his parents, and in no wise carry his wish into effect.

18. When her father-in-law is dead, her mother-in-law takes the place of the old lady[2]; but the wife of the eldest son, on all occasions of sacrificing and

receiving guests, must ask her directions in


  1. Khǎn Hâo quotes here from the Lî of the elder Tâi (Book XIII, chapter 26) the "seven grounds of divorce," the first of them being the wife's "want of accordance with her husband's parents."
  2. Who now retires from the open headship of the family.