陰騭

陰騭

1. good deed done in secret; hidden merit

   • 有眇嫗抱三歲女來，弊陋亦甚。老人指曰：“此君之妻也。”固怒曰：“殺之可乎？”老人曰：“此人命當食大祿，因子而食邑，庸可殺乎？” 後生男鯤，為雁門太守，封太原郡太夫人。乃知陰騭之定，不可變也。
     有眇妪抱三岁女来，弊陋亦甚。老人指曰：“此君之妻也。”固怒曰：“杀之可乎？”老人曰：“此人命当食大禄，因子而食邑，庸可杀乎？” 后生男鲲，为雁门太守，封太原郡太夫人。乃知阴骘之定，不可变也。

     From: c. 840,《續玄怪錄•定婚店》

     Yǒu miǎo yù bào sān suì nǚ lái, bìlòu yì shèn. Lǎorén zhǐ yuē: “Cǐ jūn zhī qī yě.” Gù nù yuē: “Shā zhī kě hū?” Lǎorén yuē: “Cǐ rén mìng dāng shí dà lù, yīn zǐ ér shíyì, yōng kě shā hū?” hòu shēng nán Kūn, wéi Yànmén tàishǒu, fēng Tàiyuán jùn tàifūrén. Nǎi zhī yīnzhì zhī dìng, bùkě biàn yě.

     A blind old woman was carrying her three-year-old daughter, both looking fairly shabby and ugly. The old man pointed at the girl and said, "She'll be your future wife.” The man hearing this was furious and asked, "Can I kill her?” The old man replied, “She is destined to enjoy great wealth and noble status owing to you. How could you kill her then?” Later, the girl grew up and gave birth to a son named Kun, who eventually became the Governor of Yanmen and granted his mother the title of Grand Madam of Taiyuan Prefecture. Only then did people realize that the hidden virtues and karmic rewards predestined by fate could not be changed.

陰騭

1. to stabilize quietly

   • 惟天陰騭下民，相協厥居，我不知其彝倫攸敘。
     惟天阴骘下民，相协厥居，我不知其彝伦攸叙。

     From: The Book of Documents, circa 4^th – 3^rd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Wéi tiān yīnzhì xiàmín, xiàng xié jué jū, wǒ bù zhī qí yílún yōu xù.

     Heaven, working unseen, secures the tranquillity of the lower people, aiding them to be in harmony with their condition. I do not know how the unvarying principles should be set forth in due order.

陰騭

1. (Cantonese) malicious; malevolent