He Guan Zi (鶡冠子) · Volume 4

王鈇【一作鐡非】非一世之器者厚德隆俊也【王鈇法制也賈子曰權勢法制人主之斤斧夫專任法制不以厚德將之而欲以持久難哉】道凡四稽一曰天二曰地三曰人四曰命權【命者所以令之】人有五至一曰伯己【百於己者】二曰什己【十於己者】三曰若己【與己等也】四曰廝役【事我者也】五曰徒隸【又其下者】所謂天者物理情者也【道無所治有之者以稽於天所以爾也教者地事也治者天事也】所謂地者常弗【一作不】去者也【道無所住有之者以稽於地所以爾也運者天道也處者地道也】所謂人者惡死樂生者也所謂命者靡不在君者也【莫不聽之之謂命】君也者端神明者也【無為而尊】神明者以人為本者也【因人則逸任己則勞】人者以賢聖為本者也賢聖者以博選為本者也【舜發於畎畝傅說舉於版築膠鬲舉於魚鹽管夷吾舉於士孫叔敖舉於海百里奚舉於市然則選士之路豈可不博哉】博選者以五至為本者也故北面而事之則伯己者至【北面事之所謂承之者也】先趨而後息先問而後黙則什己者至【先人而趨後人而息先人而問後人而黙雖亦降己異乎承之者也是以伯己者徃什己者來】人趨己趨則若己者至【人趨己趨與之鴈行者也】憑几據杖指麾而使則廝役者至【坐則憑几立則據杖指麾而使尚為有禮焉】樂嗟苦咄【案樂嗟苦三字原缺今據他本増入】則徒隸之人至矣【人一

The royal instrument [one version has "iron," which is wrong] is not a tool of a single morning or a single age, and must rely on thick virtue to raise up the outstanding. [The royal instrument is the system of laws. Jia Yi said: power and law are the ruler's axes. If one relies only on law and does not lead it with thick virtue, it is hard to last.] The Way has four checks in all: the first is Heaven, the second Earth, the third Man, the fourth the mandate-authority. [Mandate means that by which orders are issued.] Man has five arrivals: the first is Bo Ji [one a hundred times better than oneself], the second Shi Ji [one ten times better than oneself], the third Ruo Ji [one equal to oneself], the fourth Si Yi [one who does errands for me], the fifth Tu Li [lower still]. What is called Heaven is that which lets the myriad things each find their natural order. [The Way itself is without government; where there is government, it is checked against Heaven, so it is said thus. Teaching and transformation are matters of Earth, and governance is a matter of Heaven.] What is called Earth is that which is always present and does not leave. [The Way itself has no dwelling; where there is a dwelling, it is checked against Earth, so it is said thus. Moving and transforming is the Way of Heaven, and settling is the Way of Earth.] What is called Man is that which hates death and delights in life; what is called Mandate is that which none fails to be with the ruler. [Where none fails to obey, only then is it called mandate.] The ruler is the one who sets right the spirit-light. [Doing nothing, yet most honored.] The spirit-light takes man as its root. [Relying on others brings ease, relying only on oneself brings toil.] Man takes the worthy and sage as root; the worthy and sage take broad selection as root. [Shun rose from the fields, Fu Yue was raised from among the wall-builders, Jiao Ge was raised from the fish-and-salt trade, Guan Yiwu was raised from the rank of scholar, Sun Shu'ao was raised from the seaside, and Baili Xi was raised from the marketplace. Seen thus, how could the road for selecting scholars not be broad?] Broad selection takes the five arrivals as root. So if you face north to serve him, a Bo Ji sort of person will come. [To face north and serve means to receive from him and take him as teacher.] If you hurry first and let him rest later, if you ask first and let him be silent later, a Shi Ji sort of person will come. [To run ahead of others and rest after them, to ask before others and be silent after them, this too is humbling oneself, but it is not the same as receiving from him facing north. So the Bo Ji sort go away and the Shi Ji sort come.] If others hurry and you hurry too, a Ruo Ji sort of person will come. [If others hurry and you hurry also, you go side by side with him.] If you lean on a stool and lean on a staff, and direct and command, a Si Yi sort of person will come. [Sitting leaning on the stool and standing leaning on the staff, directing and commanding, there is still some courtesy.] If you scold when pleased and curse when pained [note: the three characters "le jie ku" were missing in the original and are now supplied from another edition], a Tu Li sort of person will come. ["Person" in one version

作者也樂則嗟之苦則咄之不禮甚矣茍非無恥之人豈所甘心哉案注原缺六字】故帝者與師處王者與友處亡主與徒處故德萬【一作百】人者謂之雋【雋者知哲聖人之謂也】德千人者謂之豪【此以獸之豪制名也】德百【一作萬】人者謂之英【此以草之英制名也毛詩傳曰萬人曰英記曰五人曰茂十人曰選百人曰俊千人曰英今此又以萬人曰俊百人曰英蓋莫可考矣人物誌曰獸之特者為雄草之秀者為英韓信是雄張良是英此言近之案考矣之矣一本作合非】德音者所謂聲也未聞音出而響過其聲者也貴者有知富者有財貧者有身【無知也故賤無財也故貧所有者特天地之委形而已總括百骸謂之身眾象備見謂之形】信符不合事舉不成【一本雲舉事不成】不死不生不斷不成【常騎兩可之地豈足以就其斷哉】計功而償權德而言王鈇在此孰能使營

(Lu Dian's note continues:) reads "one who." To shout when pleased and curse when pained is very discourteous. If it were not for shameless people, who would be willing? Note: six characters are missing in the original note.] So the emperor stays with teachers, the king stays with friends, and the ruler of a lost state stays with Tu Li. So one whose virtue can cover ten thousand people [one version has "hundred"] is called jun. [Jun refers to the wise, discerning sage.] One whose virtue can cover a thousand people is called hao. [This takes its name from the outstanding hao among beasts.] One whose virtue can cover a hundred people [one version has "ten thousand"] is called ying. [This takes its name from the efflorescence of grass. The Mao commentary on the Odes says ten thousand people is ying; the Book of Rites says five people is mao, ten is xuan, a hundred is jun, and a thousand is ying. Here again ten thousand is jun and a hundred is ying, and probably it cannot be settled. The Renwu Zhi says: the outstanding among beasts is xiong, the flowering among grasses is ying; Han Xin was a xiong and Zhang Liang was a ying. This is relatively close. Note: the word "yi" in "kao yi" is "he" in one version, which is wrong.] De yin (virtuous sound) is what is meant by sound. I have never heard of a sound that goes out whose echo exceeds the original sound. The noble have knowledge, the rich have wealth, and the poor have only their bodies. [Lacking knowledge, they are lowly; lacking wealth, they are poor; what they have is only the form that heaven and earth entrusted. The sum of all bones is called body, and what leads the myriad images and shows itself is called form.] If the tally of good faith does not match, affairs cannot be accomplished [one version has "undertakings are not accomplished"]. Without passing through death there is no life; without decision nothing is accomplished. [If one always straddles the place where both are possible, how can decision be achieved?] Repay according to merit, speak according to virtue, and with the royal instrument here, who could lead it astray?

道有稽【以道為決】德有據【以徳為驗】人主不聞要故耑【一作常】與運堯【一作撓】而無以見也【無以下一有自字】道與德館而無以命也義不當格而無以更也【攘雞紾兄之類是已格正也凡此以不聞要而已然則人主豈可以不知務哉放飯流歠而問無齒決亦無益於事也】若是置之雖安非定也【言幸安也夫抱火厝之積薪之下而寢臥其上雖未及然終亦必運而已矣】端倚有位名號弗去【言其違道逺矣所存者名號而已】故希人者無悖其情希世者無繆其賔【方是之時俯而徇俗仰以阿時者至矣】文禮之野與禽獸同則【羔鴈雖有跪乳行列之儀而以人文格之野心多矣又況無羔鴈之性者奈何同之乎】言語之暴與蠻夷同謂【蠻夷鴃舌者也】夫君子者易親而難狎畏禍而難卻【死義故難卻也】嗜利而不為非【義然後取】時動而不茍作【不得已而後起】體雖安之而弗敢處然後禮生【君子克己復禮蓋充此而已】心雖欲之而弗敢信然後義生【一作立信猶任也君子克己就義蓋充此而已】夫義節慾而治禮反情而辨者也故君子弗徑情而行也夫亂世者以麤智為造意【造意防矣豈麤智之所能知哉】以中險為道【司巇也】以利為情若不相與同惡則不能相親相與同惡則有相憎【小人難近如此】說者言仁則以為誣發於義則以為誇【一作誇】平心而直告之則有弗信【利令智昏不可與明如此】故賢者之於亂世也絶豫而無由通異類而無以告苦乎哉【蓋傷之也】賢人之潛亂世也上有隨君下無直辭君有驕行民多諱言故人乖其誠能士隱其實情心雖不說弗敢不譽【雄美新是已此非可已而不已者也夫雄如此而義不能繩墨者則以有道故也魯人曰栁下惠固可吾固不可孔子善之然則無雄之道浮沉濁世齷齪阿上而欲自比於雄亦已惑矣】事業雖弗善不敢不力【此汝墳之所勉者也雖非殷其雷之義亦其所遇不得不爾也】趨舍雖不合不敢弗從【夫在我者皆彼之所不能易則雖譽所不譽力所不力從所不從亦應世之道也】故觀賢人之於亂世也【一作者】其慎勿【慎勿一作順勿】以為定情也【凡此所為亂群馬耳姑以逺害而已豈真同也哉】

The Way has a check [using the Way to decide], and virtue has a basis [using virtue as the proof]. The ruler does not hear the essentials, so he alone [one version has "always" for "alone"] turns and wavers with the tide ["yao" is "nao" in one version], and has nothing by which to see clearly. [Below "wu yi," one version has the character "zi."] The Way and virtue have already been settled in the hall, but there is no name by which to call them; righteousness is already not upright, but there is no way to change it. [Things like stealing chickens and twisting one's elder brother's arm are examples. Ge means to correct. All of this is only because one does not hear the essentials. Seen thus, how could a ruler not know what is urgent? The meal is already spilling soup all over the table, yet one asks if there is any dish that has been bitten off, which does the matter no good.] Left like this, though there is peace for a time, it is not a settled state. [This speaks of the peace of mere luck. A fire is piled beneath kindling, and a man sleeps on top; though it has not yet been lit, in the end it must spread.] Sitting upright on his seat, the name does not leave. [This says that he is already far from the Way, and what remains is only the name.] So one who fits in with people does not go against that person's feelings; one who fits in with his age does not mistake the guest and the host. [By then those who bow to custom and flatter the age will come.] When ritual and refinement reach the wilds, they follow the same rule as birds and beasts. [Though lambs and wild geese have the manners of kneeling to nurse and flying in rows, if one tests them by human culture they are still mostly wild; and how much more those who do not even have that nature of lamb and goose, how could they be the same as them?] Where speech is coarse and violent, it is called by the same name as the barbarians. [The barbarians are those whose tongues are as hard to understand as a shrike's.] The gentleman is easy to approach but hard to treat with familiarity, fears disaster but is hard to drive away. [He dies for righteousness, so he is hard to drive away.] He desires profit but does not do wrong [taking only according to righteousness], moves only when he should move, and does not act on impulse [rising only when there is no help for it]. Though his body is at ease in that position, he dares not rest in it, and only then does ritual arise [the gentleman who overcomes himself and returns to ritual is this principle filled out]; though his heart wants it, he dares not indulge it, and only then does righteousness arise [one version has "li," established; xin is like ren, to entrust; the gentleman overcoming himself and going toward righteousness is this principle filled out]. Righteousness is governing by restraining desire, and ritual is distinguishing by returning to real feeling, so the gentleman does not just follow his feelings and act. The people of a disordered age take shallow intelligence for "making intent" [making intent is subtle (the base text has "fang yi" where the Siku edition has "wei yi"), how could shallow intelligence know it?], take inner treachery for the Way [that is, spying out gaps], and take profit for feeling. If they do not hate the same thing, they cannot be close to one another; once they hate the same thing, they again come to hate one another. [Petty people are hard to approach, as is the case.] When a persuader speaks of benevolence, he is taken to be lying; when he speaks from righteousness, he is taken to be exaggerating [one version has "kua"]; when he speaks plainly and straight, some still do not believe him. [Where profit blinds the wits, one cannot explain things to him, as is the case.] So when a worthy man lives in a disordered age, he cuts off association and has no road open, and is not of the same kind as the world and has no one to tell: how bitter! [This is grief.] A worthy man lies hidden in a disordered age; above him is a ruler who drifts with the current, and below him there is no straight speech; the ruler has arrogant conduct, the people mostly avoid speaking, so people go against their own sincerity, able men hide their real feelings, and though their hearts are not pleased, they dare not fail to praise. [Yang Xiong's Criticize Qin and Praise Xin is an example (the base text has a damaged private-use character before "Xiong," which the Siku edition lacks, the meaning referring to Yang Xiong). These are not people who could stop and did not. Since Yang Xiong was already like this, one cannot trim him by the line of righteousness, because he still had the Way. A man of Lu said: Liuxia Hui could indeed do this, but I certainly cannot. Confucius approved of this saying. Then those who do not have a Way like Yang Xiong's, but drift in a turbid age and sordidly flatter those above, and still want to compare themselves to Yang Xiong, are far too muddled.] Though the enterprise is not good, they dare not fail to put forth effort [this is what is urged in the Ru Fen; though it is not the principle of Yin Qi Lei, it is also that what one meets leaves no choice]; though going and staying do not agree, they dare not fail to obey [whatever is on my side the other cannot change; so even if one praises what should not be praised, works for what should not be worked for, and obeys what should not be obeyed, that is a way of responding to the age]. So when one looks at a worthy man in a disordered age ["ye" is "zhe" in one version], by no means ["shen wu" is "shun wu" in one version] take these as his settled feelings. [All that is done here is merely stirring the herd of horses; it is used to keep away from harm for the time being, and how could it be the same in true heart?]

天文也地理也月刑也【隂以刻制】日德也【陽以昭蘇】四時檢也【有明法而不議】度數節也【天地之節蓋有度數存焉】隂陽氣也五行業也【五材也在地成形故曰業】五政道也【五辰也在天成象故曰道】五音調也【聲成文變成方謂之音斯謂之調】五聲故也【五聲因習而異在齊而齊言居晉而晉語斯之謂故】五味事也賞罰約也【賞所以約之使赴功罰所以約之使闢咎】此皆有驗有所以然者隨而不見其後迎而不見其首【其所以然者道也道無首尾而欲從跡其所為譬如捕風逆之無前從之無後此雖顔子恍然不能定也又況賜之流乎】成功遂事莫知其狀【夫孰知之】圖弗能載名弗能舉【夫巧者不能畫則辯者亦不能言矣】強為之說曰芴乎芒乎中有象乎芒乎芴乎中有物乎【芒者似有芴者似無】窅乎冥乎中有精乎致信究情【夫道有情有信非若斷空雖無形而非理也要在致而究之】復反無貎【貌且無之況於形乎】鬼見【一本作鬼不能見】不能為人業【露則不神豈足以建功立事哉故善為人業者防矣妙矣雖鬼不能窺其密也】故聖人貴夜行

Heaven has pattern, Earth has principle, the moon is punishment [yin is used to carve and cut], the sun is virtue [yang is used to revive], the four seasons are checking [having clear rules without discussion], and the degrees and numbers are the measure [the measure of heaven and earth, where degrees and numbers originally exist]. Yin and yang are breath, the five phases are tasks [the five materials take form on earth, so they are called tasks], the five governances are the Way [the five stars take image in heaven, so they are called the Way], the five notes are tuning [sound that completes pattern and changes into form is called note, and this is called tuning], the five sounds are custom [the five sounds differ according to custom: in Qi one speaks Qi, in Jin one speaks Jin, and this is called custom], the five flavors are affairs, and reward and punishment are binding [reward is used to bind people to go toward merit, punishment is used to bind people to avoid fault]. All of these have proofs, and all have that by which they are so: follow it and you do not see its back, meet it and you do not see its head. [That by which they are so is the Way. The Way has no head or tail, yet to try to trace what it does is like catching the wind: facing it there is no front, following it there is no back. Even Yan Hui could not hold it fixed in his daze, how much less someone of the stamp of Zigong?] When work is done and affairs completed, no one knows its shape [who can know]; a picture cannot hold it and a name cannot list it [the skillful cannot draw it and the eloquent cannot say it]. Let me force a description: dim and vague, is there an image within? Vague and dim, is there a thing within? [Vague seems to be, dim seems not to be.] Deep and obscure, is there an essence within? Push trust to the utmost and exhaust sentiment to its end [the Way has sentiment and has trust, not like an empty annihilation; though it has no form it is not without principle, and what matters is pushing and exhausting], and then turning back, there is not even an appearance. [If there is not even an appearance, how much less a form?] Ghosts can see it [one version has "ghosts cannot see it"] but cannot establish enterprises for people. [Once exposed it is not divine, so how could it suffice to establish merit and affairs? So one who is good at establishing enterprises for people, how subtle and wondrous (the base text has "fang yi miao yi" where the Siku edition has "wei yi miao yi"), even ghosts cannot spy out its secret.] So the sage values walking at night.

聖王者有聽微決疑之道【一本聽下缺二字無微字】能屏讒權實逆淫辭【楊墨之屬】絶流語【管蔡之屬】去無用【屠龍之技刻楮之巧雖號髙妙無所用之案用之一作用也】杜絶朋黨之門【持祿養交背公死黨潝潝然患其上訾訾然思不稱乎上豈可開之】嫉妬之人不得著明【常置卑晦】非君子術數之士莫得當前故邪弗能奸禍不能中彼天地之以無極者以守度量而不可濫【此況邪弗能奸禍不能中之義】日不逾辰【日月所防為辰】月宿其【言宿其辰之次也】當名服事【當箕之名服箕之事當鬥之名服鬥之事其他放此】星守弗去【各止分域】望晦朔終始相廵【一作選夫日陟降而成晦朔月虧盈而成望反覆相尋如轉磨引鋸豈有終窮】逾年累歳【年取禾之一熟而歳騎兩稔】用【或作肅】不縵縵【縵縵漫滅之貌】此天之所柄以臨鬥【一作計】者也【言鬥臨制四方運乎四時終古不忒而天道如上所謂更以臨之】中參成位【一本作伍一本作五言參天地而成位乎其中也】四氣為政【政法四時】前張後極【張南方之星也極北方之星也或言張或言極互相挾焉】左角【一作魯】右鉞【一作越角東方之星也鉞西方之星也參伐一曰鈇鉞】九文循理以省官【一作宮】眾小大畢舉【此言簡而不遺也】先無怨讎之患後無毀名敗行之咎故其威上際下交【交元作校】其澤四被而不鬲【東漸西被朔南暨焉沛然莫之能御也】天之不違以不離一【所謂趣物而不兩也】天若離一反還為物【天之所以異乎萬物者抱一而已字觧曰一而大者天也二而小者示也】不創不作與天地合德【常輔萬物之自然而不敢為也天不創而萬物化地不作而萬物育】節璽相信如月應日【日循星而進退月應日以生死信之至也】此聖人之所以宜世也知足以滑正畧足以恬禍此危國之不可安亡國之不可存也【強足以拒敵辯足以飾非此蹠之所以不可救藥也】故天道先貴覆者【天道能覆覆者而已如其自絶雖天不可如何】地道先貴載者【地道能載載者而已如其自棄雖地不可如何】人道先貴事者【栁下季曰子不聽父之詔弟不受兄之教雖令先生之辯將奈之何哉】酒【一或作借】保先貴食者【酒保貨酒者也此申天貴覆者地貴載者人貴事者之況也】待物【原缺二字】也領【或作顧】氣時也【四時各領一方之氣】生殺法也循度以斷天之節也【物不可以終通故循度以間之性命自然之節也】地而守之分民而部之【守或作止此聖人法天之節循度以斷之故地各有守民各有部】寒者得衣飢者得食寃者得理勞者得息聖人之所期也夫裁衣而知擇其工裁國而知索其人此固世之所【一本所下有以字】公哉【一作或譬之製錦而使人學裁者未之有也】同而後可以見天【天道一而不二故自其同者視之夷貉一家也】異而後可以見人【人道二而不一故自其異者視之肝膽楚越也】變而後可以見時【常運而不停】化而後可以見道【庚桑子曰越雞不能伏鵠卵魯雞固能矣趎徃南見老子然則道之等級見矣】臨利而後可以見信臨財而後可以見仁臨難而後可以見勇【繁霜勁風然後可以別草木之真性】臨事而後可以見術數之士九皇之制【春秋緯雲人皇兄弟九人分治天下九皇之號豈縁是歟】主不虛王【王德備矣】臣不虛貴階級【列等之爵無虛授也】尊卑名號【言卑尊其名號也】自君吏民【各君吏民】次者無國【入使治之】歴寵歴録【歴録文章之貎言更歴寵榮華煥如此毛詩傳曰務歴録也】副所以付授【非特受封之臣不虛貴梯級雖無國者亦稱所以付授】與天人參相結連【天人一貫不可觧也】鉤攷之具不備故也【鉤攷督責之術也言惟無督責之術而以道相化故能如是故曰燒之剔之刻之雒之馬之死者十二三矣夫馬之性固真矣然其智至於詭竊者伯樂之罪也雖然九皇之制亦寓言耳夫太上無法而治安有受封之制哉契理之士要其防歸而遺其所寄可也】下之所逜【逜之言幹也】上之可蔽斯其離人情而失天節者也緩則怠急則困見間【一作門】則以竒相御人之情也【恆物之情緩之則怠急之則困故昔賢驅雞之喻戒在疾徐也間巇隙也方其鍵閉雖有竒計安得而抵之哉天節見上故於此具論人情】舉以八極信焉而弗信天之則也【八極八方之極四中四角是也淮南子曰八埏之外有八紘八紘之外有八極夫八極有之而以跡所不至更若誕謾故曰信焉而弗信也雖然以懸寓觀之八方上下無盡也亦無無盡無極也亦無無極故曰天之則也】差繆之間言不可合【孔墨之道同是堯舜同非桀紂而終不可合者其由此也】平不中律【小失聲韻則雖平不中律矣夫千里之失謬於毫釐而歴年之患誤在頃刻是故君子慎其小也】月望而晨月毀於天珠蛤蠃蚌虛於深渚【水岐成渚】上下同離也【言同氣附離而無間雖貍物潛於深渚與月盛衰更如在上也淮南子曰日至而糜鹿觧月死而嬴蚌膲】未令而知其為未使而知其徃上不加務而民自盡此化之期也使而不徃禁而不止上下乖謬者其道不相得也上統【一作紇】下撫者逺眾之慝也隂陽不接者其理無從相及也筭不相當者人不應上也符節亡此曷曾可合也為而無害成而不敗一人唱而萬人和如體之從心此政之期也蓋毋錦【一作緜】槓悉動者其要在一也【蓋無錦槓而撩輻俱動者其要在槓故也是故明主好要以一倡萬以錦韜槓故謂之錦槓爾雅曰素錦韜槓】未見不得其而能除其疾也文武交用而不得事實者法令放而無以梟之謂也【梟斬刑也此言法令不行小人敢為負謾而無忌憚也雖然秦以苛察相髙其徒文具耳而至於土崩更甚乎無法者無惻怛之實故也由是觀之內無至誠惻怛之實欲以一切從事於法則將以考真也適足以起偽將以稽治也適足以招亂】舍此而按之彼者曷曽可得也【南適而北轅矣】冥言易而如言難【言之不怍為之也難】故父不能得之於子而君弗能得之於臣【踐言之行雖在君臣父子之間如此況卑賤乎】已見天之所以信於物矣【無妄天之道也】未見人之所信於物也【不能似言】捐物任勢者天也【萬物盡無因任而已】捐物任勢【捐或作損】故莫能宰而不天【一本作得先之在古者道之理也損物任勢故莫能宰而不天其道如上故莫能宰之而莫不天焉】夫物故曲可改人可使【言茍為物矣無以有已如此以明天之不可轉徙也】法章物而不自許者天之道也【天法種種差別稽之天道豈得已哉姑以應世而已甚不自是也】以為奉教陳忠之臣未足恃也【此其勢必至於有法也】故法者曲制【曲為之制】官備主用也【官各守之以備主用】舉善不以窅窅【不以潛晦舉人之善必著見而後置之】拾過不以冥冥【不以隱匿拾人之過必發露而後廢之拾或作舍】決此【句】法之所貴也若礱磨不用賜物雖詘有不効者矣【言慶賞者勵世磨鈍之器也然而賞不能勸不勝罰不能必不可若砥礪不用之材而責有於無玉帛雖詘有不効者矣】上下有間於是設防知蔽並起【為之鬥斛以量之則並與鬥斛而竊之為之權衡以稱之則並與權衡而竊之】故政在私家而弗能取【政在大夫】重人掉權而弗能止賞加無功而弗能奪法廢不奉而弗能立罰行於非其人而弗能絶者不與其民之故也【與民共之而上下以道相維豈容至此哉屋漏知之在下船漏知之在上】夫使百姓釋已而以上為心者教之所期也八極之舉不能時賛故可壅塞也【所謂無障者四通六闢豈疑八極之舉而不能賛明哉湯之問棘是已】昔者有道之取政非於耳目也【神心恍惚俯仰之間再撫八極之外而裡之前耳不能聞牆之外目不能見故聖人之政恃道而不恃耳目】夫耳之主聽目之主明一葉蔽目不見太山兩豆塞耳不聞雷霆【膚寸之間小物足以障之何足恃哉】道開而否未之聞也【此明道之足恃也夫道開者雲霧不能礙其視雷霆不能亂其聽雖棲在蚊睫而視之若嵩華之阿戰於蝸角而聽之若齊魏之閧夫孰能否之】見遺不掇非人情也【言無是也此申未之聞也之況】信情脩【一作循】生非其天誅逆夫人僇【一本作逆天之人僇】不勝任也【不畏天禍人殃死地隨之而將以脩生此如戴粒之蟻欲以冠山何足以堪其任也】為成求得者事之所期【一作明】也【以為成功則天而得之不得曰有命者無所期焉是道也非事也】為之以民道之要也【民之所未安聖人不強行民之所未厭聖人不強去】唯民知極弗之代【一作伐】也【夫因人而不自任者天也民實知極聖人豈侵越而代之大司徒曰使民興賢出使長之使民興能入使治之】此聖王授【一作受】業所以守制也彼【一作被】教苦故民行薄【未至乎孩而始誰】失之本故爭於末【魚亡江湖而爭於濡沫】人有分於處處有分於地【各有分域】地有分於天【郢有天下案此注疑有脫誤】天有分於時【秦天早寒楚天早熱之類】時有分於數【春乗木數秋乗金數之類】數有分於度【取數多者脩取數少者促】度有分於一【一者度數之原隨所分而赴之譬之物焉一月普見眾水】天居髙而耳卑者此之謂也【天體蓋髙而其耳更卑者精神之運普徧萬物故也】故聖王天時人之地之雅無牧能因【一作用】無功多【一作多功夫文貫三為王蓋取諸此】尊君卑臣非計親也任賢使能非與處也【處故舊也言不以私恩廢天下之公義】水火不相入天之制也【水火以譬恩義蓋古之治天下者方其申至恩也公義不得奪方其申大義也私恩不得幹猶之水火焉相濟而不相入也雖然凡此人道而已若夫天道則又不在此域也故下文雲】明不能照者【所謂離朱索之而不得】道弗能得也規不能包者力弗能挈也【夫天地雖宻移而真體常住非若舟壑夜半負之而去夫孰能挈之】自知慧出【慧出一作惠之】使玉化為環玦者是政反為滑也【璞玉不毀孰為環玦玦半環也禮論曰絶人以玦反絶以環】田不因地形不能成谷【稻宜下地黍宜上地】為化不因民不能成俗嚴疾過也喜怒適也四者已仞非師術也【此言四者或過或適雖殊而逺離大道一也豈足以據師之席哉列子曰仞而有之皆惑也】形嗇【元作薔一本作蓋】而亂益者勢不相牧【一作收】也【形無以牧乎勢勢無以牧乎形故其如此】德與身存亡者未可以取法也【堯舜殂落其骨蓋已朽久矣而至今詠歎不息者豈系其身之存亡哉此萬世之法也】昔宥世者未有離天【或無天字】人而能善與國者也【與或作為善與國所與之國夫天不人不因人不天不成而畸於天人則其身之不能治況與國乎】先王之盛名未有非士之所立者也【引而髙之者天也】過生於上罪死於下濁世之所以為俗也一人乎一人乎命之所極也【此嘆辭也言命至君而極矣今貽厲階如此可不惜哉蓋痛之彌深其辭益緩詩人之義也】

The sage king has a method for hearing the finest details and settling doubts [one edition lacks two characters after "hearing" and has no "fine"], and is able to set aside slander, weigh and verify, block licentious speech [people like Yang Zhu and Mo Di], and cut off rumors [people like Guan Shu and Cai Shu], and discard the useless [the skill of slaying dragons and the craft of carving paper, though called subtle, have nowhere to be used. Note: "used" is in one edition "to be used"], and shut the door of cliques [those who use salary to feed private friendships, who die for a clique against the public good, who anxiously worry about their superiors and fear they are not worthy of them; how could such a door be opened], and keep the jealous from becoming prominent [always placing them in humble and obscure places]; those who are not gentlemen or men of technique do not come near him. So the wicked cannot commit treachery and disaster cannot strike. Heaven and earth are able to be inexhaustible because they keep to measure and do not overflow [this is a comparison for the meaning of "the wicked cannot commit treachery and disaster cannot strike"]. The sun does not pass beyond its station [the place where sun and moon meet is called chen (the source text reads "guarded against" here, while the Siku edition reads "meeting")], and the moon stops at its own [the source text has a private-use character here; the Siku edition has a variant; Lu Dian says it stops at its station] [meaning it stops in its own station]. Bearing this name, it performs this duty [bearing the name of the Winnowing Basket, it performs the duty of the Basket; bearing the name of the Dipper, it performs the duty of the Dipper; and so on for the rest]. The stars keep their places and do not leave [each stays in its own region]. Full moon, last day, and new moon follow each other from beginning to end (one edition has "select") [the sun rises and sets to form the last day and the new moon, the moon wanes and waxes to form the full moon (the source text has an extra private-use character here), repeatedly following one another like a grindstone turning or a saw pulling, how could it end]. Year after year, they accumulate [a "nian" takes one ripening of grain; a "sui" spans two ripenings], used [or "solemn"] without dissipating [dissipating is the appearance of fading away]. This is what Heaven holds in hand, to govern the Dipper [one edition has "to count"] [meaning that the Dipper governs the four directions and drives the four seasons, never erring through all time, and the Way of Heaven is as described above, and further uses this to govern it]. In the middle it forms a position as one of three [one edition has "five", another "five". Meaning one joins heaven and earth and takes one's place between]. The four qi are made into government [government models itself on the four seasons]. In front is Zhang, behind is Ji [Zhang is a star of the south, Ji is a star of the north; sometimes Zhang is mentioned and sometimes Ji, each carrying the other]. On the left is Jiao (one edition has "Lu"), on the right is Yue (one edition has "Yue") [Jiao is a star of the east, Yue is a star of the west. The stars Shen and Fa are also called Yue]. The nine patterns follow principle to examine the officials (one edition has "palace") [large and small are all raised, meaning it is brief yet omits nothing]. First there is no trouble of resentment and enmity, afterward no fault of ruined name and conduct, so its might reaches up to heaven and joins down to earth ["joins" is originally written "compares"], and its favor covers all sides without separation [spreading east and covering west, reaching north and south, flowing freely and unobstructed]. Heaven does not go against it because it does not leave the "One" [that is, it goes toward the myriad things without dividing into two]. If Heaven were to leave the One, it would instead become a thing [the reason Heaven differs from the myriad things is only that it holds the One. The Zijie says: that which is one and great is heaven; that which is two and small is a sign]. Not creating and not making, it joins its virtue with heaven and earth [constantly assisting the naturalness (ziran, "so of itself", not "Nature" as the natural world) of the myriad things, not daring to act rashly. Heaven does not create and yet the myriad things transform; earth does not make and yet the myriad things grow]. The tally and the seal trust each other, like the moon responding to the sun [the sun follows the stars in advance and retreat, the moon responds to the sun in life and death, trust to the utmost]. This is how the sage suits the age. Knowledge enough to confuse what is right, and plans enough to secure disaster: these are what a perilous state cannot make safe and a lost state cannot preserve [strength enough to resist enemies and argument enough to gloss over wrongs: this is why Robber Zhi is beyond remedy]. So the Way of Heaven first values what can be covered [the Way of Heaven can only cover those willing to be covered; if one cuts oneself off, even Heaven can do nothing]. The Way of Earth first values what can be borne [the Way of Earth can only bear those willing to be borne; if one abandons oneself, even Earth can do nothing]. The Way of humans first values what can do things [Liuxia Ji said: if a son does not obey his father's order and a younger brother does not accept his elder's teaching, even with a teacher's eloquence, what can one do with him?]. The tavern-keeper ["tavern" in one edition is "borrow"] first values what can eat [the tavern-keeper sells wine. This is an illustration restating that Heaven values covering, Earth values bearing, and humans value doing]. In handling things [two characters missing in the source], holding the qi is the season [each of the four seasons holds the qi of one direction]. Life and killing are the law (the law in this book is the set of institutions bent into shape, with each office guarding its own, to be ready for the lord's use). Deciding by following measure (measure: the limit that can be reckoned) is the regulation of Heaven [things cannot go through all the way, so they are separated by measure; this is the natural regulation of nature and life]. [One source-text character is lost] the land and guard it, divide the people and arrange them in sections ("guard" is sometimes "stop") [this is the sage following the regulation of Heaven and deciding by measure, so each land has its guard and each people its section. The source text has a private-use character above "land", the Siku edition reads a variant; one says it is read like "lie"]. The cold get clothes, the hungry get food, the wronged get justice, and the toiling get rest: this is what the sage hopes for. In cutting clothes one knows to choose a craftsman, and in cutting a state one knows to seek talent; this is originally what the world shares in common (one edition has "perhaps") [it is like weaving brocade and letting another learn to cut it; there is no such thing]. When things are the same, Heaven can be seen [the Way of Heaven is one and not two, so from the side of sameness, the barbarians are one family]. When things differ, humans can be seen [the way of humans is two and not one, so from the side of difference, liver and gall become Chu and Yue]. When things change, the season can be seen [constantly moving without stopping]. When things transform, the Way can be seen [Gengsang Zi said: the Yue chicken cannot hatch a swan's egg, but the Lu chicken originally can. Nan Rong Chu went south to see Laozi, and the grades of the Way were thus seen]. When facing profit one sees trustworthiness, when facing wealth one sees benevolence, and when facing danger one sees courage [only after heavy frost and strong wind can the true nature of grasses and trees be told apart]. When facing affairs one sees the man of technique. The system of the nine august rulers [the Spring and Autumn Weishu says the Human Sovereign had nine brothers who divided the rule of the world; does the title of the nine august rulers come from this?]: the lord does not occupy the kingship in vain [the virtue of a king is already complete], the ministers do not hold rank in vain [titles in the ranks are not conferred emptily], the names of high and low [meaning that his name is made either humble or honored], each being ruler, official, or commoner [each acting as ruler, official, or commoner], the next grade having no state [entering to let him govern], passing through favor and glory, with patterned splendor ["splendor" is the appearance of patterns, meaning passing through favor and glory, brilliantly so. The Mao commentary says: "toil" is splendor], matching what is entrusted [not only are vassals who receive fiefs not in rank in vain, but even those without a state match what is entrusted], interlinked with Heaven and humankind [Heaven and humans are one thread, which cannot be untied]. The instruments of hooking and examining are not complete, so it can be like this [hooking and examining is the art of supervision. It means that precisely because there is no art of supervision, and the Way is used to transform one another, it can be like this. Therefore it is said: burn them, trim them, carve them, brand them, and two or three out of ten horses die. The nature of horses is originally true, but their wits turn to deceit and theft, which is Bo Le's fault. Even so, the system of the nine august rulers is also a parable. The Supreme governs without laws; how could there be a system of enfeoffment? Those who are in accord with principle want its destination (the source text has "guard against" here, while the Siku edition has "meeting"), and you may throw away the layer that is lodged]. Those below who collide ["collide" means to offend] and those above who can be deceived, this is leaving human feeling and losing Heaven's regulation. If slack, they become idle; if urgent, they become exhausted; when seeing a gap [one edition has "door"] they use clever tricks to resist: this is human feeling. [The feeling of ordinary things: slack leads to idleness and urgency leads to exhaustion. Therefore the former sages' analogy of driving chickens warns against haste and slowness. A gap is a crack. At the very moment of locking up, even with clever tricks, what could match it? The regulation of Heaven appears above, so human feeling is discussed in detail here.] Raising the eight extremes, one believes it and yet does not believe it: this is the rule of Heaven. [The eight extremes are the extremes of the eight directions, being the four cardinal and four corner directions. The Huainanzi says: beyond the eight borders there are the eight cords, and beyond the eight cords there are the eight extremes. The eight extremes exist, but because footsteps cannot reach them it seems even more absurd, so it is said one believes it and yet does not. Even so, seen from the standpoint of hanging in the void, the eight directions, above and below, have no end, and also no "no end"; they have no extreme, and also no "no extreme." So it is said this is the rule of Heaven.] In the space of an error, words cannot be joined [the Way of Confucius and Mo Di, both affirming Yao and Shun and both denouncing Jie and Zhou, could never be joined in the end, and the abuses (the source text has a private-use character, the Siku edition has "abuse") come from this]. Level yet not in tune [if the rhyme is slightly off, even if level it will not fit the pitch pipes. A mistake of a thousand li lies in a hair's breadth; calamity lasting for years lies in an instant's error. So the gentleman is careful about that small point]. The moon is full in the morning, and the moon wanes in heaven, and pearl clams, snails, and mussels in the deep shoals also become empty [water branches off to form a shoal]. Above and below attach together. [This means that creatures of the same qi attach without gap; even if beasts hide in deep shoals, they wax and wane with the moon, as if they were right above. The Huainanzi says: when the sun reaches its limit, elk and deer shed their antlers; when the moon dies, snails and mussels grow thin.] Before an order is given, one knows what he will do; before he is employed, one knows where he will go; the superior applies no urging and the people exert their hearts on their own: this is the term of transformation. If employed but they do not go, if forbidden but they do not stop, high and low are at odds, this is because their ways do not match. When above gathers [one edition has "knots"] and below soothes, it is the treachery of estranging the multitude. When yin and yang cannot connect, their principles have no way to reach each other. If calculations do not match, people do not respond to those above. When the tally is lost, how could it ever match? Acting without harm, achieving without failure, one man calling and ten thousand answering, like the body obeying the mind: this is the term of government. Without a brocade [one edition has "cotton"] pole yet all moving, the key lies in the "One" [without a brocade-covered pole the spokes all move together, the key is in the pole. So the enlightened lord likes the essential, using the one to lead the ten thousand; the brocade covering the pole is why it is called a brocade pole. The Erya says: plain brocade covers the pole]. I have never seen anyone cure illness without finding the right spot (the source text has a rare character here, also absent in the Siku edition, the sense being close to "place/means"). Using civil and military by turns without getting results is because law and orders are left loose and cannot be cut off ["beheading" is the punishment of cutting. This says that when law and orders are not carried out, petty men dare to do dishonest and deceitful things without restraint. Even so, Qin competed in harsh scrutiny, and the abuses (the source text has a private-use character; the Siku edition has "abuse") were merely paper documents, ending in collapse worse than having no law at all, because there was no real heart of compassion. From this we see that without the reality of utmost sincerity and compassion inside, to try to use every means in the pursuit of law: one wants to test for truth, but it is just enough to produce falsehood; one wants to examine and govern, but it is just enough to invite disorder]. Discarding this to press that, how could it ever be obtained [going south but harnessed to a northward shaft]. Speaking in secret is easy, acting on the words is hard [words spoken without shame are hard to carry out]. Thus a father cannot get it from his son, and a ruler cannot get it from his minister [carrying out one's words applies even between ruler and minister and father and son, to say nothing of the humble]. One has seen already how Heaven obtains the trust of things [absence of falsehood is the way of Heaven], but not yet seen how humans obtain the trust of things [people cannot be as they say]. Discarding things and entrusting to circumstance is Heaven [of the myriad things, none exists; it merely follows]. Abandoning things and entrusting to circumstance ("abandon" is sometimes "diminish"), so there is nothing that can govern it yet nothing that does not come from Heaven [one edition reads: "to gain what is first in antiquity is the principle of the Way. Abandoning things and entrusting to circumstance, so none can govern it and it is not from Heaven." Its Way is as above, so nothing can govern it, yet nothing does not come from Heaven]. Things can originally be bent and reshaped, and people can be commanded [this means that once one has become a thing, one has no self; this is used to make clear that Heaven cannot be moved]. That which makes things clear by law yet does not take itself to be right is the Way of Heaven [the laws of Heaven differ in various ways; examining them by the Way of Heaven, how could they be sought out? Provisionally used to answer the age, they are very much not self-righteous]. Thinking that ministers who receive instruction and present loyalty are still not enough to rely on [this tendency must fall on having laws]. So the law is institutions bent into shape [setting up a system for each place], with officials prepared to serve the lord [each office guards its own, ready for the lord's use]. Raising the good not by obscurity [not raising people's good by hidden obscurity, but only placing them once they are manifest], picking up faults not in darkness [not picking up people's faults by concealment, but dismissing them only once exposed. "Pick up" is sometimes "let go"]. Deciding this [a clause] is what the law values. If the whetstone is not used, even rewarded things may be bent and not take effect [meaning that rewards and praise are instruments for urging on a dull age. Yet rewards cannot persuade those who will not move, and punishments cannot stop those who surely cannot be stopped; if one uses a whetstone for material that needs no whetting, demanding something from nothing, even jade and silk, though given, will not work]. When there is a gap between above and below, defenses are set up, and knowledge and concealment arise together [if you make a measure to measure it, they steal the measure along with the grain; if you make scales to weigh it, they steal the scales along with the goods]. So government in private houses cannot be taken back [government in the hands of high officials], the powerful who juggle the scales of authority cannot be stopped, rewards given to the meritless cannot be reclaimed, laws abandoned and unobserved cannot be reinstated, and punishments given to those who should not be punished cannot be cut off: all because it is not shared with the people [if shared with the people, with high and low bound together by the Way, how would it come to this? When a house leaks, those below know; when a boat leaks, those above know]. To make the people put aside themselves and take the ruler as their heart is what teaching hopes for. The movements of the eight extremes cannot assist in season, so there is blockage [what is called unobstructed is open through the four directions and six passages, so how could one doubt that the movements of the eight extremes cannot assist the light? Tang's question to Ji is this]. In the past those with the Way took government not by ears and eyes [the spirit-mind is indistinct, and in a glance it again soothes beyond the eight extremes; before the village lane the ear cannot hear, beyond the wall the eye cannot see; so the sage's government relies on the Way and not on ears and eyes]. The ear governs hearing, the eye governs clarity. A single leaf blocking the eye cannot see Mount Tai; two beans plugging the ear cannot hear thunder [within a finger's width a small thing is enough to block; what is there to rely on?]. That when the Way is opened it still gets blocked, I have never heard [this explains that the Way is sufficient to rely on. For one whose Way is opened, clouds and mist cannot hinder his sight and thunder cannot disturb his hearing; even perched on a mosquito's eyelash he sees it like the folds of Mount Song or Hua; fighting on a snail's horn he hears it like the clamor of Qi and Wei. Who can block it?]. To see a dropped thing and not pick it up is not human feeling [this means there is no such thing. This explains the analogy of "I have never heard of it"]. Giving free rein to feeling to nourish life ("cultivate" is sometimes "follow") is either punished by Heaven or killed by people (one edition reads "people who defy Heaven are killed"), and it is incompetence [not fearing the calamity of Heaven or the disaster of people, with death following, one still wants to use this to nourish life, like an ant carrying a grain of rice and wishing to bear a mountain; how could it bear such a burden?]. Doing in order to succeed, in order to gain something, is what affairs hope for (one edition reads "clear") [thinking that success returns to Heaven and gain or no gain is all fate, then there is nothing hoped for; that is the Way, not an affair]. Acting for the people is the key to the Way [if the people are not yet at peace the sage does not force them; if the people are not yet weary the sage does not forcibly leave]. Only let the people know the limit, and do not replace (one edition has "attack") them [following people without taking on himself is Heaven. If the people truly know the limit, how could the sage encroach and replace them? The Da Situ says: let the people recommend the worthy, and send them out to lead the people; let the people recommend the capable, and bring them in to govern the people]. This is the sage king's conferring (one edition has "receiving") of work, used to maintain the system. That (one edition has "that") teaching is too bitter, so the people's conduct is thin [before they even reach infancy, "they begin to think of whose"]. They have lost the root, and so they contend at the branch tip [fish leave the rivers and lakes and contend over wet foam]. People have their portions in places, places have their portions in lands [each has its own region], lands have their portions in Heaven [Ying has the world. Note: this commentary seems to have a loss], Heaven has its portions in seasons [in the land of Qin the sky turns cold early, in the land of Chu the sky turns hot early, and the like], seasons have their portions in numbers [spring rides the number of wood, autumn rides the number of metal, and the like], numbers have their portions in measure [taking many numbers makes it long, taking few makes it short], and measure has its portions in the One [the One is the source of measure and number, and one heads toward it according to one's portion, like the moon, one moon illuminating all the waters]. Heaven dwells high yet its ear is low, and this is the meaning [the body of Heaven is very high, but its ear is even lower, because the movement of spirit pervades all things]. Therefore the sage king: heaven it, season it, human it, earth it. Refined and correct without herding, it can follow (one edition has "use"); without merit, much (one edition has "much merit") [the character "king" runs through the three of heaven, human, and earth, probably modeled on this]. Honoring the ruler and humbling the minister is not because of calculating closeness; appointing the worthy and employing the capable is not because of old friendship ["chu" means old acquaintance. This means not letting private favor undermine the public righteousness of the world]. Water and fire do not enter each other: this is Heaven's system [water and fire are used as analogies for kindness and righteousness. In ancient governance of the world, at the moment of extending the utmost kindness, public righteousness could not be overridden; at the moment of extending great righteousness, private favor could not interfere. Like water and fire, they aid each other without entering each other. Even so, all this is the way of humans; the Way of Heaven is not in this realm. Therefore the following text says]. What brightness cannot illuminate [what Li Zhu sought but could not find], the Way too cannot obtain. What the compass and square cannot enclose, strength too cannot lift [though heaven and earth move secretly, the true body ever abides, unlike a boat in a gully carried off in the night. Who can lift it?]. What comes out of one's own wisdom ("wisdom comes out" is in one edition "grace of it") makes jade into rings and half-rings: this is government becoming instead disorder [the uncut jade is not destroyed; who makes rings and half-rings? A half-ring is the jue. The Li lun says: one uses the jue to sever relations with someone and the ring to restore them]. If a field does not follow the land's shape, it cannot grow grain [rice suits low land, millet suits high land]. If transformation is applied without following the people, customs cannot be formed. Strictness and urgency are excess, joy and anger are fitting; if one has already claimed all four as one's own, it is not the art of a teacher [this means that though the four, excess or fit, differ, they are equally far from the Great Way; how could that be enough to sit in a teacher's seat? The Liezi says: to take eight feet as one's own possession is all confusion]. If the form is stingy (originally written "gu"; one edition has "gai") and disorder instead increases, it is that form and circumstance cannot govern one another (one edition has "gather") [form has no way to govern circumstance, circumstance has no way to govern form, so the abuse (the source text has a private-use character; the Siku edition has "abuse") is thus]. Virtue that lives or dies with the body cannot be taken as a model [Yao and Shun died, and their bones probably rotted long ago, yet they are still praised and sung without end; how could that depend on the body's survival or death? This is the model for ten thousand ages]. In the past, those who held the world did not leave Heaven (some editions lack "Heaven") and humankind and yet were good at allying with states ("with" is sometimes "for"). [Good at allying with the states they ally with. If Heaven does not rely on people it does not rely; if people do not complete Heaven they do not complete; one who leans to one side of Heaven or humankind cannot even govern himself, much less the states he allies with.] The great fame of the former kings was always established by scholars [that which leads one upward is Heaven]. Faults arise above and guilt dies below: this is how a turbid age becomes a custom. One man, oh one man, fate reaches its limit here [this is an exclamation. It means that fate reaches its limit with the ruler. Now that such misfortune is left behind, can one not grieve? The deeper the grief, the gentler the words, which is the meaning of the poets].

有一而有氣【一者元氣之始】有氣而有意【意者沖氣所生】有意而有圖【可以象矣】有圖而有名【可以言矣】有名而有形有形而有事有事而有約【八者具矣而渾淪未離所謂混沌者也】約決而時生【時生或作時立決之為言判也】時立而物生【混沌開矣於是四時行焉百物生焉】故氣相加而為時約相加而為期期相加而為功功相加而為得失得失相加而為吉凶萬物相加而為勝敗莫不發於氣【氣所以發之】通於道【道所以通之】約於事【知道而已則蕩】正於時【知事而已則差】離【或作雜】於名【離如附離之離】成於法者也法之在此者謂之近其出化彼謂之逺近而【一本無而字】至故謂之神【明之在道者為神神之在器者為明】逺而反故謂之明【老子所謂逝曰逺逺曰反】明者在此其光照【或作昭】彼其事形此其功成彼【詩曰執轡如組蓋言此矣夫為組者緫紕於此成文於彼言其動於近行於逺也孔子曰為此詩者其知政乎執此法以御民豈有不化哉幹旄之忠告至矣】從此化彼者法也生法者我也【非我則無法】成法者彼也【非彼則無所用法】生法者日在而不厭者也【精神之運隨日以新】生成在己謂之聖人【彼我元同盛德之至】惟聖人究道之情唯道之法【非真混沌孰能如此】公政以明斗柄東指天下皆春斗柄南指天下皆夏斗柄西指天下皆秋斗柄北指天下皆冬斗柄運於上事立於下斗柄指一方四塞俱【或作皆】成此道之用法也【古之聖人不下席而天下治顔如渥丹肌膚若氷雪者用此道也而世之枯槁者昧此以為黃帝肌色皯黣而堯舜如臘此墨子之道也】故日月不足以言明四時不足以言功【言其明與功更在四時日月之上】一為之法以成其業故莫不道【民鹹用之】一之法立而萬物皆來屬【以出於一故萬物不能二也】法貴如言【無信不立】言者萬物之宗也是者法之所與親也非者法之所與離也是與法親故強非與法離故亡法不如言故亂其宗故生法者命也生於法者亦命也【莫非命也】命者自然者也【莫能使之然亦莫能使之不然謂之自然】命之所立賢不必得不肖不必失【命曰彭祖之智不出堯舜之上而夀八百顔淵之才不出眾人之下而夀十八仲尼之德不出諸侯之下而困於陳蔡殷紂之行不出三仁之上而居君位蓋言此矣】命者挈己之文【一作父】者也【夫身在草萊而挈之浮榮之上者命也然而俯仰百年恍然如夣是文也非實也】故有一日之命有一年之命有一時之命有終身之命終身之命無時成者也故命無所不在無所不施【或作絶】無所不及【言無適而無有命也】時或後而得之命也既有時有命【時者天之運命者天之令南華曰諱窮久矣而不免命也求通久矣而不得時也】引其聲合之名其得時者成命日調引其聲合之名其失時者精神俱亡命日乖【夫嚬其裡一也而醜人獻之更増其陋】時命者唯聖人而後能決之【南華曰知通之有時知窮之有命臨大難而不懼者聖人之勇也】夫先王之道備然而世有困君【或作居】其失之謂者也【禮義法度應時而變時命不停法亦隨故而昧者膠柱刻舟守先王之腐餘其道雖備而只益困窮此猶枕臥芻狗而更以遭魘豈易怛也哉】故所謂道者無己【無己元作己無】者也【隨之而已】所謂德者能得人者也【亦不失己】道德之法萬物取業【所謂資而不匱者也】無形有分名曰大孰【或作敦不知其誰之子也】故東西南北之道踹【一作端】然其為分等也【南華曰知東西之相反而不可以相無則功分定矣】隂陽不同氣然其為和同也酸鹽甘苦之味相反然其為善均也【南華曰柤梨橘柚其味相反而皆可於口】五色不同採然其為好齊也五聲不同均然其可喜一也【凡此五者以譬先王之道不矜於同而矜於治】故物無非類者動靜無非氣者是故有人將【一本作一人將蓋一人之將案一本無蓋字】得一人氣吉有家將【一家之將】得一家氣吉有國將【將一國者】得一國氣吉【古人有言戰猶博也錢多則氣豪而勝資少則心怯而輸然則將之吉凶在氣兵法曰朝氣銳晝氣惰暮氣歸善用兵者避其銳氣撃其惰歸】其將【一本將字下有失字】兇者反此故同之謂一異之謂道相勝之謂勢吉凶之謂成敗賢【一本賢字上有故字】者萬舉而一失不肖者萬舉而一得其冀【或作共】善一也然則其所以為者不可一也知一之不可一也故貴道【異之謂道】空之謂一【空一作同萬物莫不無】無不備之謂道【萬物莫不有】立之謂氣通之謂類氣之害人者謂之不適味之害人者謂之毒夫社【夫社元作天社或作天杜】不防則不成霧【或作霧氣防之為言猶曰達也此言亡國之社屋之不受天陽故無以成霧蓋大社不屋而壇以受霜露之氣然後霧生焉正言社與霧者社以申立之謂氣之義霧以申通之謂類之義】氣故相利相害也【太公調曰隂陽相照相蓋相治四時相代相生相殺】類故相成相敗也【夏者春之類冬者秋之類他皆放此】積徃生跂【或作政】工【或作王】以為師【跂跛倚也師如師巫之師巫歩多跛故積徃生跂工以為師揚子曰昔者姒氏治水土而巫歩多禹扁鵲盧人也而醫多盧】積毒成藥工以為醫【此言藥之跡起而醫生焉蓋天下之多縁故跡而生故大盜貸仁義以竊國小儒借詩禮而發冡故曰焉知曽史不為桀蹠之嚆矢也】美惡相飾命曰復周物極則反命曰環流【言其周流如環】

Only with the "One" is there qi [the "One" is the beginning of primordial qi]; only with qi is there intent ["intent" is born from the qi of harmonized emptiness]; only with intent is there a diagram [images can be taken]; only with a diagram is there a name [it can be spoken of]; only with a name is there form; only with form is there affairs; only with affairs is there agreement [when these eight, the One, qi, intent, diagram, name, form, affairs, and agreement, are all present and the primal chaos has not yet separated, it is what is called hundun, chaos]. When agreement is once opened up, time is born ["time is born" is sometimes "time is established"; "opened up" means divided]; once time is established, things are born [when chaos is opened, the four seasons run and the hundred things grow]. So qi added to qi becomes time, agreement added to agreement becomes a term, terms added to terms become achievement, achievements added to achievements become gain and loss, gains and losses added together become fortune and misfortune, and ten thousand things added to ten thousand things become victory and defeat. There is nothing that does not issue from qi [qi is what issues it], communicate in the Way [the Way is what connects it], come to agreement in affairs [if one knows only the Way one will be swept away], be rectified in time [if one knows only affairs one will err], attach [or "mix"] to names ["li" is like the li in "fuli," attach], and be completed in law. The law that is on this side is called near; its going out to transform that side is called far. Near and able to reach, therefore it is called spirit [what lights up in the Way is spirit; spirit that lodges in vessels is brightness]; far and able to return, therefore it is called brightness [as Laozi said: going on is called far, and far is called returning]. Brightness is on this side, and its light shines [or "is bright"] on that side; affairs take form on this side, and achievements are completed on that side [(a rare character in the source text, lost in transcription) the Book of Songs, in "Jian xi" of the Odes of Bei, says: "Holding the reins like woven ribbons," probably meaning this. One who weaves ribbons gathers the threads on this side and a pattern forms on that side, meaning movement is near and the effect travels far. Confucius said: the one who composed this poem probably understood government? To govern the people with this method, how could any not be transformed? The admonition in "Gan mao" of the Odes of Yong reaches the utmost]. That which goes from this side to transform that side is law. What produces the law is I [without I there is no law]; what completes the law is that [without that there is nowhere to apply law]. That which produces the law is present day after day without weariness [the movement of spirit renews itself each day]. Those in whom both producing and completing lie within themselves are called sages [that and I are originally one, abundant virtue reaching its utmost]. Only the sage exhausts the reality of the Way and exclusively keeps the law of the Way [if not truly the primal chaos, who could do so?], and makes government open so as to make it clear. When the handle of the Dipper points east, the whole world is spring; when it points south, the whole world is summer; when it points west, the whole world is autumn; when it points north, the whole world is winter. The handle turns above and affairs are established below; when the handle points in one direction, the four borders are all [or "all"] accomplished: this is the use of the Way [the sages of ancient times did not need to step down from their mats and the world was governed, with faces like red cinnabar and skin like ice and snow, using this Way. The withered people of the world do not understand this layer and think the Yellow Emperor's face was dark and dry and Yao and Shun were thin as dried meat; that is the Way of Mozi]. So the sun and moon are not enough to describe its brightness, and the four seasons are not enough to describe its merit [meaning its brightness and merit lie even above the four seasons and the sun and moon]. The "One" makes law for it and completes its work, so none fails to follow this path [all the people use it]. Once the law of the "One" is established, the ten thousand things come to belong to it [because it comes from the "One," the myriad things cannot divide into two]. What is valuable in law is being as trustworthy as speech [without trust it cannot stand]. Speech is the ancestor of the myriad things. "Right" is what the law is close to, "wrong" is what the law is apart from. "Right" is close to the law, so it is strong; "wrong" is apart from the law, so it perishes. When law is not as good as speech, it confuses its ancestor. So what produces law is fate, and what is born from law is also fate [nothing is not fate]. Fate is natural [no one can make it so and no one can make it not so, and this is called naturalness]. Where fate has settled, the worthy do not necessarily obtain and the unworthy do not necessarily lose [that is: Peng Zu's wisdom did not exceed Yao and Shun's, yet he lived eight hundred years; Yan Yuan's talent was not below the common people's, yet he lived eighteen years; Confucius' virtue was not below the lords', yet he was in hardship in Chen and Cai; the conduct of Zhou of Yin did not exceed the three benevolent men Weizi, Jizi, and Bi Gan, yet he sat on the throne; probably this is what it means]. Fate lifts up one's own "culture" [one edition has "father"] [one whose body is still in the weeds but is lifted above showiness and glory is by fate; yet in the span of a hundred years it is as dim as a dream. This is culture, not reality]. Thus there is a fate of a day, a fate of a year, a fate of a time, and a fate of a lifetime. A lifetime's fate cannot be fulfilled in any single time. So fate is everywhere, applied everywhere [or "cut off everywhere"], reaching everywhere [meaning that wherever one goes, there is no place without fate]. When the time comes late but one still gets it, that too is fate. Since there is time and fate [time is Heaven's movement, fate is Heaven's command. The Nanhua (Zhuangzi) says: having long avoided hardship yet not escaping it is fate; having long sought success yet not obtaining it is time]. One who draws out that sound and joins that name and gains the time succeeds, and fate day by day becomes harmonious; one who draws out that sound and joins that name and loses the time has his spirit lost with it, and fate day by day goes awry [frowning to show the villagers is the same act, yet when the ugly woman offers it, it only increases her ugliness]. Time and fate can only be decided by the sage [the Nanhua says: to know that success has its time and hardship has its fate, and not be afraid in great difficulty, is the sage's courage]. The Way of the former kings was complete, yet in the world there were still ruler in hardship [or "dwelling"], that is what is called losing it [rites, righteousness, laws, and measures change with the times; time and fate do not stop, and law changes with them; but the benighted glue the zither pegs and mark the boat, and guard the rotting leftovers of the former kings, so that though that Way is complete, it only brings more hardship. It is like sleeping with a straw dog (a straw dog used in sacrifice and discarded after use) as a pillow and having nightmares as a result; how easy is it to be unfrightened?]. Therefore what is called the Way is that which has no self ["no self" originally reads "self none"] [merely following]. What is called virtue is that which can obtain people [and also does not lose oneself]. The law of the Way and virtue is what the myriad things take their work from [that is what is called drawing resources without being exhausted]. It has no form yet has its divisions, and its name is called Great Shu (or "Dun") [not knowing whose child it is (Laozi's "I do not know whose child it is")]. So the Ways of east, west, south, and north stand apart distinctly (one edition has "end"), yet their shares are equal [the Nanhua says: knowing that east and west are opposed yet cannot do without each other, their shares of merit are fixed]. The qi of yin and yang differ, yet their coming into "harmony" is the same. The flavors of sour, salty, sweet, and bitter oppose each other, yet their being "good" is equal [the Nanhua says: hawthorn, pear, tangerine, and pomelo have opposed flavors yet can all go into the mouth]. The colors of the five hues differ, yet their being "beautiful" is one. The tunings of the five notes differ, yet their being pleasing is the same [these five are all used as analogies for the Way of the former kings: they were not proud of sameness, but proud of order]. So there is no thing that is not of a kind, and no movement or stillness that is not qi. So when one person acts as general (one edition has "a general of one person," probably the general of one person. Note: one edition lacks "probably"), if he gets the qi of one person he is fortunate; when a household has a general (the general of one household), if he gets the qi of one household he is fortunate; when a state has a general (leading one state), if he gets the qi of one state he is fortunate [the ancients had a saying: war is like gambling; with much money the spirit is bold and wins, with little capital the heart is timid and loses. Then the general's fortune or misfortune lies in qi. The Sunzi says: the morning qi is keen, the midday qi is idle, the evening qi turns homeward; one who is good at using troops avoids the keen qi and strikes at the idle and homeward]. That general (one edition has "lose" after "general") who is unfortunate is the opposite of this. So sameness is called "One," difference is called the Way, mutual overcoming is called circumstance, and fortune and misfortune are called success and failure. The worthy (one edition has "therefore" before "worthy") fail once in ten thousand actions, and the unworthy succeed once in ten thousand actions. The good they hope for (or "share") is the same, but the methods by which they act cannot be made uniform. Knowing that the "One" cannot be made uniform, they value the Way [difference is called the Way]. Emptiness is called "One" ["emptiness" is in one edition "sameness." Nothing among the myriad things is not nothingness]. That which lacks nothing is called the Way [nothing among the myriad things is not being]. Standing is called qi, and connecting is called kind. Qi that harms people is called discomfort, and flavor that harms people is called poison. If the altar (the source text originally reads "the heavenly altar," one edition has "heavenly du") is not [unsealed], mist cannot form (or "mist qi"; "unsealed" is like "opened through". This means that the altar of a lost state is roofed over and receives no heavenly yang, so it cannot produce mist. Probably the great altar is not roofed but only built as a platform, to receive the qi of frost and dew, and then mist is born. The altar and the mist are specifically discussed: the altar is used to restate the meaning of "standing is called qi," and the mist to restate the meaning of "connecting is called kind"). Qi is how things benefit one another and harm one another [Taigong Diao (a figure in Zhuangzi, "Zeyang") said: yin and yang illuminate each other, cover (harm) each other, and govern each other; the four seasons replace each other, generate each other, and kill each other]. Kinds are how things complete one another and ruin one another [summer is the kind of spring and winter is the kind of autumn, and so on for the rest]. Accumulated going produces limping (or "government"), which the artisan takes as a teacher (or "king") ["limping" means leaning and lame. The teacher is like the teacher in "shaman teacher." Shamans' steps are mostly limping, so accumulated going produces limping, and the artisan takes it as a teacher. Yang Xiong said: in the past the Si clan (Yu of Xia) regulated the waters and lands, and shamans' steps mostly resemble Yu's; Bian Que was a man of Lu, and physicians mostly come from Lu]. Accumulated poison becomes medicine, which the artisan takes as a physician [this means that when the traces of medicine arose, the physician was born from them. Probably many of the world's (a rare character in the source text, lost in transcription) arise from old traces. So great thieves borrow benevolence and righteousness to steal states, and petty scholars use the Songs and Rites to rob graves. So it is said: how do we know that Zeng Shen and Shi Yu will not become the first signal arrows of Jie and Zhi?]. Beauty and ugliness adorn each other, which is called complex turning (fu zhou); when things reach the extreme they return, which is called circulating flow [meaning that it circulates like a ring].

天者萬物所以得立也【萬物待是而後存者天也】地者萬物所以得安也【天父道也地母道也】故天定之地處之時發之物受之聖人象之夫寒溫之變非一精之所化也【五精化氣然後寒暑成焉】天下之事非一人之所能獨知也海水廣大非獨仰一川之流也【堯十年九潦而水不為加益湯八年七旱而水不為加損是豈仰一川之鐘哉】是以明主之治世也急於求人弗獨為也【與人共之】與天【一作人】與地【亦與天地共之】建立四維【禮義亷恥謂之四維】以輔國政鉤繩相布【一作希】銜橛相制參偶具備立位乃固經【元作織】氣有常理以天地動逆天時不祥有祟事不任賢無功必敗出究其道入窮其變張軍衞外禍反在內【所謂季孫之憂不在顓臾而在蕭牆之內也】所備甚逺賊在所愛是以先王置士也舉賢用能無阿於世仁人居左【春以生之象仁】忠臣居前【南方著見象忠】義臣居右【秋以成之象義】聖人居後【北方秘密象聖】左法仁則春生殖前法忠則夏功立右法義則秋成熟後法聖則冬閉蔵先王用之髙而不墜安而不亡此萬物之本天地之門戶【本門戶雲者以結左仁右義前忠後聖而春生夏立秋成熟冬閉蔵之義】道德之益也此四大夫【或無夫字】者君之所取於外也君者天也【左右前後共法四時故君象天焉】天不開門戶使下相害也【東不法仁西不法義南不法忠北不法聖則天之門戶塞矣】進賢受上賞則下不相蔽【脩文殿御覧引鶡冠子曰進賢者受上賞則下不蔽善為政者賞之不多而民喜罰之不多而民畏焉此謂進既仕之賢者也】不待事人賢士顯不蔽之功【信雖非事人賢士而進之受賞則任事之臣勸矣故下文雲】則任事之人莫不盡忠【繁露曰一中為忠二之則為患】鄉曲慕義【邦國欣慕斯可知矣】化坐自端【羊肉不慕蟻蟻慕羶也故彼雖慕義而我之化坐自端化坐自端言恭已正南面而已】此其道之所致德之所成也本出一人故謂之天【無二上也】莫不受命不可為名故謂之神【妙萬物而為言也】至神之極見之不忒【一作惑契此道者豈有差哉】匈乖不惑務正一國【災變之至無所怛惑姑以天下大理考正吾國之失而已豈曰天之有某變也以我為有某事而致也哉】一國之刑具在於身【刑于寡妻至於兄弟以御於家邦】以身老【一作考】世【以救於世而老】正以錯國服義行仁以一正業【案正業一作王業】夫仁者君之操也義者君之行也忠者君之政也信者君之教也聖人者君之師傅也君道知人臣術知事故臨貨分財使仁犯患應難使勇受言結辭使辯慮事定計使智理民處平使謙賔奏賛見使禮【賔奏言擯賛見言詔記曰禮有擯詔樂有相歩溫之至也】用民獲眾使賢出封越境適絶國使信制天地御諸侯使聖【因任之道此其大略也甞試論之古之明王無為而用天下也豈特使仁使勇使辯使智使謙使禮使賢使信使聖哉雖天刑人僇之餘尚無棄者也故戚施直鎛籧篨防璆侏儒扶盧防瞍脩聲聾者司火眇者督繩劓者抱關刖者守囿嚚瘖跛躃以實裔土夫如是故上無遺事下無棄才三代之所以安且久者用此道也雖然知所使仁而不知其仁有大小知所使智而不知其智有逺近未可也故曰孟公綽以為趙魏老則優而不可以為滕薛大夫雍也可使南面赤也可使與賔客言也求也百乗之家可使為之宰也由也千乗之國可使治其賦也由是觀之則此書所云亦因任之大凡而已莊子曰因任已明而原省次之因任如此然後可以原省故下文雲案人僇一本作人傪非】夫仁之功善與不爭下不怨上辯士之功釋怨解難智士之功事至而治難至而應忠臣之功正言直行矯拂王過義臣之功存亡繼絶救弱誅暴信臣之功正不易言貞謙之功廢私立公【韓非子曰自營為私背私為公】禮臣之功尊君卑臣賢士之功敵國憚之四境不侵聖人之功定製於冥冥求至欲得言聽行從近親逺附明達四通【由是而上至於冥冥聖人之任也】內有挾度【操以為驗所謂道揆者是也】然後有以【一本無然以二字】量人【無節於內觀物弗之察矣】富者觀其所予足以知仁貴者觀其所舉足以知忠觀其大袢【或作伴或作祥】長不讓少貴不讓賤足以知禮達【或作迭】觀其所不行足以知義受官任治觀其去就足以知智迫之不懼足以知勇口利辭巧足以知辯使之不隱足以知信貧者觀其所不取足以知亷賤者觀其所不為足以知賢測深觀天足以知聖【因任原省之要在於知人而知人在於有以觀之孔子曰視其所以觀其所由察其所安人焉瘦哉故此文具論之】第不失次理不相舛【一本作奸一本作拏】近塞逺閉備元變成【元者備之所以不困成者變之所以不倦】明事知分度數獨行無道之君任用麼麼【麼麼一作幼歴麼細人俊雄之反】動即煩濁有道之君任用俊雄動則明白二者先定素立白參【立白參一本作七一曰藻藻一作慕】明起【白參於下明起於上參垂貎也】氣榮相宰【君臣同體之況言氣不言血言榮不言衛相備也】上合其符下稽其實時君【時君一作時日一作貧意生期待時而發夫賢士之居邑里也合哉而難同而殊知時日】遇人有德【一作隱】君子至門不言而信萬民附親遇人暴驕萬民流離【一本作離流】上下相疑復而如環【一作不環】日夜相撓諫者弗受言者危身無從聞過故大臣偽而不忠是以為人君親其民如子者弗召自來【靈臺之效是矣】故曰有光卒於美名不施而責弗受【或作愛】而求親故曰有殃卒於不祥夫長者之事其君也調而和【一作知】之士於純【一作屯】厚【士如勿士行枚之士】引而化之天下好【或作如】之其道日從故卒必昌夫小人之事其君也務蔽其明塞其聽乗其威以灼熱人【倚上之威作人寒燠】天下惡之其崇日兇故卒必敗禍及族人此君臣之變治亂之分興壞之關梁國家之閱也【閱猶監也】逆順利害由此出生凡可無學而能者唯息與食也故先王傳【或作博】道【先王一作先生】以相効屬也賢君循成法後世久長隋君不從當世滅亡【禹之法猶存而夏不世王者由是故也】

Heaven is that by which the myriad things are able to stand [that on which the myriad things wait before they can exist is Heaven]. Earth is that by which the myriad things are able to rest [Heaven is the way of the father and Earth is the way of the mother]. So Heaven fixes their seasons and Earth gives them their places; the seasons set them in motion, things receive it, and the sage models himself on it. The changes of cold and warmth cannot be completed by a single essence [five essences transform into qi, and only then do cold and heat come to be]. The affairs of the world cannot be known by one person alone. The sea's waters are vast, not relying on a single stream [Yao had floods nine times in ten years, yet the water did not increase because of it; Tang had droughts seven times in eight years, yet the water did not decrease because of it. How could it depend on what a single stream stores up?]. So the enlightened ruler, governing the world, is eager to seek people and does not act alone [he shares it with others]. With Heaven [one text has "people"] and with Earth [he shares it with Heaven and Earth as well], he establishes the four cords [ritual, righteousness, integrity and shame are called the four cords] to support the government of the state. The hook and the cord are set out against each other [one text has "rare"], the bit and the peg restrain each other, and when the three and the pair are all complete, the position established is firm. The warp [the original reads "weave"] of qi has constant principle, moving in accord with Heaven and Earth. To go against Heaven's seasons is inauspicious and brings calamity; to carry on affairs without employing the worthy has no merit and surely fails. Go out and exhaust that Way; come in and exhaust that change. If one spreads out armies to guard the outside, the disaster is instead inside [as in the saying that Ji Sun's worry was not in Zhuanyu but within the screen wall (Analects, "Ji Shi")]. One guards against what is far, yet the thieves are among those one loves. So the former kings set up scholars, raised the worthy and employed the able, not catering to the vulgar. The benevolent stand at the left [spring, with its growth, takes its image from benevolence], the loyal ministers stand in front [the south is conspicuous and visible, and takes its image from loyalty], the righteous ministers stand at the right [autumn, with its fulfillment, takes its image from righteousness], and the sages stand behind [the north is hidden and secret, and takes its image from the sage]. Taking the left as modeled on benevolence, it is spring and things grow; taking the front as modeled on loyalty, it is summer and achievements are established; taking the right as modeled on righteousness, it is autumn and things ripen; taking the back as modeled on the sage, it is winter and things are stored away. The former kings used this, so that they were high yet did not fall, secure yet did not perish. This is the root (a rare character in the base text, lost in transcription; the common text reads "di") of the myriad things and the gate of Heaven and Earth [saying "root and gate" serves to sum up the left benevolence and right righteousness, front loyalty and back sagehood, and spring growth, summer establishment, autumn ripening and winter storing], and it increases the Way and virtue. These four great men (the benevolent, loyal minister, righteous minister and sage) [some texts lack the word "great men"] are taken by the ruler from outside. The ruler is Heaven [the left, right, front and back together model the four seasons, so the ruler takes his image from Heaven]. Heaven does not open its gate to let those below harm one another [if the east does not model benevolence, the west righteousness, the south loyalty and the north the sage, Heaven's gate is blocked]. If those who recommend the worthy receive the highest reward, those below do not conceal one another [the Xiuwen Dian Yulan quotes the Heguanzi: those who recommend the worthy receive the highest reward, and those below do not conceal goodness; in governing, if rewards are not many yet the people are pleased, and punishments are not many yet the people fear. This refers to promoting worthy persons who are already in office]. Without waiting for those who have already served the ruler, worthy gentlemen display the merit of not concealing [indeed, even if they are not worthy gentlemen who have already served the ruler, promoting them and letting them receive rewards will encourage ministers in office, and so the following text says], and those who hold office and do their work are all loyal [the Chunqiu Fanlu says: one heart without a second is called loyalty, and having a second heart becomes a calamity]. The villages admire righteousness [the admiration of the states can be known from this], and transformation sits and corrects itself [mutton does not envy ants; ants envy the gamey smell; so though the other side admires righteousness, my own transformation sits and corrects itself. "Transformation sits and corrects itself" means only to be reverent in oneself and face south (the Analects line about Shun's governing by non-action)]. This is what the Way leads to and virtue accomplishes. The root comes from one person, so it is called Heaven [there is no second above him]. There is none who does not receive his command, and it cannot be given a name, so it is called spirit [this speaks of its wonder over the myriad things]. At the utmost of spirit, one sees no error in it [one text has "delusion." One who accords with this Way, how could there be error?]. Even when chest and mind are at odds one is not confused, and one strives to set one state right [when disasters and changes come, there is nothing to fear or be confused about, one just takes the great principle of the world to examine and correct the faults of my state; how could it mean that when Heaven has a certain change, it was brought on by a certain thing of mine?]. The model of one state is all in oneself [the Songs say: to be a model to his wife, extending to brothers, to govern household and state]. With his own person he lives out his years in the world [one text has "examine"] [using it to save this age, and thereby living out his years]; having set it right, he uses it to arrange the state, practices righteousness and benevolence, and uses "the One" to correct his work [note: "correct his work" is "kingly work" in one text]. Benevolence is the ruler's conduct; righteousness is the ruler's affair; loyalty is the ruler's government; good faith is the ruler's teaching; the sage is the ruler's teacher. The ruler's way lies in knowing people; the minister's art lies in knowing affairs. So for facing goods and distributing wealth, use the benevolent; for confronting hardship and responding to danger, use the brave; for receiving words and composing phrases, use the eloquent; for planning affairs and settling schemes, use the wise; for governing people and handling things fairly, use the modest; for receiving guests and presenting petitions, use those who know ritual ["receiving guests" refers to the usher who guides guests, and "presenting petitions" refers to the announcer who calls names and introduces. The Book of Rites says: ritual has ushers and announcers, music has assistants and steps, which is the utmost of gentleness]; for employing the people and winning the multitude, use the worthy; for going beyond the borders, crossing the frontier, to very distant states, use those who keep good faith; for regulating Heaven and Earth and commanding the lords, use the sage [the way of assigning according to ability is only an outline. Let me discuss it: the enlightened kings of old used the world through non-action, so how could it be only using the benevolent, brave, eloquent, wise, modest, ritual, worthy, trustworthy and sage? Even those left over after Heaven's punishment or human mutilation were not discarded. So the hunchback who cannot stand upright was made to hold the great bell, the one with a protruding chest who cannot bend was made to carry the jade (the base text reads a variant here, a mistake for "cover"), the dwarf was made to hold the halberd shaft, the blind musician was made to practice sounds (the base text reads a variant here, a mistake for "blind"), the deaf were put in charge of fire, the one-eyed were made to inspect the ink line, the noseless were made to guard gates, those with feet cut off were made to guard gardens, and the stubborn, the mute and the lame were used to fill the remote borders. In this way, there was no matter above that was dropped and no talent below that was discarded. The Three Dynasties were secure and lasting by using this way. Even so, to know only that one should use benevolence without knowing that benevolence has greater and lesser kinds, or to know only that one should use wisdom without knowing that wisdom has near and far kinds, is still not enough. So it is said: Meng Gongchuo as a household minister of Zhao and Wei would have strength to spare, but could not be a senior official of Teng or Xue; Ran Yong could be made to face south; Gongxi Chi could be made to converse with guests; Ran Qiu, in a family of a hundred chariots, could be made steward; Zhong You, in a state of a thousand chariots, could be made to manage the military levies. From this we see that what this book says is only the general outline of assigning according to ability. The Zhuangzi says: once assignment according to ability is clear, tracing back and examining comes next. Having reached this point of assignment according to ability, one can then trace and examine, so the following text says it. Note: in one text a character is a variant, which is wrong.] The merit of the benevolent is doing good, giving without contending, so those below do not resent those above; the merit of the eloquent is resolving resentment and untying danger; the merit of the wise is that when affairs arrive they can be handled and when trouble arrives it can be met; the merit of the loyal minister is speaking upright words and acting straight, correcting the ruler's faults; the merit of the righteous minister is preserving what has perished, continuing what has been cut off, aiding the weak and small, and punishing the cruel; the merit of the trustworthy minister is being upright and not changing his words; the merit of the steadfast and modest is discarding the private and establishing the public [Han Fei said: planning for oneself is called private, and turning away from the private is called public]; the merit of the minister of ritual is making the ruler honored and ministers humble; the merit of the worthy gentleman is that enemy states fear him and the four borders are not invaded; the merit of the sage is establishing the rules in obscurity, so that what he seeks comes and what he wants is obtained, his words are heeded and his actions followed, the near are close and the far attach, and clarity penetrates every quarter [from here upward to obscurity is the sage's office]. With rules held inwardly [holding them as a check, which is what is called "the Way's measure"], one then has what is used to measure people [if inside there is no regulation, one cannot observe external things clearly]. Of the rich, look at what he gives, enough to know his benevolence; of the noble, look at whom he recommends, enough to know his loyalty; watch him at the great ceremonial seat [or "companion," or "auspicious"], where the old do not yield to the young and the noble do not yield to the humble, enough to know his ritual; look comprehensively [or "in turn"] at what he does not do, enough to know his righteousness; when he accepts office and takes up governing, look at his coming and going, enough to know his wisdom; when pressed and unafraid, enough to know his courage; when quick of tongue and clever in speech, enough to know his eloquence; when given orders and not concealing, enough to know his good faith; of the poor, look at what he does not take, enough to know his integrity; of the lowly, look at what he does not do, enough to know his worth; fathoming the deep and observing Heaven, enough to know the sage [the essentials of assigning according to ability and tracing and examining lie in knowing people, and knowing people lies in having a way to observe. Confucius said: look at what he does, observe what he follows, examine where he is at ease, and where can a person hide (the base text has a variant, a mistake for "hide")? So this passage discusses all these]. Grades do not disturb the order, and principles do not clash with one another [one text has "treachery," another "seize"]. Near, block; far, close; prepared and primal, changed and accomplished ["primal" is that by which "prepared" is not exhausted, and "accomplished" is that by which "changed" does not tire]. Understand affairs and know proportion, and the measures run by themselves. A ruler without the Way employs petty, trivial men [one text reads "young and stunted"; "trivial" means petty people, the opposite of the eminent and heroic], and every move is vexed and muddy; a ruler with the Way employs the eminent and heroic, and every move is clear. With both established first, simplicity standing, white joining in [one text has "seven" in place of "standing white joining"; one view has "adorned," which is also written "admire"], the light rises [the white joins below, the brightness rises above. "Joining" is a hanging-down look]. Qi and glory govern one another [this is a metaphor for ruler and ministers being one body: saying qi and not blood, saying nourishing (the channel of nutrition) and not defending (the channel of protection), they complement each other]. Above, match that tally; below, verify that reality. The ruler of the time [one text has "days," another "poor." The meaning is: giving rise to expectation and waiting until the time arrives to act. Worthy gentlemen live in the villages, matching yet hard to unite and differing, they know the day and time] meets a person of virtue [one text has "hidden"]; when the noble person arrives at the door, without saying anything he makes people trust, and the ten thousand people come to attach and be close; if he meets someone tyrannical and arrogant, the ten thousand people drift away [one text has "away drifting"]. When high and low suspect one another, going round like a ring [one text has "not a ring"], stirring each other up day and night, remonstrance is not accepted, speakers harm themselves, faults cannot be heard, and so great ministers are false and disloyal. So a ruler of people should love his people as sons, and they come without being summoned [the effect of building the Spirit Terrace in the Songs, when the people came of their own accord, is this]. So it is said: having light, one finally gains a fine name. To demand without giving, to seek closeness without taking in [or "loving"], so it is said: having calamity, one finally comes to ill omen. A senior one serves his ruler by harmonizing and accommodating him [one text has "knowing"], engaged in pure [one text has "gathered"] generosity ["engaged" is as in "do not engage in carrying the gag," meaning to undertake], guiding and transforming, and the world likes him [or "is like"], and his Way is followed more each day, so in the end he surely flourishes. A petty person serves his ruler by specializing in covering his clarity and stopping his hearing, borrowing his awe to scorch others [relying on the awe above and making people suddenly cold or hot], and the world hates him, and his calamity grows fiercer day by day, so in the end he surely fails, and disaster extends to his clan. This is the change of ruler and ministers, the division of order and disorder, the pass of flourishing and ruin, and the inspection of the state ["inspection" is like surveillance]. Obstruction and compliance, benefit and harm arise from here. All that can be done without learning are only breathing and eating. So the former kings passed on [or "widened"] the Way [one text has "elders" for "former kings"], so that people would model on one another and be connected. A worthy ruler follows the established law and later ages are long; a lazy ruler (the base text has a variant for "lazy") does not follow it and perishes in his own time [Yu's law was still there, yet Xia could not remain kings through the generations; this is the reason].