Ren Jian Xun (Among Humans)

清淨恬愉，人之性也；儀表規矩，事之制也。知人之性，其自養不勃；知事之制，其舉錯不惑。發一端，散無竟，周八極，總一筦，謂之心。見本而知末，觀指而睹歸，執一而應萬，握要而治詳，謂之術。居智所為，行智所之，事智所秉，動智所由，謂之道。道者，置之前而不𨎌，錯之後而不軒，內之尋常而不塞，布之天下而不窕。是故使人高賢稱譽己者，心之力也；使人卑下誹謗己者，心之罪也。夫言出於口者不可止於人，行發於邇者不可禁於遠。事者，難成而易敗也；名者，難立而易廢也。千里之隄，以螻螘之穴漏；百尋之屋，以突隙之煙焚。

Purity, stillness, tranquility, and joy are human nature; deportment, norms, and rules are the institutions of affairs. Knowing human nature, nourishing oneself will not go astray; knowing the institutions of affairs, one's moves will not be confused. What issues from one point and scatters to no end, pervading the eight poles and all returning to one tube, is called the heart. Seeing the root, one knows the branch; observing the direction, one sees the destination; holding to one to respond to ten thousand and grasping the essentials to govern in detail is called the art. At rest knowing what one does, in walking knowing where one goes, in work knowing what one holds, in movement knowing what one follows is called the Way. The Way, placed in front is not low, placed behind is not high, put into the ordinary is not blocked, spread across the world has no gaps. So what makes people attach a lofty and worthy name to oneself is the strength of the heart; what makes people attach a low slander to oneself is the fault of the heart. Words that leave the mouth cannot be stopped at others; conduct that issues from near cannot be forbidden far away. Affairs are hard to complete and easy to ruin; names are hard to establish and easy to abandon. A dike of a thousand li leaks through the hole of a mole cricket or ant; a house of a hundred fathoms burns from the smoke through a chimney crack.

堯戒曰：「戰戰慄慄，日慎一日。人莫蹪於山，而蹪於蛭。」是故人皆輕小害，易微事，以多悔。患至而後憂之，是猶病者已惓而索良醫也，雖有扁鵲、俞跗之巧，猶不能生也。夫禍之來也，人自生之；福之來也，人自成之。禍與福同門，利與害為鄰，非神聖人，莫之能分。凡人之舉事，莫不先以其知規慮揣度，而後敢以定謀。其或利或害，此愚智之所以異也。曉自然以為智，知存亡之樞機，禍福之門戶，舉而用之，陷溺於難者，不可勝計也。使知所為是者，事必可行，則天下無不達之塗矣。是故知慮者，禍福之門戶也；動靜者，利害之樞機也。百事之變化，國家之治亂，待而後成。是故不溺於難者成，是故不可不慎也。

Yao warned: "Trembling and fearful, more careful each day. No one stumbles on a mountain, but one stumbles on an anthill." So people all take small harms lightly and make little of minor affairs, and so have many regrets. To worry only after trouble arrives is like a sick person seeking a good doctor only after he is already worn out; even with the skill of Bian Que or Yu Fu he cannot be made to live. Calamity's coming is produced by people themselves; blessing's coming is accomplished by people themselves. Calamity and blessing share a gate, and benefit and harm are neighbors; except for a divine sage, no one can separate them. In everything people undertake, none fails to first plan and gauge with their wisdom and only then dares to decide. Some find benefit and some find harm; this is why the foolish and wise differ. Taking the natural as wisdom, one knows the pivots of survival and ruin and the doors of calamity and blessing, yet when they raise it to use it and fall into hardship, they are too many to count. If one knew that what one does is right, the matter would surely be workable, and then there would be no road in the world that does not go through. So thought and deliberation are the doors of calamity and blessing; movement and stillness are the pivots of benefit and harm. The changes of a hundred matters and the order and disorder of a state wait on them before being completed. So those who do not fall into hardship succeed, and so one must be careful.

天下有三危：少德而多寵，一危也；才下而位高，二危也；身無大功而受厚祿，三危也。故物或損之而益，或益之而損。何以知其然也？昔者楚莊王既勝晉於河、雍之間，歸而封孫叔敖，辭而不受，病疽將死，謂其子曰：「吾則死矣，王必封女。女必讓肥饒之地，而受沙石之間有寑丘者，其地確石而名醜。荊人鬼，越人禨，人莫之利也。」孫叔敖死，王果封其子以肥饒之地，其子辭而不受，請有寑之丘。楚國之俗，功臣二世而爵祿，惟孫叔敖獨存。此所謂損之而益也。

There are three dangers in the world: little virtue yet much favor is the first danger; low talent yet high position is the second danger; no great merit on one's person yet receiving generous salary is the third danger. So among things there are those that increase by being diminished and those that diminish by being increased. How do we know it is so? In the past King Zhuang of Chu had already defeated Jin between the He and Yong rivers, and on returning enfeoffed Sun Shu'ao, who declined to accept. When he was dying of a carbuncle, he told his son: "If I die, the king will surely enfeoff you. You must decline the rich and fertile land and accept the place between sandy stones named Qinqiu, whose land is barren and whose name is ugly. The men of Jing believe in ghosts and the men of Yue believe in omens; no one will covet its benefit." When Sun Shu'ao died, the king indeed offered his son rich and fertile land; the son declined and requested Qinqiu. By the custom of Chu, the stipend of meritorious ministers was taken back after two generations, and only Sun Shu'ao's line alone endured. This is what is called increasing by being diminished.

何謂益之而損？昔晉厲公南伐楚，東伐齊，西伐秦，北伐燕，兵橫行天下而無所綣，威服四方而無所詘，遂合諸侯於嘉陵。氣充志驕，淫侈無度，暴虐萬民。內無輔拂之臣，外無諸侯之助。戮殺大臣，親近導諛。明年出遊匠驪氏，欒書、中行偃劫而幽之，諸侯莫之救，百姓莫之哀，三月而死。夫戰勝攻取，地廣而名尊，此天下之所願也，然而終於身死國亡。此所謂益之而損者也。

What is called diminishing by being increased? In the past Duke Li of Jin attacked Chu in the south, Qi in the east, Qin in the west, and Yan in the north; his troops marched across the world without being bent, his authority awed the four quarters without submission, and so he gathered the feudal lords at Jialing. Filled with qi and arrogant in will, his extravagance had no limit, and he abused the myriad people. Inside he had no ministers to assist and correct him, and outside no help from the feudal lords. He killed great ministers and kept flatterers close. The following year, he went touring to the Jiangli clan, where Luan Shu and Zhonghang Yan seized and confined him, and none of the feudal lords rescued him, none of the people grieved, and in three months he died. To win in battle and seize, to widen land and honor one's name is what the world wants, yet in the end he lost his life and his state. This is what is called diminishing by being increased.

夫孫叔敖之請有寑之丘，沙石之地，所以累世不奪也；晉厲公之合諸侯於嘉陵，所以身死於匠驪氏也。眾人皆知利利而病病也，唯聖人知病之為利，知利之為病也。夫再實之木根必傷，掘藏之家必有殃，以言大利而反為害也。張武教智伯奪韓、魏之地而擒於晉陽，申叔時教莊王封陳氏之後而霸天下。孔子讀《易》至《損》《益》，未嘗不憤然而歎，曰：「益損者，其王者之事與！事或欲以利之，適足以害之；或欲害之，乃反以利之。利害之反，禍福之門戶，不可不察也。」

Sun Shu'ao asked for Qinqiu, a land of sand and stone, so his line was not deprived for generations; Duke Li of Jin gathered the feudal lords at Jialing, and so died at Jiangli. Everyone knows to regard benefit as benefit and illness as illness; only the sage knows that illness can become benefit and that benefit can become illness. A tree that bears fruit twice has its roots damaged, and a household that digs up hoards will surely have calamity; this means great profit becomes harm. Zhang Wu taught Zhi Bo to seize the lands of Han and Wei, and yet he was captured at Jinyang; Shen Shushi taught King Zhuang to enfeoff Chen's descendants, and yet he became hegemon of the world. Confucius, reading the Book of Changes, on reaching Sun (Decrease) and Yi (Increase), never failed to sigh with feeling and say: "Increase and decrease, perhaps these are the business of a king! There are matters one wants to use to benefit a thing which are just enough to harm it, and matters one wants to harm which instead benefit it. The reversal of benefit and harm is the door of calamity and blessing and must be examined."

陽虎為亂於魯，魯君令人閉城門而捕之，得者有重賞，失者有重罪。圍三匝，而陽虎將舉劍而伯頤。門者止之曰：「天下探之不窮，我將出子。」陽虎因赴圍而逐，揚劍提戈而走。門者出之，顧反取其出之者，以戈推之，攘袪薄腋。出之者怨之曰：「我非故與子反也，為之蒙死被罪，而乃反傷我。宜矣其有此難也！」魯君聞陽虎失，大怒，問所出之門，使有司拘之，以為傷者受大賞，而不傷者被重罪。此所謂害之而反利者也。

When Yang Hu made trouble in Lu, the ruler of Lu had the city gates closed to catch him, with great reward for those who caught him and heavy penalty for those who let him go. He was surrounded three times, and Yang Hu was about to raise his sword and cut his throat. The gatekeeper stopped him and said: "The search in the world has no end; I will let you out." Yang Hu then burst out of the encirclement and chased, raising his sword and holding his dagger-axe as he ran. The gatekeeper let him out, and he turned and seized the man who let him out, pushing him with the dagger-axe and pulling open his sleeve to press close to his armpit. The one who let him out resented him and said: "It was not that I originally meant to oppose you; I braved death and punishment for you, and you instead hurt me. That you have this trouble is deserved!" When the ruler of Lu heard that Yang Hu had escaped, he was furious and asked through which gate he had gone out, had the officials detain people, greatly rewarded the one who was wounded, and increased the penalty for those who were not wounded. This is what is called harming him but instead benefiting him.

何謂欲利之而反害之？楚恭王與晉人戰於鄢陵，戰酣，恭王傷而休。司馬子反渴而求飲，豎陽穀奉酒而進之。子反之為人也，嗜酒而甘之，不能絕於口，遂醉而臥。恭王欲復戰，使人召司馬子反，辭以心痛。王駕而往視之，入幄中而聞酒臭。恭王大怒曰：「今日之戰，不穀親傷，所恃者，司馬也，而司馬又若此，是亡楚國之社稷，而不率吾眾也。不穀無與復戰矣！」於是罷師而去之，斬司馬子反為僇。故豎陽穀之進酒也，非欲禍子反也，誠愛而欲快之也，而適足以殺之。此所謂欲利之而反害之者也。

What is called wanting to benefit him but instead harming him? King Gong of Chu fought the men of Jin at Yanling, and in the heat of battle King Gong was wounded and resting. Sima Zifan was thirsty and asked for a drink, and the attendant Yang Gu offered wine. Zifan, being fond of wine and finding it sweet, could not stop drinking and so lay down drunk. King Gong wanted to fight again and sent someone to summon Sima Zifan, who declined saying his heart ached. The king drove his carriage to see him, and on entering the tent smelled the odor of wine. King Gong was furious and said: "In today's battle, I myself was wounded, and what I relied on was the Sima; the Sima being like this, he is ruining the altars of Chu and not leading my multitude. I have no partner for fighting again!" So he disbanded the army and left, and had Sima Zifan beheaded to show the people. So when the attendant Yang Gu offered wine, he did not want to harm Zifan; he truly loved him and wanted to give him pleasure, but it was just enough to kill him. This is what is called wanting to benefit him but instead harming him.

夫病溼而強之食，病暍而飲之寒，此眾人之所以為養也，而良醫之所以為病也。悅於目，悅於心，愚者之所利也，然而有道者之所闢也。故聖人先忤而後合，眾人先合而後忤。有功者，人臣之所務也；有罪者，人臣之所闢也。

To force someone ill with dampness to eat, or to give someone with heatstroke something cold to drink, is what ordinary people do to nourish, but a good doctor sees it as what causes illness. What pleases the eye and pleases the heart is the profit of fools but what those who have the Way avoid. So the sage first opposes and then agrees, while ordinary people first agree and then oppose. To have merit is what ministers strive for; to have guilt is what ministers avoid.

或有功而見疑，或有罪而益信，何也？則有功者離恩義，有罪者不敢失仁心也。魏將樂羊攻中山，其子執在城中，城中縣其子以示樂羊。樂羊曰：「君臣之義，不得以子為私。」攻之愈急。中山因烹其子，而遺之鼎羹與其首，樂羊循而泣之，曰：「是吾子。」已，為使者跪而啜三杯。使者歸報，中山曰：「是伏約死節者也，不可忍也。」遂降之。為魏文侯大開地，有功。自此之後，日以不信。此所謂有功而見疑者也。

Some have merit and are suspected, some have guilt and are trusted more; why? One who has merit has left kindness and righteousness, while one who has guilt dares not lose his benevolent heart. Yue Yang, a general of Wei, attacked Zhongshan, and his son was held in the city; the city hung his son up to show Yue Yang. Yue Yang said: "The righteousness between ruler and minister does not allow a son to be treated as private." He attacked even more fiercely. Zhongshan then boiled his son and sent the cauldron soup and his head to Yue Yang; Yue Yang stroked it and wept, saying: "This is my son." When he had finished, he knelt before the envoy and drank three cups. The envoy went back and reported, and Zhongshan said: "This is a man who keeps his pledge and dies for his principle; we cannot hold out any longer." So they surrendered. He greatly expanded land for Marquis Wen of Wei and had merit. After that, he was trusted less and less each day. This is what is called having merit and being suspected.

何謂有罪而益信？孟孫獵而得麑，使秦西巴持歸烹之，麑母隨之而。秦西巴弗忍，縱而予之。孟孫歸，求麑安在，秦西巴對曰：「其母隨而啼，臣誠弗忍，竊縱而予之。」孟孫怒，逐秦西巴。居一年，取以為子傅。左右曰：「秦西巴有罪於君，今以為子傅，何也？」孟孫曰：「夫一麑而不忍，又何況於人乎！」此謂有罪而益信者也。

What is meant by having guilt and being trusted more? Mengsun, while hunting, caught a fawn and had Qinxi Ba take it back to be cooked, and the fawn's mother followed it (the source text has a rare character here, lost in transcription). Qinxi Ba could not bear it, released it and returned it. When Mengsun came back, he asked where the fawn was, and Qinxi Ba answered: "Its mother followed it crying, and I truly could not bear it, so I privately released it and gave it back." Mengsun was angry and drove Qinxi Ba away. A year later he summoned him again to be tutor to his son. His attendants said: "Qinxi Ba is guilty toward you, yet now he is made tutor to your son; why?" Mengsun said: "He could not bear even a fawn, how much less a person!" This is having guilt and being trusted more.

故趨舍不可不審也，此公孫鞅之所以抵罪於秦，而不得入魏也。功非不大也，然而累足無所踐者，不義之故也。事或奪之而反與之，或與之而反取之。

So taking and rejecting must not fail to be examined; this is why Gongsun Yang took the blame in Qin and yet could not enter Wei. His merit was not small, but he was left with no place to put his feet, because of unrighteousness. In affairs, there are cases where taking from someone is actually giving to him, and cases where giving to someone is actually taking from him.

智伯求地於魏宣子，宣子弗欲與之。任登曰：「智伯之強，威行於天下，求地而弗與，是為諸侯先受禍也。不若與之。」宣子曰：「求地不已，為之奈何？」任登曰：「與之，使喜，必將復求地於諸侯，諸侯必植耳。與天下同心而圖之，一心所得者，非直吾所亡也。」魏宣子裂地而授之。又求地於韓康子，韓康子不敢不予。諸侯皆恐。又求地於趙襄子，襄子弗與。於是智伯乃從韓、魏圍襄子於晉陽。三國通謀，禽智伯而三分其國。此所謂奪人而反為人所奪者也。

Zhi Bo asked Wei Xuanzi for land, and Xuanzi did not want to give it. Ren Deng said: "Zhi Bo is strong and his power runs through the world; if he asks for land and is not given it, we would be taking disaster upon ourselves on behalf of the feudal lords. It is better to give." Xuanzi said: "If his demand for land has no end, what then?" Ren Deng said: "Give it to him and make him happy; he will surely ask the other feudal lords for land, and they will surely prick up their ears. If we plan against him in concert with the world, what we gain in common will be more than what we lose." Wei Xuanzi cut off land and gave it to him. Then he asked Han Kangzi for land, and Han Kangzi did not dare refuse. The feudal lords were all afraid. Then he asked Zhao Xiangzi for land, and Xiangzi refused. So Zhi Bo took Han and Wei with him and besieged Xiangzi at Jinyang. The three states conspired together, captured Zhi Bo and divided his state in three. This is what is called seizing from others and being seized in turn.

何謂與之而反取之？晉獻公欲假道於虞以伐虢，遺虞垂棘之璧與屈產之乘。虞公惑於璧與馬，而欲與之道。宮之奇諫曰：「不可！夫虞之與虢，若車之有輪，輪依於車，車亦依輪。虞之與虢，相恃而勢也。若假之道，虢朝亡而虞夕從之矣。」虞公弗聽，遂假之道。荀息伐虢，遂克之。還反伐虞，又拔之。此所謂與之而反取者也。

What is meant by giving to someone and then taking from him? Duke Xian of Jin wanted to borrow a road from Yu to attack Guo, and sent Yu the jade of Chuiji and the horses of Quchan. The Duke of Yu was dazzled by the jade and horses and wanted to lend the road. Gong Zhiqi remonstrated: "You must not! Yu and Guo are like a cart and its wheel: the wheel depends on the cart and the cart depends on the wheel. Yu and Guo are in a position of mutual dependence. If you lend the road, Guo will perish in the morning and Yu will follow in the evening." The Duke of Yu did not listen and lent the road. Xun Xi attacked Guo and conquered it. Turning back, he attacked Yu and took it as well. This is what is called giving to someone and then taking from him.

聖王布德施惠，非求其報於百姓也；郊望禘嘗，非求福於鬼神也。山致其高而雲起焉，水致其深而蛟龍生焉，君子致其道而福祿歸焉。夫有陰德者必有陽報，有陰行者必有昭名。古者，溝防不修，水為民害，禹鑿龍門，闢伊闕，平治水土，使民得陸處。百姓不親，五品不慎，契教以君臣之義，父子之親，夫妻之辨，長幼之序。田野不脩，民食不足，后稷乃教之闢地墾草，糞土種穀，令百姓家給人足。故三後之後，無不王者，有陰德也。周室衰，禮義廢，孔子以三代之道教導於世，其後繼嗣至今不絕者，有隱行也。秦王趙政兼吞天下而亡，智伯侵地而滅，商鞅支解，李斯車裂，三代種德而王，齊桓繼絕而霸。故樹黍者不獲稷，樹怨者無報德。

When sage kings spread virtue and bestow kindness, it is not to seek repayment from the people; when they perform the suburban sacrifices and the seasonal sacrifices, it is not to seek blessing from the spirits. When a mountain reaches its height, clouds rise; when water reaches its depth, dragons are born; when a noble person reaches his Way, blessings and salaries come to him. Those who have hidden virtue must have visible reward, and those who have hidden conduct must have a manifest name. In ancient times, when ditches and dikes were not maintained, the water became a harm to the people; Yu cut through Dragon Gate and opened Yique, leveled the waters and lands, and let the people live on dry ground. When the people were not close and the five relationships were not carefully kept, Xie taught them with the righteousness of ruler and minister, the closeness of father and son, the distinction of husband and wife, and the order of old and young. When the fields were not cultivated and the people's food was not enough, Houji taught them to clear land and break grass and to fertilize the soil and plant grain, so that every family was supplied and every person had enough. So the descendants of the Three Lords all became kings, because they had hidden virtue. When the Zhou house declined and ritual and righteousness were abandoned, Confucius taught the Way of the Three Dynasties in the world, and his line of descendants has continued without interruption to this day, because he had hidden conduct. Zheng, King of Qin, swallowed up the world and perished; Zhi Bo invaded lands and was destroyed; Shang Yang was dismembered and Li Si was torn apart by carriages; the Three Dynasties planted virtue and became kings, and Duke Huan of Qi continued broken lines and became hegemon. So one who plants millet cannot harvest panicled millet, and one who sows resentment cannot receive the repayment of virtue.

昔者，宋人好善者，三世不解。家無故而黑牛生白犢，以問先生，先生曰：「此吉祥，以饗鬼神。」居一年，其父無故而盲，牛又復生白犢，其父又復使其子以問先生。其子曰：「前聽先生言而失明，今又復問之，奈何？」其父曰：「聖人之言，先忤而後合。其事未究，固試往復問之。」其子又復問先生，先生曰：「此吉祥也，復以饗鬼神。」歸致命其父，其父曰：「行先生之言也。」居一年，其子又無故而盲。其後楚攻宋，圍其城。當此之時，易子而食，析骸而炊，丁壯者死，老病童兒皆上城，牢守而不下。楚王大怒，城已破，諸城守者皆屠之。此獨以父子盲之故，得無乘城。軍罷圍解，則父子俱視。夫禍福之轉而相生，其變難見也。

In the past, there was a man of Song who loved goodness and did not tire of it for three generations. In his house, for no reason, a black ox gave birth to a white calf, and he asked a diviner, who said: "This is auspicious; take it and sacrifice it to the spirits." A year later, the father suddenly went blind for no reason, and the ox again gave birth to a white calf, and the father again sent his son to ask the diviner. The son said: "We followed the diviner's words before and went blind; now we go to ask again; what shall we do?" The father said: "The words of the sages first oppose and then agree. The matter is not finished; go and ask again for now." The son went again to ask the diviner, who said: "This is auspicious; take it again and sacrifice it to the spirits." He returned and reported to his father, who said: "Do as the diviner says." A year later, the son also went blind for no reason. Later Chu attacked Song and besieged the city. At that time they swapped children to eat and split bones to burn; strong men died and the old, sick and children all went up on the wall, defending firmly, and the city could not be taken. The King of Chu was furious, and when the city was finally broken, all the defenders were slaughtered. This family, because father and son were blind, were spared from going up on the wall. When the army withdrew and the siege was lifted, father and son both recovered their sight. Misfortune and fortune turn and give birth to each other, and their changes are hard to see.

近塞上之人有善術者，馬無故亡而入胡，人皆弔之。其父曰：「此何遽不為福乎！」居數月，其馬將胡駿馬而歸，人皆賀之。其父曰：「此何遽不能為禍乎！」家富良馬，其子好騎，墮而折其髀，人皆弔之。其父曰：「此何遽不為福乎！」居一年，胡人大入塞，丁壯者引弦而戰，近塞之人，死者十九，此獨以跛之故，父子相保。故福之為禍，禍之為福，化不可極，深不可測也。

Among those living near the frontier, there was a man skilled at calculation. A horse of his, for no reason, ran off into the land of the Hu, and people all came to console him. His father said: "How is this not a blessing?" A few months later the horse came back leading a fine horse of the Hu, and people all congratulated him. His father said: "How could this not become a misfortune?" The family became rich in fine horses, and the son liked to ride, fell and broke his thigh, and people all came to console him. His father said: "How is this not a blessing?" A year later, the Hu came in great numbers into the frontier, and the strong men drew their bows and fought; of those living near the frontier, nine out of ten died, but this family, because of the lameness, kept father and son safe together. So fortune turns into misfortune and misfortune into fortune; the changes cannot be exhausted and are too deep to measure.

或直於辭而不害於事者，或虧於耳以忤於心而合於實者。高陽魋將為室，問匠人。匠人對曰：「未可也。木尚生，加塗其上，必將撓。以生材任重塗，今雖成，後必敗。」高陽魋曰：「不然。夫木枯則益勁，塗乾則益輕。以勁材任輕塗，今雖惡，後必善。」匠人窮於辭，無以對，受令而為室。其始成，竘然善也，而後果敗。此所謂直於辭而不可用者也。

Some words are blunt but do not harm the matter, and some words sound deficient and go against the heart yet match reality. Gaoyang Wei was about to build a house and asked the carpenter. The carpenter answered: "It cannot be done yet. The wood is still green, and if plaster is added it will surely warp. If green material bears heavy plaster, even if it is finished now it will surely fail later." Gaoyang Wei said: "Not so. Wood becomes stronger when it dries, and plaster becomes lighter when it dries. If strong material bears light plaster, even if it is poor now, it will surely be good later." The carpenter was out of words and had no reply, and took the order to build the house. When it was first built it was beautiful, but later it indeed failed. This is what is called blunt words that cannot be used.

何謂虧於耳、忤於心而合於實？靖郭君將城薛，賓客多止之，弗聽。靖郭君謂謁者曰：「無為賓通言。」齊人有請見者曰：「臣請道三言而已；過三言，請烹。」靖郭君聞而見之，賓趨而進，再拜而興，因稱曰：「海大魚。」則反走。靖郭君止之曰：「願聞其說。」賓曰：「臣不敢以死為熙。」靖郭君曰：「先生不遠道而至此，為寡人稱之！」賓曰：「海大魚，網弗能止也，釣弗能牽也。蕩而失水，則螻螘皆得志焉。今夫齊，君之淵也。君失齊，則薛能自存乎？」靖郭君曰：「善。」乃止不城薛。此所謂虧於耳、忤於心而得事實者也。

What is meant by words that sound deficient and go against the heart yet match reality? Lord Jingguo was about to build a wall for Xue, and many guests came to stop him, but he would not listen. Lord Jingguo said to the usher: "Do not announce any guests." There was a man of Qi who asked for an audience, saying: "I ask only to speak three words; if I go beyond three words, boil me." Lord Jingguo heard this and saw him; the guest hurried forward, bowed twice and rose, and then said: "Sea big fish." Then he turned and ran. Lord Jingguo stopped him and said: "I hope to hear the explanation." The guest said: "I dare not joke with death." Lord Jingguo said: "You did not come a long way to this place for nothing; tell it to me!" The guest said: "The big fish of the sea cannot be stopped by a net or held by a hook. But if it once moves and leaves the water, even mole crickets and ants can have their way with it. Now Qi is your abyss. If you lose Qi, can Xue survive by itself?" Lord Jingguo said: "Good." So he stopped and did not build the wall for Xue. This is what is called words that sound deficient and go against the heart yet obtain the fact.

夫以「無城薛」止城薛，其於以行說，乃不若「海大魚」。故物或遠之而近，或近之而遠；或說聽計當而身疏，或言不用、計不行而益親。

To use "do not build a wall for Xue" to stop the wall-building is, in action, actually not as good as "sea big fish." So with things, there are those that are nearer when you leave them and farther when you approach; there are those whose words are heard and whose plans are right yet who are themselves distanced, and those whose words are not used and whose plans are not carried out yet who are drawn closer.

何以明之？三國伐齊，圍平陸。括子以報於牛子曰：「三國之地不接於我，踰鄰國而圍平陸，利不足貪也。然則求名於我也。請以齊侯往。」牛子以為善。括子出，無害子入，牛子以括子言告無害子。無害子曰：「異乎臣之所聞。」牛子曰：「國危而不安，患結而不解，何謂貴智！」無害子曰：「臣聞之，有裂壤土以安社稷者，聞殺身破家以存其國者，不聞出其君以為封疆者。」牛子不聽無害子之言，而用括子之計，三國之兵罷，而平陸之地存。自此之後，括子日以疏，無害子日以進。故謀患而患解，圖國而國存，括子之智得矣。無害子之慮無中於策，謀無益於國，然而心調於君，有義行也。今人待冠而飾首，待履而行地。冠履之於人也，寒不能煖，風不能障，暴不能蔽也，然而冠冠履履者，其所自託者然也。夫咎犯戰勝城濮，而雍季無尺寸之功，然而雍季先賞而咎犯後存者，其言有貴者也。故義者，天下之所賞也。百言百當，不如擇趨而審行也。或無功而先舉，或有功而後賞。何以明之？昔晉文公將與楚戰城濮，問於咎犯曰：「為奈何？」咎犯曰：「仁義之事，君子不厭忠信；戰陳之事，不厭詐偽。君其詐之而已矣。」辭咎犯，問雍季，雍季對曰：「焚林而獵，愈多得獸，後必無獸。以詐偽遇人，雖愈利，後無復。君其正之而已矣。」於是不聽雍季之計，而用咎犯之謀，與楚人戰，大破之。還歸賞有功者，先雍季而後咎犯。左右曰：「城濮之戰，咎犯之謀也。君行賞先雍季，何也？」文公曰：「咎犯之言，一時之權也。雍季之言，萬世之利也。吾豈可以先一時之權，而後萬世之利也哉！」智伯率韓、魏二國伐趙，圍晉陽，決晉水而灌之。城下緣木而處，縣釜而炊。襄子謂張孟談曰：「城中力已盡，糧食匱乏，大夫病，為之奈何？」張孟談曰：「亡不能存，危不能安，無為貴智士。

What proves this? Three states attacked Qi and besieged Pinglu. Kuozi reported to Niuzi: "The land of the three states does not border ours; they crossed a neighboring state to besiege Pinglu; the benefit is not worth coveting. Then it is that they seek fame from me. Please let the Marquis of Qi go out." Niuzi thought it good. Kuozi went out and Wuhaizi came in, and Niuzi told Wuhaizi what Kuozi had said. Wuhaizi said: "This is different from what I have heard." Niuzi said: "The state is in danger and not secure, trouble is knotted and not resolved; what is the use of valuing wisdom?" Wuhaizi said: "I have heard of those who cut up land to secure the altars of the state, and of those who sacrificed their lives and broke their families to preserve their states, but I have never heard of making one's own ruler go out to serve as a border guard." Niuzi did not listen to Wuhaizi and used Kuozi's plan, the troops of the three states withdrew, and the land of Pinglu was preserved. After this, Kuozi was kept further away day by day, and Wuhaizi was employed more and more. So planning against trouble and trouble being resolved, planning for the state and the state being preserved: Kuozi's wisdom was achieved. Wuhaizi's thoughts did not hit on a good plan and his schemes did not benefit the state, but his heart was in harmony with his ruler and he acted with righteousness. People today wait for a cap to adorn the head and wait for shoes to tread the ground. Caps and shoes, for a person, cannot warm him in cold, cannot block wind, cannot shield from scorching sun, yet people still wear caps and shoes because of what they are attached to. Jiu Fan won the victory at Chengpu and Yong Ji had not an inch of merit, yet Yong Ji was rewarded first and Jiu Fan was placed after, because Yong Ji's words had something precious in them. So righteousness is what the world rewards. A hundred sentences that are right a hundred times are not as good as choosing the direction and carrying it out carefully. Some without merit are raised first, and some with merit are rewarded later. What proves this? In the past, Duke Wen of Jin was about to fight Chu at Chengpu and asked Jiu Fan: "What shall we do?" Jiu Fan said: "In matters of benevolence and righteousness, the noble person never tires of loyalty and good faith; in matters of battle formation, one never tires of deceit. Your Majesty should just deceive them." He took leave of Jiu Fan and asked Yong Ji, who answered: "If you burn a forest to hunt, you will get more beasts at first but later there will certainly be no beasts. If you treat people with deceit, though you will profit more at first, afterward there will be nothing further to do. Your Majesty should simply be upright." So he did not listen to Yong Ji's plan but used Jiu Fan's scheme, fought the men of Chu and greatly defeated them. On returning he rewarded those with merit, putting Yong Ji first and Jiu Fan after. His attendants said: "The battle of Chengpu was Jiu Fan's plan. Why does Your Majesty put Yong Ji first in the rewards?" Duke Wen said: "Jiu Fan's words were an expedient for the moment. Yong Ji's words were a benefit for ten thousand generations. How can I put the expedient of the moment ahead of the benefit of ten thousand generations!" Zhi Bo led the two states of Han and Wei to attack Zhao and besieged Jinyang, breaking open the Jin River to flood it. Below the city they lived on wooden platforms, hanging cauldrons to cook. Xiangzi said to Zhang Mengtan: "The strength in the city is already exhausted, provisions are short, and the high officers are ill; what shall we do?" Zhang Mengtan said: "If it is lost it cannot be preserved, and if it is in danger it cannot be secured; what is the use of valuing wise men.

臣請試潛行，見韓、魏之君而約之。」乃見韓、魏之君，說之曰：「臣聞之，唇亡而齒寒。今智伯率二君而伐趙，趙將亡矣。趙亡，則君為之次矣。及今而不圖之，禍將及二君。」二君曰：「智伯之為人也，粗中而少親。我謀而洩，事必敗。為之奈何？」張孟談曰：「言出君之口，入臣之耳，人孰知之者乎？且同情相成，同利相死，君其圖之！」二君乃與張孟談陰謀，與之期。張孟談乃報襄子。至其日之夜，趙氏殺其守隄之吏，決水灌智伯。智伯軍救水而亂，韓、魏翼而擊之，襄子將卒犯其前，大敗智伯軍，殺其身而三分其國。襄子乃賞有功者，而高赫為賞首。群臣請曰：「晉陽之存，張孟談之功也。而赫為賞首，何也？」襄子曰：「晉陽之圍也，寡人國家危，社稷殆，群臣無不有驕侮之心者，唯赫不失君臣之禮，吾是以先之。」由此觀之，義者，人之大本也。雖有戰勝存亡之功，不如行義之隆。故君子曰：「美言可以市尊，美行可以加人。」或有罪而可賞也，或有功而可罪也。西門豹治鄴，廩無積粟，府無儲錢，庫無甲兵，官無計會，人數言其過於文侯。文侯身行其縣，果若人言。文侯曰：「翟璜任子治鄴，而大亂。子能道則可，不能，將加誅於子。」西門豹曰：「臣聞：王主富民，霸主富武，亡國富庫。今王欲為霸王者也，臣故蓄積於民。君以為不然，臣請升城鼓之，甲兵粟米可立具也。」於是乃升城而鼓之。一鼓，民被甲括矢，操兵弩而出。再鼓，負輦粟而至。文侯曰：「罷之！」西門豹曰：「與民約信，非一日之積也。一舉而欺之，後不可復用也。燕常侵魏八城，臣請北擊之，以復侵地。」遂舉兵擊燕，復地而後反。此有罪而可賞者也。解扁為東封，上計而入三倍，有司請賞之。文侯曰：「吾土地非益廣也，人民非益眾也，入何以三倍？」對曰：「以冬伐木而積之，於春浮之河而鬻之。

(He continued:) Let me try to go out secretly and meet the rulers of Han and Wei to make an agreement." So he met the rulers of Han and Wei and persuaded them: "I have heard that when the lips are gone, the teeth are cold. Now Zhi Bo leads the two lords to attack Zhao, and Zhao is about to perish. When Zhao perishes, you will be next. If you do not plan now, disaster will come to you two lords." The two lords said: "Zhi Bo is coarse in the middle and has few close ones. If our plan leaks out, it will surely fail. What shall we do?" Zhang Mengtan said: "The words come from your mouths and enter my ears; who would know? Moreover, those who sympathize help one another succeed, and those with the same interests die for one another; you should plan." The two lords then plotted secretly with Zhang Mengtan and fixed a date with him. Zhang Mengtan then reported to Xiangzi. On the night of that day, the Zhao clan killed the officials guarding the dike and released the water to flood Zhi Bo. Zhi Bo's army was thrown into great confusion rescuing itself from the water, Han and Wei attacked from the two flanks, and Xiangzi led his soldiers charging at the front; they greatly defeated Zhi Bo's army, killed him in person and divided his state in three. Xiangzi then rewarded those with merit, and Gao He was first in rewards. The ministers asked: "That Jinyang survived was Zhang Mengtan's merit. Why do you make He first in rewards?" Xiangzi said: "When Jinyang was besieged, my state was in danger and the altars were in peril, and none of the ministers failed to have a proud and slighting heart; only He did not lose the ritual between ruler and minister, and so I put him first." From this we see that righteousness is the great root of man. Even merit in winning battles and preserving the state is not as good as the flourishing of practicing righteousness. So the noble person says: "Fine words can buy honor, and fine conduct can be raised above others." Some have guilt and can be rewarded, and some have merit and can be blamed. When Ximen Bao governed Ye, there was no stored grain in the granaries, no saved money in the treasury, no armor or weapons in the armory, and no accounts in the offices, and people many times told Marquis Wen of his faults. Marquis Wen personally toured his county, and it was indeed as people said. Marquis Wen said: "Zhai Huang employed you to govern Ye and it is in great disorder. If you can explain it, fine; if not, I will punish you." Ximen Bao said: "I have heard: a king enriches the people, a hegemon enriches the military, and a perishing state enriches its treasury. Now Your Majesty wants to be a hegemonic king, and so I have placed the accumulated wealth with the people. If you do not think so, let me climb the wall and beat the drum, and armor, weapons and grain can be assembled at once." So he climbed the wall and beat the drum. At the first drum, the people put on armor, bundled arrows and came out holding weapons and crossbows. At the second drum, they carried grain on their backs and in carts and arrived. Marquis Wen said: "Enough!" Ximen Bao said: "Agreeing with the people on trust is not built up in a day. If I deceive them once, I cannot use them afterward. Yan once invaded eight cities of Wei; I request to attack north to recover the invaded land." So he raised troops and attacked Yan, recovered the territory and then returned. This is having guilt and yet being rewarded. Xie Bian served as border official of the east, and his annual report showed income tripled, and the officials asked that he be rewarded. Marquis Wen said: "My land has not become wider and my people not more numerous; why has the income tripled?" He answered: "In winter I cut timber and stored it, and in spring I floated it down the river and sold it.

」文侯曰：「民春以力耕，暑以強耘，秋以收斂。冬間無事，以伐林而積之，負軛而浮之河，是用民不得休息也。民以敝矣，雖有三倍之入，將焉用之？」此有功而可罪者也。賢主不苟得，忠臣不苟利。何以明之？中行穆伯攻鼓，弗能下。餽聞倫曰：「鼓之嗇夫，聞倫知之。請無罷武大夫，而鼓可得也。」穆伯弗應。左右曰：「不折一戟，不傷一卒，而鼓可得也，君奚為弗使？」穆伯曰：「聞倫為人，佞而不仁。若使聞倫下之，吾可以勿賞乎？若賞之，是賞佞人。佞人得志，是使晉國之武舍仁而後佞，雖得鼓，將何所用之！」攻城者，欲以廣地也。得地不取者，見其本而知其末也。秦穆公使孟盟舉兵襲鄭，過周以東。鄭之賈人弦高、蹇他相與謀曰：「師行數千里，數絕諸侯之地，其勢必襲鄭。凡襲國者，以為無備也。今示以知其情，必不敢進。」乃矯鄭伯之命，以十二牛勞之。三率相與謀曰：「凡襲人者，以為弗知。今已知之矣，守備必固，進必無功。」乃還師而反。晉先軫舉兵擊之，大破之殽。鄭伯乃以存國之功賞弦高，弦高辭之曰：「誕而得賞，則鄭國之信廢矣。為國而無信，是俗敗也。賞一人而敗國俗，仁者弗為也。以不信得厚賞，義者弗為也。」遂以其屬徙東夷，終身不反。故仁者不以欲傷生，知者不以利害義。聖人之思修，愚人之思叕。忠臣者務崇君之德，諂臣者務廣君之地。何以明之？陳夏徵舒弒其君，楚莊王伐之，陳人聽令。莊王以討有罪，遣卒戍陳，大夫畢賀。申叔時使於齊，反還而不賀。莊王曰：「陳為無道，寡人起九軍以討之，徵暴亂，誅罪人，群臣皆賀，而子獨不賀，何也？」申叔時曰：「牽牛蹊人之田，田主殺其人而奪之牛。罪則有之，罰亦重矣。今君王以陳為無道，興兵而攻，因以誅罪人，遣人戍陳。諸侯聞之，以王為非誅罪人也，貪陳國也。蓋聞君子不棄義以取利。

(He continued:)" Marquis Wen said: "In spring the people exert themselves to plow, in summer they strenuously weed, in autumn they harvest. In winter they are idle with nothing to do, and you made them go and cut forests and store them, harness yokes and float them down the river; this is not letting the people rest. The people are already exhausted, so even if the income is tripled, what shall I use it for?" This is having merit and yet being blamed. A worthy ruler does not take improperly, and a loyal minister does not profit improperly. What proves this? Zhonghang Mubo attacked Gu and could not take it. Kui Wenlun said: "I know the steward of Gu. Without troubling warriors and high officers, Gu can be obtained." Mubo did not agree. His attendants said: "Without breaking a single halberd or injuring a single soldier, Gu can be obtained; why does Your Lordship not send him?" Mubo said: "Wenlun is a flatterer and not benevolent. If I let Wenlun take it, can I fail to reward him? If I reward him, I reward a flatterer. If flatterers succeed, the warriors of Jin will abandon benevolence and turn to flattery, and even if I got Gu, what would I use it for?" Attacking a city is wanting to widen land. Having the land and not taking it is seeing the root and knowing the branch. Duke Mu of Qin had Mengming raise troops to attack Zheng by surprise, passing Zhou going east. The Zheng merchants Xian Gao and Jian Ta planned together: "The army has traveled several thousand li, passing through the lands of many feudal lords many times; the tendency must be to attack Zheng by surprise. Anyone who attacks a state by surprise thinks it is unprepared. If we show that we already know their situation, they will surely not dare to advance." So under the pretext of the Lord of Zheng's order, they took twelve oxen to reward the army. The three generals planned together: "Whoever attacks someone by surprise thinks the other does not know. Now that they already know, their defense will surely be firm, and advancing will surely bring no merit." So they turned the army back. Xian Zhen of Jin raised troops and attacked and greatly defeated them at Mount Xiao. The Lord of Zheng then rewarded Xian Gao for the merit of preserving the state, but Xian Gao declined, saying: "If I receive a reward for deceit, Zheng's good faith will be abolished. To govern a state without good faith is to ruin its customs. To reward one person and ruin the state's customs, a benevolent person does not do. To receive a rich reward by dishonesty, a righteous person does not do." So he took his people and moved to the eastern barbarians and never came back for the rest of his life. So a benevolent person does not let desire harm life, and a wise person does not let profit obstruct righteousness. The sage's thoughts are long and the fool's thoughts are short. A loyal minister strives to raise his ruler's virtue, and a flattering minister strives to widen his ruler's land. What proves this? Xia Zheng Shu of Chen murdered his ruler, and King Zhuang of Chu went to attack him, and the people of Chen obeyed the orders. King Zhuang, because he was punishing the guilty, sent soldiers to garrison Chen, and the high officers all came to congratulate him. Shen Shushi, who had been on a mission to Qi, came back and did not congratulate him. King Zhuang said: "Chen did lawless things, and I raised nine armies to punish him, put down violence and disorder and executed the guilty one, and all the ministers congratulated me; you alone do not congratulate me; why?" Shen Shushi said: "A man leading an ox trampled another's field; the field's owner killed the man and also took his ox. There was guilt, but the punishment was too heavy. Now Your Majesty, because Chen was without the Way, raised an army and attacked it, thereby executed the guilty one and sent men to garrison Chen. When the feudal lords hear of it they will think the king did not execute the guilty but coveted the state of Chen. I have heard that the noble person does not abandon righteousness to take profit."

」王曰：「善！」乃罷陳之戍，立陳之後。諸侯聞之，皆朝於楚。此務崇君之德者也。張武為智伯謀曰：「晉六將軍，中行文子最弱，而上下離心，可伐以廣地。」於是伐範、中行。滅之矣，又教智伯求地於韓、魏、趙。韓、魏裂地而授之，趙氏不與，乃率韓、魏而伐趙，圍晉陽三年。三國陰謀同計，以擊智氏，遂滅之。此務為君廣地者也。夫為君崇德者霸，為君廣地者滅。故千乘之國，行文德者王，湯、武是也；萬乘之國，好廣地者亡，智伯是也。非其事者勿仞也，非其名者勿就也，無故有顯名者勿處也，無功而富貴者勿居也。夫就人之名者廢，仞人之事者敗，無功而大利者後將為害。譬猶緣高木而望四方也，雖愉樂哉，然而疾風至，未嘗不恐也。患及身，然後憂之，六驥追之，弗能及也。是故忠臣之事君也，計功而受賞，不為苟得；積力而受官，不貪爵祿。其所能者，受之勿辭也；其所不能者，與之勿喜也。辭所能則匿，欲所不能則惑。辭所不能而受所能，則得無損墮之勢，而無不勝之任矣。昔者智伯驕，伐範、中行而克之，又劫韓、魏之君而割其地。尚以為未足，遂興兵伐趙。韓、魏反之，軍敗晉陽之下，身死高梁之東，頭為飲器，國分為三，為天下笑。此不知足之禍也。老子曰：「知足不辱，知止不殆，可以修久。」此之謂也。或譽人而適足以敗之，或毀人而乃反以成之。何以知其然也？費無忌復於荊平王曰：「晉之所以霸者，近諸夏也。而荊之所以不能與之爭者，以其僻遠也。楚王若欲從諸侯，不若大城城父，而令太子建守焉，以來北方，王自收其南。是得天下也。」楚王悅之，因命太子建守城父，命伍子奢傅之。居一年，伍子奢遊人於王側，言太子甚仁且勇，能得民心。王以告費無忌，無忌曰：「臣固聞之，太子內撫百姓，外約諸侯，齊、晉又輔之，將以害楚，其事已構矣。

(He continued:) The King said: "Good!" So he called off the garrison of Chen and established an heir of Chen. When the feudal lords heard of this, they all came to court at Chu. This is striving to raise the ruler's virtue. Zhang Wu planned for Zhi Bo, saying: "Of the six generals of Jin, Zhonghang Wenzi is the weakest, and high and low are of different hearts; we can attack him and widen our land." So he attacked Fan and Zhonghang. After destroying them, he again taught Zhi Bo to ask Han, Wei and Zhao for land. Han and Wei ceded land and gave it to him, but the Zhao clan did not give it, so he led Han and Wei to attack Zhao and besieged Jinyang for three years. The three states secretly shared one plan, attacked the Zhi clan, and destroyed him. This is striving to widen the ruler's land. One who raises the ruler's virtue becomes hegemon; one who widens the ruler's land perishes. So a state of a thousand chariots that practices civil virtue becomes king, as Tang and Wu did; a state of ten thousand chariots that likes to widen land perishes, as Zhi Bo did. Do not claim what is not your affair, do not take what is not your name, do not stay in a famous place without cause, and do not remain in wealth and honor without merit. One who takes another's name will be discarded, one who claims another's affair will fail, and one who gets great profit without merit will later be harmed. It is like climbing a tall tree to look in all four directions: though it is pleasant, once a strong wind comes there is no one who is not afraid. If one worries only after trouble has reached one's body, even chasing it with six fine horses one cannot catch up. So when a loyal minister serves his ruler, he reckons his merit to receive reward and does not take carelessly; he accumulates strength to receive office and is not greedy for rank and salary. What he can do he accepts without declining; what he cannot do, though given, he is not glad of. To decline what he can do is concealment, and to want what he cannot do is delusion. If one declines what one cannot do and accepts what one can, one is free of the momentum of injury and fall and has no task one cannot meet. Formerly Zhi Bo was arrogant, attacked Fan and Zhonghang and conquered them, and then forced the rulers of Han and Wei to cede their land. Still thinking it not enough, he raised troops to attack Zhao. Han and Wei rebelled, his army was defeated beneath Jinyang, he died east of Gaoliang, his head was made into a drinking vessel, his state was divided into three, and he was laughed at by the world. This was the disaster of not knowing contentment. Laozi said: "One who knows contentment is not disgraced; one who knows when to stop is not in danger and can last long." This is what is meant. Sometimes praising a person is just enough to ruin him, and sometimes slandering a person instead makes him. How is this known? Fei Wuji reported to King Ping of Jing: "The reason Jin became hegemon is that it is close to the central states. The reason Jing cannot contend with it is that it is remote. If Your Majesty wishes to follow the feudal lords, it would be best to build up Chengfu greatly and have Crown Prince Jian guard it, to draw in the north, while Your Majesty himself takes the south. This is obtaining the world." The King of Chu was pleased and ordered Crown Prince Jian to guard Chengfu and Wu Zishe to be his tutor. After a year, Wu Zishe had people spread words beside the King that the Crown Prince was very benevolent and brave and could win the people's hearts. The King told Fei Wuji, and Wuji said: "I had heard so already. The Crown Prince soothes the people within, binds the feudal lords outside, and Qi and Jin also help him; he is going to harm Chu, and the matter is already formed.

」王曰：「為我太子，又尚何求？」曰：「以秦女之事怨王。」王因殺太子建而誅伍子奢。此所謂見譽而為禍者也。何謂毀人而反利之？唐子短陳駢子於齊威王威王欲殺之，陳駢子與其屬出亡，奔薛。孟嘗君聞之，使人以車迎之。至，而養以芻豢黍粱五味之膳，日三至。冬日被裘罽，夏日服絺紵，出則乘牢車，駕良馬。孟嘗君問之曰：「夫子生於齊，長於齊，夫子亦何思於齊？」對曰：「臣思夫唐子者。」孟嘗君曰：「唐子者，非短子者耶？」曰：「是也。」孟嘗君曰：「子何為思之？」對曰：「臣之處於齊也，糲粢之飯，藜藿之羹，冬日則寒凍，夏日則暑傷。自唐子之短臣也，以身歸君，食芻豢，飯黍粢，服輕煖，乘牢良，臣故思之。」此謂毀人而反利之者也。是故毀譽之言，不可不審也。或貪生而反死，或輕死而得生，或徐行而反疾。何以知其然也？魯人有為父報讎於齊者，刳其腹而見其心，坐而正冠，起而更衣，徐行而出門，上車而步馬，顏色不變。其御欲驅，撫而止之曰：「今日為父報讎以出死，非為生也。今事已成矣，又何去之！」追者曰：「此有節行之人，不可殺也。」解圍而去之。使被衣不暇帶，冠不及正，蒲伏而走，上車而馳，必不能自免於千步之中矣。今坐而正冠，起而更衣，徐行而出門，上車而步馬，顏色不變，此眾人所以為死也，而乃反以得活。此所謂徐而馳，遲於步也。夫走者，人之所以為疾也；步者，人之所以為遲也。今反乃以人之所為遲者反為疾，明於分也。有知徐之為疾，遲之為速者，則幾於道矣。故黃帝亡其玄珠，使離朱、捷剟索之，而弗能得之也，於是使忽怳，而後能得之。聖人敬小慎微，動不失時，百射重戒，禍乃不滋。計福勿及，慮禍過之；同日被霜，蔽者不傷；愚者有備，與知者同功。夫爝火在縹煙之中也，一指所能息也；唐漏若鼷穴，一墣之所能塞也。

(He continued:) The King said: "He is my crown prince; what else is he seeking?" He said: "He resents Your Majesty over the matter of the Qin woman." The King then killed Crown Prince Jian and put Wu Zishe to death. This is what is called being praised and becoming a disaster. What is meant by slandering a person and instead benefiting him? Tang Zi spoke of the faults of Chen Pianzi before King Wei of Qi, and King Wei wanted to kill him, so Chen Pianzi fled with his followers and went to Xue. Lord Mengchang heard of it and sent a carriage to meet him. When he arrived, he fed him meals of grass-fed and grain-fed meats, millet and the five flavors, delivered three times a day. In winter he wore fur and wool, in summer he wore fine kudzu and ramie, and when he went out he rode a sturdy carriage drawn by fine horses. Lord Mengchang asked him: "Master, you were born in Qi and grew up in Qi; what do you miss of Qi?" He answered: "I miss that Tang Zi." Lord Mengchang said: "Tang Zi is the one who spoke of your faults, is he not?" He said: "Yes." Lord Mengchang said: "Why do you miss him?" He answered: "When I lived in Qi I ate coarse grain and goosefoot soup, and in winter I froze and in summer I suffered from heat. Since Tang Zi spoke of my faults, I turned myself toward you, my lord; I eat meat and millet, wear light and warm clothes, and ride a sturdy fine carriage; this is why I miss him." This is a case where slandering a person instead benefited him. So the words of slander and praise must be carefully examined. Some who cling to life die instead, some who make light of death live, and some who walk slowly instead go fast. How is this known? A man of Lu took revenge in Qi for his father; he cut open the belly and saw the heart, sat down and straightened his cap, got up and changed his clothes, walked slowly out the gate, got on his carriage and let the horses walk slowly, his face unchanged. His driver wanted to gallop, but he stroked him and stopped him, saying: "Today I took revenge for my father, I came out to seek death, not to live. Now that the thing is done, why leave?" The pursuers said: "This is a man of principle; he cannot be killed." They lifted the encirclement and left. If he had put on his clothes without having time to tie his belt, had no time to straighten his cap, run crawling, mounted his carriage and galloped, he could surely not have escaped disaster himself within a thousand paces. Now he sat and straightened his cap, got up and changed his clothes, walked slowly out the gate, got on his carriage and let the horses walk slowly, his face unchanged; this is what the crowd thought would mean death, but he instead lived by it. This is what is called slow being faster than hurrying, and late being swifter than walking. Running is what people think of as fast; walking is what people think of as slow. Now taking what people think slow as fast is to understand the distinctions. One who knows that slow can become fast and late can become swift is close to the Way. So the Yellow Emperor lost the dark pearl and had Li Zhu and Jie Yan look for it but they could not find it, so he sent Hu Huang and only then was it found. The sage is careful about the small and cautious about the subtle, his movements never lose their time, and with a hundred shooting and driving, many layers of precaution, disaster does not grow. In reckoning blessing, do not fail to catch up; in worrying about disaster, exceed it. On the same day of frost, one who is covered is not harmed; a fool who takes precautions has the same merit as the wise. A torch in thin smoke can be put out with one finger; a dike leak like a mouse hole can be stopped with one clod of earth.

及至火之燔孟諸而炎雲臺，水決九江而漸荊州，雖起三軍之眾，弗能救也。夫積愛成福，積怨成禍。若癰疽之必潰也，所浼者多矣。諸御鞅復於簡公曰：「陳成常、宰予二子者，甚相憎也。臣恐其構難而危國也。君不如去一人。」簡公不聽。居無幾何，陳成常果攻宰予於庭中，而弒簡公於朝。此不知敬小之所生也。魯季氏與郈氏鬥雞，郈氏介其雞，而季氏為之金距。季氏之雞不勝，季平子怒，因侵郈氏之宮而築之。郈昭伯怒，傷之魯昭公曰：「

When the fire burns to Mengzhu and the flames reach Yuntai, or the water breaches the Nine Rivers and floods Jingzhou, even rousing the multitude of the three armies could not save it. Accumulated love becomes blessing and accumulated resentment becomes disaster. Like an abscess that must burst, what it stains is many. Zhu Yuyang reported to Duke Jian: "Chen Chengchang and Zai Yu hate each other very much. I fear they will make trouble and endanger the state. It would be better for you, my lord, to remove one." Duke Jian did not listen. Not long after, Chen Chengchang indeed attacked Zai Yu in the courtyard and killed Duke Jian at court. This arises from not knowing to be wary of the small. In Lu, the Ji clan and the Hou clan had a cockfight; the Hou clan put armor on his cock, and the Ji clan fitted metal spurs on his. The Ji clan's cock did not win, and Ji Pingzi was angry, so he took over part of the Hou clan's house to build on. Hou Zhaobo was angry and slandered him to Duke Zhao of Lu:

禱於襄公之廟，舞者二人而已，其餘盡舞於季氏。季氏之無道無上，久矣。弗誅，必危社稷。」公以告子家駒子家駒曰：「季氏之得眾，三家為一。其德厚，其威強，君胡得之！」昭公弗聽，使郈昭伯將卒以攻之。仲孫氏、叔孫氏相與謀曰：「無季氏，死亡無日矣。」遂興兵以救之。郈昭伯不勝而死，魯昭公出奔齊。故禍之所從生者，始於雞定；及其大也，至於亡社稷。故蔡女蕩舟，齊師大侵楚。兩人搆怨，廷殺宰予，簡公遇殺，身死無後，陳氏代之，齊乃無呂。兩家鬥雞，季氏金距，郈公作難，魯昭公出走。故師之所處，生以棘楚。禍生而不蚤滅，若火之得燥，水之得濕，浸而益大。癰疽發於指，其痛遍於體。故蠹啄剖梁柱，虻走牛羊，此之謂也。人皆務於救患之備，而莫能知使患無生。夫使患無生，易於救患，而莫能加務焉，則未可與言術也。晉公子重耳過曹，曹君欲見其骿脅，使之袒而捕魚。釐負羈止之曰：「公子非常也。從者三人，皆霸王之佐也。遇之無禮，必為國憂。」君弗聽。重耳反國，起師而伐曹，遂滅之。身死人手，社稷為墟，禍生於袒而捕魚。齊、楚欲救曹，不能存也。聽釐負羈之言，則無亡患矣。今不務使患無生，患生而救之，雖有聖知，弗能為謀耳。患禍之所由來者，萬端無方。是故聖人深居以避辱，靜安以待時。小人不知禍福之門戶，妄動而絓羅網，雖曲為之備，何足以全其身！譬猶失火而鑿池，被裘而用箑也。且唐有萬穴，塞其一，魚何遽無由出？室有百戶，閉其一，盜何遽無從入？夫牆之壞也於隙，劍之折必有齧，聖人見之密，故萬物莫能傷也。太宰子朱侍飯於令尹子國，令尹子國啜羹而熱，投卮漿而沃之。明日，太宰子朱辭官而歸。其僕曰：「楚太宰，未易得也。辭官去之，何也？」子朱曰：「令尹輕行而簡禮，其辱人不難。」明年，伏郎尹而笞之三百。

(He continued:) "At the sacrifice in the temple of Duke Xiang, there were only two dancers; all the rest were dancing at the Ji clan's. The Ji clan has been unprincipled and above the law for a long time. If he is not put to death, he will surely endanger the altars of state." The Duke told Zijia Ju, and Zijia Ju said: "The Ji clan has won over the multitude, and the three clans have joined as one. His virtue is thick and his power is strong; how could you, my lord, win?" Duke Zhao did not listen and had Hou Zhaobo lead soldiers to attack. The Zhongsun and Shusun clans planned together: "Without the Ji clan, our ruin is a matter of days." So they raised troops to rescue him. Hou Zhaobo did not win and died, and Duke Zhao of Lu fled to Qi. So where disaster came from began with a cockfight, and when it grew large it reached the ruin of the altars of state. So when a woman of Cai rocked a boat, the army of Qi invaded Chu on a large scale. Two men formed a grudge and killed Zai Yu at court, Duke Jian was murdered and died without heirs, the Chen clan replaced him, and Qi then had no Lü family. Two families had a cockfight, the Ji clan fitted metal spurs, Lord Hou began the quarrel, and Duke Zhao of Lu fled. So where armies camp, brambles grow. If disaster is born and not put out early, it is like fire finding dryness and water finding dampness, soaking and growing larger. An abscess begins at a fingertip and the pain spreads through the body. So a woodworm's pecking can split a beam and pillar, and a gadfly can drive cattle and sheep running about; this is what is meant. People all strive to prepare against disaster, but none can know how to keep disaster from arising. To keep disaster from arising is easier than rescuing from disaster, yet none strives further, so one cannot talk of art with him. When Prince Chong'er of Jin passed through Cao, the lord of Cao wanted to see his fused ribs and had him go fishing with his shirt off. Xi Fuji stopped him and said: "The prince is no ordinary man. His three followers are all aides of a hegemon-king. To treat them without ritual will surely become a worry to the state." The lord did not listen. When Chong'er returned to his state, he raised an army and attacked Cao and destroyed it; the lord died at another's hand and the altars of state became ruins; disaster was born from fishing with a bare back. Qi and Chu wanted to rescue Cao but could not preserve it. If he had listened to Xi Fuji, there would have been no worry of ruin. Now if one does not strive to keep disaster from arising and rescues only after it arises, even with the wisdom of a sage it cannot be planned. Where trouble and disaster come from has ten thousand ends and no fixed direction. So the sage dwells deep to avoid disgrace and keeps calm and still to await the time. The petty man does not know the gates of disaster and fortune, moves rashly and hangs on the net, and even with winding precautions, how could they be enough to preserve his person? It is like digging a pond after the fire has broken out, or wearing fur and using a fan. Moreover a pond has ten thousand holes; block one, and how would the fish have no way out? A house has a hundred doors; shut one, and how would a thief have no way in? A wall's collapse is due to its cracks, and a sword's breaking must come from a nick; the sage sees what is fine and dense, so nothing can harm him. The Grand Steward Zizhu was eating with the Chancellor Ziguo, and Chancellor Ziguo, scalded by the soup, threw the liquid in his cup to splash. The next day Grand Steward Zizhu resigned and went home. His servant said: "The Grand Steward of Chu is not easy to get. Why resign and leave?" Zizhu said: "The Chancellor is light in conduct and casual in ritual; to disgrace people is not hard for him." The following year, he had the Langyin pressed down and beaten three hundred times.

夫仕者先避之，見終始微矣。夫鴻鵠之未孚於卵也，一指蔑之，則靡而無形矣；及至其筋骨之已就，而羽翮之既成也，淩乎浮云，背負青天，膺摩赤霄，翱翔乎忽荒之上，析惕乎虹蜺之間，雖有勁弩利矰微繳，蒲且子之巧，亦弗能加也。江水之始出於岷山也，可攓衣而越也；及至乎下洞庭，騖石城，經丹徒，起波濤，舟杭一日不能濟也。是故聖人者，常從事於無形之外，而不留思盡慮於成事之內，是故患禍弗能傷也。人或問孔子曰：「顏回何如人也？」曰：「仁人也。丘弗如也。」「子貢何如人也？」曰：「辯人也。丘弗如也。」「子路何如人也？」曰：「勇人也。丘弗如也。」賓曰：「三人皆賢夫子，而為夫子役，何也？」孔子曰：「丘能仁且忍，辯且訥，勇且怯。以三子之能，易丘一道，丘弗為也。」孔子知所施之也。秦牛缺徑於山中而遇盜，奪之車馬，解其橐笥，拖其衣被。盜還反顧之，無懼色憂志，驩然有以自得也。盜遂問之曰：「吾奪子財貨，劫子以刀，而志不動，何也？」秦牛缺曰：「車馬所以載身也，衣服所以揜形也。聖人不以所養害其養。」盜相視而笑曰：「夫不以欲傷生，不以利累形者，世之聖人也。以此而見王者，必且以我為事也。」還反殺之。此能以知知矣，而未能以知不知也；能勇於敢，而未能勇於不敢也。凡有道者，應卒而不乏，遭難而能免，故天下貴之。今知所以自行也，而未知所以為人行也，其所論未之究者也。人能由昭昭於冥冥，則幾於道矣。詩曰：「人亦有言，無哲不愚。」此之謂也。事或為之，適足以敗之；或備之，適足以致之。何以知其然也？秦皇挾錄圖，見其傳曰：「亡秦者，胡也。」因發卒五十萬，使蒙公、楊翁子將，築脩城，西屬流沙，北擊遼水，東結朝鮮，中國內郡輓車而餉之。

The official who withdrew first saw the subtlety of beginning and end. A swan has not yet hatched in its egg, and one finger pressed on it would crush it formless; but when its sinews and bones are complete and its wings and feathers have grown, it soars above the floating clouds, carries the blue sky on its back, brushes the red sky with its breast, glides above the vast void and wanders among rainbows, and even with a strong crossbow, sharp arrows and fine lines, and the skill of Pu Juzi, they cannot be applied to it. The river begins from Mount Min where one can lift one's clothes and step across; but when it descends to Dongting, rushes to Shicheng and passes Dantu, raising waves, a boat cannot cross it in a day. So the sage always works beyond the formless and does not use up all his thoughts on matters already completed, so trouble and disaster cannot harm him. Someone asked Confucius: "What kind of man is Yan Hui?" He said: "A benevolent man. I am not equal to him." "What kind of man is Zigong?" He said: "An eloquent man. I am not equal to him." "What kind of man is Zilu?" He said: "A brave man. I am not equal to him." The guest said: "All three are more worthy than you, Master, yet they are employed by you; why?" Confucius said: "I can be benevolent and also stern, eloquent and also halting, brave and also timid. Exchanging the abilities of the three for my one Way, I would not do it." Confucius knew what to apply them to. Niu Que of Qin met bandits on a mountain path, and they seized his carriage and horses, opened his bags and chests, and dragged away his clothes and bedding. The bandits looked back at him and he had no look of fear or worry, but was cheerful and content. The bandits then asked him: "We seized your goods and threatened you with knives, yet your will did not move; why?" Niu Que of Qin said: "Carriages and horses are used to carry the body, and clothes are used to cover the form. The sage does not harm what he nourishes with what he nourishes." The bandits looked at each other and laughed: "One who does not let desire harm his life and does not let profit burden his body is a sage of the world. If he takes this to see a king, the king will surely take us seriously." They turned back and killed him. This is being able to use wisdom to know but not able to use wisdom to not know; being able to be brave in daring but not brave in not daring. In general, a man who has the Way meets sudden things without being at a loss and escapes in times of trouble, so the world honors him. Now he knew how to act for himself but not how to act for others, and what he argued had not been fully thought through. If a person can go from brightness into darkness, he is close to the Way. The Book of Poetry says: "People too have a saying: none of the wise is not foolish." This is what is meant. There are things that, in doing them, are just enough to ruin them, and things that, in guarding against them, are just enough to bring them on. How is this known? The First Emperor of Qin held a record of prophecies and saw it said in the text: "The one who destroys Qin is Hu." So he sent out five hundred thousand soldiers, had Lord Meng and Yang Wengzi lead them, and built the Great Wall, linking the flowing sands in the west, striking the Liao River in the north, and joining Chosen in the east, with the inner commanderies of China hauling carts to supply provisions.

又利越之犀角、象齒、翡翠、珠璣，乃使尉屠睢發卒五十萬，為五軍，一軍塞鐔城之嶺，一軍守九疑之塞，一軍處番禺之都，一軍守南野之界，一軍結餘幹之水，三年不解甲弛弩，使監祿無以轉餉，又以卒鑿渠而通糧道，以與越人戰，殺西嘔君譯籲宋。而越人皆入叢薄中，與禽獸處，莫肯為秦虜。相置桀駿以為將，而夜攻秦人，大破之，殺尉屠睢，伏屍流血數十萬。乃發適戍以備之。當此之時，男子不得脩農畝，婦人不得剡麻考縷，羸弱服格於道，大夫箕會於衢，病者不得養，死者不得葬。於是陳勝起於大澤，奮臂大呼，天下席捲，而至於戲。劉、項興義兵隨，而定若折槁振落，遂失天下。禍在備胡而利越也。欲知築脩城以備亡，不知築脩城之所以亡也；發適戍以備越，而不知難之從中發也。夫鵲先識歲之多風也，去高木而巢扶枝，大人過之則探鷇，嬰兒過之則挑其卵，知備遠難而忘近患。故秦之設備也，烏鵲之智也。或爭利而反強之，或聽從而反止之。何以知其然也？魯哀公欲西益宅，史爭之，以為西益宅不祥。哀公作色而怒，左右數諫不聽，乃以問其傅宰折睢曰：「吾欲益宅，而史以為不祥。子以為何如？」宰折睢曰：「天下有三不祥，西益宅不與焉。」哀公大悅而喜。頃，復問曰：「何謂三不祥？」對曰：「不行禮義，一不祥也。嗜慾無止，二不祥也。不聽強諫，三不祥也。」哀公默然深念，憤然自反，遂不西益宅。夫史以爭為可以止之，而不知不爭而反取之也。智者離路而得道，愚者守道而失路。夫兒說之巧，於閉結無不解。非能閉結而盡解之也，不解不可解也。至乎以弗解解之者，可與及言論矣。或明禮義、推道體而不行，或解搆妄言而反當。何以明之？孔子行遊，馬失，食農夫之稼，野人怒取馬而繫之。子貢往說之，卑辭而不能得也。

He was also greedy for the rhinoceros horn, ivory, kingfisher feathers and pearls of the land of Yue, so he had Wei Tusui send five hundred thousand soldiers, divided into five armies: one army blocking the pass of Tancheng, one guarding the fortress of Jiuyi, one stationed at the capital of Panyu, one guarding the border of Nanye, and one tied to the waters of Yugan; for three years they did not take off their armor or loosen their crossbows, and Supervisor Lu had no way to transport military provisions, so he used soldiers to dig a canal to open a grain route, fought the people of Yue, and killed Yi Xusong, the lord of Xi Ou. The people of Yue all went into the thickets and lived with birds and beasts, and none was willing to be a captive of Qin. They set up brave and outstanding men as generals in turn, attacked the Qin people at night, defeated them greatly, killed Wei Tusui, and lay corpses and shed blood in the hundreds of thousands. So they sent convict garrisons to guard against them. At this time men could not tend the fields, women could not split hemp and spin thread, the weak and thin wore the yoke on the roads, officials gathered with winnowing baskets at crossroads, the sick could not be nursed and the dead could not be buried. Then Chen Sheng rose from Daze, raised his arm and shouted loudly, and the world was swept up as far as Xi. Liu and Xiang raised righteous troops and followed, pacifying it like breaking withered branches and shaking down fallen leaves, and so Qin lost the world. The disaster lay in guarding against the Hu while being greedy for Yue. Hoping to guard against ruin by building the Great Wall, he did not know that building the Great Wall was exactly why he perished; sending convict garrisons to guard against Yue, he did not know that the trouble would come from within. A magpie knows in advance that the year will be windy, so it leaves the tall tree and makes its nest on a bending branch; but when an adult passes, he takes the chicks, and when a child passes, he picks out the eggs; it knows to guard against a far difficulty and forgets the near trouble. So Qin's preparations were the wisdom of crows and magpies. Sometimes contending for profit makes a person stronger, and sometimes obeying stops him. How is this known? Duke Ai of Lu wanted to enlarge his residence to the west, and the historians argued against it, thinking enlarging a residence to the west was inauspicious. Duke Ai changed color and was angry, and his attendants remonstrated many times without being heard, so he asked his tutor Zai Zhesui: "I want to enlarge my residence, and the historians think it inauspicious. What do you think?" Zai Zhesui said: "There are three inauspicious things in the world, and enlarging a residence to the west is not among them." Duke Ai was delighted. After a while he asked again: "What are the three inauspicious things?" He answered: "Not practicing ritual and righteousness is the first inauspicious thing. Desires without limit are the second. Not listening to strong remonstrance is the third." Duke Ai was silent and thought deeply, reflected on himself with indignation, and so did not enlarge his residence to the west. The historians thought that contending could stop it but did not know that not contending instead obtained it. The wise leave the road and gain the Way; the foolish keep to the Way and lose the road. With his skill at speaking, Er Yue could untie any knot, even a dead knot. It was not that he could untie all dead knots, but that he did not try to untie those that could not be untied. When it comes to those who untie by not untying, one can talk about discourse with them. Some who make clear ritual and righteousness and trace the substance of the Way cannot make it work, and some who untie tangles and speak loosely instead fit the mark. What proves this? Confucius was traveling and his horse ran away and ate a farmer's crops, and the rustic, angry, led the horse off and tied it up. Zigong went to persuade him, but his words were humble and he could not obtain it.

孔子曰：「夫以人之所不能聽說人，譬以大牢享野獸，以九韶樂飛鳥也。予之罪也，非彼人之過也。」乃使馬圉往說之。至，見野人曰：「子耕於東海，至於西海。吾馬之失，安得不食子之苗？」野人大喜，解馬而與之。說若此其無方也，而反行。事有所至，而巧不若拙，故聖人量鑿而正枘。夫歌採菱，發陽阿，鄙人聽之，不若此延路、陽局，非歌者拙也，聽者異也。故交畫不暢，連環不解，物之不通者，聖人不爭也。仁者，百姓之所慕也；義者，眾庶之所高也。為人之所慕，行人之所高，此嚴父之所以教子，而忠臣之所以事君也。然世或用之而身死國亡者，不同於時也。昔徐偃王好行仁義，陸地之朝者三十二國。王孫厲謂楚莊王曰：「王不伐徐，必反朝徐。」王曰：「偃王，有道之君也，好行仁義，不可伐。」王孫厲曰：「臣聞之，大之與小，強之與弱也，猶石之投卵，虎之啗豚，又何疑焉！且夫為文而不能達其德，為武而不能任其力，亂莫大焉。」楚王曰：「善！」乃舉兵而伐徐，遂滅之。知仁義而不知世變者也。申菽、杜茞，美人之所懷服也，及漸之於滫，則不能保其芳矣。古者，五帝貴德，三王用義，五霸任力。今取帝王之道，而施之五霸之世，是由乘驥逐人於榛薄，而蓑笠盤旋也。今霜降而樹穀，冰泮而求穫，欲其食則難矣。故易曰「潛龍勿用」者，言時之不可以行也。故「君子終日干乾，夕惕若厲，無咎」。終日干乾，以陽動也；夕惕若厲，以陰息也。因日以動，因夜以息，唯有道者能行之。夫徐偃王為義而滅，燕子噲行仁而亡，哀公好儒而削，代君為墨而殘。滅亡削殘，暴亂之所致也，而四君獨以仁義儒墨而亡者，遭時之務異也。非仁義儒墨不行，非其世而用之，則為之擒矣。夫戟者，所以攻城也；鏡者，所以照形也。宮人得戟則以刈葵，盲者得鏡則以蓋卮，不知所施之也。

Confucius said: "To persuade people with what they cannot bear to hear is like entertaining wild beasts with a grand sacrificial feast or delighting flying birds with the Nine Shao music. It is my fault, not that man's." So he sent a stable hand to speak. When he arrived, he saw the rustic and said: "You plow from the Eastern Sea to the Western Sea. My horse ran away; how could he not eat your sprouts?" The rustic was delighted, untied the horse and gave it to him. Persuasion like this has no method and yet worked. When things reach their point, cleverness is not as good as clumsiness; so the sage sizes up the mortise before straightening the tenon. Singing Cai Ling and performing Yang A, rustics listen to them less than to Yan Lu and Yang Ju; it is not that the song is clumsy but that the listeners differ. So intersecting drawn lines do not run through, linked rings do not come undone, and when things do not communicate the sage does not contend. Benevolence is what the people admire, and righteousness is what the multitude esteem. To be what others admire and to practice what others esteem is what a stern father uses to teach his son and a loyal minister uses to serve his ruler. Yet in the world there are those who used it and died and lost their states, because they were out of step with the times. Formerly King Yan of Xu loved to practice benevolence and righteousness, and thirty-two states on land came to pay court. Wang Sunli said to King Zhuang of Chu: "If Your Majesty does not attack Xu, they will surely turn around and pay court to Xu." The King said: "King Yan is a ruler who has the Way and likes to practice benevolence and righteousness; he cannot be attacked." Wang Sunli said: "I have heard that large and small, strong and weak are like a stone thrown at an egg or a tiger eating a piglet; what is there to doubt! Moreover, one who does civil virtue but cannot make his virtue reach, and does martial affairs but cannot use his strength, there is no greater disorder." The King of Chu said: "Good!" So he raised troops, attacked Xu, and destroyed it. This was a man who knew benevolence and righteousness but did not know the changes of the age. Shen Shu and Du Zhi are fragrant plants that beautiful people wear, but when soaked in slop water they cannot keep their fragrance. In ancient times the Five Emperors valued virtue, the Three Kings used righteousness, and the Five Hegemons relied on force. Now to apply the Way of emperors and kings to the age of the Five Hegemons is like riding a fine horse through thickets chasing someone, or wearing a straw rain cape and hat while spinning around. Now if one plants grain only when frost descends and seeks a harvest only when the ice melts, it will be hard to have anything to eat. So the Book of Changes says: "The hidden dragon should not act," meaning that in that time one cannot practice. So it says: "The gentleman is vigilant all day long, and at night is wary as if in danger, and so is without fault." Being vigilant all day long is acting according to yang; being wary as if in danger at night is resting according to yin. To act by day and rest by night can only be practiced by one who has the Way. King Yan of Xu perished because of righteousness, Zikuai of Yan died because of practicing benevolence, Duke Ai was weakened by loving Confucianism, and the lord of Dai was ruined because of Mohism. Destruction, weakening and ruin are caused by violence and disorder, yet these four rulers alone perished because of benevolence, righteousness, Confucianism and Mohism, because the times they met were different. It is not that benevolence, righteousness, Confucianism and Mohism cannot be practiced; but if one uses them in an age that is not theirs, one is seized. A halberd is for attacking cities; a mirror is for reflecting form. A palace woman who got a halberd used it to cut mallows, and a blind man who got a mirror used it to cover a cup, because they did not know what to apply it to.

故善鄙不同，誹譽在俗；趨舍不同，逆順在君。狂譎不受祿而誅，段幹木辭相而顯，所行同也，而利害異者，時使然也。故聖人雖有其志，不遇其世，僅足以容身，何功名之可致也！知天之所為，知人之所行，則有以任於世矣。知天而不知人，則無以與俗交；知人而不知天，則無以與道遊。單豹倍世離俗，巖居谷飲，不衣絲麻，不食五穀，行年七十，猶有童子之顏色，卒而遇飢虎，殺而食之。張毅好恭，過宮室廊廟必趨，見門閭聚眾必下，冢徒馬圉，皆與伉禮，然不終其壽，內熱而死。豹養其內而虎食其外，毅修其外而疾攻其內。故直意適情，則堅強賊之；以身役物，則陰陽食之。此皆載務而戲乎其調者也。得道之士，外化而內不化。外化，所以入人也；內不化，所以全其身也。故內有一定之操，而外能詘伸、贏縮、卷舒，與物推移，故萬舉而不陷。所以貴聖人者，以其能龍變也。今捲捲然守一節，推一行，雖以毀碎滅沉，猶且弗易者，此察於小好，而塞於大道也。趙宣孟活飢人於委桑之下，而天下稱仁焉；荊佽非犯河中之難，不失其守，而天下稱勇焉；是故見小行則可以論大體矣。田子方見老馬於道，喟然有志焉，以問其御曰：「此何馬也？」其御曰：「此故公家畜也。老罷而不為用，出而鬻之。」田子方曰：「少而貪其力，老而棄其身，仁者弗為也。」束帛以贖之。罷武聞之，知所歸心矣。齊莊公出獵，有一蟲舉足將搏其輪，問其御曰：「此何蟲也？」對曰：「此所謂螳螂者也。其為蟲也，知進而不知卻，不量力而輕敵。」莊公曰：「此為人，而必為天下勇武矣！」迴車而避之。勇武聞之，知所盡死矣。故田子方隱一老馬而魏國載之，齊莊公避一螳螂而勇武歸之。湯教祝網者，而四十國朝；文王葬死人之骸，而九夷歸之；武王蔭暍人於樾下，左擁而右扇之，而天下懷其德；

So good and mean are not the same, and slander and praise lie with custom; taking and rejecting differ, and going against or with lies with the ruler. Kuang Jue did not accept salary and was put to death, while Duangan Mu declined the chancellorship and became illustrious; their conduct was the same but profit and harm differed, because the times made it so. So even if a sage has that will, if he does not meet his age, he barely has enough to keep himself; what merit and fame could he reach! One who knows what Heaven does and what people practice has what to live in the world with. One who knows Heaven but not people has nothing to deal with custom; one who knows people but not Heaven has nothing to roam with the Way. Shan Bao turned his back on the world, lived in a cave and drank valley water, wore no silk or hemp, ate no five grains, lived to seventy and still had the complexion of a boy, but in the end met a hungry tiger and was killed and eaten. Zhang Yi liked respect; when passing palaces, halls and temples he always hurried, when seeing a crowd at a village gate he always got down from his carriage, and even to gravediggers and grooms he gave equal ritual, yet he could not live out his years and died of inner heat. Bao nourished his inside and the tiger ate his outside; Yi cultivated his outside and illness attacked his inside. So to follow feeling directly, strength harms it; to use the body to serve outer things, yin and yang eat into it. These all carry out affairs while playing with what harmonizes them. A gentleman who has attained the Way changes outwardly but not inwardly. Changing outwardly is how he enters among people; not changing inwardly is how he preserves himself. So within he has a settled principle and outside he can bend and stretch, grow and shrink, roll and unroll, shifting with things, so in ten thousand actions he does not fall into a snare. So a sage is valued because he can change like a dragon. Now to stubbornly keep one point and push one practice, even if it breaks, shatters, destroys and sinks, and still not be willing to change, is to be clear about small likings while blocked from the great Way. Zhao Xuanmeng saved a starving man beneath a mulberry tree and the world called him benevolent; Jing Cifei braved the danger in the river without losing what he held, and the world called him brave; so seeing a small deed one can discuss the great substance. Tian Zifang saw an old horse on the road and sighed with feeling, asking his driver: "What horse is this?" The driver said: "This was raised by the ducal house in the past. Now it is old and worn out and cannot be used, so it was led out for sale." Tian Zifang said: "To covet its strength when young and abandon its body when old is something a benevolent man does not do." He redeemed it with a bundle of silk. When tired warriors heard of this, they knew where to turn their hearts. Duke Zhuang of Qi was out hunting, and an insect raised its legs as if about to attack his wheel; he asked his driver: "What insect is this?" He answered: "This is what is called a mantis. As an insect, it knows to advance and does not know to retreat, and does not weigh its strength and makes light of its enemy." Duke Zhuang said: "If it were a man, it would surely be the bravest warrior in the world!" He turned the carriage to avoid it. When warriors heard of this, they knew to give their utmost. So Tian Zifang sheltered one old horse and Wei supported him, and Duke Zhuang of Qi avoided one mantis and the brave turned to him. Tang taught the one who set a net to bless it, and forty states came to court; King Wen buried the bones of the dead, and the nine Yi tribes turned to him; King Wu shaded a man suffering from heatstroke beneath a tree, holding him with his left hand and fanning him with his right, and the world remembered his virtue;