Ren Jian Xun (Among Humans)

故可乎可，而不可乎不可；不可乎不可，而可乎可。舜、許由異行而皆聖，伊尹、伯夷異道而皆仁，箕子、比干異趨而皆賢。故用兵者，或輕或重，或貪或廉，此四者相反，而不可一無也。輕者欲發，重者欲止，貪者欲取，廉者不利非其有。故勇者可令進鬥，而不可令持牢；重者可令埴固，而不可令淩敵；貪者可令進取，而不可令守職；廉者可令守分，而不可令進取；信者可令持約，而不可令應變。五者相反，聖人兼用而財使之。夫天地不包一物，陰陽不生一類。海不讓水潦以成其大，山不讓土石以成其高。夫守一隅而遺萬方，取一物而棄其餘，則所得者鮮矣，而所治者淺矣。

So what can be approved is approved, and what cannot is not; what cannot is not approved, and what can is approved. Shun and Xu You acted differently yet both were sages, Yi Yin and Bo Yi took different roads yet both were benevolent, and Jizi and Bi Gan took different directions yet both were worthy. So among those who use troops, there are the light and the heavy, the greedy and the honest; these four are opposed to one another, yet not one can be dispensed with. The light want to set out, the heavy want to stop, the greedy want to take, and the honest do not count as profit what is not theirs. So the brave can be sent to advance and fight but cannot be made to hold a stronghold; the heavy can be made to hold firm but cannot be made to charge the enemy; the greedy can be made to advance and take but cannot be made to hold their post; the honest can be made to keep their lot but cannot be made to advance and take; the trustworthy can be made to keep an agreement but cannot be made to adapt to change. The five are opposed, and the sage employs them all and assigns them. Heaven and Earth do not embrace only one kind of thing, and yin and yang do not give birth to only one class. The sea does not reject flood waters and so achieves its greatness; the mountain does not reject earth and stones and so achieves its height. To keep to one corner and leave out ten thousand regions, to take one kind of thing and discard the rest, gains little and governs shallowly.

治大者道不可以小，地廣者制不可以狹，位高者事不可以煩，民眾者教不可以苛。夫事碎難治也，法煩難行也，求多難澹也。寸而度之，至丈必差；銖而稱之，至石必過。石稱丈量，徑而寡失；簡絲數米，煩而不察。故大較易為智，曲辯難為慧。故無益於治，而有益於煩者，聖人不為；無益於用，而有益於費者，智者弗行也。故功不厭約，事不厭省，求不厭寡。功約，易成也；事省，易治也；求寡，易澹也。眾易之，於以任人，易矣。孔子曰：「小辯破言，小利破義，小藝破道，小見不達，必簡。」河以逶蛇，故能遠；山以陵遲，故能高；陰陽無為，故能和；道以優遊，故能化。

The way of governing the great cannot be petty, the system of a broad land cannot be narrow, the affairs of a high position cannot be troublesome, and the teaching of a multitude cannot be harsh. When affairs are fragmentary they are hard to govern, when laws are complicated they are hard to carry out, and when demands are many they are hard to satisfy. Measure by the inch and when you reach a zhang you are certain to be off; weigh by the zhu and when you reach a shi you are certain to be over. Weigh by the shi and measure by the zhang, and it is direct and few mistakes are made; counting threads one by one and rice grains one by one is troublesome and cannot be examined. So a broad outline is easy to be wise about, but winding argument is hard to treat as clever. So what is of no benefit to government but of benefit to bother, the sage does not do; what is of no benefit to use but of benefit to waste, the wise do not practice. So in achievement do not tire of being simple, in affairs do not tire of reduction, in demands do not tire of being few. If achievement is simple, it is easy to complete; if affairs are reduced, they are easy to govern; if demands are few, they are easy to satisfy. If the multitude all find it easy, and it is used to assign people, it becomes easy. Confucius said: "Petty argument breaks words, petty profit breaks righteousness, petty skill breaks the Way, and petty views cannot get through; one must be simple." The river can go far because it winds; the mountain can be high because it stretches gently; yin and yang are without action, so they can be harmonious; and the Way, because it is at leisure, can transform.

夫徹於一事，察於一辭，審於一技，可以曲說，而未可廣應也。蓼菜成行，甂甌有𦳚，稱薪而爨，數米而炊，可以治小，而未可以治大也。員中規，方中矩，動成獸，止成文，可以愉舞，而不可以陳軍。滌杯而食，洗爵而飲，盥而後饋，可以養少，而不可以饗眾。今夫祭者，屠割烹殺，剝狗燒豕，調平五味者，庖也；陳簠簋，列樽俎，設籩豆者，祝也；齊明盛服，淵默而不言，神之所依者，屍也。宰、祝雖不能，屍不越樽俎而代之。故張瑟者，小弦急而大弦緩；立事者，賤者勞而貴者逸。舜為天子，彈五絃之琴，歌《南風》之詩，而天下治。周公餚臑不收於前，鐘鼓不解於懸，而四夷服。趙政晝決獄而夜理書，御史冠蓋接於郡縣，覆稽趨留，戍五嶺以備越，築修城以守胡，然奸邪萌生，盜賊群居，事愈煩而亂愈生。

One who is expert in a single matter, perceptive of a single sentence, or precise in a single skill can explain it in detail but cannot respond broadly. Knotweed planted in rows, pots with handles, weighing firewood to burn and counting rice to cook can govern the small but cannot govern the great. Round fitting the compass and square fitting the carpenter's square, moving to form the base animal and stopping to form patterns, can be used for pleasant dance but cannot be used to array an army. Washing a bowl to eat, washing a goblet to drink, and washing the hands before serving food can nourish a few but cannot feast a multitude. Now in sacrifice, those who slaughter, cut, cook and kill, skin the dog and roast the pig, and blend the five flavors are the cooks; those who set out the fu and gui vessels, arrange the wine vessels and chopping stands, and put out the bian and dou are the invocators; one who fasts, is solemn, wears the full robes, and remains silent and still, in whom the spirit lodges, is the impersonator of the dead. Though the cook and invocator may not be capable, the impersonator does not step over the wine vessels and stands to take their place. So one who strings a zither makes the small strings tight and the large strings slack; one who establishes affairs has the humble toil and the noble at ease. Shun, as Son of Heaven, played a five-string zither and sang the poem 'South Wind', and the world was well ordered. The Duke of Zhou did not clear the meat dishes from before him and did not take the bells and drums down from their hangings, and the four barbarian peoples submitted. Zhao Zheng judged cases by day and handled documents by night, the censors' caps and canopies met one another in prefectures and counties, and he reviewed and checked who was to go or stay, garrisoned the Five Ridges to guard against Yue, and built the Great Wall to guard against the Hu, yet wickedness sprouted and thieves and bandits gathered in bands, and the more troublesome it was, the more it grew.

故法者，治之具也，而非所以為治也，而猶弓矢，中之具，而非所以為中也。黃帝曰：「芒芒昧昧，因天之威，與元同氣。」故同氣者帝，同義者王，同力者霸，無一焉者亡。故人主有伐國之志，邑犬群嗥，雄雞夜鳴，庫兵動而戎馬驚。今日解怨偃兵，家老甘臥，巷無聚人，妖菑不生，非法之應也，精氣之動也。故不言而信，不施而仁，不怒而威；是以天心動化者也。施而仁，言而信，怒而威；是以精誠感之者也。施而不仁，言而不信，怒而不威，是以外貌為之者也。故有道以統之，法雖少，足以化矣；無道以行之，法雖眾，足以亂矣。

So law is a tool of government but it is not what makes government, as the bow and arrow are tools of hitting but not what makes the hit. The Yellow Emperor said: "Vast and dim, relying on the might of Heaven, sharing one breath with the Primal." So those who share the same breath are called emperors, those who share the same righteousness are called kings, those who share the same strength are called hegemons, and those who have none of these perish. So when a ruler has the intent to attack a state, the dogs of the town howl in packs, roosters crow at night, weapons in the armory stir and war horses are startled. Today, when resentment is resolved and the troops are halted, the household elders lie down contentedly, the lanes have no gatherings, and omens and disasters do not arise; this is not the response of law but the stirring of essence and spirit. So not speaking but being trusted, not giving but being benevolent, not angry but being awesome, is moving and transforming by the heart of Heaven. To give and then be benevolent, to speak and then be trusted, to be angry and then be awesome, is arousing by sincerity. To give but not be benevolent, to speak but not be trusted, to be angry but not be awesome is acting by outward appearance. So when the Way governs, though laws are few they are enough to teach and transform; when there is no Way to carry them out, though laws are many they are enough to cause disorder.

治身，太上養神，其次養形；治國，太上養化，其次正法。神清志平，百節皆寧，養性之本也；肥肌膚，充腸腹，供嗜慾，養生之末也。民交讓爭處卑，委利爭受寡，力事爭就勞，日化上遷善而不知其所以然，此治之上也。利賞而勸善，畏刑而不為非，法令正於上而百姓服於下，此治之末也。上世養本，而下世事末，此太平之所以不起也。夫欲治之主不世出，而可與興治之臣不萬一，以萬一求不世出，此所以千歲不一會也。水之性，淖以清，窮穀之汙，生以青苔，不治其性也。掘其所流而深之，茨其所決而高之，使得循勢而行，乘衰而流，雖有腐髊流漸，弗能汙也。其性非異也，通之與不通也。風俗猶此也。誠決其善志，防其邪心，啟其善道，塞其奸路，與同出一道，則民性可善，而風俗可美也。所以貴扁鵲者，非貴其隨病而調藥，貴其息脈血，知病之所從生也。所以貴聖人者，非貴隨罪而鑒刑也，貴其知亂之所由起也。若不修其風俗，而縱之淫闢，乃隨之以刑，繩之以法，雖殘賊天下，弗能禁也。

In governing oneself, the best is to nourish the spirit and next to nourish the body; in governing a state, the best is to nourish transformation and next to set laws right. When the spirit is clear and the will is level, and all the joints are at peace, this is the root of nourishing nature; to fatten the skin, fill the belly and supply desires is the tip of nourishing life. When the people yield to one another and compete to take the lowly place, give up profit and compete to receive less, vie to take the toil, and day by day are transformed to move upward to goodness without knowing why, this is the best of governing. To encourage goodness with rewards and profit and fear punishment and so not do wrong, with laws and orders upright above and the people submitting below, is the lowest of governing. The earlier ages nourished the root and the later ages busied themselves with the tip, which is why peace has not arisen. A ruler who wants to govern does not appear in every age, and the ministers who can bring about order with him are not one in ten thousand; to seek, with one in ten thousand, what does not appear in every age is why a thousand years cannot meet once. The nature of water is soft, moist and clear; exhaust the filth of the valley streams and moss grows, because one does not govern its nature. Dig deeper where it flows, and fill with thatch where it bursts and raise it higher, let it follow the force and flow by the low ground, and even if rotten bones flow along, it cannot be fouled. The nature is not different, but whether it is open or blocked. Customs are also like this. Truly open up that good intent, stop that evil heart, open that good road, block that wicked path, and go out along the same way with them, and the nature of the people can be good and customs can be fine. So Bian Que is valued, not because he adjusted medicine as the illness went, but because he felt the pulse and blood and knew where the illness arose. So the sage is valued, not because he judged punishments following offenses, but because he knew where disorder arose. If one does not cultivate customs but indulges licentiousness and then follows with punishments and takes law to bind them, even if one ravages the world one cannot stop it.

禹以夏王，桀以夏亡；湯以殷王，紂以殷亡。非法度不存也，紀綱不張，風俗壞也。三代之法不亡，而世不治者，無三代之智也；六律具存，而莫能聽者，無師曠之耳也。故法雖在，必待聖而後治；律雖具，必待耳而後聽。故國之所以存者，非以有法也，以有賢人也；其所以亡者，非以無法也，以無賢人也。晉獻公欲伐虞，宮之奇存焉，為之寢不安席，食不甘味，而不敢加兵焉。賂以寶玉駿馬，宮之奇諫而不聽，言而不用，越疆而去，荀息伐之，兵不血刃，抱寶牽馬而去。故守不待渠塹而固，攻不待沖降而拔，得賢之與失賢也。故臧武仲以其智存魯，而天下莫能亡也；璩伯玉以其仁甯衛，而天下莫能危也。《易》曰：「豐其屋，蔀其家，窺其戶，闃其無人。」無人者，非無眾庶也，言無聖人以統理之也。民無廉恥，不可治也；非修禮義，廉恥不立。民不知禮義，弗能正也；非崇善廢醜，不向禮義。無法不可以為治也；不知禮義，不可以行法。法能殺不孝者，而不能使人為孔、曾之行；法能刑竊盜者，而不能使人為伯夷之廉。孔子弟子七十，養徒三千人，皆入孝出悌，言為文章，行為儀錶，教之所成也。墨子服役者百八十人，皆可使赴火蹈刃，死不還踵，化之所致也。夫刻肌膚，鑱皮革，被創流血，至難也；然越為之，以求榮也。聖王在上，明好惡以示之，經誹譽以導之，親賢而進之，賤不肖而退之，無被創流血之苦，而有高世尊顯之名，民孰不從！

Yu became king through Xia, and Jie perished through Xia; Tang became king through Yin, and Zhou perished through Yin. It was not that the laws and standards did not exist, but that the guiding threads were not stretched and the customs were ruined. The laws of the Three Dynasties did not perish, but the age was not well governed because it lacked the wisdom of the Three Dynasties; the six pitch pipes were all there, but no one could hear them, because there was no Shi Kuang's ear. So though the law is there, one must wait for a sage and then it can be governed; though the pitch pipes are complete, one must wait for ears and then they can be heard. So a state survives not because it has laws but because it has worthy people; it perishes not because it lacks laws but because it lacks worthy people. When Duke Xian of Jin wanted to attack Yu and Gong Zhiqi was there, he could not sleep easily on his mat or enjoy his food and did not dare to send troops. When he bribed them with jade and fine horses, Gong Zhiqi remonstrated and was not heeded, his words not used, and he crossed the border and left; Xun Xi attacked, the weapons did not draw blood, and he left carrying the treasure and leading the horses. So defense that does not wait for moats is firm, and attack that does not wait for siege wagons is taken, by getting a worthy man or losing him. So Zang Wuzhong used his wisdom to preserve Lu, and the world could not destroy it; Qu Boyu used his benevolence to give Wei peace, and the world could not endanger it. The Book of Changes says: "Enlarge the house, cover his home, peer at his door, it is silent and no one is there." That no one is there does not mean there are no multitudes, but that there is no sage to oversee. People without a sense of shame cannot be governed; if ritual and righteousness are not cultivated, shame cannot be established. If people do not know ritual and righteousness they cannot be set straight; if one does not honor good and abolish ugliness, they do not turn toward ritual and righteousness. Without law one cannot govern; without knowing ritual and righteousness one cannot enforce law. Law can kill the unfilial but cannot make people do the deeds of Confucius and Zeng Shen; law can punish thieves but cannot make people have the integrity of Bo Yi. Confucius's disciples were seventy and he nurtured three thousand followers, who all entered the home in filial piety and went out in brotherly respect, whose words became writing and whose conduct became models, which teaching accomplished. Mozi had one hundred and eighty in his service, all of whom could be made to go through fire and tread on blades and die without turning back, which transformation brought about. To carve the flesh, prick the skin and leather, and be wounded and bleed is extremely hard; yet the people of Yue did this to seek honor. When a sage king is above and makes clear what is loved and hated to show them, leads them by the way of slander and praise, draws near the worthy and advances them, looks down on the unworthy and retires them, they have no pain of wounds and bleeding yet have the lofty name of being honored above the age; who among the people would not follow!

古者設法而不犯，刑錯而不用，非可刑而不刑也；百工維時，庶績咸熙，禮義修而任賢德也。故舉天下之高，以為三公；一國之高，以為九卿；一縣之高，以為二十七大夫；一鄉之高，以為八十一元士。故智過萬人者謂之英，千人者謂之俊，百人者謂之豪，十人者謂之傑。明於天道，察於地理，通於人情。大足以容眾，德足以懷遠，信足以一異，知足以知變者，人之英也；德足以教化，行足以隱義，仁足以得眾，明足以照下者，人之俊也；行足以為儀錶，知足以決嫌疑，廉足以分財，信可使守約，作事可法，出言可道者，人之豪也；守職而不廢，處義而不比，見難不苟免，見利不苟得者，人之傑也。英、俊、豪、傑，各以小大之材，處其位，得其宜，由本流末，以重製輕，上唱而民和，上動而下隨，四海之內，一心同歸，背貪鄙而向義理，其於化民也，若風之搖草木，無之而不靡。今使愚教知，使不肖臨賢，雖嚴刑罰，民弗從也。小不能制大，弱不能使強也。

In ancient times laws were set up and not violated, punishments were set aside and not used, not because they could punish and did not; the hundred artisans kept to the seasons and all kinds of achievements flourished, because ritual and righteousness were cultivated and the worthy and virtuous employed. So one who is eminent in the world becomes one of the three dukes; one eminent in a state becomes one of the nine ministers; one eminent in a county becomes one of the twenty-seven great officers; one eminent in a district becomes one of the eighty-one principal gentlemen. So one whose wisdom exceeds ten thousand people is called a Ying, over a thousand is called a Jun, over a hundred is called a Hao, and over ten is called a Jie. One who understands the Way of Heaven, discerns the patterns of Earth, and comprehends human feeling; whose greatness suffices to embrace the multitude, whose virtue suffices to soothe the distant, whose good faith suffices to unify the different, and whose wisdom suffices to know changes, is a Ying among people; one whose virtue suffices to teach, whose conduct suffices to conceal righteousness, whose benevolence suffices to win the multitude, and whose clarity suffices to illuminate those below, is a Jun among people; one whose conduct suffices to be a model, whose wisdom suffices to decide doubts, whose integrity suffices to divide wealth, who can be trusted to keep an agreement, whose actions can be imitated and whose words can be quoted, is a Hao among people; one who holds his post without neglect, lives by righteousness without forming cliques, does not escape hardship by compromise and does not gain profit by compromise, is a Jie among people. The Ying, Jun, Hao and Jie each take the talent, great or small, and occupy his position and get what suits him, flowing from root to tip, with the heavy controlling the light, when those above sing the people respond, when those above move those below follow; within the four seas, with one heart returning together, they turn their backs on greed and meanness and go toward righteousness and principle, and in transforming the people they are like wind swaying grass and trees, none not bending. Now if one lets the foolish teach the wise and lets the unworthy oversee the worthy, even with harsh punishments the people will not follow. The small cannot control the great, and the weak cannot command the strong.

故聖主者舉賢以立功，不肖主舉其所與同。文王舉太公望、召公奭而王，桓公任管仲、隰朋而霸，此舉賢以立功也。夫差用太宰嚭而滅，秦任李斯、趙高而亡，此舉所與同。故觀其所舉，而治亂可見也；察其黨與，而賢不肖可論也。夫聖人之屈者，以求伸也；枉者，以求直也；故雖出邪辟之道，行幽昧之途，將欲以直大道，成大功。猶出林之中不得直道，拯溺之人不得不濡足也。伊尹憂天下之不治，調和五味，負鼎俎而行。五就桀，五就湯，將欲以濁為清，以危為寧也。周公股肱周室，輔翼成王，管叔、蔡叔奉公子祿父而欲為亂，周公誅之以定天下，緣不得已也。管子憂周室之卑，諸侯之力征，夷狄伐中國，民不得寧處，故蒙恥辱而不死，將欲以憂夷狄之患，平夷狄之亂也。孔子欲行王道，東西南北七十說而無所偶，故因衛夫人、彌子瑕而欲通其道。此皆欲平險除穢，由冥冥至炤炤，動於權而統於善者也。

So the sage ruler raises the worthy to establish achievement, and the unworthy ruler raises those like himself. King Wen raised Taigong Wang and Shao Gong Shi and became king, and Duke Huan employed Guan Zhong and Xi Peng and became hegemon; this is raising the worthy to establish achievement. Fuchai used the Grand Steward Pi and perished, and Qin employed Li Si and Zhao Gao and was destroyed; this is raising those like himself. So by looking at whom one raises, order and disorder can be seen; by examining one's allies, the worthy and the unworthy can be judged. The bending of a sage is to seek to stretch out; the crooked is to seek straightness; so even if he walks a wicked road and a dark path, it is to reach the great Way directly and achieve great merit. Like leaving the woods one cannot walk straight, and rescuing one who is drowning one cannot keep one's feet dry. Yi Yin, worried that the world was not well ordered, blended the five flavors and went carrying the cauldron and chopping board. Five times he went to Jie, five times he went to Tang, to turn the muddy into the clear and the dangerous into peace. The Duke of Zhou was the limbs of the Zhou house and assisted King Cheng, and Guan Shu and Cai Shu, supporting the prince Lufu, wanted to make trouble, and the Duke of Zhou executed them to settle the world, doing so out of no choice. Guan Zi was worried that the Zhou house was humble and weak, that the feudal lords attacked each other with force and the barbarians attacked the Central States, and that the people could not live in peace, so he bore shame and did not die, in order to address the barbarian threat and put down the barbarian disorder. Confucius wanted to practice the kingly way, and traveled east, west, south and north to persuade seventy times without meeting a ruler, so he used the Lady of Wei and Mi Zixia, wanting to bring his Way through. All these wanted to level the dangerous and remove the foul, from the dark to the bright, moving by expediency and unifying toward goodness.

夫觀逐者於其反也，而觀行者於其終也。故舜放弟，周公殺兄，猶之為仁也；文公樹米，曾子架羊，猶之為知也。當今之世，醜必托善以自為解，邪必蒙正以自為闢。遊不論國，仕不擇官，行不闢汙，曰伊尹之道也；分別爭財，親戚兄弟構怨，骨肉相賊，曰周公之義也；行無廉恥，辱而不死，曰管子之趨也；行貨賂，趣勢門，立私廢公，比周而取容，曰孔子之術也。此使君子小人，紛然淆亂，莫知其是非者也。故百川並流，不注海者不為川穀；趨行蹐馳，不歸善者不為君子。故善言歸乎可行，善行歸乎仁義。田子方、段幹木輕爵祿而重其身，不以欲傷生，不以利累形，李克竭股肱之力，領理百官，輯穆萬民，使其君生無廢事，死無遺憂，此異行而歸於善者。張儀、蘇秦家無常居，身無定君，約從衡之事，為傾覆之謀，濁亂天下，撓滑諸侯，使百姓不遑啟居，或從或橫，或合眾弱，或輔富強，此異行而歸於醜者也。

To judge those who chase, look at their return; to judge those who walk, look at their end. So Shun banished his younger brother and the Duke of Zhou killed his elder brother, and yet they were still benevolent; Lord Wen planted rice and Zengzi hung up sheep, and yet they were still wise. In the present age, what is ugly must lean on good to explain itself, and what is wicked must wear the guise of rectitude to excuse itself. Traveling without regard to the state, serving as an official without choosing the office, acting without avoiding the foul is called the Way of Yi Yin; dividing and fighting over wealth, relatives and brothers making enemies, flesh and blood harming each other is called the righteousness of the Duke of Zhou; conduct without shame, bearing disgrace without dying, is called Guan Zi's inclination; bribery, attaching oneself to the doors of power, setting up the private and abolishing the public, forming cliques to gain favor is called Confucius's art. This makes gentlemen and petty men confused and no one knows right from wrong. So the hundred rivers flow together, and those that do not enter the sea do not become rivers, streams and valleys; those who run in their inclinations and do not return to goodness do not become gentlemen. So good words return to what can be done, and good conduct returns to benevolence and righteousness. Tian Zifang and Duangan Mu made light of rank and salary and valued their persons, did not harm life with desire, and did not burden the body with profit; Li Ke exhausted the strength of his limbs, managed the hundred officials and harmonized the myriad people, and made his ruler have no neglected affair in life and no worry left after death; these are cases where conduct differed but returned to goodness. Zhang Yi and Su Qin had no fixed home and no fixed ruler, made agreements for vertical and horizontal alliances, devised plots of overturning, muddied and confused the world, and disturbed the feudal lords, so that the people had no time to settle; some followed the vertical, some the horizontal, some joined the many weak and some assisted the rich and strong; these are cases where conduct differed but returned to ugliness.

故君子之過也，猶日月之蝕，何害於明！小人之可也，猶狗之晝吠，鴟之夜見，何益於善！夫知者不妄發，擇善而為之，計義而行之，故事成而功足賴也，身死而名足稱也。雖有知能，必以仁義為之本，然後可立也，知能蹐馳，百事並行。聖人一以仁義為之準繩，中之者謂之君子，弗中者謂之小人。君子雖死亡，其名不滅；小人雖得勢，其罪不除。使人左據天下之圖而右刎喉，愚者不為也，身貴於天下也。死君親之難，視死若歸，義重於身也。天下，大利也，比之身則小；身之重也，比之義則輕；義所全也。《詩》曰：「愷悌君子，求福不回。」言以信義為準繩也。欲成霸王之業者，必得勝者也；能得勝者，必強者也；能強者，必用人力者也；能用人力者，必得人心者也；能得人心者，必自得者也。

So the faults of the gentleman are like the eclipses of the sun and moon; how do they harm the brightness! What is acceptable in the petty man is like a dog barking by day and an owl seeing at night; how does it benefit goodness! The wise do not act rashly, choose good to do, calculate righteousness to carry out, so that the affair is accomplished and the achievement is enough to rely on, and when the person dies the name is enough to be praised. Even if one has knowledge and ability, one must take benevolence and righteousness as the root, and then one can establish oneself; knowledge and ability run, and the hundred affairs go side by side. The sage uses benevolence and righteousness uniformly as the plumb line; those who hit it are called gentlemen, and those who miss it are called petty men. A gentleman, even when dead, his name is not extinguished; a petty man, even when in power, his crimes are not removed. If you had someone press the map of the world with his left hand and cut his throat with the right, even a fool would not do it, because the person is more valuable than the world. To die for a ruler's or parent's trouble, regarding death as returning home, is because righteousness is heavier than the person. The world is a great profit, but small compared to the person; the person is weighty, but light compared to righteousness; righteousness is what is to be preserved. The Book of Poetry says: "The kind and easy gentleman seeks blessing without crookedness." This means to take good faith and righteousness as the plumb line. One who wants to accomplish the work of hegemon or king must be victorious; one who can be victorious must be strong; one who can be strong must use the strength of people; one who can use the strength of people must win the hearts of people; one who can win the hearts of people must have obtained himself.

故心者，身之本也；身者，國之本也。未有得己而失人者也，未有失己而得人者也。故為治之本，務在寧民；寧民之本，在於足用；足用之本，在於勿奪時；勿奪時之本，在於省事；省事之本，在於節用；節用之本，在於反性。未有能搖其本而靜其末，濁其源而清其流者也。故知性之情者，不務性之所無以為；知命之情者，不憂命之所無奈何。故不高宮室者，非愛木也；不大鐘鼎者，非愛金也。直行性命之情，而制度可以為萬民儀。

So the heart is the root of the person, and the person is the root of the state. There has never been one who has not obtained himself but lost others, and none who has lost himself but obtained others. So the root of governing is to strive to give the people peace; the root of giving the people peace is sufficiency; the root of sufficiency is not taking their seasons; the root of not taking their seasons is reducing affairs; the root of reducing affairs is economy of use; and the root of economy of use is returning to nature. There has never been one who could shake the root and have the tip be still, or muddy the source and have the stream be clear. So one who knows the truth of nature does not strive for what nature cannot do; one who knows the truth of fate does not worry about what fate cannot help. So not building palaces high is not out of sparing wood; not making bells and cauldrons large is not out of sparing metal. By practicing directly the truth of nature and fate, the institutions can become the model for the ten thousand people.

今目悅五色，口嚼滋味，耳淫五聲，七竅交爭以害其性，日引邪欲而澆其身夫調和，身弗能治，奈天下何！故自養得其節，則養民得其心矣。所謂有天下者，非謂其履勢位，受傳籍，稱尊號也，言運天下之力，而得天下之心。紂之地，左東海，右流沙，前交趾，後幽都，師起容關，至浦水，士億有餘萬，然皆倒矢而射，傍戟而戰。武王左操黃鉞，右執白旄以麾之，則瓦解而走，遂土崩而下。紂有南面之名，而無一人之德，此失天下也。故桀、紂不為王，湯、武不為放。周處酆鎬之地，方不過百里，而誓紂牧之野，入據殷國，朝成湯之廟，表商容之閭，封比干之墓，解箕子之囚。乃折枹毀鼓，偃五兵，縱牛馬，搢笏而朝天下，百姓歌謳而樂之，諸侯執禽而朝之，得民心也。闔閭伐楚，五戰入郢，燒高府之粟，破九龍之鍾，鞭荊平王之墓，舍昭王之宮，昭王奔隨，百姓父兄攜幼扶老而隨之，乃相率而為致勇之寇，皆方命奮臂而為之鬥。當此之時，無將卒以行列之，各致其死，卻吳兵，復楚地。靈王作章華之臺，發乾溪之役，外內搔動，百姓疲敝，棄疾乘民之怨而立公子比。百姓放臂而去之，餓於乾溪，食莽飲水，枕塊而死。楚國山川不變，土地不易，民性不殊，昭王則相率而殉之，靈王則倍畔而去之，得民之與失民也。

Now the eyes delight in the five colors, the mouth chews flavors, the ears are lured by the five sounds, and the seven orifices contend with one another to harm nature, day by day drawing in evil desires to drench the body. If one cannot even govern one's own body in harmony, what of the world! So when one's own nourishing is done with moderation, one wins the hearts of the people one nourishes. What is called possessing the world does not mean treading on its power and position, receiving the registers and taking the honored title, but moving the strength of the world and winning the heart of the world. The land of Zhou had the Eastern Sea on its left, the flowing sands on its right, Jiaozhi in front, and Youdu behind; his army, unhurried, closed to the Pu river, and the scholars numbered over a hundred million, yet they all turned their arrows backward to shoot and turned their halberds crosswise to fight. When King Wu held the yellow battle-axe in his left hand and the white yak-tail banner in his right and gave the signal, they fell apart and ran, and collapsed like earth falling away. Zhou had the name of facing south but not a single person's goodwill; this was losing the world. So Jie and Zhou are not counted as kings, and Tang and Wu are not counted as having banished them. Zhou in the land of Feng and Hao did not exceed a hundred li square, and at Muye took the oath of campaign against Zhou, entered and occupied the state of Yin, paid court at the temple of Cheng Tang, honored the lane of Shang Rong, ennobled the tomb of Bi Gan, and released Jizi from prison. Then they broke the drumsticks and ruined the drums, laid down the five weapons, let go the oxen and horses, and held the tablet at court to the world, and the people sang and rejoiced, and the feudal lords came to court bearing birds as gifts; this was winning the hearts of the people. When Helu attacked Chu, he entered Ying after five battles, burned the grain of the high storehouse, broke the bell of the nine dragons, whipped the tomb of King Ping of Jing, and lived in King Zhao's palace; King Zhao fled to Sui, and the people, fathers and elders carrying the young and supporting the old, followed him, and together they became a corps ready to die, all fighting for him with all their might. At that time no generals or soldiers drew up ranks; each fought to the death, drove back the Wu troops, and recovered the land of Chu. King Ling built the Zhanghua Terrace and launched the Qianxi campaign, inside and outside were in uproar and the people were exhausted, and Qiji, riding on the people's resentment, set up Prince Bi. The people let go their arms and left him, and he starved at Qianxi, eating grass and drinking water, and died with a clod of earth for a pillow. The mountains and rivers of Chu did not change, the land did not alter, and the nature of the people was not different, yet King Zhao was followed in death by them and King Ling was abandoned and left by them; this is winning the people and losing the people.

故天子得道，守在四夷；天子失道，守在諸侯。諸侯得道，守在四鄰；諸侯失道，守在四境。故湯處亳七十里，文王處酆百里，皆令行禁止於天下。周之衰也，戎伐凡伯於楚丘以歸。故得道則以百里之地令於諸侯，失道則以天下之大畏於冀州。故曰：無恃其不吾奪也，恃吾不可奪。行可奪之道，而非篡弒之行，無益於持天下矣。凡人之所以生者，衣與食也，今囚之冥室之中，雖養之以芻豢，衣之以綺繡，不能樂也。以目之無見，耳之無聞，穿隙穴，見雨零，則快然而歎之，況開戶發牖，從冥冥見炤々乎！從冥冥見炤々，猶尚肆然而喜，又況出室坐堂，見日月光乎！見日月光，曠然而樂，又況登泰山，履石封，以望八荒，視天都若蓋，江河若帶，又況萬物在其間者乎！其為樂豈不大哉！且聾者，耳形具而無能聞也；盲者，目形存而無能見也。夫言者，所以通己於人也；聞者，所以通人於己也，喑者不言，聾者不聞，既喑且聾，人道不通。故有喑、聾之病者，雖破家求醫，不顧其費，豈獨形骸有喑、聾哉！心志亦有之。夫指之拘也，莫不事申也；心之塞也，莫知務通也；不明於類也。夫觀六藝之廣崇，窮道德之淵深，達乎無上，至乎無下，運乎無極，翔乎無形，廣於四海，崇於太山，富於江河，曠然而通，昭然而明，天地之間無所繫戾，其所以監觀，豈不大哉！人之所知者淺，而物變無窮，曩不知而今知之，非知益多也，問學之所加也。夫物常見則識之，嘗為則能之，故因其患則造其備，犯其難則得其便。夫以一世之壽，而觀千歲之知，知今古之論，雖未嘗更也，其道理素具，可不謂有術乎！人慾知高下而不能，教之用管準則說；欲知輕重而無以，予之以權衡則喜；欲知遠近而不能，教之以金目則快射。又況知應無方而不窮哉！犯大難而不懾，見煩繆而不惑，晏然自得，其為樂也，豈直一說之快哉！

So when the Son of Heaven has the Way, his defense is the four barbarians; when the Son of Heaven loses the Way, his defense is the feudal lords. When feudal lords have the Way, their defense is the four neighbors; when feudal lords lose the Way, their defense is their four borders. So Tang at Bo with seventy li, and King Wen at Feng with a hundred li, both had their orders carried out and prohibitions obeyed throughout the world. When Zhou declined, the Rong attacked Fan Bo at Chuqiu and took him back. So with the Way one can issue orders to the feudal lords from a land of a hundred li, and without the Way one fears Jizhou with an empire as large as the world. So it is said: do not rely on others not taking from me, rely on my not being takeable. To walk the way of being taken and yet criticize usurpation and regicide does no good to holding the world. What people live by is clothing and food; now imprison a person in a dark room, and even if you feed him meats and dress him in embroidered silk, he cannot be happy. Because his eyes cannot see and ears cannot hear, if one pierces a crack and he sees the rain falling, he sighs with delight, let alone opening the door and window and seeing the bright from the dark! Seeing the bright from the dark, he is still unrestrained in joy, how much more going out of the room and sitting in the hall and seeing the light of the sun and moon! Seeing the light of the sun and moon, he is vastly joyful, how much more climbing Mount Tai, treading on the stone sealed platform, gazing at the eight wildernesses, seeing heaven as a canopy and the rivers like belts, and the ten thousand things in between! Would that joy not be greater! Moreover, the deaf have the form of ears but cannot hear; the blind have the form of eyes but cannot see. Speech is how one makes oneself reach others; hearing is how one makes others reach oneself; the mute do not speak and the deaf do not hear, and being both mute and deaf, the human way is cut off. So those with the illness of being mute or deaf, even if it breaks their families to seek a doctor, do not mind the cost; is it only the body that can be mute or deaf! The mind can also. When a finger is cramped, none does not seek to straighten it; when the mind is blocked, none knows to strive for opening; this is not understanding categories. To observe the breadth and loftiness of the Six Arts, exhaust the depth of the Way and virtue, reach what has nothing above and what has nothing below, move in the limitless, soar in the formless, broader than the four seas, higher than Mount Tai, richer than the rivers, vastly through and brightly clear, with no discord between heaven and earth, so that one surveys and observes, would that not be greater! What people know is shallow, and the changes of things are inexhaustible; one who did not know before knows now not because knowledge has increased but because inquiry and study have added to it. What is often seen is recognized, what has been done can be done, so by dealing with trouble one makes preparations, and by braving difficulty one finds convenient ways. With the lifespan of one age to observe the knowledge of a thousand years, to know the theories of past and present, though one has not experienced them, their principle is complete in itself; can one say there is no art in it! If people want to know high and low but cannot, teaching them to use a tube level makes them glad; if they want to know light and heavy but have no way, giving them a balance makes them glad; if they want to know far and near but cannot, teaching them to use a sighting bar lets them shoot with delight. How much more to know how to respond without fixed direction and not be at a loss! Facing great difficulty without fear, seeing confusion without doubt, content and at ease, that joy is not merely the pleasure of one explanation!

夫道，有形者皆生焉，其為親亦戚矣；享穀食氣者皆受焉，其為君亦惠矣；諸有智者皆學焉，其為師亦博矣。射者數發不中，人教之以儀則喜矣，又況生儀者乎！人莫不知學之有益於己也，然而不能者，嬉戲害人也。人皆多以無用害有用，故智不博而日不足，以鑿觀池之力耕，則田野必闢矣；以積土山之高修堤防，則水用必足矣；以食狗馬鴻雁之費養士，則名譽必榮矣；以弋獵博弈之日誦《詩》讀《書》，聞識必博矣。故不學之與學也，猶喑、聾之比於人也。凡學者能明於天下之分，通於治亂之本，澄心清意以存之，見其終始，可謂知略矣。天之所為，禽獸草木；人之所為，禮節制度。構而為宮室，制而為舟輿是也。治之所以為本者，仁義也；所以為末者，法度也。凡人之所以事生者，本也；其所以事死者，末也。本末，一體也；其兩愛之，一性也。先本後末，謂之君子；以末害本，謂之小人。君子與小人之性非異也，所在先後而已矣。草木之性，洪者為本，而殺者為末；禽獸之性，大者為首，而小者為尾。末大於本則折，尾大於要則不掉矣。故食其口而百節肥，灌其本而枝葉美，天地之性也。天地之生物也有本末，其養物也有先後，人之於治也，豈得無終始哉！

The Way: all that has form is born from it, so as a parent it is already close; all who eat grain and breathe qi receive it, so as a ruler it is already kind; all who have wisdom learn from it, so as a teacher it is already broad. An archer who fails to hit many times is glad when someone teaches him the form, how much more the source of form! There is no one who does not know that learning benefits himself, yet they cannot do it, because play harms people. People mostly harm the useful with the useless, so wisdom is not broad and days are not enough; if the effort used to dig sightseeing ponds were spent on plowing, the fields would surely be opened; if the height used to pile earth hills were used to build dikes, the supply of water would surely suffice; if the expense of feeding dogs, horses and wild geese were used to feed scholars, reputation would surely be glorious; if the days spent hunting with arrows and playing board games were spent reciting the Poetry and Documents, learning would surely be broad. So not learning versus learning is like the mute and deaf compared to people. All who learn can understand the allotments of the world, penetrate the root of order and disorder, keep the heart clear and the mind pure, and see end and beginning, and one may say they know the outline. What Heaven makes is birds, beasts, plants and trees; what people make are rituals and institutions. Building palaces and making boats and carriages is all. What governing takes as the root is benevolence and righteousness; what it takes as the tip is law and standards. What people use to engage in life is the root; what they use to engage in death is the tip. Root and tip are one body; loving both is one nature. Putting the root first and the tip after is called a gentleman; harming the root with the tip is called a petty man. The nature of the gentleman and the petty man is not different, only in the order of before and after. In the nature of plants and trees, the large is the root and the small is the tip; in the nature of birds and beasts, the large is the head and the small is the tail. When the tip is larger than the root it breaks; when the tail is larger than the waist it cannot be turned. So when you feed its mouth, the hundred joints fatten; when you water its root, the branches and leaves are fine; this is the nature of heaven and earth. Heaven and Earth give birth to things with root and tip, and nourish them with before and after; how can people in governing be without beginning and end!

故仁義者，治之本也。今不知事修其本，而務沼其末，是釋其根而灌其枝也。且法之生也，以輔仁義，今重法而棄義，是貴其冠履而忘其頭足也。故仁義者，為厚基者也。不益其厚而張其廣者毀，不廣其基而增其高者覆。趙政不增其德而累其高，故滅；智伯不行仁義而務廣地，故亡其國。語曰：不大其棟，不能任重。重莫若國，棟莫若德。國主之有民也，猶城之有基，木之有根。根深則本固，基美則上寧。五帝三王之道，天下之綱紀，治之儀錶也。今商鞅之啟塞，申子之三符，韓非之孤憤，張儀、蘇秦之從衡，皆掇取之權，一切之術也。非治之大本，事之恆常，可博聞而世傳者也。子囊北而全楚，北不可以為庸；弦高誕而存鄭，誕不可以為常。今夫《雅》、《頌》之聲，皆發於詞，本於情，故君臣以睦，父子以親，故《韶》、《夏》之樂也，聲浸乎金石，潤乎草木。今取怨思之聲，施之於弦管，聞其音者，不淫則悲，淫則亂男女之辨，悲則感怨思之氣。豈所謂樂哉！

So benevolence and righteousness are the root of governing. Now not knowing to cultivate the root, but striving to govern the tip, is putting down the root to water the branches. Moreover the origin of law is to assist benevolence and righteousness; now to value law and discard righteousness is to value cap and shoes and forget head and feet. So benevolence and righteousness are the foundation of thickness. To broaden it without adding to the thickness will make it collapse; to heighten it without widening the foundation will make it fall. Zhao Zheng did not add virtue but piled up height, and so was destroyed; Zhi Bo did not practice benevolence and righteousness but strove to widen his land, and so lost his state. A common saying says: if the beam is not made larger, it cannot bear heavy weight. Nothing is heavier than a state, and no beam is more of a beam than virtue. A ruler of a state has the people as a city has its foundation and a tree has its roots. When the root is deep the trunk is firm, and when the foundation is fine the top is at peace. The Way of the Five Emperors and Three Kings is the guiding thread of the world and the model of governing. Now Shang Yang's opening and blocking, Master Shen's three tallies, Han Fei's solitary indignation, and Zhang Yi and Su Qin's vertical and horizontal alliances are all expedients picked up and arts of the moment. They are not the great root of governing or the constants of affairs, which can be widely known and passed down through generations. Zi Nang retreated and preserved Chu, but retreat cannot serve as a constant rule; Xian Gao deceived and preserved Zheng, but deception cannot serve as a constant. Now the sounds of the 'Ya' and 'Song' all issue from words and are rooted in feeling, so ruler and minister thereby are in harmony and father and son thereby are close, and so the music of the 'Shao' and 'Xia' sinks into metal and stone and moistens grass and trees. Now apply sounds of resentment and longing to strings and pipes, and those who hear that sound are either licentious or sad; licentiousness confuses the distinction between men and women, and sadness stirs the breath of resentment and longing. How can that be called music!

趙王遷流於房陵，思故鄉，作《山水》之謳，聞者莫不殞涕。荊軻西刺秦王，高漸離、宋意為擊築而歌於易水之上。聞者莫不瞋目裂眥，髮植穿冠。因以此聲為樂而入宗廟，豈古之所謂樂哉！故弁冕輅輿，可服而不可好也；大羹之和，可食而不可嘗也；朱弦漏越，一唱而三歎，可聽而不可快也。故無聲者，正其可聽者也；其無味者，正其足味者也。吠聲清於耳，兼味快於口，非其貴也。故事不本於道德者，不可以為儀；言不合乎先王者，不可以為道；音不調乎《雅》、《頌》者，不可以為樂。故五子之言，所以便說掇取也，非天下之通義也。聖王之設政施教也，必察其終始，其縣法立儀，必原其本末，不苟以一事備一物而已矣。見其造而思其功，觀其源而知其流，故博施而不竭，彌久而不垢。未水出於山而入於海，稼生於田而藏於倉。聖人見其所生，則知其所歸矣。故舜深藏黃金於嶄巖之山，所以塞貪鄙之心也。儀狄為酒，禹飲而甘之，遂疏儀狄而絕旨酒，所以遏流湎之行也。師延為平公鼓朝歌北鄙之音，師曠曰：「此亡國之樂也。」大息而撫之，所以防淫闢之風也。

When King Qian of Zhao was exiled to Fangling, he longed for his old home and composed the song 'Mountains and Waters,' and none who heard it did not shed tears. When Jing Ke went west to stab the King of Qin, Gao Jianli and Song Yi struck the zhu zither and sang on the bank of the Yi River. Those who heard it all glared, split their eye corners, and their hair stood up and pierced their caps. So to take this kind of sound as music into the ancestral temple, how could it be what the ancients called music! So caps, ceremonial dress and carriages can be worn but not loved; the harmony of the great soup can be eaten but not greedily tasted; the red-stringed zither with bottom holes, one singing and three sighing, can be heard but not sought for pleasure. So the soundless is what rectifies what can be heard; the flavorless is what rectifies what is enough in flavor. Pleasant sounds that clear the ear and combined flavors that please the mouth are not what is valued. So affairs not rooted in the Way and virtue cannot be taken as models; words not accordant with the former kings cannot be taken as the Way; sounds not in tune with the 'Ya' and 'Song' cannot be taken as music. So the words of the five masters are for convenient explanation and picking up expedients, not the common righteousness of the world. When the sage kings set up government and gave teaching, they necessarily examined end and beginning, hung up laws and established models, and necessarily traced root and tip, not merely taking one thing to prepare one object. Seeing its making, they thought of its achievement; looking at the source, they knew the stream; so they spread widely and did not run dry, and the longer it lasted the less it was fouled. Water comes out of the mountains and enters the sea; crops grow in the fields and are stored in granaries. The sage, seeing what is born, knows where it will return. So Shun hid gold deep in the steep mountains in order to stop the heart of greed and meanness. Yi Di made wine and Yu drank it and found it sweet, and so he kept far from Yi Di and renounced fine wine to stop the conduct of drowning in drink. Shi Yan played for Duke Ping the sounds of the northern borders of Zhaoge, and Shi Kuang said: "This is the music of a ruined state." Sighing, he stopped him, in order to prevent the wind of licentiousness.

故民知書而德衰，知數而厚衰，知券契而信衰，知機械而實衰也。巧詐藏於胸中，則純白不備，而神德不全矣。琴不鳴，而二十五絃各以其聲應；軸不運，而三十輻各以其力旋。弦有緩急小大，然後成曲；車有勞逸動靜，而後能致遠。使有聲者，乃無聲者也；能致千里者，乃不動者也。故上下異道則治，同道則亂。位高而道大者從，事大而道小者兇。故小快害義，小慧害道，小辯害治，苛削傷德。大政不險，故民易道；至治寬裕，故下不相賊；至忠復素，故民無匿情。商鞅為秦立相坐之法，而百姓怨矣；吳起為楚減爵祿之令。而功臣畔矣。商鞅之立法也，吳起之用兵也，天下之善者也。然商鞅之法亡秦，察於刀筆之跡，而不知治亂之本也。吳起以兵弱楚，習於行陳之事，而不知廟戰之權也。晉獻公之伐驪，得其女，非不善也，然而史蘇歎之，見其四世之被禍也。吳王夫差破齊艾陵，勝晉黃池，非不捷也，而子胥憂之，見其必禽於越也。小白奔莒，重耳奔曹，非不困也，而鮑叔、咎犯隨而輔之，知其可與至於霸也。勾踐棲於會稽，修政不殆，謨慮不休，知禍之為福也。襄子再勝而有憂色，畏福之為禍也。

So when the people know writing, virtue declines; when they know numbers, thickness declines; when they know tallies and contracts, trust declines; when they know machines, simplicity declines. Cunning and deceit hidden in the breast, pure white is not complete, and spirit and virtue are not whole. A zither does not sound by itself; the twenty-five strings each respond with their own sound. An axle does not turn by itself; the thirty spokes each turn with their own strength. Strings have loose and tight, small and great, and then they form a tune; a carriage has toil and ease, moving and still, and then can reach far. What makes it have sound is the soundless; what can reach a thousand li is the unmoving. So when above and below follow different ways, there is order; when they follow the same way, there is disorder. One whose position is high and whose Way is great is followed; one whose affairs are large and whose Way is small meets misfortune. So petty quickness harms righteousness, petty cleverness harms the Way, petty debate harms governing, and harsh cutting harms virtue. Great government is not perilous, so the people easily follow it; perfect governing is generous, so those below do not harm one another; perfect loyalty returns to plainness, so the people have no hidden feelings. Shang Yang set up the law of mutual liability for Qin, and the people resented it; Wu Qi issued orders reducing ranks and salaries for Chu, and the meritorious ministers rebelled. Shang Yang's laws and Wu Qi's use of troops were the best in the world. Yet Shang Yang's law destroyed Qin, being keen on the traces of knife and brush but not knowing the root of order and disorder. Wu Qi weakened Chu with troops, being skilled in affairs of battle lines but not knowing the expediency of battle in the temple. When Duke Xian of Jin attacked Li and obtained his daughter, it was not unfavorable, yet Shi Su sighed, seeing that four generations would be struck by disaster. King Fuchai of Wu broke Qi at Ailing and defeated Jin at Huangchi; it was not unsuccessful, yet Zixu worried, seeing that he would surely be captured by Yue. Xiaobai fled to Ju and Chong'er to Cao; they were not without hardship, yet Bao Shu and Jiu Fan followed and assisted them, knowing they could reach hegemony with them. Goujian lodged at Kuaiji, cultivated government without slackening, planned without rest, and knew that misfortune could become fortune. Xiangzi won twice but had a worried look, fearing that fortune might become misfortune.

故齊桓公亡汶陽之田而霸，智伯兼三晉之地而亡。聖人見禍福於重閉之內，而慮患於九拂之外者也。原蠶一歲再收，非不利也，然而王法禁之者，為其殘桑也。離先稻熟，而農夫耨之，不以小利傷大獲也。家老異飯而食，殊器而享，子婦跣而上堂，跪而斟羹，非不費也，然而不可省者，為其害義也。待媒而結言，聘納而取婦，初絻而親迎，非不煩也，然而不可易者，所以防淫也。使民居處相司，有罪相覺，於以舉奸，非不掇也，然而傷和睦之心，而構仇讎之怨。故事有鑿一孔而生百隟，樹一物而生萬葉者，所鑿不足以為便，而所開足以為敗，所樹不足以為利，而所生足以為濊。愚者惑於小利，而忘其大害。昌羊去蚤蝨，而人弗庠者，為其來蛉窮也；狸執鼠，而不可脫於庭者，為捕雞也。故事有利於小而害於大，得於此而亡於彼者。故行棋者或食兩而路窮，或予踦而取勝。偷利不可以為行，而智術不可以為法。

So Duke Huan of Qi lost the fields of Wenyang yet became hegemon, and Zhi Bo annexed the land of the three Jin yet perished. The sage sees fortune and misfortune within layers of closed doors and worries about calamity beyond nine reversals. Silkworms of the second brood, collected twice a year, are not unprofitable, yet the king's law forbids it because it harms the mulberry. Self-seeded rice ripens before the planted rice, and the farmer hoes it out, not letting small profit harm the great harvest. The household elders do not eat at the same meal or use the same vessels, and the sons and wives go barefoot into the hall and kneel to pour the soup, which is not without expense, but cannot be spared because it protects righteousness. Waiting for a matchmaker to tie the words, presenting betrothal gifts, taking a wife, and putting on a ceremonial cap to receive her personally is not without trouble, but cannot be changed, because it is to prevent licentiousness. Making people watch one another in their dwellings and discover one another's crimes, in order to expose wickedness, is not without sharpness, but harms the heart of harmony and forms the resentment of enemies. So there are affairs in which cutting one hole produces a hundred cracks, and planting one kind of thing produces ten thousand leaves; what is cut is not enough to bring convenience, and what is opened is enough to ruin; what is planted is not enough to give profit, and what is produced is enough to foul. The fool is confused by small profit and forgets great harm. Changyang rids fleas and lice, but people do not use it as a mat, because it brings centipedes; the wildcat can catch mice, but it cannot be kept in the courtyard, because it catches chickens. So there are affairs that benefit in small and harm in large, gaining here and losing there. So in a board game some win by taking two stones yet run out of moves, and some win by giving a single stone. Stealing profit cannot be taken as conduct, and cunning methods cannot be taken as law.

故仁知，人材之美者也。所謂仁者，愛人也；所謂知者，知人也。愛人則無虐刑矣，知人則無亂政矣。治由文理，則無悖謬之事矣；刑不侵濫，則無暴虐之行矣。上無煩亂之治，下無怨望之心，則百殘除而中和作矣，此三代之所昌。故《書》曰：「能哲且惠，黎民懷之。何憂讙兜，何遷有苗。」智伯有五過人之材，而不免於身死人手者，不愛人也；齊王建有三過人之巧，而身虜於秦者，不知賢也。故仁莫大於愛人，知莫大於知人，二者不立，雖察慧捷巧，劬祿疾力，不免於亂也。

So benevolence and wisdom are the beauty of human talent. What is called benevolence is loving people; what is called wisdom is knowing people. If one loves people there are no cruel punishments, and if one knows people there are no disorderly governments. When governing proceeds through patterns and principles, there are no perverse affairs; when punishments do not exceed bounds, there are no violent acts. When there is no troublesome governing above and no resentful heart below, all the hundred cruelties are removed and the mean and harmony arise; this is how the Three Dynasties flourished. The Book of Documents says: "If one is wise and kind, the common people will be loyal. Why worry about Huan Dou, why banish the Youmiao." Zhi Bo had five talents surpassing others, yet could not avoid dying at others' hands because he did not love people; King Jian of Qi had three skills surpassing others, yet was himself captured by Qin because he did not know the worthy. So nothing in benevolence is greater than loving people, and nothing in wisdom is greater than knowing people; if these two are not established, then even with sharp perception, quick wit and nimble skill, diligent toil and swift strength, one cannot escape disorder.

夫作為書論者，所以紀綱道德，經緯人事，上考之天，下揆之地，中通諸理，雖未能抽引玄妙之中才，繁然足以觀終始矣。總要舉凡，而語不剖判純樸，靡𢿱大宗，懼為人之惽惽然弗能知也；故多為之辭，博為之說，又恐人之離本就末也。故言道而不言事，則無以與世浮沉；言事而不言道，則無以與化遊息。故著二十篇，有《原道》、有《俶真》、有《天文》、有《墜形》、有《時則》、有《覽冥》、有《精神》、有《本經》、有《主術》、有《繆稱》、有《齊俗》、有《道應》、有《氾論》、有《詮言》、有《兵略》、有《說山》、有《說林》、有《人間》、有《修務》、有《泰族》也。

Writing books and treatises is to give the guiding threads of the Way and virtue and weave together human affairs, examining above in Heaven and measuring below in Earth, penetrating the various principles in between; though it has not been able to draw out the talent of the mystery, it is abundant enough to look at from end to end. Gathering the main points and giving the outline, yet without analyzing the pure and plain and scattering the great source, one fears that people will be muddled and not understand; so one gives many words to it and sets up broad theories, and again fears that people will leave the root and chase the tip. So to speak only of the Way and not of affairs would leave nothing by which to float and sink with the age; to speak only of affairs and not of the Way would leave nothing by which to roam and rest with transformation. So twenty chapters were written: 'Original Way,' 'Beginning of Truth,' 'Heavenly Patterns,' 'Terrestrial Forms,' 'Seasonal Rules,' 'Surveying the Obscure,' 'Spirit,' 'Basic Canons,' 'The Ruler's Art,' 'Mistaken Titles,' 'Equalizing Customs,' 'Responses of the Way,' 'Wide-Ranging Discussion,' 'Explanatory Words,' 'Military Strategy,' 'Discourses on the Mountain,' 'Discourses in the Forest,' 'Among Human Affairs,' 'Cultivating Tasks,' and 'The Great Clan.'

《原道》者，盧牟六合，混沌萬物，象太一之容，測窈冥之深，以翔虛無之軫，托小以苞大，守約以治廣，使人知先後之禍富，動靜之利害。誠通其志，浩然可以大觀矣。欲一言而寤，則尊天而保真；欲再言而通，則賤物而貴身；欲參言而究，則外物而反情。執其大指，以內治五藏，瀸濇肌膚，被服法則，而與之終身，所以應待萬方，鑒耦百變也。若轉丸掌中，足以自樂也。

'Original Way' covers the six directions and mixes the myriad things, takes on the form of the Great One, measures the depth of the dark and obscure, and soars in the borders of emptiness, relying on the small to embrace the great and keeping to the concise to govern the broad, letting people know the fortune and misfortune of what comes first and after and the benefit and harm of movement and stillness. If one truly comprehends its aim, one can take a vast view. If one thinks of one sentence and awakens, then one honors Heaven and preserves the true; if one thinks of a second and comprehends, one looks down on things and values the person; if one thinks of a third and exhausts it, one casts off things and returns to feeling. Holding to the main idea, one governs the five organs within, moistens the skin, wears it as a rule, and follows it for life, so that one answers ten thousand regions and mirrors the hundred changes. Like rolling a pellet in the palm, it is enough for one's own delight.

《俶真》者，窮逐終始之化，嬴垀有無之精，離別萬物之變，合同死生之形。使人遺物反己，審仁義之間，通同異之理，觀至德之統，知變化之紀，說符玄妙之中，通回造化之母也。

'Beginning of Truth' exhausts the changes of beginning and end, the essence of waxing and waning, being and non-being, distinguishes the changes of the myriad things, and unites the forms of death and life. It lets people leave things and return to themselves, examine what lies between benevolence and righteousness, penetrate the principle of sameness and difference, look at the unity of perfect virtue, know the guiding threads of change, speak of correspondences within the mysterious, and reach the mother of creation and transformation.

《天文》者，所以和陰陽之氣，理日月之光，節開塞之時，列星辰之行，知逆順之變，避忌諱之殃，順時運之應，法五神之常，使人有以仰天承順，而不亂其常者也。

'Heavenly Patterns' is used to harmonize the qi of yin and yang, order the light of the sun and moon, regulate the seasons of opening and closing, arrange the movements of the stars, know the changes of reversal and compliance, avoid the calamities of taboos, follow the responses of the seasons' course, and imitate the constants of the five spirits, so that people have the means to look up to Heaven and follow it without disturbing its constants.

《地形》者，所以窮南北之修，極東西之廣，經山陵之形，區川穀之居，明萬物之主，知生類之眾，列山淵之數，規遠近之路。使人通回周備，不可動以物，不可驚以怪者也。

'Terrestrial Forms' is used to exhaust the length of north and south and reach the breadth of east and west, to lay out the forms of mountains and hills, to mark out the dwellings of rivers, streams and valleys, to make clear the masters of the myriad things, to know the multitude of living kinds, to list the numbers of mountains and abysses, and to plan the roads far and near. It lets people be thoroughly equipped, neither moved by things nor frightened by strange things.

《時則》者，所以上因天時，下盡地力，據度行當，合諸人則，形十二節，以為法式，終而複始，轉於無極，因循仿依，以知禍福，操舍開塞，各有龍忌，發號施令，以時教期。使君人者知所以從事。

'Seasonal Rules' is used to rely above on the seasons of Heaven and exhaust below the strength of Earth, to act appropriately according to measures and numbers and accord with human standards, forming the twelve nodes as a model, ending and beginning again, turning without limit, following and imitating in order to know fortune and misfortune, with holding and discarding, opening and closing each having its taboos; issuing proclamations and orders, instructing according to the seasons and the times of assembly. It lets rulers know what they should engage in.

《覽冥》者，所以言至精之通九天也，至微之淪無形也，純粹之入至清也，昭昭之通冥冥也。乃始攬物引類，覽取撟掇，浸想宵類，物之可以喻意象形者，乃以穿通窘滯，決瀆壅塞，引人之意，系之無極，乃以明物類之感，同氣之應，陰陽之合，形埒之朕，所以令人遠觀博見者也。

'Surveying the Obscure' is used to explain that the utmost essence reaches the nine heavens, the utmost subtlety sinks to the formless, the pure enters the utmost clarity, and the bright reaches the dark. It begins by gathering things and drawing kinds, collecting and picking up, soaking in thoughts of like kinds, and what things can be used as a metaphor or image of meaning is used to pierce what is cramped or stuck and open blocked channels, drawing the human mind and tying it to the limitless, and so shows the response of things of a kind, the answer of the same qi, the union of yin and yang, and the omens of forms and boundaries, so that people see far and widely.

《精神》者，所以原本人之所由生，而曉寤其形骸九竅，取象與天，合同其血氣，與雷霆風雨比類其喜怒，與晝宵寒暑並明，審死生之分，別同異之跡，節動靜之機，以反其性命之宗，所以使人愛養其精神，撫靜其魂魄，不以物易己，緊守虛無之宅者也。

'Spirit' traces where the human root comes from, and makes clear that the body and nine orifices take their image from Heaven, unites the blood and qi, compares joy and anger with thunder, wind and rain, shines together with day and night and cold and heat, examines the distinction between life and death, distinguishes the traces of sameness and difference, regulates the mechanisms of movement and stillness, to return to the source of nature and fate. So it lets people cherish and nourish the spirit, soothe and quiet the souls, not change themselves with things, and hold fast the house of emptiness.

《本經》者，所以明大聖之德，通維初之道，埒略衰世古今之變，以褒先世之隆盛，而貶末世之曲政也。所以使人黜耳目之聰明，精神之感動，樽流遁之觀，節養性之和，分帝王之操，列小大之差者也。

The Ben Jing (Fundamental Norms) is used to make clear the virtue of the great sages and to connect with the Way of the primal beginning; it outlines the changes of declining ages, past and present, to praise the flourishing of earlier ages and criticize the crooked governance of the last age. It makes people discard the cleverness of ears and eyes and the stirring of the spirit, stop wandering sightseeing, moderate the harmony that nourishes nature, distinguish the conduct of emperors and kings, and set out the differences between small and great.

《主術》者，君人之事也。所以因作任督責，使群臣各盡其能也。明攝權操柄，以制群下，提名責實，考之參伍，所以使人主秉數持要，不妄喜怒也。其數直施而正邪，外私而立公，使百官條通而輻輳，各務其業，人致其功。此主術之明也。

The Zhu Shu (The Art of the Ruler) concerns the affairs of one who is a ruler. So it makes ministers each exhaust their abilities according to the duties they hold and the supervision applied to them. Openly holding the handles of power, he controls those below; he brings forth names and demands substance, and checks by comparing and combining. So it makes the ruler hold the techniques and keep to the essentials, and not be wildly joyful or angry. Those techniques apply straightness to set right the crooked, repel the private and establish the public, make the hundred officials run in order like spokes toward a hub, each attending to his own task and each person achieving his merit. This is the clarity of the ruler's art.

《繆稱》者，破碎道德之論，差次仁義之分，略雜人間之事，總同乎神明之德，假像取耦，以相譬喻，斷短為節，以應小具。所以曲說攻論，應感而不匱者也。

The Miu Cheng (Subtle Sayings) breaks up the discourse on the Way and virtue into pieces, ranks the divisions of benevolence and righteousness, outlines and mixes in affairs of the human world, and brings together the virtue of the spirit; it borrows forms and images to find matches, to compare them with one another, and cuts them short into sections to answer the small needs. So crooked sayings and attacking arguments respond to stimuli and never run short.