Chapter 7: Zhongni

－－此五等者，不可不善擇也，王、霸、安存、危殆、滅亡之具也。善擇者制人，不善擇者人制之。善擇之者王，不善擇之者亡。夫王者之與亡者，制人之與人制之也，是其為相縣也亦遠矣。

These five grades cannot but be carefully chosen, for they are the conditions of king, hegemon, secure survival, danger and ruin. One who chooses well controls others, and one who does not choose well is controlled by others. One who chooses well becomes king, and one who does not choose well perishes. Between king and ruin, controlling others and being controlled by others, the difference is great enough.

萬物同宇而異體，無宜而有用為人，數也。人倫並處，同求而異道，同欲而異知，生也。皆有可也，知愚同；所可異也，知愚分。埶同而知異，行私而無禍，縱慾而不窮，則民心奮而不可說也。如是，則知者未得治也；知者未得治，則功名未成也；功名未成，則群眾未縣也；群眾未縣，則君臣未立也。無君以制臣，無上以制下，天下害生縱慾。欲惡同物，欲多而物寡，寡則必爭矣。故百技所成，所以養一人也。而能不能兼技，人不能兼官。離居不相待則窮，群居而無分則爭；窮者患也，爭者禍也，救患除禍，則莫若明分使群矣。強脅弱也，知懼愚也，民下違上，少陵長，不以德為政：如是，則老弱有失養之憂，而壯者有分爭之禍矣。事業所惡也，功利所好也，職業無分：如是，則人有樹事之患，而有爭功之禍矣。男女之合，夫婦之分，婚姻娉內，送逆無禮：如是，則人有失合之憂，而有爭色之禍矣。故知者為之分也。

The ten thousand things live in one universe yet differ in form, and have no fixed suitability yet are used for people; this is the number. Human beings live side by side, seeking the same things yet by different paths, having the same desires yet different wisdom; this is life. All have something they consider acceptable, and the wise and foolish are the same in this; but what they consider acceptable differs, and so the wise and foolish are distinguished. When power is equal but wisdom differs, if people act selfishly without calamity and indulge desires without limit, then the people's hearts rise up and cannot be persuaded. In this case, the wise are not yet governed; if the wise are not yet governed, then achievement and fame are not yet accomplished; if achievement and fame are not yet accomplished, the multitude are not yet distinguished; if the multitude are not yet distinguished, then ruler and subject are not yet established. Without a ruler to control subjects, and without superiors to control inferiors, the harm of the world arises from indulging desires. Desire and dislike have the same objects, desires are many while things are few, and when few they will surely compete. So what the hundred crafts produce serves to nourish a single person. But whether one can master many crafts or not, a person cannot hold many offices. If people live apart and do not depend on each other, they are impoverished; if they live in groups without divisions, they compete; impoverishment is a trouble and competition is a calamity, and to relieve trouble and eliminate calamity, nothing is better than making divisions clear and making people gather in groups. If the strong coerce the weak, the clever fear the foolish, the people below go against those above, the young overrun the old, and government is not done by virtue: in this case the old and weak will have the worry of being unprovided for, and the prime-aged will have the calamity of strife. If work is what is hated and gain is what is liked, and occupations have no divisions: in this case people will have the trouble of establishing enterprises and the calamity of contending for credit. If, in the pairing of men and women, the divisions of husband and wife, marriage, betrothal and the escorting of brides have no ritual: in this case people will have the worry of losing their mates and the calamity of contending over beauty. So the wise make distinctions for them.

足國之道：節用裕民，而善臧其餘。節用以禮，裕民以政。彼裕民，故多餘。裕民則民富，民富則田肥以易，田肥以易則出實百倍。上以法取焉，而下以禮節用之，餘若丘山，不時焚燒，無所臧之。夫君子奚患乎無餘？故知節用裕民，則必有仁聖賢良之名，而且有富厚丘山之積矣。此無他故焉，生於節用裕民也。不知節用裕民則民貧，民貧則田瘠以穢，田瘠以穢則出實不半；上雖好取侵奪，猶將寡獲也。而或以無禮節用之，則必有貪利糾譑之名，而且有空虛窮乏之實矣。此無他故焉，不知節用裕民也。康誥曰："弘覆乎天，若德裕乃身。"此之謂也。

The way to make the state sufficient: economize on expenditure, make the people comfortable, and be good at storing the surplus. Economize on expenditure by ritual, and make the people comfortable by government. By making the people comfortable, there is a surplus. When the people are made comfortable the people are rich; when the people are rich the fields are fertile and easily managed; when the fields are fertile and easily managed the yield is a hundredfold. Those above take according to law, those below economize in use according to ritual, and the surplus is like hills and mountains, burned from time to time, with no place to store it. How would a gentleman worry about having no surplus? So one who knows to economize on expenditure and make the people comfortable will surely have the fame of a benevolent, sage, worthy and good man, and also the stored wealth like hills and mountains. This is for no other reason than that it arises from economizing on expenditure and making the people comfortable. One who does not know to economize on expenditure and make the people comfortable has poor people; when the people are poor, the fields are barren and overgrown; when the fields are barren and overgrown, the yield is less than half; though those above like to seize, they will still obtain very little. And one who does not use things according to ritual will surely have the fame of a profit-seeking, scrutinizing man, and also the reality of emptiness and want. This is for no other reason than that he does not know to economize on expenditure and make the people comfortable. The Announcement to Kang says: "Vast covering like Heaven; follow virtue and it will make your own person abundant." This is what it means.

禮者，貴賤有等；長幼有差，貧富輕重皆有稱者也。故天子袾裷衣冕，諸侯玄裷衣冕，大夫裨冕，士皮弁服。德必稱位，位必稱祿，祿必稱用，由士以上則必以禮樂節之，眾庶百姓則必以法數制之。量地而立國，計利而畜民，度人力而授事，使民必勝事，事必出利，利足以生民，皆使衣食百用出入相揜，必時臧餘，謂之稱數。故自天子通於庶人，事無大小多少，由是推之。故曰："朝無幸位，民無幸生。"此之謂也。輕田野之賦，平關市之徵，省商賈之數，罕興力役，無奪農時，如是則國富矣。夫是之謂以政裕民。

Ritual means that noble and lowly have ranks, old and young have differences, and poor and rich, light and heavy all have what matches them. So the Son of Heaven wears the scarlet robe and crown, the feudal lords the dark robe and crown, the grand masters the pibian robe, and the gentlemen the leather cap and robe. Virtue must match position, position must match emolument, and emolument must match expenditure; from gentlemen upward, they must be regulated by ritual and music, and the multitude of common people must be restrained by laws and numbers. One measures the land to establish the state, reckons the income to feed the people, and measures people's strength to give them tasks, so that the people are surely equal to the tasks, the tasks surely yield profit, the profit is enough to support the people, and all clothing, food and uses balance receipts and expenses, and the surplus is surely stored at the proper times; this is called matching the numbers. So from the Son of Heaven down to the common people, whether affairs are large or small, many or few, all are extended by this analogy. So it is said: "At court there are no positions by luck, and among the people there is no livelihood by luck." This is what it means. Reduce the field tax, level the levies at the passes and markets, cut down the number of merchants, rarely call for labor service, and do not take away the farming season; in this way the state becomes rich. This is called using government to make the people comfortable.

人之生不能無群，群而無分則爭，爭則亂，亂則窮矣。故無分者，人之大害也；有分者，天下之本利也；而人君者，所以管分之樞要也。故美之者，是美天下之本也；安之者，是安天下之本也；貴之者，是貴天下之本也。古者先王分割而等異之也，故使或美，或惡，或厚，或薄，或佚或樂，或劬或勞，非特以為淫泰夸麗之聲，將以明仁之文，通仁之順也。故為之雕琢、刻鏤、黼黻文章，使足以辨貴賤而已，不求其觀；為之鐘鼓、管磬、琴瑟、竽笙，使足以辨吉凶、合歡、定和而已，不求其餘；為之宮室、臺榭，使足以避燥溼、養德、辨輕重而已，不求其外。詩曰："雕琢其章，金玉其相，亹亹我王，綱紀四方。"此之謂也。

Humans cannot live without forming groups, and if there are groups without divisions, there is strife; with strife there is disorder, and with disorder there is ruin. So having no divisions is the great harm to people; having divisions is the root benefit of the world; and the ruler is the pivot by which divisions are managed. So to praise him is to praise the root of the world; to make him secure is to make secure the root of the world; to value him is to value the root of the world. The former kings divided and distinguished them by rank, so that some are fine and some are coarse, some are generous and some are meager, some are at ease or happy and some toil or labor, not merely to make a name for lavish and boastful show, but in order to make plain the pattern of benevolence and to connect with the compliance of benevolence. So they made carving, engraving, embroidered and patterned decorations for them, only enough to distinguish noble and lowly, and did not seek their outward show; they made bells, drums, pipes, chimes, zithers and reed organs for them, only enough to distinguish the auspicious from the inauspicious, to unite joy and settle harmony, and sought nothing more; they made palaces and terraces for them, only enough to avoid damp and dryness, nourish virtue and distinguish light from heavy, and did not seek the outside. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, "Yu Pu", says: "Carve its patterns, make its substance gold and jade; our king is diligent and sets the cords of the four quarters." This is what it means.

若夫重色而衣之，重味而食之，重財物而制之，合天下而君之，非特以為淫泰也，固以為主天下，治萬變，材萬物，養萬民，兼制天下者，為莫若仁人之善也夫。故其知慮足以治之，其仁厚足以安之，其德音足以化之，得之則治，失之則亂。百姓誠賴其知也，故相率而為之勞苦以務佚之，以養其知也；誠美其厚也，故為之出死斷亡以覆救之，以養其厚也；誠美其德也，故為之雕琢、刻鏤、黼黻、文章以藩飾之，以養其德也。故仁人在上，百姓貴之如帝，親之如父母，為之出死斷亡而愉者，無它故焉，其所是焉誠美，其所得焉誠大，其所利焉誠多。詩曰："我任我輦，我車我牛，我行既集，蓋雲歸哉！"此之謂也。

As for wearing layered colors, eating layered flavors, controlling layered goods, and uniting the world to be its ruler, it is not only for lavishness, but because, to preside over the world, govern the ten thousand changes, shape the ten thousand things, nourish the ten thousand people, and jointly govern the world, nothing is better than a benevolent man. So his wisdom and deliberation are enough to govern, his benevolence and generosity enough to bring peace, his virtuous voice enough to transform; getting him brings order, and losing him brings disorder. The hundred families truly rely on his wisdom, so they take turns offering toil in order to make him at ease, to nourish his wisdom; truly they praise his generosity, so they give their deaths and cut off their lives to cover and rescue him, to nourish his generosity; truly they praise his virtue, so they give him carving, engraving, embroidery and patterns to adorn him, to nourish his virtue. So when a benevolent man is above, the hundred families value him as an emperor, draw near to him as to parents, give up their lives for him gladly, for no other reason than that what he affirms is truly good, what he gains is truly great, and what he benefits is truly many. The Book of Songs, Lesser Odes, "Shu Miao", says: "We carry our burdens and pull our carts, our carts and our oxen; our march is done, and perhaps it is time to go back!" This is what it means.

故曰：君子以德，小人以力；力者，德之役也。百姓之力，待之而後功；百姓之群，待之而後和；百姓之財，待之而後聚；百姓之埶，待之而後安；百姓之壽，待之而後長；父子不得不親，兄弟不得不順，男女不得不歡。少者以長，老者以養。故曰："天地生之，聖人成之。"此之謂也。

So it is said: the gentleman uses virtue and the petty man uses strength; strength is what virtue employs. The strength of the hundred families awaits him and only then has achievement; the groups of the hundred families await him and only then are harmonious; the wealth of the hundred families awaits him and only then gathers; the circumstances of the hundred families await him and only then are secure; the longevity of the hundred families awaits him and only then is long; father and son without him cannot be close, brothers without him cannot be compliant, and men and women without him cannot be happy. The young grow up by him and the old are nourished by him. So it is said: "Heaven and Earth give birth to him, and the sage completes him." This is what it means.

今之世而不然：厚刀布之斂，以奪之財；重田野之賦，以奪之食；苛關市之徵，以難其事。不然而已矣：有掎絜伺詐，權謀傾覆，以相顛倒，以靡敝之。百姓曉然皆知其汙漫暴亂，而將大危亡也。是以臣或弒其君，下或殺其上，粥其城，倍其節，而不死其事者，無他故焉，人主自取之。詩曰："無言不讎，無德不報。"此之謂也。

The present world is not like this: it increases the gathering of knife-money and cloth-money to take their wealth; it increases the taxes on the fields to take their food; it makes the levies at the passes and markets petty to make trouble for their business. Not only that: it also hooks, pulls, spies and deceives, schemes and overthrows, to knock one another down and to ruin them. The hundred families plainly all know he is foul and violent and disorderly, and that he is about to be greatly endangered and ruined. For this reason some ministers assassinate their rulers, and some below kill their superiors, sell off cities, betray their duty, and do not die for that cause, for no other reason than that the ruler brought it on himself. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, "Yi", says: "No word is unanswered, no virtue unrepaid." This is what it means.

兼足天下之道在明分：掩地表畝，刺屮殖穀，多糞肥田，是農夫眾庶之事也。守時力民，進事長功，和齊百姓，使人不偷，是將率之事也。高者不旱，下者不水，寒暑和節，而五穀以時孰，是天之事也。若夫兼而覆之，兼而愛之，兼而制之，歲雖兇敗水旱，使百姓無凍餧之患，則是聖君賢相之事也。

The way to make the world sufficient together lies in making divisions clear: covering the soil and marking the field plots, clearing grass and weeds and planting grain, and enriching the fields with much manure, is the business of farmers and the multitude. Keeping to the seasons and making the people exert themselves, advancing work and increasing achievement, harmonizing the hundred families and keeping people from idleness, is the business of generals and commanders. High land not being parched, low land not being flooded, cold and heat being harmonious and moderate, and the five grains ripening at the proper time is the business of Heaven. As for covering all of them, loving all of them, and governing all of them, so that even in years of poor harvest, flood or drought, the hundred families have no trouble of cold or hunger, this is the business of sage rulers and worthy chancellors.

墨子之言昭昭然為天下憂不足。夫不足非天下之公患也，特墨子之私憂過計也。今是土之生五穀也，人善治之，則畝數盆，一歲而再獲之。然後瓜桃棗李一本數以盆鼓；然後葷菜百疏以澤量；然後六畜禽獸一而剸車；黿、鼉、魚、鱉、鰍、鱣以時別，一而成群；然後飛鳥、鳧、雁若煙海；然後昆蟲萬物生其間，可以相食養者，不可勝數也。夫天地之生萬物也，固有餘，足以食人矣；麻葛繭絲、鳥獸之羽毛齒革也，固有餘，足以衣人矣。夫有餘不足，非天下之公患也，特墨子之私憂過計也。

Mozi's words with evident clarity worry that the world is insufficient. That insufficiency is not a public trouble of the world, only Mozi's private and excessive worry. Now this land produces the five grains, and if people are good at managing it, then one mu yields several basins, and harvests twice a year. After that, melons, peaches, jujubes and plums, one tree is counted by basins and drums; after that, strong-smelling vegetables and the hundred vegetables are measured by marshes; after that, the six domestic animals, birds and beasts, one fills a cart; crocodiles, turtles, fish, tortoises, loaches and sturgeons, each differentiated by season, form flocks in one place; after that, flying birds, wild ducks and geese are like smoke and seas; after that, insects and ten thousand things live among them, which can feed one another, beyond counting. Heaven and Earth giving birth to the ten thousand things naturally have a surplus, enough to feed people; hemp, kudzu, cocoons, silk, and the feathers, teeth and hides of birds and beasts naturally have a surplus, enough to clothe people. That surplus or insufficiency is not a public trouble of the world, only Mozi's private and excessive worry.

天下之公患，亂傷之也。胡不嘗試相與求亂之者誰也？我以墨子之"非樂"也，則使天下亂；墨子之"節用"也，則使天下貧，非將墮之也，說不免焉。墨子大有天下，小有一國，將蹙然衣粗食惡，憂戚而非樂。若是則瘠，瘠則不足欲；不足欲則賞不行。墨子大有天下，小有一國，將少人徒，省官職，上功勞苦，與百姓均事業，齊功勞。若是則不威；不威則罰不行。賞不行，則賢者不可得而進也；罰不行，則不肖者不可得而退也。賢者不可得而進也，不肖者不可得而退也，則能不能不可得而官也。若是，則萬物失宜，事變失應，上失天時，下失地利，中失人和，天下敖然，若燒若焦，墨子雖為之衣褐帶索，嚽菽飲水，惡能足之乎？既以伐其本，竭其原，而焦天下矣。

The public trouble of the world is that disorder injures it. Why not try asking each other who the makers of disorder are? I hold that Mozi's "Against Music" throws the world into disorder, and Mozi's "Economy in Use" makes the world poor, though it is not that he means to ruin it; his doctrine cannot avoid this. Mozi, if he held the whole world or even one state, would wear coarse clothes, eat poor food, and be grieved and sorrowful, opposing music. In this way he would be spare and thin, and being spare and thin, desires would not be satisfied; if desires are not satisfied, rewards cannot be carried out. Mozi, if he held the whole world or even one state, would reduce retainers and cut officials, work and toil at the top, and equalize work and merit with the hundred families. In this way he would have no authority; without authority punishments cannot be carried out. If rewards cannot be carried out, the worthy cannot be advanced and used; if punishments cannot be carried out, the unworthy cannot be dismissed. If the worthy cannot be advanced and used and the unworthy cannot be dismissed, then the capable and the incapable cannot be assigned to office. In this case, the ten thousand things lose their suitability, the changes of affairs lose their response, above Heaven's seasons are lost, below Earth's benefits are lost, and in the middle human harmony is lost, and the world is scorched, as if burned and charred; even if Mozi had them wear coarse cloth and bind themselves with rope, eat bean gruel and drink water, how could he make them sufficient? He has already cut down the root and dried up the source, and scorched the world.

故先王聖人為之不然：知夫為人主上者，不美不飾之不足以一民也，不富不厚之不足以管下也，不威不強之不足以禁暴勝悍也，故必將撞大鐘，擊鳴鼓，吹笙竽，彈琴瑟，以塞其耳；必將錭琢刻鏤，黼黻文章，以塞其目；必將芻豢稻粱，五味芬芳，以塞其口。然後眾人徒，備官職，漸慶賞，嚴刑罰，以戒其心。使天下生民之屬，皆知己之所願欲之舉在是於也，故其賞行；皆知己之所畏恐之舉在是於也，故其罰威。賞行罰威，則賢者可得而進也，不肖者可得而退也，能不能可得而官也。若是則萬物得宜，事變得應，上得天時，下得地利，中得人和，則財貨渾渾如泉源，汸汸如河海，暴暴如丘山，不時焚燒，無所臧之。夫天下何患乎不足也？故儒術誠行，則

Therefore the former kings and sages did not do it this way for this reason: they knew that one who is a ruler above, if not splendid and adorned, is not enough to unify the people; if not rich and generous, is not enough to govern those below; if not awe-inspiring and strong, is not enough to prohibit violence and overcome the fierce. So he must strike great bells, beat resonant drums, blow reed organs and pipes, and play zithers and lutes to fill his ears; he must have carving and engraving, embroidered patterns, and brilliant designs to fill his eyes; he must have meat, rice, and millet, and the fragrance of the five flavors to fill his mouth. Then he increases attendants, provides officials, gradually leads with rewards and honors, and uses severe punishments to warn the mind. He makes all kinds of the people of the world know that what they desire is all here, so his rewards can be carried out; and know that what they fear is all here, so his punishments have awe. When rewards are carried out and punishments have awe, the worthy can be advanced and employed, the unworthy can be dismissed, and the able and the unable can be assigned to offices. In this way all things get what is fitting, changes in affairs are met, above he gets the seasons of Heaven, below the advantages of Earth, and in the middle the harmony of men, and wealth gushes like a spring, pours like rivers and seas, and piles up like hills and mountains, so that it is burned at times because there is no place to store it. Then why would the world worry about insufficiency? So if the Confucian art is truly carried out, then

（缺兩行）

The source text is missing two lines here.

撞鐘擊鼓而和。詩曰："鐘鼓喤喤，管磬瑲瑲，降福穰穰，降福簡簡，威儀反反。既醉既飽，福祿來反。"此之謂也。故墨術誠行，則天下尚儉而彌貧，非鬥而日爭，勞苦頓萃，而愈無功，愀然憂戚非樂，而日不和。詩曰："天方薦瘥，喪亂弘多，民言無嘉，憯莫懲嗟。"此之謂也。

(He continued:) strike the bells and beat the drums in harmony. The Book of Odes, in the "Hymns of Zhou: Zhi Jing," says: "Bells and drums resound, pipes and chimes ring out, sending down blessings, many and great; the bearing is calm and dignified. Already drunk and already full, blessings and emoluments come again." This is what is meant. But if the Mohist art is truly carried out, then the world esteems thrift and yet grows poorer, rejects fighting and yet quarrels daily, toils and is worn thin and yet gains less merit, grieves anxiously and condemns music yet is daily less harmonious. The Book of Odes, in the "Lesser Odes: Jie Nan Shan," says: "Heaven is sending down pestilence, death and disorder are great and many; the people have no good words, and yet they do not take warning and sigh." This is what is meant.

垂事養民，拊循之，唲嘔之，冬日則為之饘粥，夏日則為之瓜麮，以偷取少頃之譽焉，是偷道也。可以少頃得奸民之譽，然而非長久之道也；事必不就，功必不立，是奸治者也。傮然要時務民，進事長功，輕非譽而恬失民，事進矣，而百姓疾之，是又偷偏者也。徙壞墮落，必反無功。故垂事養譽，不可；以遂功而忘民，亦不可。皆奸道也。

To set aside proper business in order to nurture the people, to soothe and comfort them, to give them thick porridge in winter and melon and wheat porridge in summer, in order to steal a moment's reputation, is the way of the idle and slack. One can for a moment gain the praise of the wicked, but this is not a lasting way; the work will surely not be completed and merit will surely not be established; this is wicked governance. Hastily setting a deadline to employ the people, pushing work forward and increasing achievements, taking praise and blame lightly and being content to lose the people, the work advances but the hundred clans hate him; this too is idle and one-sided. Ruin and decay will surely follow, and he will have no merit in return. So to set aside proper business to nurture reputation is not acceptable; and to forget the people because of achieving merit is also not acceptable. Both are wicked ways.

故古人為之不然：使民夏不宛喝，冬不凍寒，急不傷力，緩不後時，事成功立，上下俱富；而百姓皆愛其上，人歸之如流水，親之歡如父母，為之出死斷亡而愉者，無它故焉，忠信、調和、均辨之至也。故國君長民者，欲趨時遂功，則和調累解，速乎急疾；忠信均辨，說乎慶賞矣；必先修正其在我者，然後徐責其在人者，威乎刑罰。三德者誠乎上，則下應之如景向，雖欲無明達，得乎哉！書曰："乃大明服，惟民其力懋，和而有疾。"此之謂也。

Therefore the people of ancient times did not do it this way: they made the people not suffer heat in summer or cold in winter, urgency not harm their strength and slowness not lag behind the season, with work completed and merit established, both high and low rich; and the hundred clans all loved their superior, people turned to him like flowing water, were close to him and glad like to parents, and went out to die and cut off their lives for him gladly, for no other reason than that loyalty, good faith, harmony, and impartial discrimination had reached the utmost. So a ruler who leads the people, wishing to hasten the occasion and accomplish merit, finds that harmony and leniency are faster than urgency; loyalty, good faith, and impartial discrimination please people more than rewards and honors; and that he must first correct what lies in himself, and only afterward slowly demand what lies in others, is more awe-inspiring than punishment. When these three virtues are truly above, those below respond like shadow and echo, and even if one wished not to be illustrious and successful, could one avoid it! The Book of Documents says: "Thereupon they greatly and brightly submitted, the people exerted their strength and urged each other on, harmonious and swift." This is what is meant.

故不教而誅，則刑繁而邪不勝；教而不誅，則奸民不懲；誅而不賞，則勤厲之民不勸；誅賞而不類，則下疑俗險而百姓不一。故先王明禮義以壹之，致忠信以愛之，尚賢使能以次之，爵服慶賞以申重之，時其事，輕其任，以調齊之，潢然兼覆之，養長之，如保赤子。若是，故奸邪不作，盜賊不起，而化善者勸勉矣。是何邪？則其道易，其塞固，其政令一，其防表明。故曰：上一則下一矣，上二則下二矣。闢之若屮木枝葉必類本。此之謂也。

Therefore, to execute without teaching leads to many punishments and wickedness cannot be overcome; to teach without executing means the wicked people are not warned; to execute without rewarding means the diligent people are not encouraged; if executions and rewards do not accord with kind, those below are confused, customs become treacherous, and the hundred clans are not unified. So the former kings clarified ritual and righteousness to unify them, exhausted loyalty and good faith to love them, esteemed the worthy and employed the able to rank them, used rank, dress, rewards, and honors to reinforce them, arranged their work in due season and lightened their burdens to harmonize them, covered them broadly and nourished them as if protecting infants. In this way wickedness did not arise, robbers and thieves did not rise, and those who are transformed to good were encouraged. Why is this? Because his Way is plain and easy, his filling and blocking firm, his government decrees unified, and his guards and markers clear. Therefore it is said: if the one above is one, those below are one; if the one above is two, those below are two. It is like the branches and leaves of plants and trees, which must resemble the root. This is what is meant.

不利而利之，不如利而後利之之利也。不愛而用之，不如愛而後用之之功也。利而後利之，不如利而不利者之利也。愛而後用之，不如愛而不用者之功也。利而不利也，愛而不用也者，取天下者也。利而後利之，愛而後用之者，保社稷者也。不利而利之，不愛而用之者，危國家者也。

To take profit from people without first giving them profit is not as profitable as first giving them profit and then taking profit from them. To use people without loving them is not as effective as first loving them and then using them. To first give people profit and then take profit from them is not as profitable as giving people profit without taking profit from them. To first love and then use them is not as effective as loving them without using them. One who gives people profit without taking profit from them and loves them without using them is one who obtains the world. One who first gives people profit and then takes profit from them, and who first loves and then uses them, is one who preserves the altars of soil and grain. One who takes profit from people without giving them profit, and uses them without loving them, is one who endangers the state.

觀國之治亂臧否，至於疆易而端已見矣。其候繳支繚，其竟關之政盡察－－是亂國已。入其境，其田疇穢，都邑露－－是貪主已。觀其朝廷，則其貴者不賢；觀其官職，則其治者不能；觀其便嬖，則其信者不愨－－是闇主已。凡主相臣下百吏之屬，其於貨財取與計數也，順孰盡察；其禮義節奏也，芒軔僈楛－－是辱國已。其耕者樂田，其戰士安難，其百吏好法，其朝廷隆禮，其卿相調議－－是治國已。觀其朝廷，則其貴者賢；觀其官職，則其治者能；觀其便嬖，則其信者愨－－是明主已。凡主相臣下百吏之屬，其於貨財取與計數也，寬饒簡易；其於禮義節奏也，陵謹盡察－－是榮國已。賢齊則其親者先貴，能齊則其故者先官，其臣下百吏，汙者皆化而修，悍者皆化而願，躁者皆化而愨－－是明主之功已。

To observe the order, disorder, good, or bad of a state, on reaching its borders the clues are already visible. If its scouts are entangled and scattered, and the governance of its border passes is wholly harsh and petty, this is already a disordered state. On entering its territory, if its fields are weedy and desolate and its towns and cities are in decay, this is already a greedy ruler. Observing its court, if its honored men are not worthy; observing its offices, if those who manage them are not capable; observing its favorites, if those who are trusted are not upright and careful, this is already a benighted ruler. If the ruler, chief minister, subordinates, and the hundred officials, in matters of taking and giving goods, wealth, and accounts, are all skilled and wholly harsh and petty, while in ritual, righteousness, and propriety they are vague, slack, and coarse, this is already a disgraced state. If its farmers delight in the fields, its warriors are at ease in hardship, its hundred officials love the law, its court honors ritual, and its ministers and chief minister harmonize in counsel, this is already a well-governed state. Observing its court, if its honored men are worthy; observing its offices, if those who manage them are capable; observing its favorites, if those who are trusted are upright and careful, this is already a wise ruler. If the ruler, chief minister, subordinates, and the hundred officials, in matters of taking and giving goods, wealth, and accounts, are generous and easy, while in ritual, righteousness, and propriety they are strict and wholly careful in examination, this is already a glorious state. When worthy men are equal, his kin are honored first; when able men are equal, his old friends are appointed to office first; and among his subordinates and the hundred officials, the filthy are all transformed and put in order, the fierce are all transformed and become careful and sincere, and the frivolous are all transformed and become upright and careful; this is already the achievement of a wise ruler.

觀國之強弱貧富有徵驗：上不隆禮則兵弱，上不愛民則兵弱，已諾不信則兵弱，慶賞不漸則兵弱，將率不能則兵弱。上好功則國貧，上好利則國貧，士大夫眾則國貧，工商眾則國貧，無制數度量則國貧。下貧則上貧，下富則上富。故田野縣鄙者，財之本也；垣窌倉廩者，財之末也。百姓時和，事業得敘者，貨之源也；等賦府庫者，貨之流也。故明主必謹養其和，節其流，開其源，而時斟酌焉。潢然使天下必有餘，而上不憂不足。如是，則上下俱富，交無所藏之。是知國計之極也。故禹十年水，湯七年旱，而天下無菜色者，十年之後，年穀復熟，而陳積有餘。是無它故焉，知本末源流之謂也。故田野荒而倉廩實，百姓虛而府庫滿，夫是之謂國蹶。伐其本，竭其源，而並之其末，然而主相不知惡也，則其傾覆滅亡可立而待也。以國持之，而不足以容其身，夫是之謂至貧，是愚主之極也。將以取富而喪其國，將以取利而危其身，古有萬國，今有十數焉，是無它故焉，其所以失之一也。君人者亦可以覺矣。百里之國，足以獨立矣。

To observe a state's strength, weakness, poverty, or wealth, there are signs: if the one above does not honor ritual, the army is weak; if the one above does not love the people, the army is weak; if promises are made and then not kept, the army is weak; if rewards and honors are not gradually accumulated, the army is weak; if the generals are not capable, the army is weak. If the one above loves merit, the state is poor; if the one above loves profit, the state is poor; if officers and grandees are many, the state is poor; if artisans and merchants are many, the state is poor; if there is no system of numbers and measures, the state is poor. When those below are poor, those above are poor; when those below are rich, those above are rich. Therefore the fields, wilds, counties, and borderlands are the root of wealth; the walls, cellars, and granaries are the branch of wealth. When the hundred clans get the season and are harmonious, and their work is put in order, this is the source of goods; collecting taxes in due grades into the treasuries is the stream of goods. So the wise ruler is careful to nurture the harmony, regulate the stream, open up the source, and weigh matters in due season. Broadly he ensures that the world always has a surplus, and the ruler above does not worry about insufficiency. In this way both high and low are rich, and there is nowhere to store it. This is the utmost knowledge of the state's accounts. So Yu had ten years of floods and Tang had seven years of drought, yet in the world there were none with the pale look of eating vegetables, and after ten years the grain ripened again and there were reserves with surplus. There was no other reason; it was knowing the meaning of root and branch, source and stream. Thus when the fields and wilds are desolate while the granaries are full, when the hundred clans are empty while the treasuries are overflowing, this is called the state toppling. Cutting down the root, drying up the source, and gathering all to the branch, and yet the ruler and chief minister do not know to hate it, then their collapse and ruin can be awaited standing. To hold a state and yet not be enough to contain oneself is called the utmost poverty, the extreme of a foolish ruler. Wanting to take wealth by it but losing his state, wanting to take profit by it but harming his body, in ancient times there were ten thousand states and now there are a dozen; there is no other reason: what they lost it by was one thing. Rulers can wake up to this. A state of a hundred li is enough to stand independently.

凡攻人者，非以為名，則案以為利也；不然則忿之也。仁人之用國，將修志意，正身行，伉隆高，致忠信，期文理。布衣紃屨之士誠是，則雖在窮閻漏屋，而王公不能與之爭名；以國載之，則天下莫之能隱匿也。若是則為名者不攻也。將闢田野，實倉廩，便備用，上下一心，三軍同力，與之遠舉極戰則不可；境內之聚也保固；視可，午其軍，取其將，若撥麷。彼得之，不足以藥傷補敗。彼愛其爪牙，畏其仇敵，若是則為利者不攻也。將修大小強弱之義，以持慎之，禮節將甚文，圭璧將甚碩，貨賂將甚厚，所以說之者，必將雅文辯慧之君子也。彼苟有人意焉，夫誰能忿之？若是，則忿之者不攻也。為名者否，為利者否，為忿者否，則國安於盤石，壽於旗翼。人皆亂，我獨治；人皆危，我獨安；人皆喪失之，我按起而治之。故仁人之用國，非特將持其有而已也，又將兼人。詩曰："淑人君子，其儀不忒；其儀不忒，正是四國。"此之謂也。

All who attack others do it either for fame or for profit; if not, then because of resentment of them. A benevolent man employing a state will cultivate his purpose, correct his conduct, raise high and honor, exhaust loyalty and good faith, and seek refinement and pattern. If a commoner in rope sandals is truly like this, then even in a back alley and leaking house, kings and dukes cannot contest fame with him; if he is borne by a state, none under heaven could hide him. In this way those who seek fame do not attack. He will open up fields, fill granaries, make convenient the stores for use, with high and low one-hearted and the three armies of one strength; one cannot launch a far campaign and fight to the extreme with him; within the borders they gather and hold fast; seeing that it is possible, he meets his army, seizes his general, as easily as plucking a sprout of wheat. What he gains is not enough to heal wounds and repair defeat. He loves his claws and teeth and fears his enemies; in this way those who seek profit do not attack. He will cultivate the principles of large, small, strong, and weak in order to hold to caution, his ceremonies will be highly refined, his jade tablets large, his gifts generous, and those sent to persuade will certainly be elegant, learned, and eloquent gentlemen. If he has the hearts of men, who could resent him? In this way those who resent do not attack. When those who seek fame do not come, those who seek profit do not come, and those who are resentful do not come, the state is as secure as bedrock, its lifespan comparable to the stars Ji and Yi. Others are all in disorder, I alone am governed; others are all in danger, I alone am secure; others are all lost, I rise by pressing on to govern. So a benevolent man employing a state does not merely hold what he has, but will also take in others. The Book of Odes, in the "Airs of Cao: Shi Jiu," says: "The good man, the gentleman, his bearing is without fault; his bearing is without fault, and he sets right the four states." This is what is meant.

持國之難易：事強暴之國難，使強暴之國事我易。事之以貨寶，則貨寶單，而交不結；約信盟誓，則約定而畔無日；割國之錙銖以賂之，則割定而欲無厭。事之彌煩，其侵人愈甚，必至於資單國舉然後已。雖左堯而右舜，未有能以此道得免焉者也。譬之是猶使處女嬰寶珠，佩寶玉，負戴黃金，而遇中山之盜也，雖為之逢蒙視，詘要撓膕，君盧屋妾，由將不足以免也。故非有一人之道也，直將巧繁拜請而畏事之，則不足以持國安身。故明君不道也。必將修禮以齊朝，正法以齊官，平政以齊民；然後節奏齊於朝，百事齊於官，眾庶齊於下。如是，則近者競親，遠方致願，上下一心，三軍同力，名聲足以暴炙之，威強足以捶笞之，拱揖指揮，而強暴之國莫不趨使，譬之是猶烏獲與焦僥搏也。故曰：事強暴之國難，使強暴之國事我易。此之謂也。

The difficulty or ease of holding a state: to serve a strong and violent state is hard; to make a strong and violent state serve me is easy. If you serve him with goods and treasures, then goods and treasures are used up and the relationship is not secured; if you make agreements, treaties, and oaths, then they are made and he breaks them within days; if you cut off a tiny portion of your territory to bribe him, then it is cut off and his desires are not satisfied. The more tiresomely you serve him, the more fiercely he invades, until, resources exhausted and the state handed over, he finally stops. Even if on his left were Yao and on his right Shun, none could escape disaster by this way. It is like making a maiden hang jewels around her neck, wear precious jade, and carry gold on her back, and meet bandits of Zhongshan; even if she lets them look at her sidelong, bends her waist and knees like a concubine in someone's house, it will not be enough to escape disaster. So if one does not have the Way of unifying people, but only wants to use clever words and numerous requests while fearing and serving him, it is not enough to hold the state or secure oneself. So a wise ruler does not take this road. He must cultivate ritual to unify the court, set the law straight to unify the offices, level government to unify the people; then the rhythm is unified at court, the hundred affairs are unified in the offices, and the multitude are unified below. In this way, those near compete to be close and those far send their wishes, high and low are one-hearted, the three armies are of one strength, his fame is enough to scorch him and his might is enough to flog him, and with folded hands, a bow, and a pointing gesture, there is no violent state that is not driven to submit, as when Wu Huo wrestles with Jiaoyao. Therefore it is said: to serve a strong and violent state is hard; to make a strong and violent state serve me is easy. This is what is meant.

國者，天下之利用也；人主者，天下之利埶也。得道以持之，則大安也，大榮也，積美之源也；不得道以持之，則大危也，大累也，有之不如無之；及其綦也，索為匹夫不可得也，齊愍、宋獻是也。故人主天下之利埶也，然而不能自安也，安之者必將道也。

A state is a convenient tool of the world; the ruler is the convenient power of the world. If he obtains the Way and holds it, it is great security, great glory, and the source of accumulated good; if he does not obtain the Way and holds it, it is great danger, a great burden, and having it is worse than not having it; and at the extreme, even seeking to be a commoner cannot be obtained, as in the cases of King Min of Qi and Xian of Song. So the ruler is the convenient power of the world, yet he cannot secure himself, and what secures him must be the Way.

故用國者，義立而王，信立而霸，權謀立而亡。－－三者明主之所謹擇也，仁人之所務白也。絜國以呼禮義，而無以害之，行一不義，殺一無罪，而得天下，仁者不為也。擽然扶持心國，且若是其固也。之所與為之者，之人則舉義士也；之所以為布陳於國家刑法者，則舉義法也；主之所極然帥群臣而首鄉之者，則舉義志也。如是則下仰上以義矣，是綦定也；綦定而國定，國定而天下定。仲尼無置錐之地，誠義乎志意，加義乎身行，箸之言語，濟之日，不隱乎天下，名垂乎後世。今亦以天下之顯諸侯，誠義乎志意，加義乎法則度量，箸之以政事，案申重之以貴賤殺生，使襲然終始猶一也。如是，則夫名聲之部發於天地之間也，豈不如日月雷霆然矣哉！故曰：以國齊義，一日而白，湯武是也。湯以亳，武王以鄗，皆百里之地也，天下為一，諸侯為臣，通達之屬，莫不從服，無它故焉，以義濟矣。－－是所謂義立而王也。

So one who uses a state: if righteousness is established, he becomes king; if good faith is established, he becomes hegemon; if power and scheming are established, he perishes. These three are what a wise ruler chooses carefully and what a benevolent man strives to make clear. In putting the state in order and calling for ritual and righteousness, there is nothing to harm it; to do one unrighteous deed or kill one innocent person in order to gain the world, a benevolent man would not do. Hold the heart and the state firmly, and be so firm. Those he does things with are all righteous men; what is laid out in the state's penal law is all righteous law; what the ruler strives to lead his ministers toward is all righteous aims. In this way those below look up to the one above through righteousness, and this is the utmost stability; with utmost stability the state is settled, and with the state settled the world is settled. Confucius had no land to stand an awl on, yet truly placed righteousness in his purpose, applied righteousness to his conduct, and displayed it in his words, and on the day of accomplishment he was not hidden from the world and his fame hung down to later generations. Now if one used the illustrious lords of the world, and truly placed righteousness in his purpose, applied righteousness to laws and measures, and displayed it in government affairs, and then reinforced it with high and low, killing and giving life, so that it followed one another from beginning to end as one thing, then would that fame not burst out between Heaven and Earth like the sun, moon, and thunder! So it is said: to use a state to unite with righteousness will be clear in a single day, as Tang and Wu were. Tang relied on Bo and King Wu relied on Hao, both lands of one hundred li, yet the world was unified, the lords became ministers, and nowhere they reached failed to submit; there was no other reason: it was accomplished by righteousness. This is what is called establishing righteousness and becoming king.

德雖未至也，義雖未濟也，然而天下之理略奏矣，刑賞已諾信乎天下矣，臣下曉然皆知其可要也。政令已陳，雖睹利敗，不欺其民；約結已定，雖睹利敗，不欺其與。如是，則兵勁城固，敵國畏之；國一綦明，與國信之；雖在僻陋之國，威動天下，五伯是也。非本政教也，非致隆高也，非綦文理也，非服人之心也，鄉方略，審勞佚，謹畜積，修戰備，齺然上下相信，而天下莫之敢當。故齊桓、晉文、楚莊、吳闔閭、越勾踐，是皆僻陋之國也，威動天下，強殆中國，無它故焉，略信也。－－是所謂信立而霸也。

Though virtue has not yet reached the utmost and righteousness has not yet been completed, yet the principles of the world are roughly gathered, punishments, rewards, and promises have already won trust in the world, and the ministers all clearly know that agreements can be made. When government decrees have been laid out, even on seeing profit and defeat he does not deceive his people; when agreements have been settled, even on seeing profit and defeat he does not deceive his allied states. In this way the army is strong and the cities firm, and enemy states fear him; the state is unified and its utmost is clear, and allied states trust him; even in a remote and humble state, his might can shake the world; the Five Hegemons were like this. It was not rooted in government and teaching, not pushing the lofty to the utmost, not pushing refinement and pattern to the utmost, not making people submit in their hearts, but only turning to strategies, examining labor and rest, being careful in stockpiling, practicing war preparations, with high and low trusting one another, so that none in the world dared resist. So Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Wen of Jin, King Zhuang of Chu, Helu of Wu, and Goujian of Yue were all of remote and humble states, yet their might shook the world, their strength endangered the Central States, and there was no other reason: it was that their general strategy had good faith. This is what is called establishing good faith and becoming hegemon.

絜國以呼功利，不務張其義，齊其信，唯利之求，內則不憚詐其民，而求小利焉；外則不憚詐其與，而求大利焉，內不修正其所以有，然常欲人之有。如是，則臣下百姓莫不以詐心待其上矣。上詐其下，下詐其上，則是上下析也。如是，則敵國輕之，與國疑之，權謀日行，而國不免危削，綦之而亡，齊閔、薛公是也。故用強齊，非以修禮義也，非以本政教也，非以一天下也，綿綿常以結引馳外為務。故強、南足以破楚，西足以詘秦，北足以敗燕，中足以舉宋。及以燕趙起而攻之，若振槁然，而身死國亡，為天下大戮，後世言惡，則必稽焉。是無它故焉，唯其不由禮義，而由權謀也。

One who puts the state in order and calls for gain and profit, not striving to extend his righteousness or unify his good faith, but seeking only profit, will within not hesitate to deceive his people in order to seek small profit; and without will not hesitate to deceive his allied states in order to seek great profit, within not correcting what he has, and always wanting what others have. In this way, among ministers and hundred clans there are none who do not treat their superior with deceitful hearts. When the one above deceives those below, and those below deceive the one above, high and low are split. In this way enemy states despise him, allied states doubt him, power and scheming are practiced every day, and the state cannot avoid danger and diminution, and at the extreme perishes; King Min of Qi and Lord Xue were such. So the use of strong Qi was not to cultivate ritual and righteousness, not to be rooted in government and teaching, not to unify the world, but continually to treat forming alliances and galloping outside as the business at hand. Thus it was strong, in the south sufficient to break Chu, in the west sufficient to subdue Qin, in the north sufficient to defeat Yan, and in the center sufficient to attack and take Song. When Yan and Zhao rose to attack it, it was like shaking dead leaves down, and he died and the state perished, becoming a great disgrace of the world, so that later generations speaking of evil must cite him. There is no other reason: he did not follow ritual and righteousness but followed power and scheming.

三者明主之所以謹擇也，而仁人之所以務白也。善擇者制人，不善擇者人制之。

These three are what a wise ruler chooses carefully, and are also what a benevolent man strives to make clear. One who is good at choosing controls others; one who is not good at choosing is controlled by others.

國者、天下之大器也，重任也，不可不善為擇所而後錯之，錯險則危；不可不善為擇道然後道之，塗薉則塞；危塞則亡。彼國錯者，非封焉之謂也，何法之道，誰子之與也。故道王者之法，與王者之人為之，則亦王；道霸者之法，與霸者之人為之，則亦霸；道亡國之法，與亡國之人為之，則亦亡。－－三者明主之所以謹擇也，而仁人之所以務白也。

The state is the great vessel of the world and a heavy responsibility; one must choose well its location and then place it, and placed in a dangerous spot it is in danger; one must choose well the road and then lead it, and if the road is overgrown it is blocked; danger and blockage lead to ruin. The placing of the state does not mean the borders, but rather which law's way is followed and with whom one is. So if one follows the law of a king and acts with the people of a king, he becomes king; if he follows the law of a hegemon and acts with the people of a hegemon, he becomes hegemon; if he follows the law of a perishing state and acts with the people of a perishing state, he perishes. These three are what a wise ruler chooses carefully and what a benevolent man strives to make clear.

故國者、重任也，不以積持之則不立。故國者，世所以新者也，是憚，憚、非變也，改王改行也。故一朝之日也，一日之人也，然而厭焉有千歲之國，何也？曰：援夫千歲之信法以持之也，安與夫千歲之信士為之也。人無百歲之壽，而有千歲之信士，何也？曰：以夫千歲之法自持者，是乃千歲之信士矣。故與積禮義之君子為之則王，與端誠信全之士為之則霸，與權謀傾覆之人為之則亡。－－三者明主之所以謹擇也，仁人之所以務白也。善擇之者制人，不善擇之者人制之。

So the state is a heavy responsibility, and if one does not hold it by accumulation it cannot stand. The state is renewed through the generations; this is abdication and succession, and succession is not disorder but changing the king and changing the conduct. Thus the days of one dynasty, the people of one day, yet there is calmly a state of a thousand years; why? It is said: drawing on that thousand-year law of good faith to hold it, and working with those thousand-year faithful men. People do not have a hundred years of life, yet there are thousand-year faithful men; why? It is said: those who hold themselves by that thousand-year law are thousand-year faithful men. So to work with gentlemen who have accumulated ritual and righteousness is to become king; to work with upright, sincere, faithful, and complete men is to become hegemon; to work with those of power, scheming, and overthrow is to perish. These three are what a wise ruler chooses carefully and what a benevolent man strives to make clear. One who is good at choosing controls others; one who is not good at choosing is controlled by others.

彼持國者，必不可以獨也，然則強固榮辱在於取相矣。身能相能，如是者王，身不能，知恐懼而求能者，如是者強；身不能，不知恐懼而求能者，安唯便僻左右親比己者之用，如是者危削；綦之而亡。國者，巨用之則大，小用之則小；綦大而王，綦小而亡，小巨分流者存。巨用之者，先義而後利，安不恤親疏，不恤貴賤，唯誠能之求，夫是之謂巨用之。小用之者，先利而後義，安不恤是非，不治曲直，唯便僻親比己者之用，夫是之謂小用之。巨用之者若彼，小用之者若此，小巨分流者，亦一若彼，一若此也。故曰："粹而王，駁而霸，無一焉而亡。"此之謂也。

One who holds a state must not stand alone; strength and honor or disgrace therefore lie in the choice of a chancellor. If the ruler himself is able and the chancellor is able, such a one becomes a true king. If the ruler is not able but knows fear and seeks out able men, such a one becomes strong. If the ruler is not able, does not know fear, and does not seek able men, but employs only the fawning attendants at his side who cling to him, such a one is endangered and diminished; at the extreme he is destroyed. A state: use it on a grand scale and it grows great; use it on a petty scale and it stays small. At the extreme of greatness it rules as king; at the extreme of smallness it perishes; small and great survive in divergent ways. One who uses it on a grand scale puts rightness first and profit last; paying no heed to near kin or stranger, caring nothing for noble or lowly, seeking only the truly talented—this is called using it on a grand scale. One who uses it on a petty scale puts profit first and rightness last; paying no heed to right and wrong, taking no care of crooked and straight, employing only the fawning intimates attached to himself—this is called using it on a petty scale. Those who use it grandly are like the former; those who use it meanly are like the latter; and of those in between, some are like one and some like the other. Therefore it is said: 'The pure become kings; the mixed become hegemons; those with neither perish.' This is what it means.

國無禮則不正。禮之所以正國也，譬之：猶衡之於輕重也，猶繩墨之於曲直也，猶規矩之於方圓也，既錯之而人莫之能誣也。詩云："如霜雪之將將，如日月之光明，為之則存，不為則亡。"此之謂也。

A state cannot be set straight without ritual. Ritual, by which a state is set straight, is like this: as the balance is to light and heavy, as the inked line is to crooked and straight, as compass and square are to round and square—once they have been set in place, no one can deceive against them. The Book of Songs says: 'Severe as frost and snow, luminous as sun and moon; practice it and it endures, neglect it and it is lost.' This is what it means.

國危則無樂君，國安則無憂民。亂則國危，治則國安。今君人者，急逐樂而緩治國，豈不過甚矣哉！譬之是由好聲色，而恬無耳目也，豈不哀哉！夫人之情，目欲綦色，耳欲綦聲，口欲綦味，鼻欲綦臭，心欲綦佚。－－此五綦者，人情之所必不免也。養五綦者有具。無其具，則五綦者不可得而致也。萬乘之國，可謂廣大富厚矣，加有治辨強固之道焉，若是則恬愉無患難矣，然後養五綦之具具也。故百樂者，生於治國者也；憂患者，生於亂國者也。急逐樂而緩治國者，非知樂者也。故明君者，必將先治其國，然後百樂得其中。闇君者，必將急逐樂而緩治國，故憂患不可勝校也，必至於身死國亡然後止也，豈不哀哉！將以為樂，乃得憂焉；將以為安，乃得危焉；將以為福，乃得死亡焉，豈不哀哉！於乎！君人者，亦可以察若言矣。故治國有道，人主有職。若夫貫日而治詳，一日而曲列之，是所使夫百吏官人為也，不足以是傷遊玩安燕之樂。若夫論一相以兼率之，使臣下百吏莫不宿道鄉方而務，是夫人主之職也。若是則一天下，名配堯禹。之主者，守至約而詳，事至佚而功，垂衣裳，不下簟席之上，而海內之人莫不願得以為帝王。夫是之謂至約，樂莫大焉。

When a state is in peril there are no happy rulers; when a state is secure there are no anxious people. Disorder brings peril; order brings security. Now for a ruler to be zealous in chasing pleasure while slack in governing the state—is that not excessive indeed! It is like delighting in sound and sight yet being content to have no ears and eyes—is that not pitiful! Now the feelings of man: the eye desires the utmost in color, the ear the utmost in sound, the mouth the utmost in taste, the nose the utmost in fragrance, the mind the utmost in ease. These five ultimates are what human feeling can never avoid. Nourishing these five ultimates has its conditions. Without those conditions, the five ultimates cannot be obtained. A state of ten thousand chariots may be called vast, rich, and generous; add to it the way of order, discernment, strength, and firmness, and then it is tranquil, serene, and joyful without calamity—and only then are the conditions for nourishing the five ultimates complete. Therefore the hundred kinds of pleasure are born of a well-governed state; anxiety and distress are born of a disordered state. To be zealous in chasing pleasure while slack in governing the state is not to know pleasure. Therefore the enlightened ruler is certain first to govern his state, and afterward the hundred pleasures are found within it. The benighted ruler is certain to be zealous in chasing pleasure and slack in governing; therefore anxieties beyond counting accumulate until death and the ruin of the state bring an end—is that not pitiful! Intending to take it as joy, one obtains grief; intending to take it as safety, one obtains peril; intending to take it as fortune, one obtains destruction—is that not pitiful! Alas! One who is ruler over men may well examine these words. Therefore in governing a state there is a way, and the ruler of men has his office. As for managing every detail day after day, setting out each affair twist by twist—this is what the hundred functionaries and clerks are made to do; it is not worth injuring the joy of roaming and repose for it. As for selecting a single chancellor to lead them all jointly, making the ministers and hundred functionaries all rest in the Way, set their faces to the right direction, and diligently pursue it—this is the office of the ruler of men. In this way one unifies all under heaven, and one's fame matches that of Yao and Yu. Such a ruler holds to what is most simple yet fully provided; his tasks are most leisurely yet accomplished; with robes hanging down, never descending from his mat, the people within the seas all wish to gain him as their sovereign. This is called the utmost simplicity—and there is no joy greater than this.

人主者，以官人為能者也；匹夫者，以自能為能者也。人主得使人為之，匹夫則無所移之。百畝一守，事業窮，無所移之也。今以一人兼聽天下，日有餘而治不足者，使人為之也。大有天下，小有一國，必自為之然後可，則勞苦秏(卒頁)莫甚焉。如是，則雖臧獲不肯與天子易埶業。以是縣天下，一四海，何故必自為之？為之者，役夫之道也，墨子之說也。論德使能而官施之者，聖王之道也，儒之所謹守也。傳曰：農分田而耕，賈分貨而販，百工分事而勸，士大夫分職而聽，建國諸侯之君分土而守，三公摠方而議，則天子共己而已矣。出若入若，天下莫不平均，莫不治辨，是百王之所同也，而禮法之大分也。

The ruler of men is one for whom ability means appointing men to offices; the ordinary man is one for whom ability means doing things himself. The ruler can set others to work; the ordinary man has nowhere to shift the burden. A hundred mu kept by one man, the work exhausted with nowhere to shift it—that is having nowhere to turn. Now let one man jointly hear all under heaven: the days are more than enough and what needs governing is too few—this is setting others to work. To possess all under heaven at the largest, or a single state at the smallest, and insist that only by doing everything oneself is it acceptable—then the toil and exhaustion are worse than anything else. In such a case, even a slave or servant girl would refuse to exchange her lot for the power and works of the Son of Heaven. To hold all under heaven together and make the four seas one—why must one do it all oneself? Doing it oneself is the way of a hired laborer; it is the doctrine of Mozi. To assess virtue, employ the able, appoint to offices and bestow accordingly—this is the way of the sage kings, what the Ru carefully hold. The records say: the farmer divides the fields and plows; the merchant divides the goods and trades; the hundred craftsmen divide the tasks and labor diligently; the officers and grandees divide the charges and render judgments; the lords of enfeoffed states divide the land and guard it; the three dukes take charge of the regions and deliberate—then the Son of Heaven need only hold himself in reverence. Abroad it is thus, at home it is thus: all under heaven evenly balanced, all under heaven ordered and discerned. This is what the hundred kings all shared, and it is the great division made by ritual and law.

百里之地，可以取天下。－－是不虛；其難者在人主之知之也。取天下者，非負其土地而從之之謂也，道足以壹人而已矣。彼其人苟壹，則其土地奚去我而適它？故百里之地，其等位爵服，足以容天下之賢士矣；其官職事業，足以容天下之能士矣；循其舊法，擇其善者而明用之，足以順服好利之人矣。賢士一焉，能士官焉，好利之人服焉，三者具而天下盡，無有是其外矣。故百里之地，足以竭埶矣。致忠信，箸仁義，足以竭人矣。兩者合而天下取，諸侯後同者先危。詩曰："自西自東，自南自北，無思不服。"一人之謂也。

A territory of a hundred li can win all under heaven—this is not empty talk; the difficulty lies in the ruler's knowing it. Winning all under heaven does not mean men carry their land on their backs to come follow him; it means his Way suffices to unify men. If the people are unified, where could their land go, leaving him for elsewhere? Therefore with a territory of a hundred li, its ranks and official robes suffice to accommodate all the worthy men under heaven; its offices and works suffice to accommodate all the able men under heaven; and by following the old laws, choosing the good among them and putting them to conspicuous use, he suffices to make those who love profit submit. When the worthy are unified, the able hold office, and the profit-lovers submit—when these three are complete, all under heaven is exhausted and nothing lies outside it. Therefore a territory of a hundred li suffices to exhaust power and position. To exhaust loyalty and trustworthiness and make humaneness and rightness shine suffices to exhaust men. When the two converge, all under heaven is won, and the feudal lord who comes late to the assembly is the first in peril. The Daya ode Wen Wang You Sheng says: 'From west and from east, from south and from north, none thought of not submitting.' This is the meaning of unifying men.

羿、蜂門者，善服射者也；王良、造父者，善服馭者也。聰明君子者，善服人者也。人服而埶從之，人不服而埶去之，故王者已於服人矣。故人主欲得善射－－射遠中微，則莫若羿、蜂門矣；欲得善馭－－及速致遠，則莫若王良、造父矣。欲得調壹天下，制秦楚，則莫若聰明君子矣。其用知甚簡，其為事不勞，而功名致大，甚易處而極可樂也。故明君以為寶，而愚者以為難。夫貴為天子，富有天下，名為聖王，兼制人，人莫得而制也，是人情之所同欲也，而王者兼而有是者也。重色而衣之，重味而食之，重財物而制之，合天下而君之，飲食甚厚，聲樂甚大，臺謝甚高，園囿甚廣，臣使諸侯，一天下，是又人情之所同欲也，而天子之禮制如是者也。制度以陳，政令以挾，官人失要則死，公侯失禮則幽，四方之國，有侈離之德則必滅，名聲若日月，功績如天地，天下之人應之如景向，是又人情之所同欲也，而王者兼而有是者也。故人之情，口好味，而臭味莫美焉；耳好聲，而聲樂莫大焉；目好色，而文章致繁，婦女莫眾焉；形體好佚，而安重閒靜莫愉焉；心好利，而谷祿莫厚焉。合天下之所同願兼而有之，睪牢天下而制之若制子孫，人苟不狂惑戇陋者，其誰能睹是而不樂也哉！欲是之主，並肩而存；能建是之士，不世絕；千歲而不合，何也？曰：人主不公，人臣不忠也。人主則外賢而偏舉，人臣則爭職而妒賢，是其所以不合之故也。人主胡不廣焉，無恤親疏，無偏貴賤，惟誠能之求？若是，則人臣輕職業讓賢，而安隨其後。如是，則舜禹還至，王業還起；功壹天下，名配舜禹，物由有可樂，如是其美焉者乎！嗚呼！君人者，亦可以察若言矣。楊朱哭衢塗，曰："此夫過舉蹞步，而覺跌千里者夫！"哀哭之。此亦榮辱、安危、存亡之衢已，此其為可哀，甚於衢塗。嗚呼！哀哉！君人者，千歲而不覺也。

Yi and Pengmeng were men skilled at making archers submit; Wang Liang and Zaofu were men skilled at making charioteers submit. The clear-sighted noble man is one skilled at making men submit. When men submit, power follows; when men do not submit, power departs; therefore the true king stops at making men submit. So if a ruler wants one good at shooting—who shoots far and hits the minute—he cannot do better than Yi and Pengmeng; if he wants one good at driving—who keeps pace, swift, reaching the far-off—he cannot do better than Wang Liang and Zaofu; and if he wants one to harmonize and unify all under heaven and subdue Qin and Chu, he cannot do better than the clear-sighted noble man. His use of wisdom is most spare; his doing of tasks is not toilsome; yet his achievement and fame are vast—easiest to dwell with and most delightful. Therefore the enlightened ruler counts him a treasure, while the foolish count him a hardship. Now to be honored to the station of Son of Heaven, rich in all under heaven, named a sage king, controlling all men while no man can control him—this is what human feeling everywhere desires, and the true king possesses all of it. To wear color layered on color, to taste flavor layered on flavor, to control goods heaped on goods, to unite all under heaven as its lord; food and drink most lavish, music most grand, terraces and pavilions most lofty, parks and preserves most broad; making feudal lords one's servants, unifying all under heaven—this again is what human feeling everywhere desires, and the ritual order of the Son of Heaven is thus. When institutions have been laid out and ordinances made complete; when functionaries who break their compact die and dukes and marquises who violate ritual are shut away; when the states of the four quarters that harbor extravagant and estranged virtue are certain to be destroyed; when fame shines like sun and moon and achievement is vast as heaven and earth; when the people of the world answer him like shadow and echo—this again is what human feeling everywhere desires, and the true king possesses all of it. So in the feelings of man: the mouth loves taste, and no savor is finer than this; the ear loves sound, and no music is grander than this; the eye loves color, and patterned splendor at its fullest and women more numerous than this there are none; the body loves ease, and no secure, weighty, quiet leisure is more pleasant than this; the mind loves profit, and no grain stipend is richer than this. To gather up all that the world commonly desires and possess it, to enfold all under heaven and control it as one controls sons and grandsons—what man, unless mad, deluded, dull, and boorish, could see this and not rejoice! Rulers who desire this stand shoulder to shoulder; gentlemen able to establish it have never ceased age after age; yet for a thousand years the two have not met. Why? I say: rulers are not impartial, ministers are not loyal. Rulers spurn the worthy and promote by favoritism; ministers fight over posts and envy the worthy—this is why they have not met. Why does the ruler not broaden himself, disregard kin and stranger, show no partiality to noble and base, and seek only the truly able? In that case ministers would think lightly of office, yield it to the worthy, and follow contentedly behind. In that case a Shun or a Yu would come at once, the kingly work would rise at once; achievement uniting all under heaven, fame matching Shun and Yu—of things that can be rejoiced in, is there any so fine as this! Alas! One who is ruler over men may well examine these words. Yang Zhu wept at the forked road, saying: 'This is where a man errs by half a step, and by the time he wakes he has gone a thousand li astray!'—and wept over it in grief. This too is the crossroads of honor and disgrace, safety and peril, survival and ruin; and it is more lamentable than a fork in the road. Alas! How pitiful! The rulers of men have not awakened in a thousand years.

無國而不有治法，無國而不有亂法；無國而不有賢士，無國而不有罷士；無國而不有願民，無國而不有悍民；無國而不有美俗，無國而不有惡俗。兩者並行而國在，上偏而國安，在下偏而國危；上一而王，下一而亡。故其法治，其佐賢，其民願，其俗美，而四者齊，夫是之謂上一。如是則不戰而勝，不攻而得，甲兵不勞而天下服。故湯以亳，文王以鄗，皆百里之地也，天下為一，諸侯為臣，通達之屬，莫不從服，無它故焉，四者齊也。桀紂即厚有天下之埶，索為匹夫而不可得也，是無它故焉，四者並亡也。故百王之法不同，若是所歸者一也。

There is no state without laws of order, and no state without laws of disorder; no state without worthy gentlemen, and no state without worn and feeble ones; no state without careful and honest people, and no state without violent and unruly ones; no state without good customs, and no state without bad ones. When the two run side by side the state still stands: if the upper part inclines to order, the state is secure; if the lower part inclines to disorder, the state is endangered; if the upper part is unified, it rules as king; if the lower part is unified, it perishes. Therefore when its laws are ordered, its ministers worthy, its people careful and honest, and its customs good—when all four are complete, this is called unification at the top. In such a case it wins without fighting and gains without attacking; its armor and weapons are not labored, yet all under heaven submits. So Tang relied on Bo and King Wen relied on Hao—both territories of a hundred li—and all under heaven was unified, the feudal lords made subjects; wherever the roads reached, none failed to submit. There was no other reason: the four were complete. Jie and Zhou, though they held the power of all under heaven in abundance, could not obtain even the station of ordinary men—for no other reason than that the four had all perished. Therefore though the laws of the hundred kings differ, what they all return to is one and the same.

上莫不致愛其下，而制之以禮。上之於下，如保赤子，政令制度，所以接下之人百姓，有不理者如豪末，則雖孤獨鰥寡必不加焉。故下之親上，歡如父母，可殺而不可使不順。君臣上下，貴賤長幼，至於庶人，莫不以是為隆正；然後皆內自省，以謹於分。是百王之所同也，而禮法之樞要也。然後農分田而耕，賈分貨而販，百工分事而勸，士大夫分職而聽，建國諸侯之君分土而守，三公總方而議，則天子共己而止矣。出若入若，天下莫不均平，莫不治辨。是百王之所同，而禮法之大分也。若夫貫日而治平，權物而稱用，使衣服有制，宮室有度，人徒有數，喪祭械用皆有等宜，以是用挾於萬物，尺寸尋丈，莫得不循乎制度數量然後行，則是官人使吏之事也，不足數於大君子之前。故君人者，立隆政本朝而當，所使要百事者誠仁人也，則身佚而國治，功大而名美，上可以王，下可以霸。立隆正本朝而不當，所使要百事者非仁人也，則身勞而國亂，功廢而名辱，社稷必危，是人君者之樞機也。故能當一人而天下取，失當一人而社稷危。不能當一人，而能當千百人者，說無之有也。既能當一人，則身有何勞而為？垂衣裳而天下定。故湯用伊尹，文王用呂尚，武王用召公，成王用周公旦。卑者五伯，齊桓公閨門之內，縣樂、奢泰、遊抏之修，於天下不見謂修，然九合諸侯，一匡天下，為五伯長，是亦無他故焉，知一政於管仲也，是君人者之要守也。知者易為之興力，而功名綦大。舍是而孰足為也？故古之人，有大功名者，必道是者也。喪其國危其身者，必反是者也。故孔子曰："知者之知，固以多矣，有以守少，能無察乎？愚者之知，固以少矣，有以守多，能無狂乎？"此之謂也。

The superior never fails to love those below him to the utmost, yet uses ritual to order them. The superior's relation to the inferior is like protecting a newborn child: ordinances and institutions touch the lowest of the common folk, and if there is anything unreasonable, even by a hair's breadth, then even the orphaned, the widowed, and the solitary are never made to bear it. Therefore those below cleave to those above, rejoicing as in father and mother; they may be killed but cannot be made disobedient. Ruler and minister, superior and inferior, noble and base, elder and younger—down to the common man—none fails to take this as the exalted standard; then all look inward and examine themselves, to be careful about their station. This is what the hundred kings shared, and it is the pivot of ritual and law. Then the farmer divides the fields and plows; the merchant divides the goods and trades; the hundred craftsmen divide the tasks and labor diligently; the officers and grandees divide the charges and render judgments; the lords of enfeoffed states divide the land and guard it; the three dukes take charge of the regions and deliberate—then the Son of Heaven need only hold himself in reverence, and that is the end. Abroad it is thus, at home it is thus: all under heaven evenly balanced, all under heaven ordered and discerned. This is what the hundred kings shared, and it is the great division made by ritual and law. As for day-by-day management—balancing things and weighing their use; giving clothing its regulation, palaces and halls their measure, persons and followers their number; giving mourning and sacrificial vessels and implements the gradations proper to them—and so reaching all the ten thousand things, foot and inch and fathom, none able to act except by following rule and measure—these are the business of functionaries and clerks, not worth reckoning up before a great gentleman. Therefore if a ruler establishes the exalted standard in his court with aptness, and those he employs to gather up the hundred affairs are truly humane men, then his person is at ease and the state is ordered; his achievement is great and his fame is fair; above he may be a king, below he may be a hegemon. If he establishes the exalted standard in his court but not aptly, and those he employs to gather up the hundred affairs are not humane men, then his person is labored and the state disordered; his achievement is ruined and his fame disgraced; the altars of soil and grain are certain to be endangered—this is the hinge of the ruler of men. Therefore be apt in one man and all under heaven is won; fail in one man and the altars of soil and grain are endangered. To be unable to be apt in one man yet apt in a thousand or a hundred—there is no such saying. If one can be apt in one man, what toil does his person still have? With robes hanging down, all under heaven is settled. So Tang used Yi Yin, King Wen used Lü Shang, King Wu used the Duke of Shao, and King Cheng used the Duke of Zhou, Dan. Lower down are the Five Hegemons: within Duke Huan of Qi's private chambers, hanging chimes, lavish ease, and roaming indulgence were practiced without the world's calling them practices; yet he nine times assembled the feudal lords and once united and rectified all under heaven, becoming chief of the Five Hegemons—and for no other reason than this: he knew to concentrate the government in Guan Zhong. This is the ruler's hold on the essential and spare. The wise gladly exert their strength for him, and his achievement and fame are vast. Set this aside, and what else suffices? Therefore the men of antiquity who had great achievement and fame were certain to travel this road; those who lost their states and endangered their persons were certain to do the opposite. Therefore Confucius said: 'The wise man's knowledge is already abundant; if he uses it to hold to little, can he fail to be discerning? The fool's knowledge is already scant; if he uses it to hold to much, can he fail to run wild?' This is what it means.

治國者分已定，則主相臣下百吏，各謹其所聞，不務聽其所不聞；各謹其所見，不務視其所不見。所聞所見誠以齊矣。則雖幽閒隱闢，百姓莫敢不敬分安制，以化其上，是治國之徵也。

When the boundaries for governing a state are fixed, then the lord, chancellor, ministers, and hundred functionaries each are careful about what falls within their hearing, and do not insist on hearing what lies beyond it; each are careful about what falls within their sight, and do not insist on seeing what lies beyond it. What is heard and what is seen are thereby truly unified. Then even in remote and hidden corners, among the people none dare fail to respect their station, rest in the regulations, and be transformed into harmony with those above—this is the proof of a well-governed state.

主道治近不治遠，治明不治幽，治一不治二。主能治近則遠者理，主能治明則幽者化，主能當一則百事正。夫兼聽天下，日有餘而治不足者，如此也，是治之極也。既能治近，又務治遠；既能治明，又務見幽；既能當一，又務正百，是過者也，過猶不及也。闢之是猶立直木而求其影之枉也。不能治近，又務治遠；不能察明，又務見幽；不能當一，又務正百，是悖者也。闢之是猶立枉木而求其影之直也。故明主好要，而闇主好詳；主好要則百事詳，主好詳則百事荒。君者、論一相，陳一法，明一指，以兼覆之，兼照之，以觀其盛者也。相者，論列百官之長，要百事之聽，以飾朝廷臣下百吏之分，度其功勞，論其慶賞，歲終奉其成功以效於君。當則可，不當則廢。故君人勞於索之，而休於使之。

The way of the ruler: govern what is near, not what is far; govern what is clear, not what is obscure; govern the one, not the two. If the ruler can govern what is near, what is far is taken care of; if he can govern what is clear, what is obscure is transformed; if he can be apt in the one, the hundred affairs are set straight. That he jointly hears all under heaven, with days to spare and too little left to govern, is like this—this is the summit of order. To be able to govern the near yet insist on governing the far; to be able to govern the clear yet insist on seeing the obscure; to be able to be apt in the one yet insist on straightening the hundred—this is excess, and excess is like falling short; it is like setting up a straight tree and demanding its shadow be bent. Unable to govern the near yet insisting on governing the far; unable to discern the clear yet insisting on seeing the obscure; unable to be apt in the one yet insisting on straightening the hundred—this is perversity; it is like setting up a bent tree and demanding its shadow be straight. Therefore the enlightened ruler loves the essential and spare, while the benighted ruler loves completeness and detail. The ruler who loves the spare finds the hundred affairs complete; the ruler who loves detail finds the hundred affairs abandoned. The lord: he selects a single chancellor, lays out a single law, and makes clear a single tenet, to cover them all, to illumine them all, and to watch them flourish. The chancellor: he ranks the heads of the hundred offices, gathers up the hearing and judging of the hundred affairs, to order the stations of the ministers and hundred functionaries at court, measure their merits, settle their rewards, and at year's end present the completed results to the lord for verification. If apt, it stands; if not, it is dismissed. Therefore the ruler of men toils in seeking him out, and rests in employing him.

用國者，得百姓之力者富，得百姓之死者強，得百姓之譽者榮。－－三得者具而天下歸之，三得者亡而天下去之；天下歸之之謂王，天下去之之謂亡。湯武者，修其道，行其義，興天下同利，除天下同害，天下歸之。故厚德音以先之，明禮義以道之，致忠信以愛之，賞賢使能以次之，爵服賞慶以申重之，時其事，輕其任，以調齊之，潢然兼覆之，養長之，如保赤子。生民則致寬，使民則綦理，辯政令制度，所以接天下之人百姓，有非理者如豪末，則雖孤獨鰥寡，必不加焉。是故百姓貴之如帝，親之如父母，為之出死斷亡而不愉者，無它故焉，道德誠明，利澤誠厚也。亂世則不然，汙漫突盜以先之，權謀傾覆以示之，俳優、侏儒、婦女之請謁以悖之，使愚詔知，使不肖臨賢，生民則致貧隘，使民則極勞苦。是故，百姓賤之如尪，惡之如鬼，日欲司間而相與投借之，去逐之。卒有寇難之事，又望百姓之為己死，不可得也，說無以取之焉。孔子曰："審吾所以適人，適人之所以來我也。"此之謂也。

One who uses a state gains wealth when the people give their strength, gains strength when the people are willing to die, and gains honor when the people give their praise. When these three gains are complete, all under heaven turns to him; when the three gains are lost, all under heaven leaves him. That all under heaven turns to him is called kingship; that all under heaven leaves him is called ruin. Tang and King Wu cultivated this way, practiced this rightness, raised the common benefit of all under heaven, and removed the common harm of all under heaven—and all under heaven turned to them. So they deepened the sound of their virtue to lead them, made ritual and rightness shine to open them, exhausted loyalty and trust to love them, rewarded the worthy and employed the able to rank them, used titles, robes, and gifts to dignify them, laid out their tasks at the proper times and lightened their burdens to harmonize them, and broadly sheltered, nourished, and raised them like a newborn child. In feeding the people they were most generous; in employing the people most reasonable; discerning ordinances and institutions to treat all the common folk under heaven—if there was anything unreasonable, even by a hair's breadth, then even the orphaned, widowed, and solitary were never made to bear it. Therefore the people honored them as they would the Lord on High, loved them as father and mother, and would go to their deaths for them unchanging—for no other reason than that the Way and its virtue truly shone, and its benefits were truly deep. A disordered age is not thus: it leads with filth, arrogance, and theft; it displays itself with schemes and subversion; it brings confusion with the petitions of actors, dwarfs, and women; it lets the foolish instruct the wise and the unworthy ride over the worthy. In feeding the people it is most stinting; in employing them most burdensome. Therefore the people look on their ruler as a cripple and hate him like a demon; day by day they watch for a crack to cast him down and trample him, to drive him off and expel him. Then when an emergency of invasion suddenly comes, to expect the people to die for him—that cannot be had; no reasoning can obtain it. Confucius said: 'Examine well how I go to others, and that is how others will come to me.' This is what it means.

傷國者，何也？曰：以小人尚民而威，以非所取於民而巧，是傷國之大災也。大國之主也，而好見小利，是傷國。其於聲色、臺榭、園囿也，愈厭而好新，是傷國。不好修正其所以有，啖啖常欲人之有，是傷國。三邪者在匈中，而又好以權謀傾覆之人，斷事其外，若是，則權輕名辱，社稷必危，是傷國者也。大國之主也，不隆本行，不敬舊法，而好詐故，若是，則夫朝廷群臣，亦從而成俗於不隆禮義而好傾覆也。朝廷群臣之俗若是，則夫眾庶百姓亦從而成俗於不隆禮義而好貪利矣。君臣上下之俗，莫不若是，則地雖廣，權必輕；人雖眾，兵必弱；刑罰雖繁，令不下通。夫是之謂危國，是傷國者也。

What injures a state? I say: to set petty men above the people to make displays of power, and to take cleverly from the people what should not be taken—this is a state's great calamity. The lord of a great state who loves to see petty profit—this injures the state. He whose appetite for music and women, terraces and pavilions, parks and preserves grows ever more fond of novelty the more it is sated—this injures the state. He who does not love tending what he has, but greedily ever covets what others have—this injures the state. With these three evils in his breast, and loving to employ men of schemes and subversion to decide affairs abroad—in such a case power grows light and fame is disgraced, the altars of soil and grain are certain to be endangered—this is a man who injures his state. The lord of a great state who does not honor the virtue of the root, does not respect the old laws, and loves deceit—in such a case the assembled ministers at court follow in forming the custom of not honoring ritual and rightness and loving subversion. When the custom of the court ministers is thus, then the masses of the common folk follow in forming the custom of not honoring ritual and rightness and loving greedy profit. If the custom of ruler and ministers, high and low, is all like this, then though the land be broad, power will surely be light; though the people be many, the army will surely be weak; though punishments be multiplied, orders cannot pass down. This is called an endangered state; he is one who injures his state.

儒者為之不然，必將曲辨：朝廷必將隆禮義而審貴賤，若是、則士大夫莫不敬節死制者矣。百官則將齊其制度，重其官秩，若是、則百吏莫不畏法而遵繩矣。關市幾而不徵，質律禁止而不偏，如是、則商賈莫不敦愨而無詐矣。百工將時斬伐，佻其期日，而利其巧任，如是，則百工莫不忠信而不楛矣。縣鄙則將輕田野之稅，省刀布之歛，罕舉力役，無奪農時，如是、農夫莫不樸力而寡能矣。士大夫務節死制，然而兵勁。百吏畏法循繩，然後國常不亂。商賈敦愨無詐，則商旅安，貨通財，而國求給矣。百工忠信而不楛，則器用巧便而財不匱矣。農夫樸力而寡能，則上不失天時，下不失地利，中得人和，而百事不廢。是之謂政令行，風俗美，以守則固，以徵則強，居則有名，動則有功。此儒之所謂曲辨也。

The Confucian does not act in this way; he will certainly bring comprehensive order. In the court he will honor ritual and righteousness and examine noble and lowly; in this way, among the scholars and grandees none will fail to revere integrity as the standard and be willing to die for it. The hundred officials will have standardized institutions and value official rank; in this way, among the hundred officials none will fail to fear the law and follow the ink line. At the passes and markets there will be inspection without taxation, and contracts, tallies, laws, and ordinances will be prohibitive without partiality; in this way, among merchants none will fail to be honest and upright and without deceit. The hundred artisans will fell timber at the proper time, with generous time limits and to the convenience of their skill; in this way, among artisans none will fail to be loyal, sincere, and not crude. In the counties and outlying areas, taxes on the fields will be lightened, exactions of knife and cloth coin reduced, labor service rarely called, and the farming seasons not taken away; in this way, among farmers none will fail to concentrate their effort and have few side skills. When scholars and grandees strive to hold integrity as the standard and die for it, then the army is strong. When the hundred officials fear the law and follow the ink line, then the constant order of the state is not disturbed. When merchants are honest and upright without deceit, merchants and travelers are at peace, goods circulate and wealth moves, and the state's needs are supplied. When artisans are loyal and sincere and not crude, implements and utensils are skillful and convenient and wealth is not scarce. When farmers concentrate their effort and have few side skills, then above one does not lose Heaven's seasons, below one does not lose the earth's advantages, and in the middle one gains the harmony of men, and the hundred affairs are not neglected. This is called government orders being carried out and customs being fine, so that if one uses it to defend, one is secure; if one uses it to campaign, one is strong; at rest one has a name, and in action one has merit. This is what the Confucian calls comprehensive order.