Chapter 12: The Way of the Ruler

有亂君，無亂國；有治人，無治法，羿之法非亡也，而羿不世中；禹之法猶存，而夏不世王。故法不能獨立，類不能自行；得其人則存，失其人則亡。法者、治之端也；君子者、法之原也。故有君子，則法雖省，足以遍矣；無君子，則法雖具，失先後之施，不能應事之變，足以亂矣。不知法之義，而正法之數者，雖博臨事必亂。故明主急得其人，而闇主急得其埶。急得其人，則身佚而國治，功大而名美，上可以王，下可以霸；不急得其人，而急得其埶，則身勞而國亂，功廢而名辱，社稷必危。故君人者，勞於索之，而休於使之。書曰："惟文王敬忌，一人以擇。"此之謂也。

There are disorderly rulers but no disorderly states; there are men who bring order but no laws that bring order. Yi's method did not perish, yet Yi could not hit the target in every generation; Yu's law remains, yet Xia could not be king in every generation. So law cannot stand alone and categories cannot act by themselves; with the right man they survive, and without him they perish. Law is the beginning of order; the gentleman is the source of law. So when there is a gentleman, then even if the laws are few, they are enough to be comprehensive; when there is no gentleman, then even if the laws are complete, they lose the order of precedence and application, cannot respond to changing affairs, and are enough to cause disorder. One who does not know the meaning of law and sets right only the numbers of law, even if broadly learned, will certainly fall into disorder when faced with affairs. So an enlightened ruler is urgent to obtain the right man, while a benighted ruler is urgent to obtain power. If he is urgent to obtain the right man, then his own person is at ease and the state is well governed, his merit is great and his name is fair, and above he can become king and below he can become hegemon; if he is not urgent to obtain the right man but is urgent to obtain power, then his own person toils and the state is in disorder, his merit is ruined and his name disgraced, and the altars of state will surely be in danger. So a ruler toils in seeking him and is at ease in employing him. The Book of Documents says: "Only King Wen was reverent and cautious, and chose men one by one." This is what it speaks of.

合符節，別契券者，所以為信也；上好權謀，則臣下百吏誕詐之人乘是而後欺。探籌、投鉤者，所以為公也；上好曲私，則臣下百吏乘是而後偏。衡石稱縣者，所以為平也；上好覆傾，則臣下百吏乘是而後險。鬥斛敦概者，所以為嘖也；上好貪利，則臣下百吏乘是而後豐取刻與，以無度取於民。故械數者，治之流也，非治之原也；君子者，治之原也。官人守數，君子養原；原清則流清，原濁則流濁。故上好禮義，尚賢使能，無貪利之心，則下亦將綦辭讓，致忠信，而謹於臣子矣。如是則雖在小民，不待合符節，別契券而信，不待探籌投鉤而公，不待沖石稱縣而平，不待鬥斛敦概而嘖。故賞不用而民勸，罰不用而民服，有司不勞而事治，政令不煩而俗美。百姓莫敢不順上之法，象上之志，而勸上之事，而安樂之矣。故借斂忘費，事業忘勞，寇難忘死，城郭不待飾而固，兵刃不待陵而勁，敵國不待服而詘，四海之民不待令而一，夫是之謂至平。詩曰："王猶允塞，徐方既來。"此之謂也。

Matching tallies and dividing contracts are used to make trust; if those above love scheming, then the deceitful among the ministers and hundred officials take advantage of this to cheat. Drawing lots and casting hooks are used to make impartiality; if those above love crooked partiality, then the ministers and hundred officials take advantage of this to be biased. Scales and weights are used to make evenness; if those above love toppling, then the ministers and hundred officials take advantage of this to be treacherous and slanting. Dou and hu measures, with straightedges for leveling, are used to make uniformity; if those above love greed and profit, then the ministers and hundred officials take advantage of this to take much and give little and take from the people without measure. So implements, instruments, and numbers are the stream of order, not the source of order; the gentleman is the source of order. Officials keep the numbers, and the gentleman nurtures the source; when the source is clear, the stream is clear, and when the source is muddy, the stream is muddy. So if those above love ritual and righteousness, honor the worthy and employ the able, and have no mind to greed and profit, then those below will also exhaust themselves in courtesy and deference, exhaust themselves in loyalty and sincerity, and act with care as ministers. In this way, even among the common people, trust exists without waiting for matching tallies and dividing contracts, impartiality without waiting for drawing lots and casting hooks, evenness without waiting for scales and weights, and uniformity without waiting for dou and hu with straightedges. So rewards are unused and the people are encouraged, punishments are unused and the people obey, the officials are not toiled and affairs are in order, government orders are not burdensome and customs are fine. The common people none dare not follow the law above, imitate the aims above, and be encouraged in the affairs above, and live in peace and joy. So they forget the cost of levies, forget the toil of undertakings, forget death in danger from bandits; city walls are secure without waiting to be adorned, weapons are sharp without waiting to be ground, enemy states submit without waiting to be conquered, and the people within the four seas are united without waiting for orders; this is called supreme evenness. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, 'Chang Wu,' says: 'The king's plans are truly substantial, and the Xu region has come.' This is what it speaks of.

請問為人君？曰：以禮分施，均遍而不偏。請問為人臣？曰：以禮侍君，忠順而不懈。請問為人父？曰：寬惠而有禮。請問為人子？曰：敬愛而致文。請問為人兄？曰：慈愛而見友。請問為人弟？曰：敬詘而不苟。請問為人夫？曰：致功而不流，致臨而有辨。請問為人妻？曰：夫有禮則柔從聽侍，夫無禮則恐懼而自竦也。此道也，偏立而亂，俱立而治，其足以稽矣。請問兼能之奈何？曰：審之禮也。古者先王審禮以方皇周浹於天下，動無不當也。故君子恭而不難，敬而不鞏，貧窮而不約，富貴而不驕，並遇變態而不窮，審之禮也。故君子之於禮，敬而安之；其於事也，徑而不失；其於人也，寡怨寬裕而無阿；其為身也，謹修飾而不危；其應變故也，齊給便捷而不惑；其於天地萬物也，不務說其所以然，而致善用其材；其於百官之事伎藝之人也，不與之爭能，而致善用其功；其待上也，忠順而不懈；其使下也，均遍而不偏；其交遊也，緣類而有義；其居鄉里也，容而不亂。是故窮則必有名，達則必有功，仁厚兼覆天下而不閔，明達用天地理萬變而不疑，血氣和平，志意廣大，行義塞於天地之間，仁智之極也。夫是之謂聖人；審之禮也。

May I ask how to be a ruler? Answer: apportion by ritual, equal and impartial. May I ask how to be a minister? Answer: serve the ruler by ritual, loyal and compliant without slackness. May I ask how to be a father? Answer: generous and kind and observing ritual. May I ask how to be a son? Answer: respectful and loving and utterly refined. May I ask how to be an elder brother? Answer: affectionate and showing friendship. May I ask how to be a younger brother? Answer: respectful and deferential and not careless. May I ask how to be a husband? Answer: fully performing one's duty without dissipation, fully attending and facing the wife with distinctions. May I ask how to be a wife? Answer: if the husband observes ritual, she is gentle, compliant, and attentive; if the husband lacks ritual, she is fearful and keeps herself reverent. This way, when only one part is established there is disorder, and when all are established there is order, and this is enough to be examined. May I ask how to be capable of all these? Answer: examine ritual. In ancient times the former kings examined ritual to extend it broadly and comprehensively over the world, and none of their movements were improper. So the gentleman is courteous and does not fear difficulty, reverent and not afraid, poor and not abject, rich and honored and not arrogant, and meeting changes of circumstances he is not exhausted; this is examining ritual. So the gentleman, with regard to ritual, is reverent and at ease in it; with regard to affairs, straightforward and without fault; with regard to people, rarely resenting, generous, and without partiality; for himself, careful in adornment and not dangerous; in responding to changes, quick and nimble and not confused; with regard to heaven, earth, and the ten thousand things, he does not strive to explain how they are so, but is extremely good at using their materials; with regard to the affairs of the hundred officials and men of skills, he does not compete with them in ability, but is extremely good at using their achievements; toward superiors, he is loyal and compliant without slackness; in employing subordinates, he is equal and impartial; in associating with friends, he follows what is of one's kind and has righteousness; living in his village, he is tolerant and without disorder. Thus in hardship he surely has a name, and in success he surely has merit; his benevolence and generosity cover the world without distress, his clarity uses heaven and earth to manage ten thousand changes without doubt, his blood and breath are at peace, his will broad, and his righteous conduct fills the space between heaven and earth; this is the utmost of benevolence and wisdom. This is called a sage; it is examining ritual.

請問為國？曰聞修身，未嘗聞為國也。君者儀也，民者景也，儀正而景正。君者盤也，民者水也，盤圓而水圓。君者盂也，盂方而水方。君射則臣決。楚莊王好細腰，故朝有餓人。故曰：聞修身，未嘗聞為國也。

May I ask how to govern a state? Answer: I have heard only of cultivating the self, and have never heard of governing a state. The ruler is the gnomon and the people are the shadow; when the gnomon is straight, the shadow is straight. The ruler is the tray and the people are the water; when the tray is round, the water is round. The ruler is the bowl; when the bowl is square, the water is square. When the ruler shoots, ministers wear the thumb ring. King Zhuang of Chu loved slender waists, and so in his court there were people going hungry. So it is said: I have heard only of cultivating the self, and have never heard of governing a state.

君者，民之原也；原清則流清，原濁則流濁。故有社稷者而不能愛民，不能利民，而求民之親愛己，不可得也。民不親不愛，而求為己用，為己死，不可得也。民不為己用，不為己死，而求兵之勁，城之固，不可得也。兵不勁，城不固，而求敵之不至，不可得也。敵至而求無危削，不滅亡，不可得也。危削滅亡之情，舉積此矣，而求安樂，是狂生者也。狂生者，不胥時而落。故人主欲強固安樂，則莫若反之民；欲附下一民，則莫若反之政；欲修政美俗，則莫若求其人。彼或蓄積而得之者不世絕。彼其人者，生乎今之世，而志乎古之道。以天下之王公莫好之也，然而是子獨好之；以天下之民莫為之也，然而是子獨為之。好之者貧，為之者窮，然而是子猶將為之也，不為少頃輟焉。曉然獨明於先王之所以得之，所以失之，知國之安危臧否，若別白黑。是其人也，大用之，則天下為一，諸侯為臣；小用之，則威行鄰敵；縱不能用，使無去其疆域，則國終身無故。故君人者，愛民而安，好士而榮，兩者無一焉而亡。詩曰："介人維藩，大師為垣。"此之謂也。

The ruler is the source of the people; when the source is clear, the stream is clear, and when the source is muddy, the stream is muddy. So one who has an altar of state but cannot love the people and cannot benefit the people, yet seeks that the people be close to him and love him, cannot get it. If the people are not close and do not love him, and he seeks to have them used by him and die for him, he cannot get it. If the people are not used by him and do not die for him, and he seeks strong troops and secure cities, he cannot get it. If the troops are not strong and the cities not secure, and he seeks that enemies not come, he cannot get it. If enemies come and he seeks to be without danger or diminishment, and not perish, he cannot get it. The conditions of danger, diminishment, and ruin all pile up here, and to seek peace and joy is a mad life. A mad life withers without waiting for the season. So if a ruler wishes to be strong, secure, and happy, nothing is better than to turn back and seek it from the people; if he wishes to draw the lower close and unify the people, nothing is better than to turn back and seek it from government; if he wishes to cultivate government and improve customs, nothing is better than to seek the right man. Perhaps by accumulating he can obtain such men generation after generation. That man lives in the world of today but his aims lie in the Way of antiquity. Because the kings and dukes of the world have none who love it, yet this man alone loves it; because the people of the world have none who do it, yet this man alone does it. Those who love it are poor and those who do it are in hardship, yet this man still does it, not stopping for a moment. Clearly and alone he understands why the former kings succeeded and why they failed, and knows the safety and danger, good and ill of a state, as he distinguishes black and white. Such a man, if used on a large scale, unifies the world and makes the feudal lords ministers; if used on a small scale, his authority spreads over neighboring enemies; even if not used, as long as he is made not to leave the territory, the state will have no trouble for life. So a ruler who loves the people is secure, and who values scholars is glorious; with neither he perishes. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, 'Ban,' says: 'Armored men are the fence, the multitude are the wall.' This is what it speaks of.

道者，何也？曰：君之所道也。君者，何也？曰：能群也。能群也者，何也？曰：善生養人者也，善班治人者也，善顯設人者也，善藩飾人者也。善生養人者人親之，善班治人者人安之，善顯設人者人樂之，善藩飾人者人榮之。四統者俱，而天下歸之，夫是之謂能群。不能生養人者，人不親也；不能班治人者，人不安也；不能顯設人者，人不樂也；不能藩飾人者，人不榮也。四統者亡，而天下去之，夫是之謂匹夫。故曰：道存則國存，道亡則國亡。省工賈，眾農夫，禁盜賊，除奸邪：是所以生養之也。天子三公，諸侯一相，大夫擅官，士保職，莫不法度而公：是所以班治之也。論德而定次，量能而授官，皆使人載其事，而各得其所宜，上賢使之為三公，次賢使之為諸侯，下賢使之為士大夫：是所以顯設之也。修冠弁衣裳，黼黻文章，琱琢刻鏤，皆有等差：是所以藩飾之也。故由天子至於庶人也，莫不騁其能，得其志，安樂其事，是所同也；衣暖而食充，居安而遊樂，事時制明而用足，是又所同也。若夫重色而成文章，重味而成珍備，是所衍也。聖王財衍，以明辨異，上以飾賢良而明貴賤，下以飾長幼而明親疏。上在王公之朝，下在百姓之家，天下曉然皆知其所以為異也，將以明分達治而保萬世也。故天子諸侯無靡費之用，士大夫無流淫之行，百吏官人無怠慢之事，眾庶百姓無奸怪之俗，無盜賊之罪，其能以稱義遍矣。故曰：治則衍及百姓，亂則不足及王公。此之謂也。

What is the Way? Answer: it is what the ruler practices. What is a ruler? Answer: one who can form a community. What is it to form a community? Answer: one who is good at nourishing people, good at governing people, good at advancing people, and good at adorning people. Those whom he nourishes draw close to him, those whom he governs are at peace in him, those whom he advances are happy in him, and those whom he adorns are glorified in him. When all four are complete and the world turns to him, this is called being able to form a community. One who cannot nourish people, people are not close; one who cannot govern people, people are not at peace; one who cannot advance people, people are not happy; one who cannot adorn people, people are not glorified. When all four are lost and the world leaves him, he is called a commoner. So it is said: when the Way exists, the state exists; when the Way perishes, the state perishes. Reducing artisans and merchants, increasing farmers, prohibiting robbers, and removing the treacherous: these are the means of nourishing. The Son of Heaven has three ministers, each feudal lord has one chief minister, grandees monopolize their offices, and gentlemen keep their duties, with nothing lawless but impartial: these are the means of governing. Judging virtue and ranking in order, weighing ability and assigning office, all letting people bear their tasks and each attain what is fitting, with the highest worthy made one of the three ministers, the next made feudal lords, and the lowest made scholars and grandees: these are the means of advancing. Arranging caps, robes, embroidered patterns and designs, carving and engraving, all in graded differences: these are the means of adorning. So from the Son of Heaven down to the commoner, there is none who does not exert his ability, attain his aim, and find joy in his work, and in this they are the same; warm clothing and sufficient food, peaceful dwelling and enjoyment, work suited to the season, institutions clear and expenditures sufficient, and in this too they are the same. As for layering colors to make patterns and layering flavors to make delicacies, these are surplus. The sage kings cut and shaped the surplus in order to make differences clear, using it above to adorn the worthy and show the noble and lowly, and below to adorn elders and young and show kin near and distant. Above in the court of kings and dukes and below in the homes of the common people, the whole world clearly knows why things differ, and will use this to make clear the divisions, attain order, and preserve ten thousand generations. So the Son of Heaven and feudal lords have no extravagant expenditures, scholars and grandees have no dissolute conduct, hundreds of officials have no negligent affairs, and the common people have no wicked customs and no crime of robbery; in this way one can be said to have been comprehensive in righteousness. So it is said: in order, the surplus reaches the common people; in disorder, the shortage reaches the kings and dukes. This is what it speaks of.

至道大形：隆禮至法則國有常，尚賢使能則民知方，纂論公察則民不疑，賞克罰偷則民不怠，兼聽齊明則天下歸之；然後明分職，序事業，材技官能，莫不治理，則公道達而私門塞矣，公義明而私事息矣：如是，則德厚者進而佞說者止，貪利者退而廉節者起。書曰："先時者殺無赦，不逮時者殺無赦。"人習其事而固，人之百事，如耳目鼻口之不可以相借官也。故職分而民不慢，次定而序不亂，兼聽齊明而百姓不留：如是，則臣下百吏至於庶人，莫不修己而後敢安止，誠能而後敢受職；百姓易俗，小人變心，奸怪之屬莫不反愨：夫是之謂政教之極。故天子不視而見，不聽而聰，不慮而知，不動而功，塊然獨坐而天下從之如一體，如四胑之從心：夫是之謂大形。詩曰："溫溫恭人，維德之基。"此之謂也。

The great form of the supreme Way: honoring ritual and exhausting the rules, then the state has constant order; valuing the worthy and employing the able, then the people know the direction; gathering public opinion and being discerning, then the people are not confused; rewarding the diligent and punishing the idle, then the people are not slack; listening widely and being uniformly clear, then the world turns to him; then clearly dividing duties, arranging the tasks in order, assigning offices according to talent and skill, with nothing not in order, then the public way is open and private doors are blocked, public righteousness is clear and private affairs cease: in this way, those of thick virtue come forward and the flatterers stop, the greedy retreat and the honest and upright arise. The Book of Documents says: "Those who go ahead of the time are killed and not pardoned; those who fall behind the time are killed and not pardoned." People become secure in what they are practiced in; of all affairs of men, it is like ears, eyes, nose, and mouth, which cannot borrow one another's functions. So with duties divided the people are not slack, with ranks fixed the order is not confused, with wide listening and uniform clarity the common people do not linger: in this way, from the ministers and hundred officials down to commoners, none fails to cultivate himself before daring to settle in his place, and truly has ability before daring to accept office; the people change their customs, the petty change their minds, and the wicked and strange all return to uprightness: this is called the utmost of government and teaching. So the Son of Heaven sees without looking, hears keenly without listening, knows without deliberating, and has achievement without acting; sitting alone like a lump, the world follows him as one body, as the four limbs follow the heart: this is called the great form. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, 'Yi,' says: 'The gentle and respectful man is the foundation of virtue.' This is what it speaks of.

為人主者，莫不欲強而惡弱，欲安而惡危，欲榮而惡辱，是禹桀之所同也。要此三欲，闢此三惡，果何道而便？曰：在慎取相，道莫徑是矣。故知而不仁，不可；仁而不知，不可；既知且仁，是人主之寶也，王霸之佐也。不急得，不知；得而不用，不仁。無其人而幸有其功，愚莫大焉。今人主有大患：使賢者為之，則與不肖者規之；使知者慮之，則與愚者論之；使修士行之，則與汙邪之人疑之，雖欲成功，得乎哉！譬之，是猶立直木而恐其景之枉也，惑莫大焉！語曰：好女之色，惡者之孽也；公正之士，眾人之痤也；修道之人，汙邪之賊也。今使汙邪之人，論其怨賊，而求其無偏，得乎哉！譬之，是猶立枉木而求其景之直也，亂莫大焉。

There is no ruler who does not want to be strong and dislike weakness, want to be secure and dislike danger, want to be glorious and dislike disgrace; in this Yu and Jie are the same. To bind these three desires and avoid these three dislikes, what way is advantageous? Answer: it lies in carefully choosing the chief minister; no way is more direct than this. So to be wise but not benevolent will not do; to be benevolent but not wise will not do; to be both wise and benevolent is the treasure of the ruler and the assistant of kings and hegemons. Not to be urgent to obtain such a man is unwise; to obtain him and not use him is unbenevolent. To have no such man and yet luckily have such merit; no folly is greater than this. Now rulers have a great trouble: they let the worthy act but plan with the unworthy; let the wise deliberate but discuss with fools; let the well-ordered gentleman act but doubt with the corrupt; even if they want to succeed, how can they do it! It is like setting up a straight post and fearing its shadow will be crooked; no confusion is greater than this! As the saying goes: the beauty of a fair woman is the calamity of the ugly; the upright gentleman is the sore of the crowd; the cultivator of the Way is the bane of the corrupt. Now to have corrupt people discuss the bane they resent and seek that they be unbiased, how can it be done! It is like setting up a crooked piece of wood and seeking that its shadow be straight; no disorder is greater than this.

故古之人為之不然：其取人有道，其用人有法。取人之道，參之以禮；用人之法，禁之以等。行義動靜，度之以禮；知慮取捨，稽之以成；日月積久，校之以功，故卑不得以臨尊，輕不得以縣重，愚不得以謀知，是以萬舉而不過也。故校之以禮，而觀其能安敬也；與之舉措遷移，而觀其能應變也；與之安燕，而觀其能無流慆也；接之以聲色、權利、忿怒、患險，而觀其能無離守也。彼誠有之者，與誠無之者，若白黑然，可詘邪哉！故伯樂不可欺以馬，而君子不可欺以人，此明王之道也。

So the people of old did not act in this way: they had a Way for choosing men and a method for using men. The Way of choosing men is to test them with ritual; the method of using men is to restrain them by rank. In righteous conduct, motion and stillness, they measured with ritual; in wisdom, deliberation, taking and leaving, they examined by accomplishment; over accumulated days, months, and years, they checked by merit, so that the lowly could not preside over the honored, the light could not weigh the heavy, and the foolish could not plan for the wise, and thus in ten thousand actions there was no error. So they checked with ritual and watched whether he could be at ease in reverence; moved with him and watched whether he could respond to changes; relaxed with him and watched whether he could be free of dissipation; approached him with music, color, power, profit, anger, and danger, and watched whether he could keep from leaving his post. Those who truly have these qualities and those who truly lack them are like black and white; can they be made to submit! So Bo Le could not be deceived with horses, and the gentleman cannot be deceived with men; this is the Way of the enlightened king.

人主欲得善射－－射遠中微者，縣貴爵重賞以招致之。內不可以阿子弟，外不可以隱遠人，能中是者取之；是豈不必得之之道也哉！雖聖人不能易也。欲得善馭－－及速致遠者，一日而千里，縣貴爵重賞以招致之。內不可以阿子弟，外不可以隱遠人，能致是者取之；是豈不必得之之道也哉！雖聖人不能易也。欲治國馭民，調壹上下，將內以固城，外以拒難，治則制人，人不能制也；亂則危辱滅亡，可立而待也。然而求卿相輔佐，則獨不若是其公也，案唯便嬖親比己者之用也，豈不過甚矣哉！故有社稷者，莫不欲強，俄則弱矣；莫不欲安，俄則危矣；莫不欲存，俄則亡矣。古有萬國，今有十數焉，是無他故，莫不失之是也。故明主有私人以金石珠玉，無私人以官職事業，是何也？曰：本不利於所私也。彼不能而主使之，則是主闇也；臣不能而誣能，則是臣詐也。主闇於上，臣詐於下，滅亡無日，俱害之道也。夫文王非無貴戚也，非無子弟也，非無便嬖也，倜然乃舉太公於州人而用之，豈私之也哉！以為親邪？則周姬姓也，而彼姜姓也；以為故邪？則未嘗相識也；以為好麗邪？則夫人行年七十有二，(齒軍)然而齒墮矣。然而用之者，夫文王欲立貴道，欲白貴名，以惠天下，而不可以獨也。非於是子莫足以舉之，故舉是子而用之。於是乎貴道果立，貴名果白，兼制天下，立七十一國姬姓獨居五十三人。周之子孫，苟非狂惑者，莫不為天下之顯諸侯，如是者能愛人也。故舉天下之大道，立天下之大功，然後隱其所憐所愛，其下猶足以為天下之顯諸侯。故曰：唯明主為能愛其所愛，闇主則必危其所愛。此之謂也。

When a ruler wishes to find someone skilled at archery, who can shoot far and hit small targets, he hangs up noble rank and heavy rewards to attract them. Inwardly he must not favor his relatives, and outwardly he must not neglect men from afar; whoever can hit the mark he takes; is this not a way that surely finds them! Even a sage could not change it. When he wishes to find someone skilled at driving, who can arrive far away quickly and run a thousand li a day, he hangs up noble rank and heavy rewards to attract them. Inwardly he must not favor his relatives, and outwardly he must not neglect men from afar; whoever can accomplish this he takes; is this not a way that surely finds them! Even a sage could not change it. Now if he wishes to govern the state and guide the people, to harmonize high and low, to use it inwardly to fortify the cities and outwardly to resist hardship, then with order he controls others, and if it is not controlled the people cannot be mastered, while with disorder, danger, disgrace, and ruin can be awaited standing. Yet in seeking ministers and assistants, he is not so impartial and uses only favorites and those close to him; is this not excessive indeed! So all who have an altar of state wish to be strong and are soon weak; wish to be secure and are soon in danger; wish to survive and are soon perished. In antiquity there were ten thousand states, and now there are a dozen or so; there is no other reason, and none did not lose in this respect. So an enlightened ruler may give gold, stones, pearls, and jade to others privately, but never gives offices and undertakings privately; why? Because fundamentally it does not benefit the one to whom it is given privately. If he lacks ability and the ruler employs him anyway, the ruler is benighted; if a minister lacks ability yet falsely claims ability, the minister is deceitful. When the ruler above is benighted and the minister below deceitful, ruin is only days away; these are all ways of causing harm. King Wen did not lack noble relatives, did not lack sons and brothers, did not lack favorites, but rising above them he promoted Taigong from among the people of the province; how was that partiality! Was it because he was kin? Zhou was of the Ji clan and he of the Jiang clan. Because he was an old acquaintance? They had never met. Because he was handsome? That man was seventy-two and his teeth had fallen out. Yet he used him, because King Wen wished to establish the noble Way and make the noble name clear, to bestow benefit on the world, and could not do it alone. Without this man there would not be enough to promote, so he promoted this man. The noble Way was indeed established, the noble name indeed made clear, and the world was held together; of the seventy-one states established, the Ji clan alone held fifty-three. The descendants of Zhou, unless they were mad or deluded, all became illustrious feudal lords of the world; this is being able to love people. So he raised up the great Way of the world and established the great merit of the world, and then provided for those he pitied and loved, and those below were still enough to become illustrious feudal lords of the world. So it is said: only an enlightened ruler can love whom he loves, while a benighted ruler certainly harms whom he loves. This is what it speaks of.

牆之外，目不見也；裡之前，耳不聞也；而人主之守司，遠者天下，近者境內，不可不略知也。天下之變，境內之事，有弛易齵差者矣，而人主無由知之，則是拘脅蔽塞之端也。耳目之明，如是其狹也；人主之守司，如是其廣也；其中不可以不知也，如是其危也。然則人主將何以知之？曰：便嬖左右者，人主之所以窺遠收眾之門戶牖向也，不可不早具也。故人主必將有便嬖左右足信者，然後可。其知惠足使規物，其端誠足使定物，然後可；夫是之謂國具。人主不能不有遊觀安燕之時，則不得不有疾病物故之變焉。如是，國者，事物之至也如泉原，一物不應，亂之端也。故曰：人主不可以獨也。卿相輔佐，人主之基杖也，不可不早具也。故人主必將有卿相輔佐足任者，然後可。其德音足以填撫百姓，其知慮足以應待萬變，然後可；夫是之謂國具。四鄰諸侯之相與，不可以不相接也，然而不必相親也，故人主必將有足使喻志決疑於遠方者，然後可。其辯說足以解煩，其知慮足以決疑，其齊斷足以距難，不還秩，不反君，然而應薄扞患，足以持社稷，然後可，夫是之謂國具。故人主無便嬖左右足信者，謂之闇；無卿相輔佐足任使者，謂之獨；所使於四鄰諸侯者非其人，謂之孤；孤獨而晻，謂之危。國雖若存，古之人曰亡矣。詩曰："濟濟多士，文王以寧。"此之謂也。

Beyond a wall the eyes cannot see; in front of a lane the ears cannot hear; yet what the ruler guards and oversees, far away is the whole world and near is what is within the borders, and he cannot but know it in outline. If the changes of the world and the affairs within the borders already have slackness and error and the ruler has no way to know, this is the beginning of being bound, coerced, blocked, and obstructed. The clarity of ears and eyes is so narrow; what the ruler guards and oversees is so vast; in the midst he cannot but know, and the danger is so great. Then by what is the ruler to know? Answer: favorites and attendants are the doors and windows by which the ruler peeps afar and gathers the multitude, and they cannot but be provided early. So a ruler must have favorites and attendants who can be trusted, and only then is it possible. Their wisdom and kindness must be enough to plan things, their uprightness and sincerity enough to settle things, and only then is it possible; these are called the instruments of the state. A ruler cannot be without times of leisure and relaxation, and so cannot avoid changes such as illness and death. In such a case, for the state, matters arrive like a spring, and if one thing is not answered, it is the beginning of disorder. So it is said: the ruler cannot be alone. Ministers and assistants are the ruler's staff and cane, and cannot but be provided early. So a ruler must have ministers and assistants who can be equal to the task, and only then is it possible. Their virtuous words must be enough to pacify the common people, their wisdom enough to respond to ten thousand changes, and only then is it possible; these are called the instruments of the state. The neighboring feudal lords interact with each other and cannot but meet, yet need not be close, so a ruler must have those who can far away explain his aims and resolve doubts, and only then is it possible. Their eloquence must be enough to untie difficulty, their wisdom enough to resolve doubt, their decisiveness enough to resist hardship; they do not return private favors and do not oppose the ruler; yet in responding to urgency and warding off disaster they are enough to hold the altars of state, and only then is it possible; these are called the instruments of the state. So a ruler without favorites and attendants who can be trusted is called benighted; without ministers and assistants who can be employed is called alone; and whose envoys to neighboring feudal lords are not the right men is called isolated; isolated, alone, and benighted is called endangered. Though the state may seem to still exist, the ancients said it had already perished. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, 'King Wen,' says: 'Many are the worthy gentlemen, and by them King Wen was at peace.' This is what it speaks of.

材人：願愨拘錄，計數纖嗇，而無敢遺喪，是官人使吏之材也。修飭端正，尊法敬分，而無傾側之心，守職修業，不敢損益，可傳世也，而不可使侵奪，是士大夫官師之材也。知隆禮義之為尊君也，知好士之為美名也，知愛民之為安國也，知有常法之為一俗也，知尚賢使能之為長功也，知務本禁末之為多材也，知無與下爭小利之為便於事也，知明制度，權物稱用之為不泥也，是卿相輔佐之材也，未及君道也。能論官此三材者而無失其次，是謂人主之道也。若是則身佚而國治，功大而名美，上可以王，下可以霸，是人主之要守也。人主不能論此三材者，不知道此道，安值將卑埶出勞，並耳目之樂，而親自貫日而治詳，一日而曲辨之，慮與臣下爭小察而綦偏能，自古及今，未有如此而不亂者也。是所謂視乎不可見，聽乎不可聞，為乎不可成，此之謂也。

Judging talent and employing men: cautious, diligent, and upright, meticulous in calculation and frugal, not daring to omit or lose anything, such is the talent for officials and clerks. Well-ordered and upright, honoring law and respecting rank, without a heart that leans aside, keeping duties and cultivating the work, not daring to add or subtract, able to be passed down and not allowed to be encroached upon, such is the talent for scholars, grandees, and heads of offices. Knowing that honoring ritual and righteousness is how to honor the ruler, knowing that valuing scholars is how to achieve fine reputation, knowing that loving the people is how to secure the state, knowing that having constant law is how to unify customs, knowing that honoring the worthy and employing the able is how to increase merit, knowing that striving for the root and prohibiting the branch trades is how to increase resources, knowing that not contending for small profit with those below is how to make affairs convenient, knowing that making institutions clear and weighing things to suit their use is how not to be rigid: such is the talent for ministers and assistants, though it has not yet reached the way of a ruler. One who can judge and assign these three kinds of talent without losing the order is said to have the way of a ruler. In this way, his own person is at ease and the state is well governed, his merit is great and his name fair, and above he can become king and below hegemon; this is the essential holding of a ruler. If a ruler cannot judge these three kinds of talent and does not know to take this way, then he will only lower his power and personally toil, abandon the pleasures of ears and eyes, personally manage details day after day, discriminate in detail all day, think and contend with ministers over small examination and exhaust his own partial ability; from ancient times to the present, there has been none who did this and was not thrown into disorder. This is what is called looking at what cannot be seen, listening to what cannot be heard, and doing what cannot be accomplished; this is what it speaks of.

人臣之論：有態臣者，有篡臣者，有功臣者，有聖臣者。－－內不足使一民，外不足使距難，百姓不親，諸侯不信；然而巧敏佞說，善取寵乎上，是態臣者也。上不忠乎君，下善取譽乎民，不恤公道通義，朋黨比周，以環主圖私為務，是篡臣者也。內足使以一民，外足使以距難，民親之，士信之，上忠乎君，下愛百姓而不倦，是功臣者也。上則能尊君，下則能愛民，政令教化，刑下如影，應卒遇變，齊給如響，推類接譽，以待無方，曲成制象，是聖臣者也。故用聖臣者王，用功臣者強，用篡臣者危，用態臣者亡。態臣用則必死，篡臣用則必危，功臣用則必榮，聖臣用則必尊。故齊之蘇秦，楚之州侯，秦之張儀，可謂態臣者也。韓之張去疾，趙之奉陽，齊之孟嘗，可謂篡臣也。齊之管仲，晉之咎犯，楚之孫叔敖，可謂功臣矣。殷之伊尹，周之太公，可謂聖臣矣。－－是人臣之論也，吉凶賢不肖之極也。必謹志之！而慎自為擇取焉，足以稽矣。

Categories of ministers: there are the posturing ministers, the usurping ministers, the meritorious ministers, and the sage ministers. Those who inwardly are not enough to unify the people, outwardly not enough to resist hardship, whom the people do not draw close to and the feudal lords do not trust; yet who are skillful, quick, glib, and good at winning favor from those above, are posturing ministers. Those who above are not loyal to the ruler, below are good at obtaining reputation from the people, pay no heed to the public way and common righteousness, form cliques and factions, and make circling around the ruler to scheme for private ends their business, are usurping ministers. Those who inwardly are enough to unify the people, outwardly enough to resist hardship, whom the people draw close to and gentlemen trust, who above are loyal to the ruler and below love the common people without weariness, are meritorious ministers. Those who above can honor the ruler and below can love the people, whose government orders and teaching are manifested below like a shadow, who respond to sudden events and meet changes as quickly as an echo, extending by analogy and receiving praise, to deal with matters without fixed rules, and winding through to accomplish institutions and models, are sage ministers. So one who employs sage ministers becomes king, one who employs meritorious ministers becomes strong, one who employs usurping ministers is endangered, and one who employs posturing ministers perishes. A posturing minister who is employed surely dies, a usurping minister who is employed surely brings danger, a meritorious minister who is employed surely brings glory, and a sage minister who is employed surely brings honor. So Su Qin of Qi, Marquis Zhou of Chu, and Zhang Yi of Qin can be called posturing ministers. Zhang Quji of Han, Fengyang of Zhao, and Mengchang of Qi can be called usurping ministers. Guan Zhong of Qi, Jiu Fan of Jin, and Sunshu Ao of Chu can be called meritorious ministers. Yi Yin of Yin and Taigong of Zhou can be called sage ministers. These are the categories of ministers, the utmost of good and ill fortune, worthy and unworthy. One must carefully remember them! And careful self-selection and employment is enough to examine them.

從命而利君謂之順，從命而不利君謂之諂；逆命而利君謂之忠，逆命而不利君謂之篡；不恤君之榮辱，不恤國之臧否，偷合苟容以持祿養交而已耳，謂之國賊。君有過謀過事，將危國家隕社稷之懼也；大臣父兄，有能進言於君，用則可，不用則去，謂之諫；有能進言於君，用則可，不用則死，謂之爭；有能比知同力，率群臣百吏而相與強君撟君，君雖不安，不能不聽，遂以解國之大患，除國之大害，成於尊君安國，謂之輔；有能抗君之命，竊君之重，反君之事，以安國之危，除君之辱，功伐足以成國之大利，謂之拂。故諫爭輔拂之人，社稷之臣也，國君之寶也，明君之所尊厚也，而闇主惑君以為己賊也。故明君之所賞，闇君之所罰也；闇君之所賞，明君之所殺也。伊尹箕子可謂諫矣，比干子胥可謂爭矣，平原君之於趙可謂輔矣，信陵君之於魏可謂拂矣。傳曰："從道不從君。"此之謂也。故正義之臣設，則朝廷不頗；諫爭輔拂之人信，則君過不遠；爪牙之士施，則仇讎不作；邊境之臣處，則疆垂不喪，故明主好同而闇主好獨，明主尚賢使能而饗其盛，闇主妒賢畏能而滅其功，罰其忠，賞其賊，夫是之謂至闇，桀紂所以滅也。

To follow orders and benefit the ruler is called compliance; to follow orders and not benefit the ruler is called flattery; to go against orders and benefit the ruler is called loyalty; to go against orders and not benefit the ruler is called usurpation; to disregard the ruler's glory or disgrace and the state's good or ill, and merely hold one's salary and nurture private ties through compliance and toleration, is called a thief of the state. When the ruler has erroneous plans or erroneous affairs and there is fear of endangering the state and losing the altars of state, a great minister or elder who can speak to the ruler, so that if used it is well and if not used he leaves, is called remonstrance; one who can speak to the ruler, so that if used it is well and if not used he dies, is called contention; one who can combine wisdom and unite strength, lead the ministers and hundred officials together to press and correct the ruler, so that though the ruler is uneasy he cannot but listen, and thereby removes the state's great trouble, eliminates the state's great harm, and succeeds in honoring the ruler and securing the state, is called assistance; one who can resist the ruler's orders, take over the ruler's weighty authority, and do the ruler's work in reverse to settle the state's danger and remove the ruler's disgrace, with merit enough to accomplish the great benefit of the state, is called correction. So those who remonstrate, contend, assist, and correct are the ministers of the altars of state and the treasure of the ruler, honored and prized by the enlightened ruler, while the benighted and deluded ruler treats them as his enemies. So what the enlightened ruler rewards, the benighted ruler punishes; what the benighted ruler rewards, the enlightened ruler kills. Yi Yin and Jizi can be called remonstrators, Bi Gan and Zixu can be called contenders, Lord Pingyuan toward Zhao can be called an assistant, and Lord Xinling toward Wei can be called a corrector. The tradition says: "Follow the Way, not the ruler." This is what it speaks of. So when ministers of righteousness are established, the court is not biased; when those who remonstrate, contend, assist, and correct are trusted, the ruler's faults are not far; when claw-and-fang scholars are employed, enemies do not stir; when border ministers are stationed, the frontiers are not lost. So the enlightened ruler loves to unite and the benighted ruler loves to be alone; the enlightened ruler honors the worthy and employs the able and enjoys their abundance, while the benighted ruler envies the worthy, fears the able, and destroys their merit, punishing the loyal and rewarding the villains; this is called supreme benightedness, and is why Jie and Zhou perished.

事聖君者，有聽從無諫爭；事中君者，有諫爭無諂諛；事暴君者，有補削無撟拂。迫脅於亂時，窮居於暴國，而無所避之，則崇其美，揚其善，違其惡，隱其敗，言其所長，不稱其所短，以為成俗。詩曰："國有大命，不可以告人，妨其躬身。"此之謂也。

Those who serve a sage ruler have obedience and no remonstrance; those who serve a middling ruler have remonstrance and no flattery; those who serve a tyrant have repairing and trimming but no correcting. Coerced in a time of disorder, living in extremity in a tyrannical state, with no place to avoid it, then one praises his good points, extols his goodness, avoids his evils, conceals his failures, speaks of his strengths and does not mention his shortcomings, thereby completing the custom. The Book of Songs says: "The state has a great command, which cannot be told to others, for it would harm oneself." This is what it speaks of.

恭敬而遜，聽從而敏，不敢有以私決擇也，不敢有以私取與也，以順上為志，是事聖君之義也。忠信而不諛，諫爭而不諂，撟然剛折端志而無傾側之心，是案曰是，非案曰非，是事中君之義也。調而不流，柔而不屈，寬容而不亂，曉然以至道而無不調和也，而能化易，時關內之，是事暴君之義也。若馭樸馬，若養赤子，若食餧人。故因其懼也而改其過，因其憂也而辨其故，因其喜也而入其道，因其怒也而除其怨，曲得所謂焉。書曰："從命而不拂，微諫而不倦，為上則明，為下則遜。"此之謂也。

Respectful and modest, compliant and quick, not daring to make decisions out of private concerns, not daring to take or give out of private concerns, taking compliance with those above as one's aim: this is the principle of serving a sage ruler. Loyal and sincere without flattery, remonstrating and contending without fawning, firm and unyielding, with upright aims and no leaning heart, saying right when it is right and wrong when it is wrong: this is the principle of serving a middling ruler. Harmonious without dissipation, gentle without submission, tolerant without disorder, clearly using the supreme Way with nothing not in harmony and able to transform and change, and at the right moments pressing in on him: this is the principle of serving a tyrant. It is like driving an untamed horse, like raising an infant, like feeding a hungry person. So he uses his fear to correct faults, uses his worry to distinguish causes, uses his joy to bring in the Way, uses his anger to remove resentment, in winding ways achieving what is said. The Book of Documents says: "Follow the command without opposing it, remonstrate subtly without weariness; as one above be clear, as one below be humble." This is what it speaks of.

事人而不順者，不疾者也；疾而不順者，不敬者也；敬而不順者，不忠者也；忠而不順者，無功者也；有功而不順者，無德者也。故無德之為道也，傷疾、墮功、滅苦，故君子不為也。

One who serves others and does not comply is not quick; one who is quick and does not comply is not respectful; one who is respectful and does not comply is not loyal; one who is loyal and does not comply has no merit; one who has merit and does not comply has no virtue. So to have no virtue as one's Way harms quickness, ruins merit, and wastes all toil, and so the gentleman does not do it.

有大忠者，有次忠者，有下忠者，有國賊者：以德覆君而化之，大忠也；以德調君而輔之，次忠也；以是諫非而怒之，下忠也；不恤君之榮辱，不恤國之臧否，偷合苟容以持祿養交而已耳，國賊也。若周公之於成王也，可謂大忠矣；若管仲之於桓公，可謂次忠矣；若子胥之於夫差，可謂下忠矣；若曹觸龍之於紂者，可謂國賊矣。

There are the greatly loyal, the secondarily loyal, the lowly loyal, and the thieves of the state: one who covers the ruler with virtue and teaches him is greatly loyal; one who adjusts the ruler with virtue and assists him is secondarily loyal; one who remonstrates against wrong with right and makes him angry is lowly loyal; one who disregards the ruler's glory or disgrace and the state's good or ill, and merely holds his salary and nurtures private ties through compliance and toleration is a thief of the state. The Duke of Zhou toward King Cheng can be called greatly loyal; Guan Zhong toward Duke Huan can be called secondarily loyal; Zixu toward Fuchai can be called lowly loyal; Cao Chulong toward Zhou can be called a thief of the state.

仁者必敬人。凡人非賢，則案不肖也。人賢而不敬，則是禽獸也；人不肖而不敬，則是狎虎也。禽獸則亂，狎虎則危，災及其身矣。詩曰："不敢暴虎，不敢馮河。人知其一，莫知其它。戰戰兢兢－－如臨深淵，如履薄冰。"此之謂也。故仁者必敬人。敬人有道，賢者則貴而敬之，不肖者則畏而敬之；賢者則親而敬之，不肖者則疏而敬之。其敬一也，其情二也。若夫忠信端愨，而不害傷，則無接而不然，是仁人之質也。忠信以為質，端愨以為統，禮義以為文，倫類以為理，喘而言，臑而動，而一可以為法則。詩曰："不僭不賊，鮮不為則。"此之謂也。

The benevolent person must respect people. All people are either worthy or unworthy. If a person is worthy and one does not respect him, one is a beast; if a person is unworthy and one does not respect him, one is playing with a tiger. Being a beast brings disorder, playing with a tiger brings danger, and the calamity falls on oneself. The Book of Songs, Lesser Odes, 'Xiao Min,' says: "One dare not fight a tiger with bare hands, dare not cross a river on foot. People know this one thing and do not know the others. Trembling and fearful, as if at the edge of a deep abyss, as if treading on thin ice." This is what it speaks of. So the benevolent person must respect people. There is a way of respecting people: respect the worthy by valuing them, respect the unworthy by fearing them; respect the worthy by drawing close to them, respect the unworthy by keeping at a distance. The respect is one matter, but the feelings are two. As for loyalty, sincerity, uprightness, and care, and not harming, there is no association that is not like this; this is the substance of the benevolent. Take loyalty and sincerity as substance, uprightness and care as the guiding thread, ritual and righteousness as adornment, and categories of human relations as principle, and even in the smallest words and wriggling movements it can serve as a model. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, 'Yi,' says: "Not transgressing, not harming, rarely not a model." This is what it speaks of.

恭敬、禮也；調和、樂也；謹慎、利也；鬥怒、害也。故君子安禮樂利，謹慎而無鬥怒，是以百舉而不過也。－－小人反是。

Reverence is ritual; harmony is music; caution is benefit; contention and anger are harm. So the gentleman is at ease in ritual, music, and benefit, is careful and without contention and anger, and thus in a hundred actions has no error. The petty person is the reverse.

通忠之順，權險之平，禍亂之從聲，三者非明主莫之能知也。爭然後善，戾然後功，生死無私，致忠而公，夫是之謂通忠之順，信陵君似之矣。奪然後義，殺然後仁，上下易位然後貞，功參天地，澤被生民，夫是之謂權險之平，湯武是也。過而通情，和而無經，不恤是非，不論曲宜，偷合苟容，迷亂狂生，夫是之謂禍亂之從聲，飛廉惡來是也。傳曰："斬而齊，枉而順，不同而一。"詩曰："受小球大球，為下國綴旒。"此之謂也。

To penetrate loyalty and reach compliance; to adapt to danger and reach evenness; and to echo calamity and disorder; no one but an enlightened ruler can know these three. One who is good after contending and has merit through perversity, who is without private interest in life or death, utterly loyal and impartial, is said to penetrate loyalty and reach compliance; Lord Xinling comes close. One who is righteous after seizing, benevolent after killing, whose high and low exchange places and then are upright, whose merit matches heaven and earth and whose favor covers the living people, is said to adapt to danger and reach evenness; Tang and Wu are such. One who has faults but is accommodating, who echoes without constancy, disregarding right and wrong, not discussing crooked or straight and what is fitting, indulging in compliance and toleration, confused and mad, is said to echo calamity and disorder; Fei Lian and E Lai are such. The tradition says: "Not uniform yet uniform, crooked yet compliant, different yet one." The Book of Songs, Odes of Shang, 'Chang Fa,' says: "Receiving the small laws and the great laws, he is the pennant of the lower states." This is what it speaks of.

衡聽、顯幽、重明、退奸、進良之術：朋黨比周之譽，君子不聽；殘賊加累之譖，君子不用；隱忌雍蔽之人，君子不近；貨財禽犢之請，君子不許。凡流言、流說、流事、流謀、流譽、流愬，不官而衡至者，君子慎之，聞聽而明譽之，定其當而當，然後士其刑賞而還與之；如是則奸言、奸說、奸事、奸謀、奸譽、奸愬，莫之試也；忠言、忠說、忠事、忠謀、忠譽、忠愬、莫不明通，方起以尚盡矣。夫是之謂衡聽、顯幽、重明、退奸、進良之術。

Methods of weighing what is heard, bringing the hidden to light, doubling clarity, dismissing the treacherous, and advancing the good: the praise of cliques and factions the gentleman does not heed; slanders that harm and implicate the gentleman does not use; those who hide jealousy and obstruct, the gentleman does not approach; requests made with goods, wealth, and gifts, the gentleman does not grant. All drifting rumors, drifting theories, drifting affairs, drifting plans, drifting praise, and drifting complaints that come athwart without passing through the offices, the gentleman treats carefully, hearing them and clearly stating them, determining whether they are fitting or not, and then gives them punishment or reward and reports back to the person; in this way, no treacherous words, theories, affairs, plans, praise, or complaints will come to try; and no loyal words, theories, affairs, plans, praise, or complaints will fail to be made clear and open, rising together and exhausting themselves upward. This is called the method of weighing what is heard, bringing the hidden to light, doubling clarity, dismissing the treacherous, and advancing the good.

川淵深而魚鱉歸之，山林茂而禽獸歸之，刑政平而百姓歸之，禮義備而君子歸之。故禮及身而行修，義及國而政明，能以禮挾而貴名白，天下願，令行禁止，王者之事畢矣。詩曰："惠此中國，以綏四方。"此之謂也。川淵者，魚龍之居也，山林者、鳥獸之居也，國家者、士民之居也。川淵枯、則魚龍去之，山林險，則鳥獸去之，國家失政、則士民去之。無土則人不安居，無人則土不守，無道法則人不至，無君子則道不舉。故土之與人也，道之與法也者，國家之本作也。君子也者，道法之摠要也，不可少頃曠也。得之則治，失之則亂；得之則安，失之則危；得之則存，失之則亡，故有良法而亂者有之矣，有君子而亂者，自古及今，未嘗聞也，傳曰："治生乎君子，亂生於小人。"此之謂也。

When rivers and deep pools are deep, fish and turtles turn to them; when mountains and forests are lush, birds and beasts turn to them; when punishments and governance are even, the common people turn to him; when ritual and righteousness are complete, gentlemen turn to him. So when ritual is applied to the person, conduct is well ordered; when righteousness is applied to the state, government is clear; when one can use ritual comprehensively and noble reputation is manifest, the world looks up to him, orders are carried out and prohibitions stop, and the work of a true king is finished. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, 'Min Lao,' says: "Bestow kindness on this central state, to settle the four quarters." This is what it speaks of. Rivers and deep pools are where fish and dragons live; mountains and forests are where birds and beasts live; the state is where gentlemen and people live. If rivers and deep pools dry up, fish and dragons leave; if mountains and forests are harsh, birds and beasts leave; if the state loses its government, gentlemen and people leave. Without land, people cannot settle; without people, land cannot be held; without the Way and law, people do not come; without the gentleman, the Way cannot be raised. So land and people, the Way and law, are the basis of the state. The gentleman is the general essence of the Way and law, and cannot be vacant for a moment. Obtain him and there is order, lose him and there is disorder; obtain him and there is security, lose him and there is danger; obtain him and one survives, lose him and one perishes. So to have good laws and yet be in disorder has happened; but to have a gentleman and yet be in disorder, from ancient times to the present it has never been heard of. The tradition says: "Order is born from the gentleman and disorder is born from the petty man." This is what it speaks of.

得眾動天。美意延年。誠信如神，夸誕逐魂。

Obtaining the multitude can move Heaven. A good heart can extend one's years. Sincerity is like a spirit; boasting drives away the soul.

人主之害，不在乎不言用賢，而在乎不誠必用賢。夫言用賢者，口也；卻賢者，行也，口行相反，而欲賢者之至，不肖者之退也，不亦難乎！夫耀蟬者，務在明其火，振其樹而已；火不明，雖振其樹，無益也。今人主有能明其德者，則天下歸之，若蟬之歸明火也。

The harm to a ruler lies not in not speaking of employing the worthy, but in not being sincere about necessarily employing the worthy. What speaks of employing the worthy is the mouth; what pushes away the worthy is conduct. When mouth and conduct are opposite and yet one wants the worthy to come and the unworthy to leave, is that not hard! One who catches cicadas by light strives only to make his fire bright and shake the tree; if the fire is not bright, then even shaking the tree is of no benefit. Now if a ruler can make his virtue clear, then the world turns to him, as cicadas turn to a bright fire.

臨事接民，而以義變應，寬裕而多容，恭敬以先之，政之始也。然後中和察斷以輔之，政之隆也。然後進退誅賞之，政之終也。故一年與之始，三年與之終。用其終為始，則政令不行，而上下怨疾，亂所以自作也。書曰："義刑義殺；勿庸以即，女惟曰：未有順事。"言先教也。

Facing affairs and receiving the people, responding to changes with righteousness, being generous and tolerant, and guiding with reverence, is the beginning of government. Then assisting with balanced and discerning judgment is the flourishing of government. Then advancing, retreating, punishing, and rewarding is the conclusion of government. So give him a year for the beginning and three years for the conclusion. If one takes the conclusion as the beginning, orders cannot be carried out and high and low resent one another, and disorder arises of itself. The Book of Documents says: "Righteous punishment, righteous killing; do not use them immediately; you should say only: there is not yet any compliant affair." This says teaching comes first.

程者、物之準也，禮者、節之準也；程以立數，禮以定倫；德以敘位，能以授官。凡節奏欲陵，而生民欲寬；節奏陵而文，生民寬而安；上文下安，功名之極也，不可以加矣。

A standard is the norm of things; ritual is the norm of moderation. Standards are used to establish number, and ritual is used to fix the order of relations; virtue is used to order rank, and ability is used to assign office. In all matters of rhythm one wishes to be strict, while in sustaining the people one wishes to be generous; with strict rhythm there is pattern, and with generous sustaining of the people there is peace; with pattern above and peace below, this is the utmost of merit and fame and cannot be added to.

君者、國之隆也，父者、家之隆也。隆一而治，二而亂。自古及今，未有二隆爭重，而能長久者。

The ruler is what the state honors; the father is what the household honors. If one is honored there is order; if two, disorder. From ancient times to the present, there has never been a case of two honored ones contending for weighty power that could last long.

師術有四－－而博習不與焉：尊嚴而憚，可以為師；耆艾而信，可以為師；誦說而不陵不犯，可以為師；知微而論，可以為師：故師術有四－－而博習不與焉。水深而回，樹落則糞本，弟子通利則思師。詩曰："無言不讎，無德不報。"此之謂也。

The ways of being a teacher are four, and wide learning is not among them: being dignified so that people hold him in awe, one can be a teacher; being advanced in years and trusted, one can be a teacher; reciting and explaining without overstepping or violating, one can be a teacher; knowing the subtle and being able to discuss it, one can be a teacher: so the ways of being a teacher are four, and wide learning is not among them. Where water is deep it circles back, where leaves fall they fatten the root, and when disciples achieve success and gain advantage they think of their teacher. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, 'Yi,' says: "No word without a reply, no virtue without repayment." This is what it speaks of.

賞不欲僭，刑不欲濫。賞僭則利及小人，刑濫則害及君子。若不幸而過，寧僭勿濫。與其害善，不若利淫。

Rewards should not exceed, punishments should not be excessive. If rewards exceed, the benefit reaches petty people; if punishments are excessive, the harm reaches gentlemen. If unfortunately one must err, it is better to exceed than to be excessive. Rather than harm the good, better to benefit the dissolute.

臨武君與孫卿子議兵於趙孝成王前，王曰：請問兵要？

Lord Linwu and Xunzi debated military affairs before King Xiaocheng of Zhao, and the king said: May I ask the essentials of using the army?

臨武君對曰：上得天時，下得地利，觀敵之變動，後之發，先之至，此用兵之要術也。

Lord Linwu replied: Gain Heaven's timing above and the advantage of terrain below, observe the enemy's movements, set out after him and arrive before him; these are the essential methods of using the army.

孫卿子曰：不然！臣所聞古之道，凡用兵攻戰之本，在乎壹民。弓矢不調，則羿不能以中微；六馬不和，則造父不能以致遠；士民不親附，則湯武不能以必勝也。故善附民者，是乃善用兵者也。故兵要在乎善附民而已。

Xunzi said: Not so! What I have heard of the Way of antiquity is that the root of all military attack and battle lies in unifying the people. If bow and arrows are not well matched, Yi could not use them to hit small targets; if the six horses are not in harmony, Zaofu could not use them to reach far places; if officers and people are not attached, Tang and Wu could not use them to win with certainty. So one who is good at attaching the people is the one who should be good at using the army. So the essentials of using the army lie only in being good at attaching the people.

臨武君曰：不然。兵之所貴者埶利也，所行者變詐也。善用兵者，感忽悠闇，莫知其所從出。孫吳用之無敵於天下，豈必待附民哉！

Lord Linwu said: Not so. What the army values is advantage of position, and what it practices is adaptation and deception. One skilled at using the army is swift and hidden, and no one knows where he will come from. Sun Wu and Wu Qi used this to be invincible under heaven; why must one wait for the people to be attached!

孫卿子曰：不然。臣之所道，仁者之兵，王者之志也。君之所貴，權謀埶利也；所行，攻奪變詐也；諸侯之事也。仁人之兵，不可詐也；彼可詐者，怠慢者也，路亶者也，君臣上下之間，渙然有離德者也。故以桀詐桀，猶巧拙有幸焉。以桀詐堯，譬之：若以卵投石，以指撓沸；若赴水火，入焉焦沒耳。故仁人上下，百將一心，三軍同力；臣之於君也，下之於上也，若子之事父，弟之事兄，若手臂之扞頭目而覆胸腹也，詐而襲之，與先驚而後擊之，一也。且仁人之用十里之國，則將有百里之聽；用百里之國，則將有千里之聽；用千里之國，則將有四海之聽，必將聰明警戒和傳而一。故仁人之兵，聚則成卒，散則成列，延則若莫邪之長刃，嬰之者斷；兌則若莫邪之利鋒，當之者潰，圜居而方止，則若盤石然，觸之者角摧，案角鹿埵隴種東籠而退耳。且夫暴國之君，將誰與至哉？彼其所與至者，必其民也，而其民之親我歡若父母，其好我芬若椒蘭，彼反顧其上，則若灼黥，若讎仇；人之情，雖桀蹠，豈又肯為其所惡，賊其所好者哉！是猶使人之子孫自賊其父母也，彼必將來告之，夫又何可詐也！故仁人用國日明，諸侯先順者安，後順者危，慮敵之者削，反之者亡。詩曰："武王載發，有虔秉鉞；如火烈烈，則莫我敢遏。"此之謂也。

Master Sun Qing said: Not so. What I extol is the army of the benevolent and the aim of a true king. What Your Lordship values is scheming, power and advantage; what you practice is attack, seizure, change and deceit; these are matters of the lords. The army of the benevolent cannot be deceived; those who can be deceived are the negligent, the weak and exhausted, and those among whom ruler and ministers, above and below, have fallen apart and lost their virtue. So using a Jie to deceive a Jie still leaves room for luck in skill and clumsiness. Using a Jie to deceive a Yao is like throwing an egg at a stone or stirring boiling water with a finger; it is like rushing into water or fire, where one is scorched or drowned the moment he enters. So among the benevolent, above and below, a hundred generals are of one mind and the three armies of one strength; ministers toward the ruler and inferiors toward superiors are like a son serving his father or a younger brother his elder brother, like arms protecting the head and eyes and covering the chest and belly; to attack them by deceit is the same as to alarm them first and then strike them. Moreover, a benevolent man's state of ten li will have the hearing of a hundred li; with a state of a hundred li it will have the hearing of a thousand li; with a state of a thousand li it will have the hearing of the four seas, and it will surely be clear-sighted and alert, passing the word along and uniting as one. So the army of the benevolent, when gathered, becomes ranks; when scattered, forms lines; when extended, is like the long blade of Moye, which cuts whatever touches it; when sharp, is like the keen point of Moye, which shatters whatever opposes it; when round it stays and when square it halts, like a great rock, and whatever touches it has its horns broken, and so broken, it retreats in rout, falling east and west. Moreover, whom would the ruler of a tyrannical state bring with him? Those who would come with him are surely his own people, but his people love me and are glad of me like parents, and delight in me like the fragrance of pepper and orchid, while they look back at their own superior as if at branding irons or tattooing, as if at an enemy; in human feeling, even a Jie or a Zhi, how would he be willing to harm what he likes for the sake of what he hates! It would be like making a person's descendants harm their own parents, who would surely come and report; so how can deceit be used! So a benevolent man's use of a state grows clearer day by day; of the lords, those who submit first are at peace, those who submit later are in danger, those who plot to be rivals are cut down, and those who rebel perish. The Book of Songs, in the Hymns of Shang, 'Changfa,' says: 'King Wu carried the banners and reverently held the battle-axe; like fire blazing, no one dared to hold me back.' This is what is meant.

孝成王、臨武君曰：善！請問王者之兵，設何道何行而可？

King Xiaocheng and Lord Linwu said: Good! May I ask what way a true king's army should set up and what it should practice to succeed?

孫卿子曰：凡在大王，將率末事也。臣請遂道王者諸侯強弱存亡之效，安危之埶：君賢者其國治，君不能者其國亂；隆禮貴義者其國治，簡禮賤義者其國亂；治者強，亂者弱，是強弱之本也。上足卬則下可用也，上不卬則下不可用也；下可用則強，下不可用則弱，是強弱之常也。隆禮效功，上也；重祿貴節，次也；上功賤節，下也，是強弱之凡也。好士者強，不好士者弱；愛民者強，不愛民者弱；政令信者強，政令不信者弱；民齊者強，民不齊者弱；賞重者強，賞輕者弱；刑威者強，刑侮者弱；械用兵革攻完便利者強，械用兵革窳楛不便利者弱。重用兵者強，輕用兵者弱；權出一者強，權出二者弱，是強弱之常也。

Master Sun Qing said: In general, for the great king, generals and commanders are a minor matter. Allow me to speak of the evidence of strength and weakness and survival and destruction among the lords of a true king, and of the conditions of safety and danger: where the ruler is worthy, his state is ordered; where the ruler is incapable, his state is disordered; where ritual is honored and righteousness valued, the state is ordered; where ritual is slighted and righteousness despised, the state is disordered; the ordered are strong and the disordered weak; this is the root of strength and weakness. When those above are worth looking up to, those below can be employed; when those above are not worth looking up to, those below cannot be employed; where those below can be employed there is strength, and where they cannot there is weakness; this is the constant principle of strength and weakness. To honor ritual and verify merit is the best; to value salary and value integrity is next; to prize merit and despise integrity is the lowest; this is the general outline of strength and weakness. Those who love scholars are strong and those who do not are weak; those who love the people are strong and those who do not are weak; those whose government orders carry trust are strong and those without trust are weak; those whose people are united are strong and those whose people are not united are weak; those with heavy rewards are strong and those with light rewards are weak; those whose punishments have awe are strong and those whose punishments are mocked are weak; those whose equipment, weapons and armor are solid, sound and convenient are strong and those whose are crude, poor and inconvenient are weak. Those who are careful in using the army are strong and those who use it lightly are weak; those in whom authority comes from one are strong and those in whom authority comes from two are weak; these are the constant principles of strength and weakness.

齊人隆技擊，其技也，得一首者，則賜贖錙金，無本賞矣。是事小敵毳，則偷可用也，事大敵堅，則渙然離耳。若飛鳥然，傾側反覆無日，是亡國之兵也，兵莫弱是矣。是其去賃市傭而戰之幾矣。

The men of Qi honor skills of fighting; for those skills, one who obtains one head is given a zi of gold as ransom, and there is no basic reward. In small affairs against a weak enemy, this can be used in a makeshift way; in great affairs against a solid enemy, they simply fall apart and scatter. Like flying birds, tilting back and forth for only a few days, this is the army of a doomed state, and no army is weaker than this. It is not much different from hiring laborers in the market to fight.

魏氏之武卒，以度取之，衣三屬之甲，操十二石之弩，負服矢五十個，置戈其上，冠冑帶劍，贏三日之糧，日中而趨百里，中試則復其戶，利其田宅，是數年而衰，而未可奪也，改造則不易周也，是故地雖大，其稅必寡，是危國之兵也。

The martial soldiers of the Wei clan were selected by a standard: wearing armor of three layers, holding a crossbow of twelve shi, carrying fifty arrows on the back with the dagger-axe on top, wearing a helmet and a sword, bearing three days' rations, and running a hundred li in a day; when one passed the test, his household was exempted from service and his fields and houses were made advantageous; in a few years this declined, yet it could not be taken away, and changing the selection was not easy to do universally, so although the territory was large the taxes were necessarily small; this is the army of a precarious state.

秦人其生民郟阨，其使民也酷烈，劫之以埶，隱之以阨，忸之以慶賞，酋之以刑罰，使天下之民，所以要利於上者，非鬥無由也。阨而用之，得而後功之，功賞相長也，五甲首而隸五家，是最為眾強長久，多地以正，故四世有勝，非幸也，數也。

The men of Qin keep their people in narrow and impoverished conditions, use them cruelly, coerce them with power, conceal them in poverty, accustom them with rewards, and press them with punishments, so that the only way the people of the world can seek benefit from those above is through fighting. They use them in poverty and record their merit only when obtained; merit and reward increase each other, and five enemy helmets taken make one master of five households as servants; this makes the army strong and lasting among the multitude, with much land taxed, so for four generations they won, not by luck but by number.

故齊之技擊，不可以遇魏氏之武卒；魏氏之武卒，不可以遇秦之銳士；秦之銳士，不可以當桓文之節制；桓文之節制，不可以敵湯武之仁義；有遇之者，若以焦熬投石焉。兼是數國者，皆幹賞蹈利之兵也，傭徒鬻賣之道也，未有貴上安制綦節之理也。諸侯有能微妙之以節，則作而兼殆之耳。故招近募選，隆埶詐，尚功利，是漸之也；禮義教化，是齊之也。故以詐遇詐，猶有巧拙焉；以詐遇齊，闢之猶以錐刀墮太山也，非天下之愚人莫敢試。故王者之兵不試。湯武之誅桀紂也，拱挹指麾，而強暴之國莫不趨使，誅桀紂若誅獨夫。故泰誓曰："獨夫紂。"此之謂也。故兵大齊則制天下，小齊則治鄰敵。若夫招近募選，隆埶詐，尚功利之兵，則勝不勝無常，代翕代張，代存代亡，相為雌雄耳矣。夫是之謂盜兵，君子不由也。

So the skilled fighters of Qi cannot meet the martial soldiers of the Wei clan; the martial soldiers of the Wei clan cannot meet the keen soldiers of Qin; the keen soldiers of Qin cannot withstand the discipline of Huan and Wen; the discipline of Huan and Wen cannot oppose the benevolence and righteousness of Tang and Wu; whoever meets them is like throwing something scorched and parched at a stone. All these states combined are armies that seek rewards and tread on profit, the way of hired hands and bargaining, and have never had the principle of valuing the ruler, resting in regulations, and exhausting discipline. If a lord could treat them subtly and with discipline, he would rise and endanger them all at once. So recruiting and selecting, honoring power and deceit, and prizing merit and profit are gradual contamination; ritual, righteousness and teaching are unification. So using deceit against deceit still allows for skill and clumsiness; using deceit against unity is like using an awl or knife to destroy Mount Tai, and none but the fools of the world dare try it. So a true king's army does not try. When Tang and Wu executed Jie and Zhou, with folded hands and a bow, directing, there was no strong and violent state that did not submit, and executing Jie and Zhou was like executing one lone man. So the Great Declaration says: 'The lone man Zhou.' This is what is meant. So when an army is greatly unified it controls the world, with slight unity it manages neighboring enemies. As for armies that recruit and select, honor power and deceit, and prize merit and profit, whether they win or not has no constancy; in turn they contract and expand, in turn survive and perish, being each other's male and female. This is called a bandit army, and the gentleman does not go along.

故齊之田單，楚之莊蹻，秦之衛鞅，燕之繆蟣，是皆世俗所謂善用兵者也，是其巧拙強弱，則未有以相君也。若其道一也，未及和齊也；掎契司詐，權謀傾覆，未免盜兵也。齊桓、晉文、楚莊、吳闔閭、越勾踐是皆和齊之兵也，可謂入其域矣，然而未有本統也，故可以霸而不可以王；是強弱之效也。

So Tian Dan of Qi, Zhuang Qiao of Chu, Wei Yang of Qin and Miu Ji of Yan, these are all people the world calls skilled in using the army; their skill and clumsiness, strength and weakness, have never made them rulers of each other. As for their way, it is one matter, and they have not yet reached harmony and unity; with pulling and snatching, watching for deceit, scheming and overturning, they cannot avoid being bandit armies. Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Wen of Jin, Zhuang of Chu, Helu of Wu and Goujian of Yue all had armies of harmony and unity, which could be said to have entered that realm, yet they never had a fundamental line of descent, so they could become hegemons but not kings; this is the evidence of strength and weakness.

孝成王、臨武君曰善！請問為將？

King Xiaocheng and Lord Linwu said: Good! May I ask how to be a general?

孫卿子曰：知莫大乎棄疑，行莫大乎無過，事莫大乎無悔，事至無悔而止矣，成不可必也。故制號政令欲嚴以威，慶賞刑罰欲必以信，處舍收藏欲周以固，徙舉進退欲安以重，欲疾以速；窺敵觀變欲潛以深，欲伍以參；遇敵決戰必道吾所明，無道吾所疑：夫是之謂六術。無慾將而惡廢，無急勝而忘敗，無威內而輕外，無見利而不顧其害，凡慮事欲孰而用財欲泰：夫是之謂五權。所以不受命於主有三：可殺而不可使處不完，可殺而不可使擊不勝，可殺而不可使欺百姓：夫是之謂三至。凡受命於主而行三軍，三軍既定，百官得序，群物皆正，則主不能喜，敵不能怒：夫是之謂至臣。慮必先事，而申之以敬，慎終如始，終始如一：夫是之謂大吉。凡百事之成也，必在敬之；其敗也，必在慢之。故敬勝怠則吉，怠勝敬則滅；計勝欲則從，欲勝計則兇。戰如守，行如戰，有功如幸，敬謀無壙，敬事無壙，敬吏無壙，敬眾無壙，敬敵無壙：夫是之謂五無壙。謹行此六術、五權、三至，而處之以恭敬無壙，夫是之謂天下之將，則通於神明矣。

Master Sun Qing said: In wisdom, nothing is greater than getting rid of doubt; in conduct, nothing is greater than having no fault; in affairs, nothing is greater than having no regret; when an affair reaches the point of having no regret it is enough, for success cannot be guaranteed. So titles and government orders should be stern and awe-inspiring; commendations, rewards and punishments should be fixed and trustworthy; camps, storage and stores should be close and firm; moving, advancing and retreating should be steady and weighty, and also swift and rapid; spying on the enemy and observing change should be concealed and deep, and should be varied and cross-checked; in the decisive battle meeting the enemy, one must follow what one knows clearly and not follow what one doubts: these are called the six arts. Do not wish to be a general and fear being dismissed; do not hurry for victory and forget defeat; do not show awe inside and be careless outside; do not see profit and ignore the harm; in all deliberations be refined and thorough, and in using wealth be generous: these are called the five authorities. There are three cases in which orders are not received from the ruler: one may be executed but cannot be made to stay in an unsecured place; one may be executed but cannot be made to attack what cannot be won; one may be executed but cannot be made to deceive the people: these are called the three utmosts. In all cases, when one receives orders from the ruler and commands the three armies, once the three armies are settled and the hundred officials have their order and all things are right, the ruler cannot make him glad and the enemy cannot make him angry: this is called the utmost minister. Plan must come before the matter, and use reverence to reinforce it, being careful at the end as at the beginning, the end and beginning being one matter: this is called great good fortune. In all hundred affairs, success lies in being reverent about them; failure lies in being negligent about them. So when reverence prevails over negligence there is good fortune, and when negligence prevails over reverence there is destruction; when calculation prevails over desire there is compliance, and when desire prevails over calculation there is misfortune. Fight as if defending, march as if fighting, and treat any success as luck. Be reverent in planning without a gap, reverent in affairs without a gap, reverent toward officers without a gap, reverent toward the multitude without a gap, reverent toward the enemy without a gap: these are called the five no-gaps. One who carefully practices these six arts, five authorities and three utmosts, and abides in them with reverence without gaps, is called a general of the world, and reaches the spirits and the illumined.

臨武君曰：善！請問王者之軍制？

Lord Linwu said: Good! May I ask about the army regulations of a true king?

孫卿子曰：將死鼓，御死轡，百吏死職，士大夫死行列。聞鼓聲而進，聞金聲而退，順命為上，有功次之；令不進而進，猶令不退而退也，其罪惟均。不殺老弱，不獵禾稼，服者不禽，格者不捨，奔命者不獲。凡誅，非誅其百姓也，誅其亂百姓者也；百姓有扞其賊，則是亦賊也。以故順刃者生，蘇刃者死，奔命者貢。微子開封於宋，曹觸龍斷于軍，殷之服民，所以養生之者也，無異周人。故近者歌謳而樂之，遠者竭蹙而趨之，無幽閒闢陋之國，莫不趨使而安樂之，四海之內若一家，通達之屬莫不從服，夫是之謂人師。詩曰："自西自東，自南自北，無思不服。"此之謂也。王者有誅而無戰，城守不攻，兵格不擊，上下相喜則慶之，不屠城，不潛軍，不留眾，師不越時。故亂者樂其政，不安其上，欲其至也。

Master Sun Qing said: The general dies for the drum, the charioteer dies for the reins, the hundred officers die for their posts, and scholars and grand masters die for their ranks. They advance on hearing the drum and withdraw on hearing the gong; obeying in place of orders is best and having merit is next; to advance when ordered not to advance is the same as to retreat when ordered not to retreat, and the guilt is the same. Do not kill the old and weak, do not trample the grain, do not capture those who submit, do not release those who fight, and do not seize those who come surrendering. In all executions, one does not execute the common people, but those who disturb the common people; if the common people defend the bandits, they too are bandits. So those who go with the blade live and those who go against it die, and those who come surrendering are presented. The Viscount of Wei, Kai, was enfeoffed in Song, and Cao Chulong was beheaded in the army; the submitting people of Yin were nurtured no differently from the people of Zhou. So those near sing and delight in him, those far exert themselves to come running, there is no remote or hidden country that does not hasten to serve and be at ease, within the four seas it is like one family, and in all places that can be reached none does not submit; this is called the teacher of men. The Book of Songs, in the Greater Odes, 'Wenwang Youshang,' says: 'From west to east, from south to north, none thought of not submitting.' This is what is meant. A true king punishes but does not make war; if a city defends itself he does not attack it, if an army fights he does not strike it, when above and below delight in each other they celebrate; he does not massacre cities, does not ambush armies, does not keep the multitude long, and his campaigns do not exceed the season. So people in disorder delight in his government and are not at ease with their own superiors, and want him to come.

臨武君曰：善！

Lord Linwu said: Good!

陳囂問孫卿子曰：先生議兵，常以仁義為本；仁者愛人，義者循理，然則又何以兵為？凡所為有兵者，為爭奪也。

Chen Xiao asked Master Sun Qing: Sir, in discussing the army you always take benevolence and righteousness as the root; the benevolent love people and the righteous follow principle, so why use the army at all? In general, armies exist for the sake of contention and seizure.

孫卿子曰：非汝所知也！彼仁者愛人，愛人故惡人之害之也；義者循理，循理故惡人之亂之也。彼兵者所以禁暴除害也，非爭奪也。故仁者之兵，所存者神，所過者化，若時雨之降，莫不說喜。是以堯伐驩兜，舜伐有苗，禹伐共工，湯伐有夏，文王伐崇，武王伐紂，此四帝兩王，皆以仁義之兵，行於天下也。故近者親其善，遠方慕其德，兵不血刃，遠邇來服，德盛於此，施及四極。詩曰："淑人君子，其儀不忒，其儀不忒，正是四國。"此之謂也。

Master Sun Qing said: It is not what you know! The benevolent love people, and because they love people they hate for people to be harmed; the righteous follow principle, and because they follow principle they hate for people to be disordered. The army is used to stop violence and remove harm, and is not for contention and seizure. So the army of the benevolent is wondrous in what it preserves and transforming in what it passes through, like seasonable rain falling, with no one not delighted. So Yao attacked Huandou, Shun attacked the Youmiao, Yu attacked Gonggong, Tang attacked the Youxia, King Wen attacked Chong, and King Wu attacked Zhou; these four emperors and two kings all used armies of benevolence and righteousness and practiced them in the world. So those near drew close to their goodness and those far admired their virtue; the army did not stain its blades with blood, and near and far all came to submit; virtue flourished here and extended to the four extremities. The Book of Songs, in the Airs of Cao, 'Shijiu,' says: 'The good gentleman, his bearing has no flaw; his bearing without flaw sets right the four states.' This is what is meant.

李斯問孫卿子曰：秦四世有勝，兵強海內，威行諸侯，非以仁義為之也，以便從事而已。

Li Si asked Master Sun Qing: Qin has won for four generations, its army is strong within the seas and its awe prevails over the lords, and this was not done with benevolence and righteousness, but merely by pursuing what is convenient.

孫卿子曰：非汝所知也！汝所謂便者，不便之便也；吾所謂仁義者，大便之便也。彼仁義者，所以修政者也；政修則民親其上，樂其君，而輕為之死。故曰：凡在於軍，將率末事也。秦四世有勝，諰諰然常恐天下之一合而軋己也，此所謂末世之兵，未有本統也。故湯之放桀也，非其逐之鳴條之時也；武王之誅紂也，非以甲子之朝而後勝之也，皆前行素修也，所謂仁義之兵也。今女不求之於本，而索之於末，此世之所以亂也。

Master Sun Qing said: It is not what you know! What you call convenient is an inconvenient convenience; what I call benevolence and righteousness is the convenience of great convenience. Benevolence and righteousness are used to cultivate government; when government is well ordered the people are close to their superiors, delight in their ruler, and easily die for him. So it is said: in all matters of the army, generals and commanders are a minor matter. Qin has won for four generations, yet it is anxious and always afraid that the world will unite and crush it; this is what is called the army of a declining age, which never had a fundamental line. So Tang's banishing of Jie did not lie in chasing him to Mingtiao; King Wu's execution of Zhou did not lie in conquering him only on the morning of jiazi; both were done by what had been carried out earlier and cultivated in ordinary times, the so-called army of benevolence and righteousness. Now you do not seek in the root but seek in the branches, and this is why the world is disordered.

禮者、治辨之極也，強固之本也，威行之道也，功名之總也，王公由之所以得天下也，不由所以隕社稷也。故堅甲利兵不足以為勝，高城深池不足以為固，嚴令繁刑不足以為威。由其道則行，不由其道則廢。

Ritual is the utmost of order and distinction, the root of strength and solidity, the way for awe to be carried out, and the summing up of merit and fame; kings and dukes by following it obtained the world, and by not following it lost their altars of soil and grain. So solid armor and sharp weapons are not enough for victory, high walls and deep moats are not enough for security, and stern orders and many punishments are not enough to establish awe. Following that Way, they are carried out; not following that Way, they are ruined.

楚人鮫革犀兕以為甲，鞈堅如金石；宛鉅鐵矛，慘如蜂蠆，輕利僄遫，卒如飄風；然而兵殆於垂沙，唐蔑死。莊蹻起，楚分而為三四，是豈無堅甲利兵也哉！其所以統之者非其道故也。汝潁以為險，江漢以為池，限之以鄧林，緣之以方城；然而秦師至，而鄢郢舉，若振槁然，是豈無固塞隘阻也哉！其所以統之者非其道故也。紂刳比干，囚箕子，為炮烙刑，殺戮無時，臣下懍然莫必其命，然而周師至，而令不行乎下，不能用其民，是豈令不嚴，刑不繁也哉！其所以統之者非其道故也。

The men of Chu used shark and rhinoceros hide for armor, as hard as metal and stone; the great iron spears of Wan were as cruel as wasps and scorpions, light, sharp and swift, sudden as a whirlwind; yet their army was endangered at Chuisha, and Tang Mie died. Zhuang Qiao rose up, and Chu split into three or four; was this because they lacked solid armor and sharp weapons! It was because what they were led by was not that Way. They used the Ru and Ying as a barrier, the Jiang and Han as a moat, the Deng forest as a boundary, and the Fangcheng walls along the frontier; yet when Qin's army came, Yan and Ying were taken, like shaking down withered leaves; was this because they lacked fortified passes and obstacles! It was because what they were led by was not that Way. Zhou cut open Bi Gan, imprisoned Jizi, made the roasting-pillar punishment, and killed without regular times, and ministers below trembled with none able to be sure of their lives; yet when the army of Zhou came, orders could not be carried out below and he could not use his people; was this because orders were not strict and punishments not many! It was because what they were led by was not that Way.

古之兵，戈矛弓矢而已矣，然而敵國不待試而詘；城郭不辨，溝池不抇，固塞不樹，機變不張；然而國晏然不畏外而固者，無它故焉，明道而鈞分之，時使而誠愛之，下之和上也如影向，有不由令者，然後俟之以刑。故刑一人而天下服，罪人不郵其上，知罪之在己也。是故刑罰省而威流，無它故焉，由其道故也。古者帝堯之治天下也，蓋殺一人，刑二人，而天下治。傳曰："威厲而不試，刑錯而不用。"此之謂也。

In ancient times armies were only dagger-axes, spears, bows and arrows, yet enemy states submitted without waiting to be tested; walls were not repaired, moats not dug, fortresses not set up, and devices and stratagems not deployed; yet the state was secure, not fearing outsiders and being solid, for no other reason than that they made the Way clear and balanced the divisions, used the people at the proper times and loved them sincerely, and those below responded to those above like shadow and echo, and if some did not follow orders, then they were handled with punishment. So when one man was punished the whole world submitted, and the offender did not resent his superior, knowing that the guilt was his own. So punishments were few and awe spread, for no other reason than that they followed that Way. In ancient times Emperor Yao governed the world, and about one man was killed and two punished, and the world was ordered. The tradition says: 'Awe was stern but not tried; punishment was established but not used.' This is what is meant.

凡人之動也，為賞慶為之，則見害傷焉止矣。故賞慶、刑罰、埶詐，不足以盡人之力，致人之死。為人主上者也，其所以接下之百姓者，無禮義忠信，焉慮率用賞慶、刑罰、埶詐，除阨其下，獲其功用而已矣。大寇則至，使之持危城則必畔，遇敵處戰則必北，勞苦煩辱則必奔，霍焉離耳，下反制其上。故賞慶、刑罰、埶詐之為道者，傭徒鬻賣之道也，不足以合大眾，美國家，故古之人羞而不道也。故厚德音以先之，明禮義以道之，致忠信以愛之，尚賢使能以次之，爵服慶賞以申之，時其事，輕其任，以調齊之，長養之，如保赤子。政令以定，風俗以一，有離俗不順其上，則百姓莫不敦惡，莫不毒孽，若祓不祥；然後刑于是起矣。是大刑之所加也，辱孰大焉！將以為利邪？則大刑加焉，身苟不狂惑戇陋，誰睹是而不改也哉！然後百姓曉然皆知循上之法，像上之志，而安樂之。於是有能化善、修身、正行、積禮義、尊道德，百姓莫不貴敬，莫不親譽；然後賞於是起矣。是高爵豐祿之所加也，榮孰大焉！將以為害邪？則高爵豐祿以持養之；生民之屬，孰不願也！雕雕焉縣貴爵重賞於其前，縣明刑大辱於其後，雖欲無化，能乎哉！故民歸之如流水，所存者神，所為者化。××××之屬為之化而順，暴悍勇力之屬為之化而願，旁闢曲私之屬為之化而公，矜糾收繚之屬為之化而調，夫是之謂大化至一。詩曰："王猶允塞，徐方既來。"此之謂也。

In general, when people act, if they do it for reward, they stop on seeing harm. So rewards, punishments, power and deceit are not enough to exhaust people's strength and make them die. A ruler above whose means of dealing with the common people below lack ritual, righteousness, loyalty and good faith, and who then mostly uses rewards, punishments, power and deceit, impoverishing those below and extracting benefit from them, will find that when a great bandit comes and he orders them to hold a precarious city, they will surely turn against him; when they face the enemy and are in battle, they will surely be routed; when toil and humiliation come, they will surely flee, scattering suddenly, with those below controlling those above. So rewards, punishments, power and deceit as a way are the way of hired hands and bargaining, and are not enough to unite the masses and beautify the state, so the ancients were ashamed not to speak of them. So he adds generous virtuous words to guide them, shows ritual and righteousness to lead them, exhausts loyalty and good faith in loving them, honors the worthy and uses the able in ranking them, reinforces with rank, dress and rewards, arranges their tasks at proper times, lightens their burdens to regulate them, and nurtures them as he would protect an infant. Government orders are thereby fixed and customs unified, and if some leave the custom and do not follow their superiors, then the common people all deeply hate them and treat them as poison and evil, as if purging inauspiciousness; only then is punishment applied. This is applying great punishment, and is there any greater disgrace! Would he consider it profit? When great punishment falls on the body, unless one is mad and deluded and stubbornly rustic, who sees this and does not reform! Then the common people all clearly know to follow their superiors' law and to imitate their superiors' aims, and are at peace and happy. Then those who can transform toward good, cultivate themselves, correct their conduct, accumulate ritual and righteousness and honor the Way and virtue are all valued and respected and drawn close to and praised by the common people; only then is reward applied. This is bestowing high rank and rich salary, and is there any greater glory! Would he consider it harm? He keeps them by high rank and rich salary; among the multitude of the people, who is not willing! With high rank and heavy reward plainly hung in front and clear punishment and great disgrace hung behind, even if one wished not to be transformed, could he manage it! So the people turn to him like flowing water, and what is preserved is wondrous and what is done is transformation. [Four characters are damaged in the original] those of one kind are thus transformed and made compliant, the violent, fierce and brave are thus transformed and made sincere, the wicked, crooked and selfish are thus transformed and made public-spirited, the hasty and entangled are thus transformed and made harmonious; this is called great transformation to utmost unity. The Book of Songs, in the Greater Odes, 'Changwu,' says: 'The king's plans are truly sound, and the Xu lands have already come.' This is what is meant."

凡兼人者有三術：有以德兼人者，有以力兼人者，有以富兼人者。彼貴我名聲，美我德行，欲為我民，故闢門除塗，以迎吾入。因其民，襲其處，而百姓皆安。立法施令，莫不順比。是故得地而權彌重，兼人而兵俞強：是以德兼人者也。非貴我名聲也，非美我德行也，彼畏我威，劫我埶，故民雖有離心，不敢有畔慮，若是則戎甲俞眾，奉養必費。是故得地而權彌輕，兼人而兵俞弱：是以力兼人者也。非貴我名聲也，非美我德行也，用貧求富，用飢求飽，虛腹張口，來歸我食。若是，則必發夫掌窌之粟以食之，委之財貨以富之，立良有司以接之，已期三年，然後民可信也。是故得地而權彌輕，兼人而國俞貧：是以富兼人者也。故曰：以德兼人者王，以力兼人者弱，以富兼人者貧，古今一也。

There are three methods of annexing men: there is annexing men by virtue, annexing men by force, and annexing men by wealth. When the other side honors my name, praises my virtue, and wishes to become my people, I open the gates, clear the roads, and welcome them in. Following upon their people and taking over their lands, the hundred surnames are all at peace; the laws I establish and the orders I issue meet with nothing but compliance and accord. Thus I gain territory and my power grows heavier; I annex men and my army grows stronger: this is annexing men by virtue. When the other side does not honor my name and does not praise my virtue, but fears my majesty and is coerced by my power, then even though the people harbor thoughts of leaving, they dare not harbor thoughts of revolt; in that case the armored troops multiply and their upkeep is sure to be costly. Thus I gain territory and my power grows lighter; I annex men and my army grows weaker: this is annexing men by force. When the other side does not honor my name and does not praise my virtue, but comes seeking wealth out of poverty and food out of hunger—empty-bellied and open-mouthed, turning to me to beg for food—in that case I must open the grain of my granaries and cellars to feed them, hand over stores of goods and treasure to enrich them, and install good officers to receive them; only after a full three years' compact can the people be trusted. Thus I gain territory and my power grows lighter; I annex men and my state grows poorer: this is annexing men by wealth. Therefore it is said: he who annexes men by virtue becomes a true king; he who annexes men by force grows weak; he who annexes men by wealth grows poor. Ancient and present are one in this.

兼幷易能也，唯堅凝之難焉。齊能幷宋，而不能凝也，故魏奪之。燕能幷齊，而不能凝也，故田單奪之。韓之上地，方數百里，完全富足而趨趙，趙不能凝也，故秦奪之。故能幷之，而不能凝，則必奪；不能幷之，又不能凝其有，則必亡。能凝之，則必能幷之矣。得之則凝，兼幷無強。古者湯以薄，武王以滈，皆百里之地也，天下為一，諸侯為臣，無他故焉，能凝之也。故凝士以禮，凝民以政；禮修而士服，政平而民安；士服民安，夫是之謂大凝。以守則固，以徵則強，令行禁止，王者之事畢矣。

Annexation is easy to accomplish; only holding it firm and solid is hard. Qi could annex Song but could not hold it solid, so Wei seized it. Yan could annex Qi but could not hold it solid, so Tian Dan seized it. The territory of Shangdang in Han, several hundred li square and wholly prosperous, went over to Zhao; Zhao could not hold it solid, so Qin seized it. Therefore to be able to annex yet unable to hold solid means it is certain to be taken away; to be unable to annex and also unable to hold solid what one has means certain destruction. To be able to hold solid means certain ability to annex. Gain and hold solid, and annexation meets no strong foe. In antiquity Tang held Bo and King Wu held Hao, each a territory of a hundred li, yet all under heaven was unified and the lords became subjects—for no other reason than that they could hold solid. So use ritual to hold the officers, and use government to hold the people: when ritual is cultivated the officers submit; when government is fair the people are at peace; officers submit and the people are at peace—this is called the great holding-firm. Use it to defend and you are secure; use it to campaign and you are strong; orders are carried out and prohibitions observed—and the work of the true king is complete.