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Mohism -> Mozi -> Book 7 -> Will of Heaven III -> 2

墨子And Mozi said:
Be obedient. Be careful.
Be sure to do what Heaven desires
and avoid what Heaven abominates.
Now, what does Heaven desire
and what does Heaven abominate?
Heaven desires righteousness and abominates unrighteousness.
How do we know this?
Because righteousness is the standard.
How do we know righteousness is the standard?
天下 Because with righteousness the world will be orderly;
without it the world will be disorderly.
So, I know righteousness is the standard.
Now a standard
is never given by the subordinate to the superior,
it is always to be given by the superior to the subordinate.
Hence the common people may not make the standard at will.
There are the scholars to give them the standard.
The scholars may not make the standard at will.
There are the ministers to give them the standard.
The ministers may not make the standard at will.
諸侯 There are the feudal lords to give them the standard.
諸侯 The feudal lords may not make the standard at will.
There is the high duke to give them the standard.
The high duke may not make the standard at will.
天子 There is the emperor to give him the standard.
天子 The emperor may not make the standard at will.
There is Heaven to give him the standard.
天下君子天子天下
1
The gentlemen of the world all understand that the emperor gives the standard to the world but do not understand that Heaven gives the standard to the emperor.
2
聖人The sages, explaining this, said:
天子 "When the emperor has done good,
Heaven rewards him.
天子 When the emperor has committed wrong,
。』 Heaven punishes him.
天子When the emperor is unjust in reward and punishment
and not judicious in hearing lawsuits,
天下疾病 Heaven visits him with disease and calamities,
and frost and dew will be untimely."
天子The emperor will then have to feed oxen and sheep with grass and dogs and pigs with grains
and prepare clean cakes and wine
to pray and invoke Heaven for blessing.
天子 I have not yet heard of Heaven praying and invoking the emperor for blessing.
天子So, I can say Heaven is more honourable and wise than the emperor.
Therefore righteousness does not come from the ignorant and humble but from the honourable and wise.
Who is honourable? Heaven is honourable.
Who is wise?
Heaven is wise.
And, so, righteousness assuredly comes from Heaven.
天下君子And the gentlemen of the world who desire to do righteousness therefore must obey the will of Heaven.

1. 之 : Inserted. 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》
2. 天子 : Inserted. 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》


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