| | 尚贤下: |
子墨子言曰：“天下之王公大人皆欲其国家之富也，人民之众也，刑法之治也，然而不识以尚贤为政其国家百姓，王公大人本失尚贤为政之本也。若苟王公大人本失尚贤为政之本也，则不能毋举物示之乎？今若有一诸侯于此，为政其国家也，曰：‘凡我国能射御之士，我将赏贵之，不能射御之士，我将罪贱之。’问于若国之士，孰喜孰惧？我以为必能射御之士喜，不能射御之士惧。我赏因而诱之矣，曰：‘凡我国之忠信之士，我将赏贵之，不忠信之士，我将罪贱之。’问于若国之士，孰喜孰惧？我以为必忠信之士喜，不忠不信之士惧。今惟毋以尚贤为政其国家百姓，使国为善者劝，为暴者沮，大以为政于天下，使天下之为善者劝，为暴者沮。然昔吾所以贵尧舜禹汤文武之道者，何故以哉？以其唯毋临众发政而治民，使天下之为善者可而劝也，为暴者可而沮也。然则此尚贤者也，与尧舜禹汤文武之道同矣。 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: |
Mozi said: All the rulers in the world desire their states to be wealthy, their people to be many, and their government and jurisdiction to be orderly. But they do not understand to govern their states and people by exaltation of the virtuous. They have missed, indeed, the foundation of government. But can we not point this out to them by means of parallels? Now, supposing, in governing his state, a feudal lord should proclaim: "All those who can shoot (with an arrow) and drive (a chariot) well I shall reward and honour; all those who cannot I shall punish and disgrace." If, then, we should inquire among the people of the state as to who would rejoice and who would be afraid, I suppose naturally those who could shoot and drive would rejoice and those who could not would be afraid. I have followed this (line of argument) and led them supposedly to proclaim: "All the loyal and faithful I shall reward and honour; all the disloyal and unfaithful I shall punish and disgrace." If now we should inquire among the people of the state as to who would rejoice and who would be afraid, I suppose naturally the loyal and faithful would rejoice and the disloyal and unfaithful would be afraid. Therefore the state and the people are to be governed by exalting the virtuous, so that those in the state that do good will be encouraged and those that do evil will be obstructed. To govern the empire seems then to consist of encouraging the good and obstructing the evil. But why is it that I have esteemed the way of Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu? Because they administered the government in such a way that those in the empire that did good would be encouraged and those that did evil would be obstructed. So, then, the principle of exaltation of the virtuous is identical with the way of Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu. |
| | 尚贤下: |
古者圣王既审尚贤欲以为政，故书之竹帛，琢之盘盂，传以遗后世子孙。于先王之书吕刑之书然，王曰：‘于！来！有国有土，告女讼刑，在今而安百姓，女何择言人，何敬不刑，何度不及。’能择人而敬为刑，尧、舜、禹、汤、文、武之道可及也。是何也？则以尚贤及之，于先王之书竖年之言然，曰：‘晞夫圣、武、知人，以屏辅而身。’此言先王之治天下也，必选择贤者以为其群属辅佐。曰今也天下之士君子，皆欲富贵而恶贫贱。曰然。女何为而得富贵而辟贫贱？莫若为贤。为贤之道将柰何？曰有力者疾以助人，有财者勉以分人，有道者劝以教人。若此则饥者得食，寒者得衣，乱者得治。若饥则得食，寒则得衣，乱则得治，此安生生。 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: |
Having understood the principle of exalting the virtuous in government, the ancient sage-kings inscribed it on bamboos and silk and engraved it on the dishes and vases, to hand it down to their descendants. Thus we find in the "Penal Code of Lu", a book of an ancient king, the following: "The king said: 'Ho! come, ye rulers of states and territories, I will tell you how to make punishments a blessing. Now it is yours to give repose to the people: - what should you be most concerned about the choosing of? Should it not be proper men? What should you deal with the most reverently? Should it not be punishments? What should you calculate the most? Should it not be to whom they should reach?'" (This is to say) with insight in choosing men and considerateness in meting punishments, you can catch up with the ways of Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu. How? By exaltation of the virtuous. Again in the book "Shu Nian", another book of an ancient king, we find: "He looked for wise men to protect and aid you." This is to say, when the ancient kings reigned over the empire they invariably selected the virtuous and made them officials and aids. The gentlemen in the world like riches and honour, and dislike poverty and humility. Now how can you obtain the former and avoid the latter? There is no better way than to practise virtue. What then is the way to practise virtue ? Let him who has strength be alert to help others, let him who has wealth endeavour to share it with others, let him who possesses the Dao (the way of nature and life) teach others persuasively. With this, the hungry will be fed, the cold will be clothed, the disturbed will have order. When the hungry are fed, the cold are clothed, and the disturbed have order - this is procuring abundant life. |
