| | 牧民: |
凡有地牧民者，務在四時，守在倉廩。國多財，則遠者來，地辟舉，則民留處；倉廩實，則知禮節；衣食足，則知榮辱；上服度，則六親固。四維張，則君令行。故省刑之要，在禁文巧，守國之度，在飾四維，順民之經，在明鬼神，祇山川，敬宗廟，恭祖舊。不務天時，則財不生；不務地利，則倉廩不盈；野蕪曠，則民乃菅，上無量，則民乃妄。文巧不禁，則民乃淫，不璋兩原，則刑乃繁。不明鬼神，則陋民不悟；不祇山川，則威令不聞；不敬宗廟，則民乃上校；不恭祖舊，則孝悌不備；四維不張，國乃滅亡。 |
| | All who govern the people in a region must be diligent throughout the four seasons, and their defense lies in granaries. When a state has abundant wealth, distant peoples will come; when land is cultivated and developed, the people will remain and settle there. When granaries are full, the people know propriety and restraint. When clothing and food are sufficient, the people understand honor and disgrace. When those in authority observe proper conduct, then the six relations remain harmonious and stable. When the four cardinal principles are upheld, the ruler's commands will be carried out effectively. Therefore, the key to reducing punishments lies in prohibiting elaborate and deceitful practices; the standard for defending the state lies in upholding the four cardinal principles; the guiding principle for governing the people lies in clarifying the spirits of ghosts and gods, revering mountains and rivers, honoring ancestral temples, and showing respect to ancestors and traditions. If one does not attend to the seasons and natural order, then wealth will not be produced; If one does not make use of the advantages of the land, then granaries will not be full. When fields are neglected and barren, the people become reckless; when those in authority have no standards or limits, the people act recklessly. If elaborate and deceitful practices are not prohibited, the people will become licentious; if one does not distinguish between right and wrong clearly, punishments will multiply. If ghosts and gods are not clarified, then ignorant people will not understand righteousness; If mountains and rivers are not revered, the authority of commands will not be heeded; If ancestral temples are not honored, then the people will rebel against their superiors. If ancestors and traditions are not respected, filial piety and fraternal respect will be lacking; If the four cardinal principles are not upheld, the state will perish.
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右國頌 |
| | The above is the Ode to the State.
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| | 牧民: |
國有四維，一維絕則傾，二維絕則危，三維絕則覆，四維絕則滅。傾可正也，危可安也，覆可起也，滅不可復錯也。何謂四維？一曰禮、二曰義、三曰廉、四曰恥。禮不踰節，義不自進。廉不蔽惡，恥不從枉。故不踰節，則上位安；不自進，則民無巧軸；不蔽惡，則行自全；不從枉，則邪事不生。 |
| | A state has four cardinal principles: if one of them is lost, the state will lean; if two are lost, it will be in danger; if three are lost, it will collapse; and if all four are lost, it will perish. When the state leans, it can still be corrected; when in danger, it can yet be stabilized; when collapsed, it may still be revived. But once destroyed, it cannot be restored. What are these four cardinal principles? First is propriety (li), second is righteousness (yi), third is integrity (lian), and fourth is a sense of shame (chi). Propriety does not overstep its bounds, and righteousness does not act out of self-interest. Integrity does not conceal evil, and a sense of shame does not follow injustice. Therefore, when propriety is not overstepped, those in high positions are at peace; when righteousness does not act from self-interest, the people will have no cunning or deceitful schemes; When evil is not concealed, one's conduct remains intact; When injustice is not followed, wicked affairs will not arise.
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右四維 |
| | The above discusses the four cardinal principles.
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| | 牧民: |
政之所興，在順民心。政之所廢，在逆民心。民惡憂勞，我佚樂之。民惡貧賤，我富貴之，民惡危墜，我存安之。民惡滅絕，我生育之。能佚樂之，則民為之憂勞。能富貴之，則民為之貧賤。能存安之，則民為之危墜。能生育之，則民為之滅絕。故刑罰不足以畏其意，殺戮不足以服其心。故刑罰繁而意不恐，則令不行矣。殺戮眾而心不服，則上位危矣。故從其四欲，則遠者自親；行其四惡，則近者叛之，故知「予之為取者，政之寶也」。 |
| | Where a government prospers lies in following the will of the people. Where a government declines lies in going against the will of the people. The people dislike toil and hardship; I provide them with ease and pleasure. The people fear poverty and low status; I make them rich and noble. The people fear danger and downfall; I preserve their safety. The people dread extinction; I ensure their survival and reproduction. If one can provide ease and pleasure for the people, then they will willingly endure toil and hardship for him. If one can make the people rich and noble, then they will accept poverty and low status for him. If one can preserve their safety, then the people will face danger and downfall on his behalf. If one can ensure their survival and reproduction, then the people will accept extinction for him. Therefore, punishments are insufficient to instill fear in their minds, and executions are not enough to subdue their hearts. Thus, if punishments are numerous yet the people's wills remain unafraid, then commands cannot be carried out. If executions are frequent yet the hearts of the people remain 不服 (unsubdued), then those in high positions will be in danger. Therefore, if one follows the four desires of the people, distant ones will naturally become close; If one acts upon their four evils, even those nearby will rebel against him. Thus it is known: "Giving in order to take is the treasure of governance."
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右四順 |
| | The above discusses the Four Virtues.
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| | 牧民: |
錯國於不傾之地，積於不涸之倉，藏於不竭之府，下令於流水之原，使民於不爭之官，明必死之路，開必得之門。不為不可成，不求不可得，不處不可久，不行不可復。錯國於不傾之地者，授有德也；積於不涸之倉者，務五穀也；藏於不竭之府者，養桑麻育六畜也；下令於流水之原者，令順民心也；使民於不爭之官者，使各為其所長也；明必死之路者，嚴刑罰也；開必得之門者，信慶賞也；不為不可成者，量民力也；不求不可得者，不彊民以其所惡也；不處不可久者，不偷取一世也；不行不可復者，不欺其民也；故授有德，則國安；務五穀，則食足；養桑麻，育六畜，則民富；令順民心，則威令行；使民各為其所長，則用備；嚴刑罰，則民遠邪；信慶賞，則民輕難；量民力，則事無不成；不彊民以其所惡，則軸偽不生；不偷取一世，則民無怨心；不欺其民，則下親其上。 |
| | Establish the state in a place where it will not topple, accumulate stores in granaries that will never run dry, store wealth in treasuries that will never be exhausted, issue decrees from the source of flowing water, employ the people in offices free from contention, clarify paths leading to certain death, and open doors through which success is assured. Do not attempt what cannot be accomplished; do not seek what cannot be obtained; do not dwell in a place that cannot endure; do not act upon paths that cannot be retraced. To establish the state in a place where it does not topple means to entrust power to those with virtue; To accumulate stores in granaries that never run dry means to focus on the five grains; To store wealth in treasuries from which resources do not diminish means to cultivate mulberry and hemp, and raise livestock. To issue decrees from the source of a flowing river means that commands follow the will of the people; To employ the people in offices without contention means to assign them according to their strengths; To clarify paths leading to certain death means to enforce strict punishments; To open doors through which success is guaranteed means to ensure rewards and honors are trustworthy. Not attempting what cannot be accomplished means measuring the people's strength; Not seeking what cannot be obtained means not forcing the people to do what they dislike; Not dwelling in a place that will not endure means not seizing short-term gains at the expense of long-term stability; Not acting upon paths that cannot be retraced means not deceiving the people. Therefore, entrusting power to those with virtue ensures national stability; focusing on the five grains ensures sufficient food; cultivating mulberry and hemp, raising livestock makes the people prosperous; when commands follow the will of the people, authority is effectively carried out; assigning the people according to their strengths ensures that resources are fully utilized; strict punishments cause the people to avoid wickedness; trustworthy rewards and honors make the people undaunted by hardship; measuring the people's strength ensures that nothing remains unaccomplished; not forcing the people to do what they hate prevents deceit and false conduct from arising; not seizing short-term gains ensures that the people have no grievances; not deceiving the people ensures that those below will be close to their superiors.
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右士經 |
| | The above is the Classic of Officials.
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| | 牧民: |
以家為鄉，鄉不可為也。以鄉為國，國不可為也。以國為天下，天下不可為也。以家為家，以鄉為鄉，以國為國，以天下為天下。毋曰不同生，遠者不聽。毋曰不同鄉，遠者不行。毋曰不同國，遠者不從。如地如天，何私何親？如月如日，唯君之節。御民之轡，在上之所貴。道民之門，在上之所先。召民之路，在上之所好惡。故君求之，則臣得之。君嗜之，則臣食之。君好之，則臣服之。君惡之，則臣匿之。毋蔽汝惡，毋異汝度，賢者將不汝助。言室滿室，言堂滿堂，是謂聖王。城郭溝渠，不足以固守；兵甲彊力，不足以應敵；博地多財，不足以有眾。惟有道者，能備患於未形也，故禍不萌。天下不患無臣，患無君以使之。天下不患無財，患無人以分之。故知時者，可立以為長。無私者，可置以為政。審於時而察於用，而能備官者，可奉以為君也。緩者後於事。吝於財者失所親，信小人者失士。 |
| | To govern a district as one would manage a household is not feasible for governing a district. To govern a state as one would manage a district is not feasible for governing a state. To govern the world as one would manage a state is not feasible for ruling the world. Govern a household as it should be governed, a district as it should be ruled, a state as it should be administered, and the world as it should be managed. Do not say that because we are born differently, those far away will not listen. Do not say that because our districts differ, those distant from us will not act accordingly. Do not say that because the states are different, those far away will refuse to follow. Just as with earth and heaven, what is private or personal? What is close or dear? Like the moon and sun, it is only the ruler's virtue that matters. The reins for governing the people lie in what those above value. The gateway to guiding the people lies in what those above prioritize first. The path for calling forth the people lies in the preferences and aversions of those above. Therefore, when a ruler seeks something, his ministers will obtain it for him. If the ruler desires something, then the minister consumes it. If the ruler favors something, the minister will wear or adopt it. If the ruler dislikes something, then the ministers conceal it. Do not hide your evils; do not deviate from your standards—wise men will not assist you. When one speaks in the chamber, the whole chamber listens; when one speaks in the hall, the entire hall listens. This is called a sage-king. City walls and moats are not sufficient for defense; Strong armies and weapons are insufficient to meet the enemy; Extensive territory and abundant wealth are not enough to command a multitude of people. Only those who follow the Way can prepare for dangers before they take shape, so calamities do not arise. The world does not suffer from a lack of ministers; it suffers from lacking a ruler to lead them. The world does not suffer from the absence of wealth; it suffers from having no one to distribute it fairly. Therefore, those who understand the right time may be appointed as leaders. Those without private interests can be placed in positions of governance. One who examines the times and understands how to use resources, and is capable of preparing officials, may be honored as a ruler. Those who are slow fall behind in affairs. Those who hoard wealth lose the loyalty of their loved ones; those who trust petty people lose their virtuous officials.
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右六親五法 |
| | The above is on the Six Relations and Five Methods.
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