| | 王言解: |
孔子閑居，曾參侍。孔子曰：「參乎！今之君子，唯士與大夫言聞也。至於君子之言者，希也。於乎！吾以王言之其出不戶牖而化天下。」 |
| | Confucius was at leisure when Zeng Shen waited on him. Confucius said, "Shen! The gentlemen of today speak only about what they have heard regarding the shi and the dianfu. As for speaking about the true gentleman, such instances are rare. Alas! I believe that if a king were to speak, his words would transform the world without ever stepping beyond his door or window.
|
| | 王言解: |
曾子起，下席而對曰：「敢問何謂王者言？」孔子不應。曾子曰：「侍夫子之閒也難，是以敢問。」 |
| | Zeng Shen rose from his seat and replied, "I dare to ask, what is meant by the words of a king?" Confucius did not respond. Zeng Shen said, "It is rare to have the opportunity to serve you in leisure, which is why I dare to ask."
|
| | 王言解: |
孔子又不應。曾子肅然而懼，摳衣而退，負席而立。有頃，孔子歎息，顧謂曾子曰：「參！女可語明王之道。」曾子曰：「非敢以為足，請因所聞而學焉。」 |
| | Confucius again did not respond. Zeng Shen became solemn and fearful, adjusted his robe, stepped back, and stood holding the edge of the mat. After a while, Confucius sighed and turned to Zeng Shen, saying, "Shen! You may now be told about the way of an enlightened king. Zeng Shen said, "I do not dare to think I am worthy, but please allow me to learn from what I have heard."
|
| | 王言解: |
子曰：「居，吾語女。夫道者，所以明德也；德者，所以尊道也。是以非德道不尊，非道德不明。雖有國之良馬，不以其道服乘之，不可以取道里；雖有博地眾民，不以其道治之，不可以致霸王。是故，昔者明王內修七教，外行三至。七教修，然後可以守；三至行，然後可以征。明王之道，其守也，則必折衝千里之外；其征也，則必還師衽席之上。故曰，內修七教，而上不勞，外行三至，而財不費。此之謂明王之道也。」 |
| | Confucius said, "Sit down; I will tell you. The Way is what clarifies virtue; Virtue is what upholds the Way. Therefore, without virtue, the Way is not honored; and without the Way, virtue is not clear. Even if there are fine horses in a state, if they are not harnessed and ridden according to the proper method, one cannot travel by road or distance; Even if there is a vast territory with many people, if they are not governed according to the proper Way, one cannot achieve the status of hegemon or supreme ruler. Therefore, in former times enlightened kings internally cultivated the seven teachings and externally practiced the three highest virtues. When the seven teachings were cultivated, then one could defend [the state]; When the three highest virtues were practiced, then one could launch a campaign. The way of an enlightened king, in terms of defense, would surely repel attacks from a thousand li away; In terms of launching campaigns, it would certainly bring the army back to their beds without battle. Therefore, it is said that by internally cultivating the seven teachings, the ruler remains at ease; and by externally practicing the three highest virtues, resources are not wasted. This is what is called the way of an enlightened king."
|
| | 王言解: |
曾子曰：「不勞不費之謂明王，可得聞乎？」孔子曰：「昔者，帝舜左禹而右皋陶，不下席而天下治。夫如此，何上之勞乎？政之不中，君之患也；令之不行，臣之罪也。若乃十一而稅，用民之力，歲不過三日；入山澤以其時而無征，關譏市鄽皆不收賦。此則生財之路，而明王節之，何財之費乎？」 |
| | Zeng Shen said, "An enlightened king is one who does not toil or waste resources. Might I hear more about this?" Confucius said, "In the past, Emperor Shun had Yu on his left and Gao Yao on his right; without leaving his seat, the whole world was governed. Thus, how could this be burdensome for the ruler? A government that is not properly administered is the ruler's concern; If orders are not carried out, it is the minister's fault. If one levies a tax of one-tenth and uses the people's labor no more than three days per year; entering mountains and marshes at their proper seasons without levying taxes, and customs posts and marketplaces all not collecting duties. This is the way to generate wealth; yet an enlightened king regulates it—how could there be waste of resources?"
|
| | 王言解: |
曾子曰：「敢問何謂七教？」孔子曰：「上敬老，則下益孝；上尊齒，則下益弟；上樂施，則下益寬；上親賢，則下擇友；上好德，則下不隱；上惡貪，則下恥爭；上廉讓，則下恥節。此之謂七教。七教者，治民之本也。政教定，則本正矣。凡上者，民之表也。表正則何物不正？是故人君先立仁於己，然後大夫忠而士信，民敦俗樸，男愨而女貞。六者、教之致也。布諸天下四方而不窕，納諸尋常之室而不塞，等之以禮，立之以義，行之以順，則民之棄惡如湯之灌雪焉！」 |
| | Zeng Shen said, "I dare to ask, what are these seven teachings?" Confucius said: "When those above honor the elderly, those below become more filial; When those above respect seniority by age, those below become more respectful as younger siblings; When those above delight in giving, those below become more generous; When those above are close to the virtuous, those below will choose friends carefully; When those above love virtue, those below do not conceal their faults; When those above despise greed, those below feel ashamed to compete; When those above are clean and yielding, those below feel shame in being stingy. This is what is called the seven teachings. The seven teachings are the foundation for governing the people. When political instruction is established, then the foundation is upright. All those above are role models for the people. If the model is upright, then what thing will not be upright? Therefore, a ruler first establishes benevolence within himself; only then do the great officers become loyal and the scholars trustworthy, the people sincere and the customs simple, men respectful and women chaste. These six aspects are the culmination of instruction. When spread throughout the four directions of the world, they do not become narrow or restricted; when introduced into a modest home, they do not become blocked. Ordered by ritual, established through righteousness, and carried out with harmony, then people abandon evil as boiling water melts snow!"
|
| | 王言解: |
曾子曰：「道則至矣，弟子不足以明之。」孔子曰：「參以為姑止乎？又有焉。昔者，明王之治民也法，必裂地以封之，分屬以理之；然後賢民無所隱，㬥民無所伏。使有司日省而時考之，進用賢良，退貶不肖。則賢者說而不肖者懼，哀鰥寡，養孤獨，恤貧窮，誘孝弟，選才能；此七者修，則四海之內無刑民矣。上之親下，如手足之於腹心；下之親上，如幼子之於慈母矣。上下相親如此，故令則從，施則刑，民懷其德，近者說服，遠者來附，政之致也。夫布指知寸，布手知尺，舒肘知尋，斯不遠之則也。周制，三百步為里，千步而井，三井而埒，埒三而矩，五十里而都，封百里而有國；乃為蓄積資聚焉。恤行者有無。是以蠻夷諸夏，雖衣冠不同，言語不合，莫不來賓。故曰：無市而民不乏，無刑而民不亂。田獵罩弋，非以盈宮室；徵斂百姓，非以盈府庫也。慘怛以補不足，禮節以損有餘。多信而寡貌，其禮可守，其言可復，其跡可履；如飢而食，如渴而飲，民之信之，如寒暑之必驗。故視遠若邇，非道邇也，見明德也。是故兵革不動而威，用利不施而親，此之謂明王之守，折衝千里之外者也。」 |
| | Zeng Shen said: "The Way is indeed profound; I, your disciple, am not sufficient to fully understand it." Confucius said: "Do you think, Shen, that we should stop here? There is even more to it. In former times, enlightened kings governed the people by law; they necessarily divided land to enfeoff them and assigned responsibilities to manage them; Only then would virtuous people have nowhere to hide their virtue, and wicked people have no place to conceal their evil. They ensured that officials examined daily and reviewed periodically; promoted the virtuous and capable, while demoted or censured those lacking virtue. Then the virtuous would be pleased and the unworthy fearful; they mourned widows and orphans, supported the lonely and poor, showed concern for those in need, encouraged filial piety and fraternal respect, and selected capable individuals; When these seven matters are cultivated, there will be no people within the four seas who deserve punishment. The superior's affection for those below is like that of hands and feet toward the heart; Those below's devotion to their superiors is like that of a young child toward a kind mother. When those above and below are thus affectionately connected, then commands will be followed, edicts will be carried out, the people will cherish virtue, nearby ones will be pleased and convinced, distant ones will come to submit—this is the result of good governance. By spreading one's fingers, one knows a cun; by extending one's hand, one knows a chi; by stretching one's elbow, one knows a xun—these are the rules for measuring what is near. The Zhou system measured 300 bu as one li, 1,000 bu as a well-field (jingtian), three well-fields as a le, three le as a ju, fifty li as a du, and enfeoffment of a hundred li to establish a state; thus providing for the accumulation of resources. They showed concern for travelers, ensuring they had what was needed. Therefore, the southern and eastern barbarians as well as the various Chinese peoples, though differing in attire and speech, none failed to come as guests. Thus it is said: without markets, the people are not lacking; without punishments, the people do not fall into disorder. Hunting and fishing were not done to fill the palace chambers; taxing the people was not for filling government treasuries. With compassion to make up for shortages, and with ritual propriety to reduce excesses. They were marked by much sincerity and little outward display; their rites could be upheld, their words trusted, and their actions followed. It was like eating when hungry or drinking when thirsty; the people trusted them as surely as they trusted the coming of cold and heat. Therefore, looking far away is like being near—it is not that the Way itself is close, but because one sees the bright virtue. Therefore, without moving troops or weapons there is awe; without offering benefits there is closeness. This is what is called the defense of an enlightened king—repelling enemies from a thousand li away.
|
| | 王言解: |
曾子曰：「敢問何謂三至？」孔子曰：「至禮不讓而天下治；至賞不費而天下士說；至樂無聲而天下民和。明王篤行三至，故天下之君可得而知，天下之士可得而臣，天下之民可得而用。」 |
| | Zeng Shen said: "I dare to ask, what are the three highest virtues?" Confucius said: "The highest ritual requires no yielding yet brings order to the world; the highest reward costs nothing yet delights all virtuous men of the world; The highest joy produces no sound yet brings harmony to the people throughout the world. An enlightened king who earnestly practices these three highest virtues can thus know all the rulers of the world, have all virtuous men as his ministers, and employ all the people of the world.
|
| | 王言解: |
曾子曰：「敢問此義何謂？」孔子曰：「古者明王，必盡知天下良士之名；既知其名，又知其實，又知其數及其所在焉。然後因天下之爵以尊之，此之謂至禮不讓而天下治。因天下之祿以富天下之士，此之謂至賞不費而天下之士說。如此，則天下之名譽興焉，此之謂至樂無聲而天下之民和。故曰：所謂天下之仁者，能合天下之至親也；所謂天下之明者，能舉天下之至賢者也。此三者咸通，然後可以征。是故仁者莫大乎愛人，智者莫大乎知賢，賢政者莫大乎官能。有土之君，修此三者，則四海之內，共命而已矣。夫明王之征，必道之所廢者也。是故誅其君而改其政，弔其民而不奪其財。故明王之政，猶時雨之降，降至則民說矣。是故行施彌博，得親彌眾，此之謂還師衽席之上。」 |
| | Zeng Shen said: "I dare to ask what these meanings are?" Confucius said: "In ancient times, enlightened kings necessarily knew the names of all virtuous men in the world; having learned their names, they also knew their virtues, how many there were, and where each was located. Then, by using the ranks of the world to honor them, this is what is called "the highest ritual requires no yielding and yet brings order to the world." By using the revenues of the world to enrich all virtuous men, this is what is called "the highest reward costs nothing and yet delights all virtuous men." In this way, the reputation of the world flourishes; this is what is called "the highest joy produces no sound and yet brings harmony to all the people." Therefore, it is said: What is called universal benevolence in the world is the ability to unite all the most intimate relationships throughout the world; What is called universal wisdom in the world is the capacity to elevate the most virtuous individuals from across the world. When these three are fully realized, then one can launch a campaign. Therefore, for those who practice benevolence, nothing is greater than loving people; for the wise, nothing is greater than recognizing virtue; and for virtuous rulers, nothing is greater than appointing capable officials. A ruler with territory who cultivates these three aspects will find that within the four seas, all people are united in their loyalty. An enlightened king's campaign is necessarily directed toward places where the Way has been abandoned. Therefore, he punishes their ruler and reforms their government, comforts the people without seizing their wealth. Thus, the governance of an enlightened king is like timely rain descending; when it falls, the people are delighted. Therefore, as his influence spreads ever more broadly and he gains an ever greater number of devoted followers, this is what is meant by "bringing the army back to their beds before battle."
|
