| | 親士: |
故雖有賢君，不愛無功之臣；雖有慈父，不愛無益之子。是故不勝其任而處其位，非此位之人也；不勝其爵而處其祿，非此祿之主也。良弓難張，然可以及高入深；良馬難乘，然可以任重致遠；良才難令，然可以致君見尊。是故江河不惡小谷之滿己也，故能大。聖人者，事無辭也，物無違也，故能為天下器。是故江河之水，非一源之水1也。千鎰之裘，非一狐之白也。夫惡有同方取不取同而已者乎？蓋非兼王之道也。是故天地不昭昭，大水不潦潦，大火不燎燎，王德不堯堯者，乃千人之長也。 |
| Befriending the Learned:...: |
Even the kind ruler will not show favours to ministers without merit. Even the affectionate father will not love his useless sons. He who occupies a position but is not equal to the task is not the proper person for the position. He who draws emoluments but does not deserve the rank is not the proper proprietor of the emoluments. Good bows may be hard to draw, but they can reach great heights and pierce deeply. Good horses may be hard to ride on, but they can carry heavy burdens and make long journeys. Real talents may be hard to command, but they can be trusted to be envoys to the court of the emperor and to meet the nobility. Therefore the big rivers do not despise the little brooklets for tributaries. And great men do not neglect any menial task or reject any trifle, and so they become vessels for the world. The water in a river does not come from a single source, neither is the fur coat that is worth a thousand yi composed of the white fur of a single fox. Now, to discard those who agree with the right but employ those who agree with one's self is not the way to be a great ruler. (Just as) Heaven and earth do not dazzle, great bodies of water do not boil and foam, and great conflagrations do not coruscate, (so) the imperial character does not lift itself up beyond reach. 1. 之水 : Inserted. 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》
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| | 親士: |
其直如矢，其平如砥，不足以覆萬物，是故谿陝者速涸，逝淺者速竭，墝埆者其地不育。王者淳澤不出宮中，則不能流國矣。 |
| Befriending the Learned:...: |
As to the chieftain of only a thousand people, he is straight like an arrow and smooth like a whetstone, unable to tolerate the manifold ways. For narrow gorges clog up rapidly, shallow streams are soon exhausted, and the barren land does not bear fruits. When a ruler confines his favours within his palace, then they cannot be shared by the whole country. |
| | 修身: |
君子戰雖有陳，而勇為本焉。喪雖有禮，而哀為本焉。士雖有學，而行為本焉。是故置本不安者，無務豐末。近者不親，無務來遠。親戚不附，無務外交。事無終始，無務多業。舉物而闇，無務博1聞。 |
| Self-cultivation: |
Though there should be tactics in war, courage is fundamental. Though there should be ceremonies for mourning, grief is essential. Though a scholar should be learned, he must first of all exhibit good conduct. When the seeds are not well sown, there is no use in labouring for a good harvest. When the people near-by are not befriended there is no use of endeavouring to attract those at a distance. When one's relatives are not submissive, there is no use in endeavouring to establish contacts with the outside world. When one cannot accomplish a single task from beginning to end. there is no use of attempting many things. And when one is ignorant of a commonplace that is pointed out, there is no use of pursuing wide knowledge. 1. 博 : Originally read: "傳". Corrected by 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》
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| | 修身: |
志不彊者智不達，言不信者行不果。據財不能以分人者，不足與友。守道不篤，偏物不博，辯是非不察者，不足與游。本不固者末必幾，雄而不脩者，其後必惰，原濁者流不清，行不信者名必秏1。名不徒生而譽不自長，功成名遂，名譽不可虛假，反之身者也。務言而緩行，雖辯必不聽。多力而伐功，雖勞必不圖。慧者心辯而不繁說，多力而不伐功，此以名譽揚天下。言無務為多而務為智，無務為文而務為察。故彼智無察，在身而情，反其路者也。善無主於心者不留，行莫辯於身者不立。名不可簡而成也，譽不可巧而立也，君子以身戴行者也。思利尋焉，忘名忽焉，可以為士於天下者，未嘗有也。 |
| Self-cultivation: |
His wisdom will not be far-reaching whose purpose is not firm. His action will not be effective whose promises are not kept. He who will not share his possessions with others is not worthy to be a friend. And he who does not stand firm on principles and has neither wide knowledge nor penetrating judgment, is not worthy to be a companion. Just as a weak trunk will have but small branches, so, mere bravery without cultivation will result in dissipation. And just as a dirty source will issue in an impure stream, so unfaithful conduct will unfavourably affect one's fame. For, fame does not spring up out of nothing, nor does praise grow by itself. Fame follows upon success and is not obtainable by hypocrisy. He will not be listened to who talks much but is slow in action, even though he is discerning. He will not accomplish anything, who is capable but likes to boast of his feats, even though he drudges. The wise discerns all in his mind but speaks simply, and he is capable but does not boast of his deeds. And, so his name is exalted the world over. In speech, not quantity but ingenuity, not eloquence but insight, should be cultivated. If one is not wise and without insight, breeding only dissipation in one's personality, this is just the contrary of what should be cultivated. Any virtue that does not spring from the heart will not remain and any (result of) action that is not aimed at by one's self will not stay. There is no short cut to fame and there is no trick to praise. The superior man regards his body but as the vehicle for his character. None who places much importance on personal gains but lightly sacrifices his fame has ever become a gentleman in the world. 1. 秏 : Originally read: "耗". Corrected by 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》
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| | 尚賢上: |
是故古者聖王之為政也1，言曰：「不義不富，不義不貴，不義不親，不義不近。」是以國之富貴人聞之，皆退而謀曰：『始我所恃者，富貴也，今上舉義不辟貧賤，然則我不可不為義。』親者聞之，亦退而謀曰：『始我所恃者親也，今上舉義不辟親2疏，然則我不可不為義。』近者聞之，亦退而謀曰：『始我所恃者近也，今上舉義不避遠，然則我不可不為義。』遠者聞之，亦退而謀曰：『我始以遠為無恃，今上舉義不辟遠，然則我不可不為義。』逮至遠鄙郊外之臣，門庭庶子，國中之眾、四鄙之萌人聞之，皆競為義。是其故何也？曰：上之所以使下者，一物也，下之所以事上者，一術也。譬之富者有高牆深宮，牆立既，謹上為鑿一門，有盜人入，闔其自入而求之，盜其無自出。是其故何也？則上得要也。 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: |
When the ancient sage-kings administered the government they declared: "The unrighteous will not be enriched, the unrighteous will not be honoured, the unrighteous will not be favoured, the unrighteous will not be placed near." Upon hearing this, the rich and honoured of the country all began to deliberate, saying: "What I have been depending on was wealth and honour. Now the Lord promotes the righteous without discrimination against the poor and humble. Hence I may not do unrighteousness." Upon hearing this, the favoured also began to deliberate, saying: "What I have been depending on was favour. Now the Lord promotes the righteous without discrimination against those thus far neglected. Hence I may not do unrighteousness." Upon hearing this, those placed near began to deliberate, saying: "What I have been depending on was intimacy. Now the Lord promotes the righteous without discrimination against the distant. Hence I may not do unrighteousness." Upon hearing this, the distant also began to deliberate, saying : "I used to think, being distant I had nothing to depend on. Now the Lord promotes the righteous without discrimination against the distant. Hence I may not do unrighteousness." Vassals of distant districts as well as youths in the palace, and multitudes within the state boundaries as well as the rustics living on the four borders, upon hearing this, all competed in doing righteousness. Now what is the reason for all this? It is only with material goods that the superior can employ his subordinates, and it is only with statecraft that the subordinates can serve their lord. Take, for example, the rich man who built his walls high and left only one gate. When the burglar had entered, the man closed the gate and searched for him, and the burglar had no more exit. Why? Because the man had the vantage-point. 1. 也 : Inserted.
2. 親 : Deleted. 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》
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| | 尚賢中: |
今王公大人亦欲效人以尚賢使能為政，高予之爵，而祿不從也。夫高爵而無祿，民不信也。曰：『此非中實愛我也，假藉而用我也。』夫假藉之民，將豈能親其上哉！故先王言曰：『貪於政者「不能分人以事，厚於貨者不能分人以祿。」事則不與，祲則不分，請問天下之賢人將何自至乎王公大人之側哉？若苟賢者不至乎王公大人之側，則此不肖者在左右也。不肖者在左右，則其所譽不當賢，而所罰不當暴，王公大人尊此以為政乎國家，則賞亦必不當賢，而罰亦必不當暴。若苟賞不當賢而罰不當暴，則是為賢者不勸而為暴者不沮矣。是以入則不慈孝父母，出則不長弟鄉里，居處無節，出入無度，男女無別。使治官府則盜竊，守城則倍畔，君有難則不死，出亡則不從，使斷獄則不中，分財則不均，與謀事不得，舉事不成，入守不固，出誅不彊。故雖昔者三代暴王桀紂幽厲之所以失措其國家，傾覆其社稷者，已此故也。何則？皆以明小物而不明大物也。 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: |
The present ruler, imitating the ancients, also want to employ the virtuous in government by exalting them. Ranks given them are very high, but the emoluments do not follow proportionally. Now, to be high in rank but receive small emoluments will not inspire people's confidence. The virtuous would say to themselves: "This is not real love for me, but only to make use of me as a means." Now, how can people be affectionate to their superiors' when they are only (treated as) means? Therefore an ancient king said: "He who is too ambitious in government will not share his tasks with others. He who over-treasures wealth will not offer big emoluments to others." When tasks are not assigned and emoluments are not given, it may be asked wherefrom would the virtuous come to the side of the rulers? And when the virtuous are not at the side of the rulers, the vicious will be on their right and left. When the vicious are on the right and left, then commendations will not fall on the virtuous and punishments will not be upon the wicked. If the rulers follow these in governing the states, in the same way rewards will not go to the virtuous and punishment not to the wicked. When rewards really do not go to the virtuous and punishment not to the wicked, then the virtuous will find no encouragement, neither the wicked any obstruction. At home the vicious are not filial to their parents, and, having left their home town, they would not recognize their elders. They move about without restraint and disregard the rules of propriety about sexes. When trusted with the administration of the court, they would steal; when trusted to defend a city, they would raise an insurrection. When the lord meets with death, they would not follow him and commit suicide; when the lord has to flee the country, they would not accompany him in banishment. In judging lawsuits they are not just, and in dividing property they are partial. In planning they are not helpful, in execution they are inefficient. Neither in defence are they strong, nor in attack are they victorious. Now, the reason that the wicked kings of the Three Dynasties, namely, Jie, Zhou, You, and Li, misruled the country and upset their states was no other than this (employment of the vicious). Why is this so? Because they understood petty affairs but were ignorant about things of importance. |
| | 尚賢中: |
今王公大人，有一衣裳不能制也，必藉良工；有一牛羊不能殺也，必藉良宰。故當若之二物者，王公大人未知以尚賢使能為政也。逮至其國家之亂，社稷之危，則不知使能以治之，親戚則使之，無故富貴、面目佼好則使之。夫無故富貴、面目佼好則使之，豈必智且有慧哉！若使之治國家，則此使不智慧者治國家也，國家之亂既可得而知已。且夫王公大人有所愛其色而使，其心不察其知而與其愛。是故不能治百人者，使處乎千人之官，不能治千人者，使處乎萬人之官。此其故何也？曰處若官者爵高而祿厚，故愛其色而使之焉。夫不能治千人者，使處乎萬人之官，則此官什倍也。夫治之法將日至者也，日以治之，日不什脩，知以治之，知不什益，而予官什倍，則此治一而棄其九矣。雖日夜相接以治若官，官猶若不治，此其故何也？則王公大人不明乎以尚賢使能為政也。故以尚賢使能為政而治者，夫若言之謂也，以下賢為政而亂者，若吾言之謂也。 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: |
When the rulers cannot get a coat made they will employ able tailors. When they cannot have an ox or a sheep killed they will employ able butchers. In these two instances they do know they should exalt the virtuous and employ the capable for business. But when it comes to the disorder of the country and danger of the state, they do not know they should exalt the virtuous and employ the capable for government. Rather, they would employ their relatives, they would employ the rich without merit, and the good-looking. But as to the employment of the rich without merit and the good-looking -- will these necessarily prove themselves wise and intelligent? To let these rule the country is to let the unwise and unintelligent rule the country. And disorder can then be predicted. Moreover, the rulers employ their minds by the attractiveness of their appearance, and show them favour without finding out their knowledge. As a result, those who are not capable to rule a hundred men are assigned to posts over a thousand, and those who are not capable to rule a thousand are assigned to posts over ten thousand. What is the reason for this? Why, such positions are high in rank and rich in emoluments. Therefore the specially favoured are picked for them. But to make those incapable of ruling a thousand men rule ten thousand is to increase their duty tenfold. The business of the government comes daily. It is to be attended to every day, yet the day cannot be lengthened by tenfold. To govern, again, requires knowledge. When knowledge is not increased by ten times, while a tenfold task is assigned, it will evidently result in attending to one and neglecting nine. Though the task be attended to day and night, still it cannot be well executed. And the reason for this is because the rulers do not understand that they should exalt the virtuous and employ the capable in government. Thus exaltation of the virtuous and employment of the capable with the consequent success in government is presented above in the earlier paragraphs. And the depreciation of the virtuous with the resulting confusion in government is presented here in these paragraphs. |
| | 尚賢中: |
今王公大人中實將欲治其國家，欲脩保而勿失，胡不察尚賢為政之本也？且以尚賢為政之本者，亦豈獨子墨子之言哉！此聖王之道，先王之書距年之言也。傳曰：『求聖君哲人，以裨輔而身』，《》云：『聿求元聖，與之戮力同心，以治天下。』則此言聖之不失以尚賢使能為政也。故古者聖王唯能審以尚賢使能為政，無異物雜焉，天下皆得其利。古者舜耕歷山，陶河瀕，漁雷澤，堯得之服澤之陽，舉以為天子，與接天下之政，治天下之民。伊摯，有莘氏女之私臣，親為庖人，湯得之，舉以為己相，與接天下之政，治天下之民。傅說被褐帶索。庸築乎傅巖，武丁得之，舉以為三公，與接天下之政，治天下之民。此何故始賤卒而貴，始貧卒而富？則王公大人明乎以尚賢使能為政。是以民無飢而不得食，寒而不得衣，勞而不得息，亂而不得治者。 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: |
If the rulers now want to govern their states so that they will be permanent and unshakeable, why do they not learn that exaltation of the virtuous is the foundation of government? Besides, is this principle merely a conception of Mozi? It is the way of the sage-kings and the tenet of "Ju Nian," a book of an ancient king. And, thus it is recorded: "(He) sought out the wise men to protect and aid you." And thus states the "Oath of Tang": "I then sought for the Great Sage, with whom I might unite my strength and mind to govern the empire." All these show how the sage-kings never failed to exalt the virtuous and employ the capable in government. The sage-kings of old comprehended onlv this -- to exalt the virtuous and employ the capable in government and nobody else; so the whole world was benefited. In times of old, Shun cultivated land at Mt. Li made pottery by the River, and was engaged in fishing in Lake Lei. Yao discovered him at Fuze. Exalting him, Yao made him Emperor and handed to him the government of the empire and the rule over the people. Yi Zhi once served in the bridal party of the daughter of the Prince of Xin, and later voluntarily served Tang as his cook. Tang discovered him. Exalting him, Tang made him his Prime Minister and handed to him the government of the empire and the rule over the people. Fu Yue once wore garments of coarse cloth tied with ropes, working as an artisan at Fu Yan. Wu Ding discovered him. Exalting him, Wu Ding made him High Duke and handed to him the government of the empire and the rule over the people. Why is it that these people starting in humility arrived at honour, starting in poverty arrived at wealth? It is because these rulers understood the importance of exalting the virtuous and employing the capable in government. Therefore, none of the people were hungry yet without food, cold yet without clothing, tired yet without rest, disturbed yet without peace. |
| | 尚賢下: |
子墨子言曰：「天下之王公大人皆欲其國家之富也，人民之眾也，刑法之治也，然而不識以尚賢為政其國家百姓，王公大人本失尚賢為政之本也。若苟王公大人本失尚賢為政之本也，則不能毋舉物示之乎？今若有一諸侯於此，為政其國家也，曰：『凡我國能射御之士，我將賞貴之，不能射御之士，我將罪賤之。』問於若國之士，孰喜孰懼？我以為必能射御之士喜，不能射御之士懼。我賞因而誘之矣，曰：『凡我國之忠信之士，我將賞貴之，不忠信之士，我將罪賤之。』問於若國之士，孰喜孰懼？我以為必忠信之士喜，不忠不信之士懼。今惟毋以尚賢為政其國家百姓，使國為善者勸，為暴者沮，大以為政於天下，使天下之為善者勸，為暴者沮。然昔吾所以貴堯舜禹湯文武之道者，何故以哉？以其唯毋臨眾發政而治民，使天下之為善者可而勸也，為暴者可而沮也。然則此尚賢者也，與堯舜禹湯文武之道同矣。 |
| 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. |
| | 尚同中: |
故古者聖王唯而審1以尚同，以為正長，是故2上下情請為通。上有隱事遺利，下得而利之；下有蓄怨積害，上得而除之。是以數千萬里之外，有為善者，其室人未遍知，鄉里未遍聞，天子得而賞之。數千萬里之外，有為不善者，其室人未遍知，鄉里未遍聞，天子得而罰之。是以舉天下之人皆恐懼振動惕慄，不敢為淫暴，曰：「天子之視聽也神。」先王之言曰：「非神也，夫唯能使人之耳目助己視聽，使人之吻助己言談，使人之心助己思慮，使人之股肱助己動作」。助之視聽者眾，則其所聞見者遠矣；助之言談者眾，則其德音之所撫循者博矣；助之思慮者眾，則其談謀度速得矣；助之動作者眾，即其舉事速成矣。故古者聖人之所以濟事成功，垂名於後世者，無他故異物焉，曰唯能以尚同為政者也。 |
| Identification with the Superior...: |
As the ancient sage-kings could observe the principle of Identification with the Superior, when they became rulers the purposes of the superior and the subordinates became interchangeable. If the superior reserved for himself special facilities the subordinates could share them. If the people had any unrighted wrongs or accumulated injuries, the superior would remove them. Therefore, if there was a virtuous man thousands of li away, though his clansmen did not all know it (the fact) and people in the same district did not all know it, the emperor could reward him. And if there was an evil man thousands of li away, though his clansmen did not all know it (the fact) and people in the same village did not all know it, the emperor could punish him. Thereupon all the people in the world were astonished, and carefully avoided doing evil, saying: "The emperor is like a spirit in his hearing and sight." But the ancient kings said: "It was no spirit but only the ability to make use of others' ears and eyes to help one's own hearing and sight, to make use of others' lips to help one's own speech, to make use of others' minds to help one's own thought, to make use of others' limbs to help one's own actions." When there are many to help one's hearing and sight then of course one can hear and see far; when there are many to help one's speech then one's good counsel can comfort many; when there are many to help one's thought then one's plans can be shaped speedily; when there are many to help one's actions then one can accomplish one's undertaking quickly. So there was no other reason for the success and great fame of the ancient sages than that they could carry out the principle of Identification with the Superior in their administration. 1. 審 : Inserted.
2. 故 : Inserted.
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