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《尚贤上 - Exaltation of the Virtuous I》

English translation: W. P. Mei [?] Library Resources
1 尚贤上:
子墨子言曰:“今1者王公大人为政于国家者,皆欲国家之富,人民之众,刑政之治,然而不得富而得贫,不得众而得寡,不得治而得乱,则是本失其所欲,得其所恶,是其故何也?”
Exaltation of the Virtuous...:
Mozi said: Now, all the rulers desire their provinces to be wealthy, their people to be numerous, and their jurisdiction to secure order. But what they obtain is not wealth but poverty, not multitude but scarcity, not order but chaos - this is to lose what they desire and obtain what they avert. Why is this?

1. 今 : Originally read: "古". Corrected by 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》

2 尚贤上:
子墨子言曰:“是在王公大人为政于国家者,不能以尚贤事能为政也。是故国有贤良之士众,则国家之治厚,贤良之士寡,则国家之治薄。故大人之务,将在于众贤而己。”
Exaltation of the Virtuous...:
Mozi said: This is because the rulers have failed to exalt the virtuous and to employ the capable in their government. When the virtuous are numerous in the state, order will be stable; when the virtuous are scarce, order will be unstable. Therefore the task of the lords lies nowhere but in multiplying the virtuous.

3 尚贤上:
曰:“然则众贤之术将柰何哉?”
Exaltation of the Virtuous...:
But what is the way to multiply the virtuous?

4 尚贤上:
子墨子言曰:“譬若欲众其国之善射御之士者,必将富之,贵之,敬之,誉之,然后国之善射御之士,将可得而众也。况又有贤良之士厚乎德行,辩乎言谈,博乎道术者乎,此固国家之珍,而社稷之佐也,亦必且富之,贵之,敬之,誉之,然后国之良士,亦将可得而众也。
Exaltation of the Virtuous...:
Mozi said: Supposing it is desired to multiply good archers and good drivers in the country, it will be only natural to enrich them, honour them, respect them, and commend them; then good archers and good drivers can be expected to abound in the country. How much more should this be done in the case of the virtuous and the excellent who are firm in morality, versed in rhetoric, and experienced in statecraft - since these are the treasures of the nation and props of the state? They should also be enriched, honoured, respected, and commended in order that they may abound.

5 尚贤上:
是故古者圣王之为政
1,言曰:“不义不富,不义不贵,不义不亲,不义不近。”是以国之富贵人闻之,皆退而谋曰:‘始我所恃者,富贵也,今上举义不辟贫贱,然则我不可不为义。’亲者闻之,亦退而谋曰:‘始我所恃者亲也,今上举义不辟
2疏,然则我不可不为义。’近者闻之,亦退而谋曰:‘始我所恃者近也,今上举义不避远,然则我不可不为义。’远者闻之,亦退而谋曰:‘我始以远为无恃,今上举义不辟远,然则我不可不为义。’逮至远鄙郊外之臣,门庭庶子,国中之众、四鄙之萌人闻之,皆竞为义。是其故何也?曰:上之所以使下者,一物也,下之所以事上者,一术也。譬之富者有高墙深宫,墙立既,谨上为凿一门,有盗人入,阖其自入而求之,盗其无自出。是其故何也?则上得要也。
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. 亲 : Deleted. 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》

6 尚贤上:
故古者圣王之为政,列德而尚贤,虽在农与工肆之人,有能则举之,高予之爵,重予之禄,任之以事,断予之令,曰:“爵位不高则民弗敬,蓄禄不厚则民不信,政令不断则民不畏”,举三者授之贤者,非为贤赐也,欲其事之成。故当是时,以德就列,以官服事,以劳殿赏,量功而分禄。故官无常贵,而民无终贱,有能则举之,无能则下之,举公义,辟私怨,此若言之谓也。故古者尧举舜于服泽之阳,授之政,天下平;禹举益于阴方之中,授之政,九州成;汤举伊尹于庖厨之中,授之政,其谋得;文王举闳夭泰颠于罝罔之中,授之政,西土服。故当是时,虽在于厚禄尊位之臣,莫不敬惧而施,虽在农与工肆之人,莫不竞劝而尚意。故士者所以为辅相承嗣也。故得士则谋不困,体不劳,名立而功成,美章1而恶不生,则由得士也。”
Exaltation of the Virtuous...:
Therefore in administering the government, the ancient sage-kings ranked the morally excellent high and exalted the virtuous. If capable, even a farmer or an artisan would be employed - commissioned with high rank, remunerated with liberal emoluments, trusted with important charges, and empowered to issue final orders. For, if his rank were not high, people would not respect him; if his emoluments were not liberal, people would not have confidence in him; if his orders were not final, people would not stand in awe before him. To place these three (honours) upon the virtuous is not so much to reward virtue, as to bring about the success of the enterprise (of government). Therefore ranks should be standardized according to virtue, tasks assigned according to office, and rewards given according to labour spent. When emoluments are distributed in proportion to achievements, officials cannot be in constant honour, and people in eternal humility. If a person is capable promote him, if incapable, lower his rank. Give prominence to public approval and keep back private grudges (in the matter of selecting men). Here, then, is the principle. So, in days of old, Yao brought forward Shun from Fuzi and entrusted him with the government, and the world had peace. Yu brought forward Yi from Yin Fang and entrusted him with the government, and the nine districts became organized. Tang brought forward Yi Yin from the kitchen and entrusted him with the government and his plans were successful. King Wen brought forward Hung Yao and Tai Tian from their rabbit nets and entrusted them with the government and the Western land showed respect. Therefore, during those days the officials of high rank and liberal emoluments all carefully and anxiously executed their duties; and the farmers and artisans all encouraged one another in exalting virtue. Therefore, the scholars are really to be officials and governors. As long as there were scholars (in government), the plans (of the ruler) were not defeated and he had no hardships to endure; his name was established and success achieved; his excellence became known and yet evils were not spread. This is all due to the employment of the scholars.

1. 成,美章 : Originally read: "业彰". Corrected by 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》

7 尚贤上:
是故子墨子言曰:“得意贤士不可不举,不得意贤士不可不举,尚欲祖述尧舜禹汤之道,将不可以不尚贤。夫尚贤者,政之本也。”
Exaltation of the Virtuous...:
Therefore Mozi said: The virtuous who are prosperous must be exalted, and the virtuous who are not prosperous must be exalted too. If it is desired to continue the ways of Yao and Shun, to exalt the virtuous is indispensable. Now, exaltation of the virtuous is the root of government.

URN: ctp:mozi/exaltation-of-the-virtuous-i