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Scope: Exaltation of the Virtuous III Request type: Paragraph
Condition 1: References "是以民無飢而不得食,寒而不得衣" Matched:1.
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尚賢下 - Exaltation of the Virtuous III

English translation: W. P. Mei [?] Library Resources
4 尚賢下:
古者聖王既審尚賢欲以為政,故書之竹帛,琢之槃盂,傳以遺後世子孫。於先王之書呂刑之書然,王曰:『於!來!有國有土,告女訟刑,在今而安百姓,女何擇言人,何敬不刑,何度不及。』能擇人而敬為刑,堯、舜、禹、湯、文、武之道可及也。是何也?則以尚賢及之,於先王之書豎年之言然,曰:『晞夫聖、武、知人,以屏輔而身。』此言先王之治天下也,必選擇賢者以為其群屬輔佐。曰今也天下之士君子,皆欲富貴而惡貧賤。曰然。女何為而得富貴而辟貧賤?莫若為賢。為賢之道將柰何?曰有力者疾以助人,有財者勉以分人,有道者勸以教人。若此則飢者得食,寒者得衣,亂者得治。若飢則得食,寒則得衣,亂則得治,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.

Total 1 paragraphs. Page 1 of 1.