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天子諸侯之君，民之正長，既已定矣，天子為發政施教曰：『凡聞見善者，必以告其上，聞見不善者，亦必以告其上。上之所是，必亦是之，上之所非，必亦非之，已有善傍薦之，上有過規諫之。尚同義其上，而毋有下比之心，上得則賞之，萬民聞則譽之。意若聞見善，不以告其上，聞見不善，亦不以告其上，上之所是不能是，上之所非不能非，己有善不能傍薦之，上有過不能規諫之，下比而非其上者，上得則誅罰之，萬民聞則非毀之』。故古者聖王之為刑政賞譽也，甚明察以審信。 |
| Identification with the Superior...: |
When the lords of the country and the heads of the people had been appointed, the emperor issued mandates, instructing the people: "Discovering good you must report it to your superior, discovering evil you must report it to your superior. What the superior thinks to be right all shall think to be right; what the superior thinks to be wrong all shall think to be wrong. When there is virtue among the people there shall be popular recommendation; when the superior is at fault there shall be good counsel. You shall identify yourself with the superior and not associate with your subordinates. So doing, one deserves encouragement from his superiors and praise from the people. "On the other hand, if upon discovering good you should not report it and upon discovering evil you should not report it; if you should not think to be right what the superior thinks to be right, and wrong what the superior thinks to be wrong; if there should be no recommendation when there is virtue among the people and no good counsel when the superior is at fault; and if you should unite with the subordinates but differ from the superior - you deserve heavy punishment from your superiors and condemnation from the people." Therefore the sage-kings of old were very judicious and faithful in their punishments and rewards. |
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夫既尚同乎天子，而未上同乎天者，則天菑將猶未止也。故當若天降寒熱不節，雪霜雨露不時，五穀不孰，六畜不遂，疾菑戾疫、飄風苦雨，荐臻而至者，此天之降罰也，將以罰下人之不尚同乎天者也。故古者聖王，明天鬼之所欲，而避天鬼之所憎，以求興天下之利，除天下之害。是以率天下之萬民，齊戒沐浴，潔為酒醴粢盛，以祭祀天鬼。其事鬼神也，酒醴粢盛不敢不蠲潔，犧牲不敢不腯肥，珪璧幣帛不敢不中度量，春秋祭祀不敢失時幾，聽獄不敢不中，分財不敢不均，居處不敢怠慢。曰其為正長若此，是故天鬼之福可得也。萬民之所便利而能彊從事焉，則萬民之親可得也。其為政若此，是以謀事，舉事成，入守固，1上者天鬼有厚乎其為政長也，下者萬民有便利乎其為政長也。天鬼之所深厚而彊從事焉，則2出誅勝者，何故之以也？曰唯以尚同為政者也。故古者聖王之為政若此。」 |
| Identification with the Superior...: |
But to carry the process of identification with the superior up to the Son of Heaven and not further up to Heaven itself -- then the jungle from Heaven is yet unremoved. Thereupon Heaven would send down cold and heat without moderation, and snow, frost, rain, and dew untimely. As a result, the five grains could not ripen and the six animals could not mature; and there would be disease, epidemics, and pestilence. Now the repeated visitations of hurricanes and torrents are just punishments from Heaven - punishments to the people below for not identifying themselves with it. Therefore the sage-kings of old appreciated what Heaven and the spirits desire and avoided what they abominate, in order to increase benefits and to avoid calamities in the world. With purification and baths and clean wine and cakes they led the people to make sacrifice and libation to Heaven and the spirits. In such services to the spirits they dared not use wine and cakes that were unclean, sacrificial animals that were not fat, or jade and silk that did not satisfy the standard requirements. The proper time for the spring and autumn sacrifices they dared not miss. Judging lawsuits, they dared not be unjust. Distributing properties, they dared not be unfair. Even when at leisure they dared not be disrespectful. When the sage-kings made such (good) rulers, Heaven and the spirits commended their leadership from above, and the people cherished it from below. To work under the hearty approval of Heaven and the spirits is to obtain their blessings. To work under the appreciation of the people is to obtain their confidence. Administering the government like this, consequently they would succeed in planning, accomplish their ends in executing, be strong in defence and victorious in attack. And the reason for all this lies in their employing the principle of Identification with the Superior in government. And this is how the sage-kings of old administered their government. 1. 天鬼之福可得也。萬民之所便利而能彊從事焉，則萬民之親可得也。其為政若此，是以謀事，舉事成，入守固， : Moved here from entry 8. 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》
2. 上者天鬼有厚乎其為政長也，下者萬民有便利乎其為政長也。天鬼之所深厚而彊從事焉，則 : Moved here from entry 8. 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》
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故古者之置正長也，將以治民也，譬之若絲縷之有紀，而罔罟之有綱也，將以運役天下淫暴，而一同其義也。是以先王之書，《相年》之道曰：「夫建國設都，乃作后王君公，否用泰也，輕大夫師長，否用佚也，維辯使治天均。」則此語古者上帝鬼神之建設國都，立正長也，非高其爵，厚其祿，富貴佚而錯之也，將以為萬民興利除害，富貴貧寡，安危治亂也。故古者聖王之為若此。 |
| Identification with the Superior...: |
Hence the installing of the ruler in the ancient days was intended to govern the people. Just as there is one thread to hold together the others in a skein and a main rope to a fishing net, so the ruler is to hold together all the evil and wicked in the empire and bring their purposes into harmony (with their superiors). Thus "Xiang Nian", among the books of the ancient kings, says: "Now the empire is established and the capital is located: (Heaven) installed the emperor, kings, and lords not in order to make them proud, and (Heaven) appointed the ministers and the officials not in order to make them idle - it was to apportion duties among them and charge them with the maintenance of the Heavenly justice." This is to say that when God and the spirits in the past established the capital and installed the rulers, it was not to make their ranks high, and their emoluments substantial, and to give them wealth and honour, and let them live in comfort and free of care. It was really to procure benefits and eliminate adversities for the people, and to enrich the poor and increase the few, and to bring safety where there is danger and to restore order where there is confusion - it was for this that the political leaders were appointed. And so the ancient sage-kings administered their government accordingly. |
