Follow us on Facebook to receive important updates Follow us on Twitter to receive important updates Follow us on sina.com's microblogging site to receive important updates Follow us on Douban to receive important updates
Chinese Text Project
Simplified Chinese version
Show translation:[None] [Modern Chinese] [English]
-> -> -> -> Indulgence in Excess
Show statistics Edit searchSearch details:
Scope: Indulgence in Excess Request type: Paragraph
Condition 1: Contains text "必厚作斂於百姓暴奪民衣食之財以為宮室臺榭曲直之望青黃刻鏤之飾" Matched:1.
Total 1 paragraphs. Page 1 of 1.

《辞过 - Indulgence in Excess》

English translation: W. P. Mei [?] Library Resources
1 辞过:
子墨子曰:古之民,未知为宫
1时,就陵阜而居,穴而处,下润湿伤民,故圣王作为宫室。为宫室之法,曰:
2高足以辟润湿,边足以圉风寒,上足以待雪霜雨露,宫墙之高,足以别男女之礼,谨此则止。费
3财劳力,不加利者,不为也。
役,修其城郭,则民劳而不伤;以其常正,收其租税,则民费而不病。民所苦者非此也,苦于厚作敛于百姓。
4是故圣王作为宫室,便于生,不以为观乐也。作为衣服带履,便于身,不以为辟怪也,故节于身,诲于民,是以天下之民可得而治,财用可得而足。
Indulgence in Excess:...:
Mozi said: Primitive people, before the art of building houses and palaces was known, lingered by the mounds and lived in caves. It was damp and injurious to health. Thereupon the sage-kings built houses and palaces. The guiding principles for these buildings were these: The house shall be built high enough to avoid the damp and moisture; the walls thick enough to keep out the wind and cold; the roof strong enough to stand snow, frost, rain, and dew; and the walls in the palace high enough to observe the propriety of the sexes. These are sufficient, and any expenditure of money and energy that does not bring additional utility shall not be permitted. When the city walls are repaired with regular labour, the people may feel tired but there is no exhaustion. When taxes are collected according to custom, the people may be deprived of some money but there is no bitterness. The real woe of the people does not lie here, it lies in heavy taxes. The sage-kings built houses and palaces in order to better the living conditions and not for pleasures of sight. They made clothes and hats, belts and shoes in order to protect the body and not for novelty. They were thrifty themselves and taught the people to be the same. And so, the people in the whole world became orderly and wealth was sufficient for use.

1. 室 : Inserted. 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》
2. 室 : Inserted. 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》
3. 凡 : Inserted. 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》
4. 役,修其城郭,则民劳而不伤;以其常正,收其租税,则民费而不病。民所苦者非此也,苦于厚作敛于百姓。 : Moved here from entry 3. 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》

2 辞过:
当今之主,其为宫室则与此异矣。。为宫室若此,故左右皆法象之,是以其财不足以待凶饥、振1孤寡,故国贫而民难治也。君实欲天下之治,而恶其乱也,当为宫室不可不节。
Indulgence in Excess:...:
When the present rulers build their residences, they are quite different from this. They would tax the people, robbing them of their means of livelihood, in order to have their palaces covered with porches and pavilions in various designs and adorned with paintings and sculpture. When the ruler builds his palaces in this fashion, his assistants naturally imitate him. And, so, there is not sufficient wealth to prepare against famine and dearth or to relieve the orphans and widows. And the people become more unruly as the state becomes poorer. If the rulers sincerely desire to have the empire orderly and hate to see it in disorder, they must not indulge in building houses and palaces.

1. 振 : Originally read: "赈". Corrected by 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》

3 辞过:
古之民,未知为衣服时,衣皮带茭,冬则不轻而温,夏则不轻而凊。圣王以为不中人之情,故作诲妇人治
役,修其城郭,则民劳而不伤;以其常正,收其租税,则民费而不病。民所苦者非此也,苦于厚作敛于百姓。
1丝麻,捆布绢,以为民衣。为衣服之法:冬则练帛之中,足以为轻且
暖;夏则絺綌之中,足以为轻且
2凊,谨此则止。故圣人
3为衣服,适身体和肌肤而足矣。非荣耳目而观愚民也。当是之时,坚车良马不知贵也,刻镂文采,不知喜也。何则?其所道之然。故民衣食之财,家足以待旱水凶饥者,何也?得其所以自养之情,而不感于外也。是以其民俭而易治,其君用财节而易赡也。府库实满,足以待不然。兵革不顿,士民不劳,足以征不服。故霸王之业,可行于天下矣。
Indulgence in Excess:...:
Before clothing was known the primitive people wore coats of furs and belts of straw. They were neither light and warm in winter nor light and cool in summer. The sage-king thought this did not satisfy the needs of man. So, he taught the women to produce silk and flax and to weave cloth and linen, therewith to make clothing for the people. The guiding principles for clothing were these: In winter the underwear shall be made of spun-silk so as to be light and warm. In summer it shall be made of coarse flax so as to be light and cool. And this is sufficient. Therefore the sages made their clothes just to fit their stature and size, and not for the purpose of pleasing the senses or to dazzle the common people. In that age, durable carts and gentle horses were not valued, neither were sculpture and adornments prized. What is the reason for this? The reason lies in the kind of leadership. The people had sufficient means of livelihood in their home to meet either drought or flood, dearth or famine. Why? Because they understood the needs of self-support and paid little attention to external appearance. So, the people were frugal and orderly and the ruler was thrifty and easily supported. The store house and treasury were full, prepared against misfortunes. Armour and weapons were not left in disuse and the soldiers and the people were not tired, ready to punish the unsubmissive. Thus the ruler could become a tyrant over the empire.

1. 役,修其城郭,则民劳而不伤;以其常正,收其租税,则民费而不病。民所苦者非此也,苦于厚作敛于百姓。 : Moved to entry 1. 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》
2. 暖;夏则絺綌之中,足以为轻且 : Inserted. 据《群书治要》、《长短经》补。孙诒让《墨子闲诂》
3. 之 : Inserted. 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》

4 辞过:
当今之主,其为衣服则与此异矣,冬则轻煗,夏则轻凊,皆已具矣。必厚作敛于百姓,暴夺民衣食之财,以为锦绣文采靡曼之衣,铸金以为钩,珠玉以为佩,女工作文采,男工作刻镂,以
1身服,此非云益煗之情也。单财劳力,毕归之于无用
2,以此观之,其为衣服非为身体,皆为观好,是以其民淫僻而难治,其君奢侈而难谏也。夫以奢侈之君,御妤淫僻之民,欲国无乱,不可得也。君实欲天下之治而恶其乱,当为衣服不可不节。
Indulgence in Excess:...:
The present rulers are quite different from this when they make their clothes. Having what is warm and light in winter and what is light and cool in summer, they would yet heavily tax the people, robbing them of their means of livelihood, in order to have elaborately embroidered and gorgeous garments. Hooks are made of gold and ornaments on the girdle consist of pearls and jades. Women are employed to make the embroidery and men to do the carving. All these are for the adornment of the body. They really add little to its warmth. Wealth is squandered and energy wasted all for naught. So, then, when clothing is made not for the body but for brilliant appearance, the people will be wicked and unruly and the ruler extravagant and deaf to good counsel. It will be impossible to keep the country out of disorder. If the rulers sincerely desire the empire to have order and hate to see it in disorder, they must not indulge in making clothing excessively.

1. 为 : Inserted. 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》
2. 也 : Inserted. 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》

5 辞过:
古之民未知为饮食时,素食而分处,故圣人作诲男耕稼树艺,以为民食。其为食也,足以增气充虚,强体适腹而巳矣。故其用财节,其自养俭,民富国治。今则不然,厚作敛于百姓,以为美食刍豢,蒸炙鱼鳖,大国累百器,小国累十器,前方丈,目不能遍视,手不能遍操,口不能遍味,冬则冻冰,夏则餲1饐,人君为饮食如此,故左右象之。是以富贵者奢侈,孤寡者冻馁,
2欲无乱,不可得也。君实欲天下治而恶其乱,当为食饮,不可不节。
Indulgence in Excess:...:
Before the art of cooking was known, primitive people ate only vegetables and lived in separation. Thereupon the sage taught the men to attend to farming and to plant trees to supply the people with food. And the sole purpose of securing food is to increase energy, satisfy hunger, strengthen the body and appease the stomach. He was frugal in spending wealth and simple in habits of living, and so the people became rich and the country orderly. With the present rulers all is different. They would heavily tax the people in order to enjoy elaborately the different meats and fish and turtle cooked in various wavs. (The lord of) a large state is served with a hundred courses and (that of) a small state, with tens of courses, which will cover a table space of ten square feet. The eyes cannot see all the dishes, the hands cannot handle them all, and the mouth cannot taste them all. In winter they will freeze, and in summer they sour. As the ruler serves himself thus, naturally his assistants imitate him. And so the rich and high in rank are wasteful and extravagant, while the solitary and miserable are hungry and cold. It is impossible to keep such a state out of disorder. If the rulers sincerely desire the empire to have order and hate to see it in disorder, they must not indulge in excessive eating and drinking.

1. 餲 : Originally read: "饰". Corrected by 吴毓江《墨子校注》
2. 虽 : Inserted. 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》

6 辞过:
古之民未知为舟车时,重任不移,远道不至,故圣王作为舟车,以便民之事。其为舟车也,完1固轻利,可以任重致远,其为用财少,而为利多,是以民乐而利之。故法令不急而行,民不劳而上2足用,故民归之。
Indulgence in Excess:...:
Before the primitive people know how to make boats and carts they could neither carry a heavy load nor travel a great distance. Thereupon the sage-king made boats and carts to facilitate the people. The boats and carts were made durable and convenient so that they would carry much and travel far. Such an undertaking takes little wealth but produces many benefits. Naturally the people found it agreeable and convenient. The people were not tired out and yet the ruler's needs were all supplied. So, people were attracted to him.

1. 完 : Originally read: "全". Corrected by 吴毓江《墨子校注》
2. 上 : Originally read: "止". Corrected by 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》

7 辞过:
当今之主,其为舟车与此异矣。完1固轻利皆已具,必厚作敛于百姓,以饰舟车。饰车以文采,饰舟以刻镂,女子废其纺织而修文采,故民寒。男子离其耕稼而修刻镂,故民饥。人君为舟车若此,故左右象之,是以其民饥寒并至,故为奸袤。
奸邪
2多则刑罚深,刑罚深则国乱。君实欲天下之治而恶其乱,当为舟车,不可不节。
Indulgence in Excess:...:
When the present rulers make boats and carts, it is quite different. Having made them durable and convenient, they would yet heavily tax the people to decorate them. The carts are decorated with embroidery and boats with carving. Women have to stop weaving to do the enibroidery so the people are left cold. While men have to abandon agriculture to do the carving and so the people become hungry. When the ruler builds such boats and carts for himself, naturally his assistants imitate him. Therefore the people become victims of both hunger and cold, and they commit wickedness. Much wickedness is followed by heavy punishment, and heavy punishment places the country in disorder. If the rulers sincerely desire the empire to have order and hate to see it in disorder, they must not indulge themselves in constructing boats and carts excessively.

1. 完 : Originally read: "全". Corrected by 吴毓江《墨子校注》
2. 奸邪 : Inserted. 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》

8 辞过:
凡回于天地之间,包于四海之内,天壤之情,阴阳之和,莫不有也,虽至圣不能更也。何以知其然?圣人有传:天地也,则曰上下;四时也,则曰阴阳;人情也,则曰男女;禽兽也,则曰牡牝雄雌也。真天壤之情,虽有先王不能更也。虽上世至圣,必蓄私,不以伤行,故民无怨。宫无拘女,故天下无寡夫。内无拘女,外无寡夫,故天下之民众。当今之君,其蓄私也,大国拘女累千,小国累百,是以天下之男多寡无妻,女多拘无夫,男女1失时,故民少。君实欲民之众而恶其寡,当蓄私不可不节。
Indulgence in Excess:...:
Every creature living between Heaven and earth and within the four seas partakes of the nature of Heaven and earth and the harmony of the Yin and the Yang. Even the greatest sages cannot alter this. How do we know? When they taught about Heaven and earth, they dwelt on the upper and the lower spheres and the four seasons, the principles of Yin and Yang and human nature, the phenomena of men and women, birds and animals, and that of the sexes. Even the early kings could not escape from the fundamentals of nature. Even the great sages of ancient times must keep a household. Only, as their conduct was not unfavorably affected, there was no dissatisfaction among the people, and as women were not kept within the palace (to be spinsters) there were few bachelors in the empire. As women were not kept within the palace and as there were few bachelors abroad, the population in the empire was large. The present rulers of large states retain as many women as a thousand in their household and those of small states as many as a hundred. Therefore men in the empire are mostly without wife and women without husband. The functions of men and women are prevented and the population becomes small. If the rulers sincerely desire the population to be large and hate to see it small, they must not indulge in retaining too many women.

1. 女 : Originally read: "子". Corrected by 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》

9 辞过:
凡此五者,圣人之所俭节也,小人之所淫佚也。俭节则昌,淫佚则亡,此五者不可不节。夫妇节而天地和,风雨节而五谷孰1,衣服节而肌肤和。
Indulgence in Excess:...:
Now, in these five things the sages are temperate and economical while the wicked men are indulgent and excessive. Temperance and economy bring prosperity while indulgence and excess lead to destruction. One must not indulge in excess in these five things. When husband and wife do not indulge in excess, Heaven and earth will be harmonious; when wind and rain are not in excess, the five grains will ripen; and when excessive clothing is not indulged in, the body will be comfortable.

1. 孰 : Originally read: "熟". Corrected by 孙诒让《墨子闲诂》

Total 1 paragraphs. Page 1 of 1.