| | 武韬: |
文王在酆。召太公曰：商王罪杀不辜，汝尚助余忧民，今我何如。太公曰：王其修身，下贤，惠民，以观天道，天道无殃不可以先唱，人道无灾不可以先谋，必见天殃，又见人灾，乃可以谋，与民同利，同病相救，同情相成，同恶相助，同好相趣，无甲兵而胜，无冲机而攻，无渠堑而守，利人者天下啓之，害人者天下闭之，天下非一人之天下也。取天下若逐野兽，得之而天下皆有分肉，若同舟而济，济则皆同其利，舟败皆同其害，然则皆有啓之，无有闭之矣。无取于民者，取民者也。无取于国者，取国者也。无取于天下者，取天下者也。取民者，民利之，取国者，国利之，取天下者，天下利之，故道在不可见，事在不可闻，胜在不可知，微哉微哉。鸷鸟将击，卑飞翕翼，猛兽将击，俯耳俯伏，圣人将动，必有过色，唯文唯德，谁为之惑，弗观弗视，安知其极，今彼殷商，衆口相惑，吾观其野草茅胜谷，吾观其羣衆曲胜直，吾观其吏暴虐残贼，败法乱刑，而上下不觉，此亡国之时也。夫上好货，羣臣好得，而贤者逃伏，其乱至矣。太公曰：天下之人如流水，鄣之则止，啓之则行，动之则浊，静之则清，呜呼神哉。圣人见其所始，则知其所终矣。文王曰：静之奈何。太公曰：夫天有常形，民有常生，与天下共其生而天下静矣。 |
| | The King Wen was at Feng. Zhaogong Tai Gong said: "King Shang has committed crimes and killed the innocent; you still assist me in worrying about the people. Now, what should I do?" Tai Gong said: "The king should cultivate his virtue, promote the virtuous and talented, benefit the people, and observe the will of Heaven. The will of Heaven, when free from calamity, cannot be acted upon first; human affairs, when without disaster, cannot be planned for first. One must see heavenly calamities and also witness human disasters before one can make plans. Share benefits with the people; those who share hardships help each other, those who feel the same emotions support each other, and those who have mutual hatred assist each other, and those with shared preferences encourage each other. Victory is achieved without armor or troops, offense is carried out without battering rams or siege engines, defense is maintained without ditches or fortifications. Those who benefit others will be supported by the whole world; those who harm others will be opposed by the entire world. The world does not belong to one person alone." To seize the world is like pursuing a wild beast; when it is captured, all under heaven share in dividing the meat. It is like crossing together on a single boat: if they cross successfully, all benefit equally; if the boat capsizes, all suffer equally. Therefore, everyone will support such an endeavor and no one will oppose it. He who takes nothing from the people is the one who truly gains the people's support. He who takes nothing from a state is the one who truly seizes the state. He who takes nothing from all under heaven is the one who truly obtains all under heaven. He who gains the people's support is favored by them; he who seizes a state benefits it; he who obtains all under heaven brings benefit to all. Therefore, the Dao lies in what cannot be seen, affairs lie in what cannot be heard, and victory lies in what cannot be known. How subtle this is! When a fierce bird is about to strike, it flies low and tucks its wings. When a ferocious beast is about to attack, it lowers its ears and crouches down. When a sage is about to act, he must appear foolish . With only culture and virtue, who could be deceived? Without observation or sight, how can one know the limit? Now this Shang dynasty, many voices confuse each other; I observe that in their fields, weeds and grasses surpass grain; I see among their people, crookedness prevails over uprightness; I witness their officials being brutal, cruel, and destructive, corrupting laws and perverting punishments, yet the upper and lower classes remain unaware. This is a time of national ruin. When those in power love wealth, and officials desire gain, the virtuous flee or hide; then chaos will surely come. Tai Gong said: "The people of the world are like flowing water; block it and it stops, open it and it flows. Stir it and it becomes turbid; still it and it becomes clear. Alas, how wondrous!" A sage who sees its beginning knows its ending. King Wen said: "How can one still it?" Tai Gong said: "Heaven has a constant form, and the people have a regular way of life. When one shares this way of life with all under heaven, then the world will be at peace."
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| | 武韬: |
文王在岐周。召太公曰：争权于天下者何先。太公曰：先人，人与地称，则万物备矣。今君之位尊矣。待天下之贤士，勿臣，而友之，则君以得天下矣。文王曰：吾地小而民寡，将何以得之。太公曰：可，天下有地，贤者得之，天下有栗，贤者食之，天下有民，贤者收之，天下者，非一人之天下也。莫常有之，唯贤者取之，夫以贤而为人下，何人不与，以贵从人曲直，何人不得，屈一人之下，则申万人之上者，唯圣人而后能为之。文王曰：善，请著之金板，于是文王所就而见者六人，所求而见者七十人，所呼而友者千人。 |
| | King Wen was in Qizhou. Zhaogong Tai Gong: "What should be done first for those who contend for power over the world?" Tai Gong said: "Prioritize people. When people and land are in harmony, then all things will be complete." Now your position is exalted. Treat the virtuous men of all under heaven not as subjects but as friends, and then you will surely gain the world. King Wen said: "My territory is small and my people few; how can I obtain it?" Tai Gong said: "Yes. The world has land, and the virtuous obtain it; the world has grain, and the virtuous eat it; the world has people, and the virtuous lead them. The world does not belong solely to one person." No one can permanently possess it; only the virtuous may obtain it. If a virtuous person places himself beneath others, who would not support him? If someone of high status follows the right and wrong of others, who could fail to gain their allegiance? To humble oneself before one individual is to elevate oneself above ten thousand others—only a sage can accomplish this. King Wen said: "Well spoken. Please inscribe it on bronze tablets." Thus, King Wen personally met six people; seventy were sought and seen by him; a thousand became his friends upon being called.
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| | 武韬: |
文王曰：何如而可以为天下。太公对曰：大盖天下，然后能容天下，信盖天下，然后可约天下，仁盖天下，然后可以求天下，恩盖天下，然后王天下，权盖天下，然后可以不失天下，事而不疑，然后天下恃，此六者备，然后可以为天下政，故利天下者天下啓之，害天下者天下闭之，生天下者天下德之，杀天下者天下贼之，彻天下者天下通之，穷天下者天下仇之，安天下者天下恃之，危天下者天下灾之，天下者非一人之天下，唯有道者得天下也。 |
| | King Wen said: "What must one do to be able to rule the world?" Tai Gong replied: "One must have virtue that surpasses the world, and only then can one accommodate the world. One must possess faith that surpasses the world; only then can one bind the world with agreements. One must practice benevolence that surpasses the world—only then can one seek to rule it. One must show kindness that surpasses the world—and only then will one become king over all under heaven. One must wield authority that surpasses the world, so as not to lose dominion over it. When one undertakes affairs without doubt, then the people of the world will rely on him. With these six virtues complete, one can govern the world. Therefore, those who benefit the world are supported by all under heaven; those who harm the world are opposed by all under heaven. Those who bring life to the world receive its virtue; those who destroy it become its enemies. Those who enlighten the world gain its trust and communication; those who oppress it face enmity from all. Those who provide peace for the world earn its reliance, while those who endanger it invite disaster upon themselves. The world does not belong exclusively to one person—it is only those with the Dao who can obtain dominion over it."
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| | 武韬: |
武王问太公曰：论将之道奈何。太公曰：将有五才十过，所谓五才者，勇智仁信忠也。勇则不可犯，智则不可乱，仁则爱人，信则不欺人，忠则无二心，所谓十过者，将有勇而轻死者，有急而心速者，有贪而喜利者，有仁而不忍于人者，有智而心怯者，有信而喜信于人者，有廉洁而不爱民者，有智而心缓者，有刚毅而自用者，有愞心而喜用人者，勇而轻死者，可暴也。急而心速者，可久也。贪而喜利者，可遗也。仁而不忍于人者，可劳也。智而心怯者，可窘也。信而喜信于人者，可诳也。廉洁而不爱人者，可侮也。智而心缓者，可袭也。刚毅而自用者，可事也。愞心而喜用人者，可欺也。故兵者，国之大器，存亡之事，命在于将也。先王之所重，故置将不可不审察也。 |
| | King Wu asked Tai Gong: "What is the way of discussing generals like?" Tai Gong said: "A general has five talents and ten faults. The so-called five talents are bravery, wisdom, benevolence, faithfulness, and loyalty." Bravery means one cannot be provoked; wisdom means one is not confused; benevolence means one loves people; faithfulness means one does not deceive others; loyalty means having no divided heart. The so-called ten faults are: a general who is brave but recklessly suicidal, one who acts hastily and with impatience, one greedy for profit, one who is kind-hearted yet cannot bear to punish others, one wise in mind but timid at heart, one faithful yet overly trusting of others, one upright and clean but indifferent toward the people, one intelligent yet slow-witted, one resolute and inflexible who insists on his own views , and one cowardly yet fond of using others. A general who is brave yet recklessly suicidal can be recklessly used. One who acts hastily with a hasty heart cannot endure for long. A general who is greedy and fond of profit can be bribed. One who is kind-hearted but cannot bear to punish people can be overworked. A general who is intelligent yet timid in heart can be cornered into a difficult situation. One who is faithful but overly trusting of others can be deceived. A general who is upright and clean yet indifferent toward the people can be insulted. One who is intelligent but slow-witted can be attacked unexpectedly. A resolute and stubborn general who insists on his own will can be manipulated through affairs. One with a cowardly heart yet fond of using others can be deceived. Therefore, the military is the great instrument of a state and concerns its survival or destruction; life and death rest in the hands of the general. This was what previous kings valued highly, so appointing generals cannot be done without careful scrutiny.
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武王问太公曰：王者举兵，欲简练英雄，知士之高下，为之奈何。太公曰：知之有八徴，一曰微察问之以言，观其辞，二曰穷之以辞，以观其变，三曰与之间谍，以观其诚，四曰明白显问，以观其德，五曰使之以财，以观其贪，六曰试之以色，以观其贞，七曰告之以难，观其勇，八曰醉之以酒，以观其态，八徴皆备，则贤不肖别矣。 |
| | King Wu asked Tai Gong: "When a king raises an army, he wishes to select and train heroes and understand the abilities of his men. How should this be done?" Tai Gong said: "To know a person, there are eight signs. First, ask him questions and observe his words to see if they make sense. Second, press him with difficult questions to observe how he responds. Third, assign him secret missions to test his sincerity. Fourth, question him openly and clearly to examine his virtue. Fifth, give him wealth to observe whether he is greedy or upright . Sixth, test him with temptation to see if he remains chaste. Seventh, inform him of a difficult situation to observe his courage. Eighth, get him drunk on wine to observe his behavior. When all eight signs are examined, the virtuous and the unworthy will be clearly distinguished."
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