| | 大道: |
古人以度审长短，以量受少多，以衡平轻重，以律均清浊，以名稽虚实，以法定治乱，以简制烦惑，以易御险难，万事皆归于一，百度皆准于法，归一者简之至，准法者易之极，如此，则顽嚚聋瞽可与察惠聪明同治矣。天下万事不可备能，责其备能于一人，则贤圣其犹病诸，设一人能备天下之事，则左右前后之宜，远近迟疾之间，必有不兼者焉。苟有不兼，于治阙矣。全治而无阙者，大小多少，各当其分，农商工仕，不易其业，则处上有何事哉。 |
| | The ancients used the measure of du to determine length and shortness, used liang to receive quantities in small or large amounts, used heng to balance lightness and heaviness, used lü to regulate clarity and turbidity, used ming to examine truth and falsehood, used fa to establish order from chaos, used jian to manage complexity and confusion, and used yi to govern danger and difficulty. All matters were reduced to one principle; all considerations conformed strictly to law. To reduce everything to one is the utmost simplicity; to conform to law is the highest form of ease. In this way, even those who are stubborn, deceitful, deaf, or blind could be governed equally with those who are perceptive, wise, and intelligent. All the myriad affairs of the world cannot be fully managed by one person. To demand that a single individual possess complete capability over everything would even trouble sages and virtuous men. Suppose there were someone capable of handling all matters under heaven; still, in terms of what is appropriate before, after, to the left, or to the right, and between distant and near, slow and fast, there must inevitably be aspects that cannot be covered comprehensively. If anything is not fully addressed, governance will necessarily fall short. Perfect governance with no deficiencies means that in all matters, great or small, much or little, each thing is appropriately assigned. Farmers, merchants, artisans, and officials remain steadfast in their respective occupations without change. In such a situation, what affairs would those in positions of authority need to attend to?
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| | 大道: |
故有理而无益于治者，君子不言，有能而无益于事者，君子弗为，君子非乐有言，有益于治，不得不言，君子非乐有为，有益于事，不得不为，故所言者不出于名法权术，所为者不出于农稼军阵，周务而已，故明主任之。 |
| | Therefore, if there is a principle that does not benefit governance, the gentleman will not speak of it; if there is ability that does not contribute to affairs, the gentleman will not act on it. The gentleman does not take pleasure in speaking—only when words are beneficial for governance must he speak. The gentleman does not delight in action—only when actions are useful for matters must he act. Thus, what a gentleman speaks of never goes beyond names, laws, authority, and strategy; what he acts upon never exceeds farming, military formations, and the routine duties of state. Therefore, an enlightened ruler entrusts such responsibilities to him.
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| | 大道: |
治外之理，小人之所必言，事外之能，小人之所必为，小人亦知言有损于治而不能不言，小人亦知能有损于治而不能不为，故所言者极于儒墨是非之辨，所为者极于坚僞偏抗之行，求名而已，故明主诛之。故古语曰：不知无害为君子，知之无损为小人，工匠不能无害于巧，君子不知无害于治，此言信矣。为善使人不能得从，为巧使人不能得为，此独善独巧者也。未尽巧善之理，为善与衆行之，为巧与衆能之，此善之善者，巧之巧者也。 |
| | Principles irrelevant to governance are what the petty person is bound to speak of; abilities unrelated to affairs are what the petty person insists on demonstrating. The petty person also knows that such words may harm governance, yet cannot refrain from speaking them; he also understands that such abilities may damage governance, yet still cannot resist acting upon them. Therefore, what they speak of reaches extremes in debating Confucian and Mohist doctrines about right and wrong; their actions reach extremes in stubbornly pursuing false or biased conduct. Their sole aim is to seek reputation. Thus, an enlightened ruler punishes them. Hence, the ancient saying goes: "Not knowing something that causes no harm is being a gentleman; knowing something but causing no damage is being a petty person." A craftsman cannot avoid some harm in his skillfulness. Yet for a gentleman, not knowing something does not cause any harm to governance—this statement is indeed true. To do good in such a way that others cannot follow, and to be skillful in such a manner that others cannot emulate—this is the uniqueness of one who possesses exclusive virtue or exclusive skill. To fully understand the principles of skill and virtue, to perform good deeds that others can also carry out, and to demonstrate skills that others are capable of mastering—this is what constitutes the most excellent form of goodness and the highest level of skill.
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| | 大道: |
故所贵圣人之治，不贵其独治，贵其能与衆共治也。所贵工倕之巧，不贵其独巧，贵其与衆共巧也。今世之人，行欲独贤，事欲独能，辨欲出羣，勇欲绝衆，独行之贤，不足以成化，独能之事，不足以周务，出羣之辨，不可为户说，绝衆之勇，不可与征阵，凡此四者，乱之所由生。 |
| | Therefore, what is valued in the governance of a sage is not that he governs alone, but rather that he can govern together with the people. What is valued in Gongchui's skillfulness is not his unique ability, but that he can share and enable others to possess such skill as well. People of the present age desire to be uniquely virtuous in their conduct, uniquely capable in their affairs, and wish for their arguments to stand out above others. They also seek bravery that surpasses all. However, such unique virtue is insufficient to achieve transformation; such singular capability cannot manage state affairs comprehensively. Arguments that exceed the norm are impractical for household discussions, and courage that surpasses the crowd is unsuitable for military campaigns. All of these four tendencies—unique virtue, exclusive ability, superior argumentation, and unmatched bravery—are sources from which disorder arises.
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| | 大道: |
是以圣人任道以通其险，立法以理其差，使贤愚不相弃，能鄙不相遗，能鄙不相遗，则能鄙齐功，贤愚不相弃，则贤愚等虑，此至治之术也。名定则物不竞，分明则私不行，物不竞，非无心，由名定，故无所厝其心，私不行，非无欲，由分明，故无所厝其欲，然则心欲人人有之，而得同于无心无欲者，制之有道也。彭蒙曰：雉菟在野，衆人逐之，分未定也。鷄豕满市，莫有志者，分定故也。圆者之转，非能转而转，不得不转也。方者之止，非能止而止，不得不止也。因圆者之自转使不得止，因方者之自止使不得转，何苦物之失分。 |
| | Therefore, the sage relies on the Way to navigate difficulties and establishes laws to regulate differences. He ensures that the wise and the foolish do not abandon one another, and that those with ability and those without are not left behind. When those with and without ability are not abandoned, their contributions become equal in function; when the wise and the foolish are not separated, their considerations become equally valued. This is the method of achieving perfect governance. When names are clearly defined, people do not compete over things; when distinctions are clear, private desires cannot prevail. People no longer compete not because they lack ambition, but because the definitions of roles and functions have been established—thus there is nowhere for their ambitions to be directed. Private desires do not arise not because people lack wants, but because boundaries are clearly set—hence there is nowhere for such desires to take root. Thus, although every person has thoughts and desires, they can all become as if without ambition or desire—this results from the proper regulation of governance. Peng Meng said: "When pheasants and hares are in the wild, many people chase after them—this is because distinctions have not yet been established." "When chickens and pigs fill the market, no one pays special attention to them—this is due to clearly defined roles and distinctions." The round object's rolling is not because it wishes to roll—it rolls because it cannot help but do so. The square object's stopping is not because it desires to stop—it stops because it cannot avoid doing so. By allowing the round object to roll naturally, one prevents it from stopping; by allowing the square object to remain still on its own, one prevents it from rolling. Why then should things lose their proper roles?
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| | 大道: |
故因贤者之有用，使不得不用，因愚者之无用，使不得用，用与不用，皆非我也。因彼可用与不可用，而自得其用也。自得其用，奚患物之乱也。道行于世，则贫贱者不怨，富贵者不骄，愚弱者不慑，智勇者不矜，足于分也。法行于世，则贫贱者不敢怨富贵，富贵者不敢凌贫贱，愚弱者不敢冀智勇，智勇者不敢鄙愚弱，此法之不及道也。 |
| | Therefore, by relying on the usefulness of the virtuous, one cannot help but employ them; by relying on the uselessness of the foolish, one cannot help but refrain from using them. Whether used or not used, it is not a matter of personal will. By recognizing in others what is usable and what is not, one naturally attains the proper use of them. When things are used according to their nature, how can disorder arise? When the Way prevails in the world, the poor and lowly do not resent their condition; the rich and noble do not become arrogant; the foolish and weak are not intimidated; the wise and brave do not grow conceited—this is because all find contentment within their proper roles. When law prevails in the world, then the poor and lowly dare not resent the rich and noble; the rich and noble dare not oppress the poor and humble; the foolish and weak dare not hope to rival the wise and brave; the wise and brave dare not look down upon the foolish and weak. This is where law falls short of the Way.
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| | 大道: |
世之所贵，同而贵之，谓之俗，世之所用，同而用之，谓之物，苟违于人，俗所不与，苟忮于衆，俗所共去，故人心皆殊，而为行若一，所好各异，而资用必同，此俗之所齐，物之所饰，故所齐不可不慎，所饰不可不择，昔齐桓好衣紫，合境不鬻异彩，楚庄爱细腰，一国皆有饥色，上之所以率下，乃治乱之所由也。国乱有三事，年饥民散、无食以聚之则乱，治国无法则乱，有法而不能用则乱，有食以聚民，有法而能行，国不治，未之有也。 |
| | What the world values, and what others value together, is called custom. What the world uses, and what all use together, is termed material things. If one goes against the people's will, customs will not support him; if one harms the majority, society will collectively reject him. Therefore, although human hearts may differ, their conduct appears uniform; though individual preferences vary, resources used must be shared in common—this is how custom unifies and how material things shape appearances. Thus, what brings people together must be handled with care, and what adorns them must be chosen carefully. In the past, Duke Huan of Qi favored purple clothing, so throughout his territory no other colors were sold; King Zhuang of Chu loved slender waists, so an entire country suffered from hunger in pursuit of thinness. The way those above lead those below is precisely how order or disorder arises. There are three causes of national disorder: when the harvest fails and people scatter, if there is no food to gather them together, chaos will arise; when a state lacks laws, chaos will occur; and when laws exist but cannot be enforced, disorder also results. If there is sufficient food to unite the people and effective laws that can be carried out, yet the country remains in disarray—such a situation has never existed.
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