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夫能扶天下之危者，则据天下之安。能除天下之忧者，则享天下之乐。能救天下之祸者，则获天下之福。故泽及于民，则贤人归之。泽及昆虫，则圣人归之。贤人所归，则其国强。圣人所归，则六合同。求贤以德、致圣以道。贤去则国微，圣去则国乖。微者危之阶，乖者亡之徵。 |
| | He who is able to support the world in crisis will then hold the peace of the world. He who can remove the worries of the world will then enjoy the happiness of the world. He who can rescue the world from disaster will then receive the blessings of the world. Therefore, when grace reaches the people, virtuous men will return to him. When grace extends even to insects, sage men will return to him. Where virtuous men gather, that state becomes strong. Where sage men gather, the six directions become united. Seek virtuous men through virtue; bring sages forth through the Dao. When virtuous men depart, the state becomes weak; when sage men leave, the state falls into discord. Weakness is the step toward peril, and discord is the omen of destruction.
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贤人之政，降人以体，圣人之政，降人以心。体降可以图始，心降可以保终。降体以礼，降心以乐。所谓乐者，非金，石，丝，竹也，谓人乐其家，谓人乐其俗，谓人乐其业，谓人乐其都邑，谓人乐其政令，谓人乐其道德；加此君人者，乃作乐以节之，使不失其和。故有德之君，以乐乐人，无德之君，以乐乐身。乐人者，久而长，乐身者不久而亡。 |
| | The governance of virtuous men brings people down to a physical level; the governance of sage men brings people down to the heart. Bringing people down physically allows one to plan for the beginning; bringing them down to the heart ensures a secure ending. Bring people down physically through ritual, and bring their hearts down through music. What is called music (yue) does not refer to metal, stone, silk, or bamboo instruments; rather, it means that people are happy with their families, content with their customs, pleased with their occupations, delighted in their cities and towns, satisfied with the government's orders, and joyful in its morality. Therefore, those who rule must create music to regulate these things, ensuring that harmony is not lost. Thus, a virtuous ruler uses music to bring joy to the people; an unvirtuous ruler uses music for his own pleasure. He who brings joy to the people will enjoy a long and enduring reign, while he who seeks personal pleasure through music will not last long before perishing.
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释近谋近者，劳而无功。释远谋者，佚而有终。佚政多忠臣，劳政多怨民。故曰；务广地者荒，务广德者强。能有其有者安，贪人之有者残。残灭之政，累世受患。造作过制，虽成必败。 |
| | He who neglects what is near in order to pursue the distant will labor without achieving success. He who abandons distant concerns and plans for the near at hand will find ease and a successful conclusion. A government of ease produces many loyal ministers, while a burdensome administration breeds resentful subjects. Therefore it is said: He who strives to expand territory will bring desolation; he who endeavors to extend virtue will grow strong. He who is content with what he has will find peace; he who covets the possessions of others will become cruel and destructive. A cruel and destructive administration brings suffering to generations. To create or act beyond established limits, even if initially successful, will ultimately lead to failure.
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舍己而教人者逆，正己而化人者顺。逆者乱之招，顺者治之要。道、德、仁、义、礼五者，一体也。道者人之所蹈，德者人之所得，仁者人之所亲，义者人之所宜，礼者人之所体，不可无一焉。故夙兴夜寐，礼之制也。讨贼报雠，义之决也。恻隐之心，仁之发也。得己，得人，德之路也。使人均平，不失其所，道之化也。 |
| | He who abandons himself in order to teach others goes against the right path; he who corrects himself and thus transforms others follows the natural way. Going against the right path invites disorder, while following it is essential for good governance. The Dao, virtue (De), benevolence (Ren), righteousness (Yi), and ritual propriety (Li)—these five are one unified entity. The Dao is the path that people tread; virtue (De) is what people attain; benevolence (Ren) is what people cherish and relate to; righteousness (Yi) is what is fitting for people; ritual propriety (Li) is the embodiment of human conduct. None of these can be lacking. Therefore, rising early and sleeping late is part of the system of Li (ritual propriety). To punish evildoers and avenge wrongs is the decisive action of Yi (righteousness). Compassionate feelings are the manifestation of Ren (benevolence). To cultivate oneself and gain others' trust is the path to De (virtue). Ensuring that all people are treated fairly and none lose their proper place is the transformation brought by the Dao.
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出君下臣，名曰命。施于竹帛，名曰令。奉而行之，名曰政。夫命失，则令不行，令不行，则政不立。政不立，则道不通。道不通，则邪臣胜，邪臣胜，则主威伤。 |
| | When a ruler issues commands to his ministers, it is called "ming" (command). liğinde When written on bamboo slips and silk cloth, it is called "ling" (edict). To carry it out in practice is called "zheng" (government or administration). When a command ("ming") is lost, the edict ("ling") cannot be carried out; when an edict cannot be carried out, governance ("zheng") cannot be established. When governance cannot be established, the Dao cannot be realized. When the Dao is not realized, wicked ministers prevail; when wicked ministers prevail, the ruler's authority is harmed.
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千里迎贤其路远，致不肖其路近。是以明君舍近而收远，故能全功尚人，而下尽力。 |
| | Going a thousand miles to welcome virtuous men means the path is long and distant; bringing unworthy people close means the path is short and near. Therefore, a wise ruler abandons the nearby (unworthy) and seeks those far away (virtuous), thus achieving complete success by honoring virtuous people, and subordinates will then exert their full efforts.
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废一善则众善衰，赏一恶则众恶扫。善者得其佑，恶者受其诛，则国安而众善至。众疑无定国，众惑无治民，疑定惑还，国乃可安。一令逆则百令失，一恶失则百恶结。故善施于顺民，恶加于凶，则令行而无怨。 |
| | To neglect one act of virtue causes all virtue to decline; to reward one act of wickedness causes all wickedness to flourish. When the virtuous receive their protection and the wicked suffer punishment, then the state will be at peace and all virtue will arrive. A country full of doubts cannot be stable; a people filled with confusion cannot be governed. When doubts are resolved and confusion is dispelled, the state can then find peace. When one order is defied, a hundred orders will fail; when one act of wickedness goes unpunished, a hundred evils will accumulate. Therefore, if virtue is bestowed upon the obedient people and punishment is applied to the wicked, then commands will be carried out without resentment.
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使怨治怨，是谓逆天。使雠治雠，其祸不救。治民使平，致平以清。则民得其所，而天下宁。 |
| | To use resentment to deal with resentment is called going against Heaven. To employ enemies to deal with enemies brings a calamity that cannot be saved. Govern the people by ensuring fairness, and achieve fairness through clarity. Then the people will find their proper place, and the world will be at peace.
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犯上者尊，贪鄙者富，虽有圣主，不能致其治。犯上者诛，贪鄙者拘，则化行而众恶消。 |
| | When those who defy superiors are honored and greedy and base individuals grow rich, even a sage ruler cannot bring about good governance. When those who defy their superiors are punished and the greedy and base are restrained, then moral influence will spread and all evils will vanish.
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清白之士，不可以爵禄得。节义之士，不可以威刑胁。故明君求贤，必观其所以而致焉。致清白之士，修其礼；致节义之士，修其道。然后士可致，而名可保。 |
| | A man of integrity cannot be won by titles or wealth. A man of righteousness and principle cannot be intimidated by threats or punishment. Therefore, a wise ruler who seeks virtuous men must examine the means through which they can be won over and then bring them forth accordingly. To win over a man of integrity, one must cultivate proper rites; To win over a man of righteousness and principle, one must cultivate the Dao. Only then can virtuous men be won over, and fame thus preserved.
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夫圣人君子，明盛衰之源，通成败之端，审治乱之机，知去就之节。 |
| | A sage or noble man understands the origins of prosperity and decline, comprehends the causes of success and failure, examines the turning points between order and chaos, and knows when to advance or retreat.
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虽穷不处亡国之位，虽贫不食乱邦之禄。潜名抱道者，时至而动，则极人臣之位。德合于己，则建殊绝之功。故其道高而名扬于后世。 |
| | Even in poverty, he will not hold office under a doomed state; even in destitution, he will not accept the salary of a corrupt country. He who conceals his name and upholds the Dao, when the time comes to act, will attain the highest position among ministers. When virtue aligns with oneself, one can accomplish extraordinary feats of merit. Therefore, his way is lofty and his name will be celebrated in later generations.
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圣王之用兵，非乐之也；将以诛暴讨乱也。夫以义诛不义，若决江河而溉爝火，临不测而挤欲坠，其克必矣。所以优游恬淡而不进者，重伤人物也。夫兵者，不祥之器，天道恶之，不得已而用之。是天道也。 |
| | A sage king's use of military force is not something he delights in; It is employed to punish the violent and quell disorder. To use righteousness to punish unrighteousness is like opening the great rivers to douse a small flame, or standing on an unfathomable precipice to push something already about to fall—victory is certain. Therefore, the reason for leisurely ease and tranquility without advancing is to avoid causing harm to people. Military force is an inauspicious instrument; Heaven abhors it, and it should be used only when absolutely necessary. This is the way of Heaven.
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夫人之在道，若鱼之在水，得水而生，失水而死，故君子常惧而不敢失道。 |
| | A person's existence in the Dao is like a fish in water: with water, it lives; without water, it dies. Therefore, a noble man always fears and dares not lose the Dao.
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豪杰秉职，国威乃弱，杀生在豪杰，国势乃竭。豪杰低首，国乃可久。杀生在君，国乃可安。四民用虚，国乃无储。四民用足，国乃安乐。 |
| | When heroes and capable men hold power, the state's authority becomes weak; when life and death rest in the hands of such individuals, the nation's strength is drained. Only when heroes and capable men bow their heads can a state endure for long. When the power of life and death rests with the ruler, then the nation may find peace. If the four classes of people (scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants) are led into emptiness and idleness, the state will have no reserves. When the four classes make proper use of their resources and are well-provided for, the nation will enjoy peace and happiness.
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贤臣内，则邪臣外。邪臣内，则贤臣毙。内外失宜，祸乱传世。 |
| | When virtuous ministers are within court, then wicked ministers remain outside. When wicked ministers are inside the court, virtuous ministers will perish. If internal and external affairs are improperly managed, calamity and disorder will be passed down through generations.
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大臣疑主，众奸集聚。臣当君尊，上下乃昏。君当臣处，上下失序。 |
| | When high ministers doubt the ruler, many villains gather together. When a minister holds the position of a ruler, the hierarchy above and below becomes confused. When a ruler takes the place of a subject, the order between superiors and inferiors is lost.
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伤贤者，殃及三世。蔽贤者，身受其害。嫉贤者，其名不全。进贤者，福流子孙。故君子急于进贤，而美名彰焉。 |
| | To harm virtuous men brings misfortune to three generations. He who conceals virtue will suffer its consequences himself. He who envies the virtuous cannot preserve his own reputation. He who promotes the virtuous will see blessings flow to his descendants. Therefore, a noble man eagerly seeks to promote the virtuous, and thus his good name becomes renowned.
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利一害百，民去城郭。利一害万，国乃思散。去一利百，人乃慕泽。去一利万，政乃不乱。 |
| | When one gains benefit at the expense of a hundred others, the people will abandon their cities and walls. When one benefits while harming ten thousand, the nation begins to think of disintegration. To sacrifice one for the benefit of a hundred brings people's admiration and gratitude. To sacrifice one for the good of ten thousand ensures that governance remains orderly.
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