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善不可谓小而无益，不善不可谓小而无伤，非以小善为一足以利天下，小不善为一足以乱国家也。当夫轻始而傲微，则其流必至于大乱也，是故子民者谨焉。 |
| | Goodness should not be considered trivial and thus without benefit, nor should wickedness be considered trivial and thus without harm. This is not because a small act of goodness alone can bring benefit to the world, or a small act of wickedness alone can cause chaos in the state. If one treats beginnings lightly and looks down upon small matters, then inevitably such conduct will lead to great disorder; therefore, those who govern the people must be cautious.
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彼人也，登高则望，临深则窥，人之性，非窥且望也，势使然也。夫事有逐奸，势有召祸。老蛏曰：“为之于未有，治之于未乱。”管仲曰：“备患于未形”，上也。语曰：“焰焰弗灭，炎炎柰何，萌芽不伐，且折斧柯。”智禁于微，次也。事之适乱，如地形之惑人也，机渐而往，俄而东西易面，人不自知也。故墨子见衢路而哭之，悲一跬而缪千里也。 |
| | That person, when ascending a height, looks out; when approaching a deep abyss, peers downward. Human nature is not inherently inclined to peering or gazing—it is the situation that causes it. Affairs may pursue corruption, and situations may invite disaster. Laozi said: "Act before the matter arises; govern before disorder occurs." Guan Zhong said: "To prepare for misfortune before it takes shape" is the best course of action. The saying goes: "If a small flame is not extinguished, how can one deal with the raging fire? If a sprout is not cut down when it first appears, soon an axe will be needed to chop its trunk." Exercising wisdom to prevent matters at their earliest stage comes second. When affairs turn toward disorder, it is like the terrain deceiving people; as opportunities gradually shift, suddenly east and west are reversed, yet people remain unaware of their own change. Therefore, Mozi wept upon seeing a crossroads, grieving over how one small misstep could lead to an error spanning a thousand li.
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昔者卫侯朝于周，周行问其名，曰：“卫侯辟强。”周行还之曰：“启强、辟强，天子之号也，诸侯弗得用。”卫侯更其名曰毁，然后受之。故善守上下之分者，虽空名弗使逾焉。 |
| | In the past, Duke Wei of the State of Wei paid homage to the Zhou court, and the Zhou official asked for his name. He replied: "Duke Wei Piqiang." The Zhou official returned the reply, saying: "Qiqiang and Pijiang are titles reserved for the Son of Heaven; feudal lords may not use them." Duke Wei then changed his name to Hui, and only after that was he accepted. Therefore, those who skillfully uphold the distinctions between ruler and subject will not allow even an empty title to be transgressed.
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古者周礼，天子葬用隧，诸侯县下。周襄王出逃伯斗，晋文公率师诛贼，定周国之乱，复襄王之位。于是襄王赏以南阳之地，文公辞南阳，即死得以隧下，襄王弗听，曰：“周国虽微，未之或代也。天子用隧，伯父用隧，是二天子也。以地为少，余请益之。”文公乃退。 |
| | In ancient times under Zhou rites, the Son of Heaven was buried with a tunnel passage, while feudal lords were buried beneath hanging structures below that standard. King Xiang of Zhou fled to Badou, and Duke Wen of Jin led his army to punish the rebels, quelling the disorder in the Zhou state and restoring King Xiang's position. Thus, King Xiang bestowed the land of Nanyang upon Duke Wen. However, Duke Wen declined Nanyang and requested instead to be buried with a tunnel passage even in death. King Xiang did not agree, saying: "Though the Zhou state is now weak, it has yet to be replaced by another." The Son of Heaven uses a tunnel passage for burial, and an elder brother uses one as well—that would make two Sons of Heaven. Because the land is insufficient, I shall request to add more to it." Duke Wen then withdrew.
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礼，天子之乐，宫县；诸侯之乐，轩县；大夫直县；士有琴瑟。叔孙于奚者，卫之大夫也。曲县者，卫君之乐体也。繁缨者，君之驾饰也。齐人攻卫，叔孙于奚率师逆之，大败齐师，卫于是赏以温。叔孙于奚辞温，而请曲县繁缨以朝，卫君许之。孔子闻之曰：“惜乎！不如多与之邑。夫乐者，所以载国；国者，所以载君。彼乐亡而礼从之，礼亡而政从之，政亡而国从之，国亡而君从之。惜乎！不如多予之邑。” |
| | According to rites, the music of the Son of Heaven is arranged in a full quadrangle (gongxuan); the music of feudal lords is arranged in three sides (xuanyue); the music of high officials is arranged in two sides (zhuxuan); commoners have only qin and se. Shu Sun Yuxi was a high official of the State of Wei. The xuanyue system is the musical standard of the ruler of Wei. Fanying ornaments are decorations for the ruler's carriage. The people of Qi attacked Wei, and Shu Sun Yuxi led his troops to meet them in battle, defeating the army of Qi decisively. As a result, the State of Wei rewarded him with Wen. Shu Sun Yuxi declined the reward of Wen and instead requested permission to use xuanyue music and fanying ornaments when attending court. The ruler of Wei granted his request. Confucius heard about this and said: "Too bad! It would have been better to grant him more fiefdoms. Music is what carries the state; The state is what supports the ruler. When music declines, rites follow; when rites decline, governance follows; when governance declines, the state follows; and when the state declines, the ruler follows. Too bad! It would have been better to give him more fiefdoms."
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宓子治亶父，于是齐人攻鲁，道亶父。始父老请曰：“麦已熟矣，今迫齐寇，民人出自艾傅郭者，归可以益食，且不资寇。”三请，宓子弗听，俄而麦毕资乎齐寇。季孙闻之，怒，使人让宓子曰：“岂不可哀哉！民乎，寒耕热耘，曾弗得食也。弗知犹可，闻或以告，而夫子弗听。”宓子蹴然曰：“今年无麦，明年可树，令不耕者得获，是乐有寇也。且一岁之麦，于鲁不加强，丧之不加弱。令民有自取之心，其创必数年不息。”季孙闻之，惭，曰：“使穴可入，吾岂忍见宓子哉！” |
| | Mi Zi governed Danfu, and at that time the people of Qi attacked Lu, passing through Danfu. The elders of Danfu requested: "The wheat has already ripened, but now we are threatened by the Qi invaders. If the people who have fled from Aifu Guo return home, they can contribute more food and also avoid providing supplies to the enemy." They made this request three times, but Mi Zi did not listen. Soon after, all the wheat was used up by the Qi invaders. Ji Sun heard about this and became angry, sending someone to reprimand Mi Zi, saying: "How pitiful it is! The people have labored in the cold plowing fields and in the heat weeding them, yet they never even get to eat their harvest. Not knowing this is still understandable; but having been informed by someone and yet you did not listen, Master." Mi Zi replied in alarm: "If there is no wheat this year, we can plant it again next year. But if those who do not till the land are allowed to reap the harvest, that would be encouraging bandits." Moreover, one year's wheat will not make Lu stronger, nor will its loss make it weaker. Allowing the people to take for themselves would create a wound that would not heal for many years." Ji Sun heard this and felt ashamed, saying: "If there were a cave I could crawl into, how could I bear to see Mi Zi!"
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故明者之感奸由也蚤，其除乱谋也远，故邪不前达。 |
| | Therefore, the wise detect the origins of corruption early and plan far ahead to eliminate disorder; thus, evil cannot advance.
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