| | 大論: |
大夫曰：「呻吟槁簡，誦死人之語，則有司不以文學。文學知獄之在廷後而不知其事，聞其事而不知其務。夫治民者，若大匠之斲，斧斤而行之，中繩則止。杜大夫、王中尉之等，繩之以法，斷之以刑，然後寇止姦禁。故射者因槷，治者因法。虞、夏以文，殷、周以武，異時各有所施。今欲以敦朴之時，治抏弊之民，是猶遷延而拯溺，揖讓而救火也。」 |
| | The official said: "Muttering through dry bamboo slips and reciting the words of dead men, then the officials do not regard it as literary merit." Those versed in literature know that prisons exist behind the court but do not understand their affairs; they may hear of these affairs but do not comprehend their responsibilities. Those who govern the people are like a master craftsman wielding an axe, striking and proceeding as they go; when their actions conform to the standard line, they stop. Dù Dàfū, Wáng Zhōngwèi and others applied the law as a standard, decided cases through punishment, and only then did bandits cease their activities and evildoers refrain from wrongdoing. Therefore, archers rely on the arrow rest, and rulers rely on law. Yu and Xia ruled with culture, Yin and Zhou with military might; different eras applied their respective methods accordingly. Now, wishing to govern a corrupt and degenerate people with an era of simplicity and sincerity is like delaying action while trying to rescue someone drowning or bowing politely while attempting to put out a fire."
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| | 大論: |
文學曰：「文王興而民好善，幽、厲興而民好暴，非性之殊，風俗使然也。故商、周之所以昌，桀、紂之所以亡也，湯、武非得伯夷之民以治，桀、紂非得蹠、蹻之民以亂也，故治亂不在於民。孔子曰：『聽訟吾猶人也，必也使無訟乎！』無訟者難，訟而聽之易。夫不治其本而事其末，古之所謂愚，今之所謂智。以箠楚正亂，以刀筆正文，古之所謂賊，今之所謂賢也。」 |
| | The scholar said: "When King Wen rose to power, the people loved virtue; when Kings You and Li arose, the people favored violence. This is not a difference in nature but a result of prevailing customs." Therefore, the prosperity of Shang and Zhou dynasties, and the downfall of Jie and Zhou, were not because Tang and Wu governed with a people like Boyi or Jie and Zhou ruled over a populace like Zhidi and Qiao. Thus, order or chaos does not lie in the people themselves. Confucius said: "In hearing lawsuits I am like others; but what is essential is to make sure there are no lawsuits at all!" Preventing lawsuits is difficult, but resolving them after they arise is easy. To neglect the root and attend only to the branches was what ancient times called foolishness, yet it is considered wisdom today. To correct disorder with whips and canes, to rectify writing with knives and brushes—this was what the ancients called banditry, yet it is regarded as virtue today."
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| | 大論: |
大夫曰：「俗非唐、虞之時，而世非許由之民，而欲廢法以治，是猶不用隱括斧斤，欲撓曲直枉也。故為治者不待自善之民，為輪者不待自曲之木。往者，應少、伯正之屬潰梁、楚，昆盧、徐穀之徒亂齊、趙，山東、關內暴徒，保人阻險。當此之時，不任斤斧，折之以武，而乃始設禮修文，有似窮毉，欲以短鍼而攻疽，孔丘以禮說跖也。」 |
| | The official said: "Customs are not those of the Tang and Yu eras, nor is society composed of people like Xu You. To wish to govern without law is like refusing to use a carpenter's square or an axe yet wanting to straighten crooked wood." Therefore, those who govern do not rely on people who are already virtuous by nature; just as a wheelwright does not depend on wood that is naturally curved. In the past, those like Ying Shao and Bo Zheng broke through Liang and Chu; Kun Lu and Xu Gu and their followers caused chaos in Qi and Zhao. In the eastern regions of the mountains and within the Guan region, violent outlaws took refuge in strongholds, using natural barriers for defense. At that time, if one did not employ axes and hammers or suppress them with military force, but instead began to establish rites and cultivate culture, it would be like a poor physician attempting to treat an abscess with a short needle—just as Confucius used propriety to persuade Zhidi."
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| | 大論: |
文學曰：「殘材木以成室屋者，非良匠也。殘賊民人而欲治者，非良吏也。故公輸子因木之宜，聖人不費民之性。是以斧斤簡用，刑罰不任，政立而化成。扁鵲攻於湊理，絕邪氣，故癰疽不得成形。聖人從事於未然，故亂原無由生。是以砭石藏而不施，法令設而不用。斷已然，鑿已發者，凡人也。治未形，睹未萌者，君子也。」 |
| | The scholar said: "A craftsman who destroys timber in order to build a house is not a good artisan. One who harms the people and yet desires order is not a capable official." Therefore, Gongshu Zi worked in accordance with the nature of wood; sage rulers did not squander the innate dispositions of the people. Thus, axes and hammers were used sparingly, punishments were not imposed arbitrarily, and governance was established while transformation naturally occurred. Bian Que attacked the meridians and eliminated evil qi, so that boils and abscesses could not take form. Sage rulers act before problems arise; thus, the roots of disorder have no opportunity to emerge. Therefore, sharpened stones for acupuncture were stored away and not used, and laws and decrees were established but never enforced. To cut after the fact has occurred or to dig once a problem has erupted—this is merely what ordinary people do. To govern before problems take shape and to foresee dangers before they sprout—that is the conduct of a true gentleman."
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| | 大論: |
大夫曰：「文學所稱聖知者，孔子也，治魯不遂，見逐於齊，不用於衛，遇圍於匡，困於陳、蔡。夫知時不用猶說，強也；知困而不能已，貪也；不知見欺而往，愚也；困辱不能死，恥也。若此四者，庸民之所不為也，而況君子乎！商君以景監見，應侯以王稽進。故士因士，女因媒。至其親顯，非媒士之力。孔子不以因進見而能往者，非賢士才女也。」 |
| | The official said: "The sage and wise figure praised by the scholar is Confucius. When he governed Lu, his reforms did not succeed; he was driven out of Qi, not employed in Wei, surrounded in Kuang, and trapped in Chen and Cai. To understand the times yet remain unused is still to speak out—this requires strength; To know hardship and yet be unable to stop is greed; To go forward without knowing one will be deceived is foolishness; To endure hardship and humiliation yet not die for them is a disgrace. If these four things are actions that ordinary people would not take, how much less should they be done by gentlemen! Shang Jun was recommended through Jing Jian; Ying Hou was promoted through Wang Ji. Therefore, men rely on other men to make connections, and women depend on matchmakers. When one's relatives or prominent figures are involved, it is not due to the efforts of a matchmaker or an intermediary. Confucius did not recommend those who gained audiences through intermediaries yet were able to proceed—such individuals are neither virtuous men nor talented women."
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| | 大論: |
文學曰：「孔子生於亂世，思堯、舜之道，東西南北，灼頭濡足，庶幾世主之悟。悠悠者皆是，君闇，大夫妒，孰合有媒？是以嫫母飾姿而矜夸，西子彷徨而無家。非不知窮厄而不見用，悼痛天下之禍，猶慈母之伏死子也，知其不可如何，然惡已。故適齊，景公欺之，適衛，靈公圍，陽虎謗之，桓魋害之。夫欺害聖人者，愚惑也；傷毀聖人者，狂狡也。狡惑之人，非人也。夫何恥之有！孟子曰：『觀近臣者以所為主，觀遠臣者以其所主。』使聖人偽容苟合，不論行擇友，則何以為孔子也！」 |
| | The scholar said: "Confucius was born in a time of chaos, yet he pondered the way of Yao and Shun. He traveled east, west, south, and north, enduring burning heads and wet feet, hoping that rulers of his age might finally awaken to wisdom." Such people are everywhere; the ruler is blind, ministers jealous—who would serve as a matchmaker? Therefore, Momu adorned herself and boasted proudly, while Xi Shi wandered aimlessly without a home. It is not that they do not know the hardship and misfortune of being unrecognized, but rather out of sorrow for the calamities of the world—like a loving mother weeping over her dead child. Though aware it cannot be changed, still one cannot bear to see it. Thus, when he went to Qi, Duke Jing deceived him; when he arrived in Wei, Duke Ling surrounded him. Yang Hu slandered him, and Huan Tui plotted against his life. Those who deceive or harm a sage are foolish and deluded; Those who injure or defame a sage are mad and cunning. Deceitful and deluded people are not truly human. What disgrace is there in that! Mencius said: "To observe a nearby minister, look at the ruler he serves; to observe a distant minister, examine his principles and convictions." If sages were to feign compliance and make hasty compromises, without considering conduct or choosing friends carefully, then how could one call him Confucius!"
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| | 大論: |
大夫撫然內慚，四據而不言。 |
| | The official was visibly shamed, hesitated four times, and said nothing.
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| | 大論: |
當此之時，順風承意之士如編，口張而不歙，舌舉而不下，闇然而懷重負而見責。 |
| | At this time, sycophants who flattered and followed the wind like reeds kept their mouths open without closing them, raised their tongues without lowering them, silently bearing a heavy burden of guilt.
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| | 大論: |
大夫曰：「諾，膠車倏逢雨，請與諸生解。」 |
| | The official said: "Yes, it is like a cart with glued wheels suddenly encountering rain; I shall now explain the matter to you scholars."
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