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哀公問政 20. The Duke of Ai asked about government. 子曰文武之政布在方策其人存則其政擧其人亡則其政息 Confucius said: "The records of the governments of Wen and Wu are on the ancient tablets. When they had the right people, the government functioned, and when they didn't have the right people, government failed. 人道敏政地道敏樹夫政也者蒲盧也 When people are right, the government flourishes; when the ground is right, plants flourish; the governments of Wen and Wu flourished like fast-growing weeds." 故爲政在人取人以身修身以道修道以仁 Therefore, the skillful handling of government is contingent upon having the right people. You attract the right people by your own character. You cultivate your character through the Tao and you manifest the Tao by means of jen. 仁者人也親親爲大義者宜也尊賢爲大親親之殺尊賢之等禮所生也 Jen is "humanity"[2] and its most obvious function is in love for relatives. "Justice" means "setting things right" and its most obvious function is in venerating the Good. The differing levels in loving relatives and venerating the good are expressed through propriety. 在下位不獲乎上民不可得而治矣 Thus, if your rank is low, and you do not have the support of those in power, you cannot hope to have an influence on government. 故君子不可以不修身思修身不可以不事親思事親不可以不知人思知人不可以不知天 Therefore the Superior man cannot but cultivate his character. Wanting to cultivate his character, he cannot do it without serving his parents. Wanting to serve his parents, he cannot do it without understanding others. Wanting to understand others, he cannot do it without understanding Heaven. 天下之達道五所以行之者三曰君臣也父子也夫婦也昆弟也朋友之交也五者天下之達道也知仁勇三者天下之達德也所以行之者一也 There are five pervasive (ta) relationships in this world, which are carried out in 3 ways. The relationships are those between ruler and minister, father and son, husband and wife, older brother and younger brother, and between friends. The three ways of practice are wisdom, jen and courage, but they are practiced in unison. 或生而知之或學而知之或困而知之及其知之一也或安而行之或利而行之或勉强而行之及其成功一也 Some are born knowing it; some know it by learning and some have to struggle to know it. Nonetheless, the knowledge is the same. Some practice it by being comfortable within it; some practice it by benefitting from it; and some have to struggle to practice it. But when the practice is perfected, it is the same." 子曰好學近乎知力行近乎仁知恥近乎勇 Confucius said: "Loving study, you approach wisdom; loving energetic practice, you approach jen. Understanding shame, you approach courage. 知斯三者則知所以修身知所以修身則知所以治人知所以治人則知所以治天下國家矣 If you understand these three, you know how to polish your character; knowing how to polish your character, you know how to handle others; knowing how to handle others, you know how to govern a state or clan." 凡爲天下國家有九經曰修身也尊賢也親親也敬大臣也體群臣也子庶民也來百工也柔遠人也懷諸候也 In general, in the handling of the realm, a state or a clan, there are nine basic patterns of treatment. These are: polishing your own character; venerating the Good; caring for your relatives; respecting the high ministers; making the lower ministers feel like they have a significant role; treating the common people as your children; making the artisans feel welcome; treating foreign guests gently and embracing the nobles. 修身則道立尊賢則不惑親親則諸父昆弟不怨敬大臣則不眩體群臣則士之報禮重子庶民則百姓勸來百工則財用足柔遠人則四方歸之懷諸侯則天下畏之 Polishing your character, you set up your own Tao. Venerating the Good, you are not deluded. Caring for your relatives, then your fathers, elder and younger brothers will not resent you. Respecting the high ministers, you will not make foolish mistakes. Making the lower ministers feel like they are part of it, they will regard propriety with seriousness. Treating the common people as your children, they will work hard. Making the artisans feel welcome, there will be plenty of commerce. Being gentle to guests from afar, people will flock to you from all directions. If you embrace the nobility, the people will have a healthy fear of them. 齊明盛服非禮不動所以修身也去讒遠色賤貨而貴德所以勸賢也尊其位重其祿同其好惡所以勸親親也官盛任使所以勸大臣也忠信重祿所以勸士也時使薄斂所以勸百姓也日省月試 餼禀稱事所以勸百工也送往迎來嘉善而矜不能所以柔遠人也繼絶世擧廢國治亂持危朝聘以時厚往而薄來所以懷諸侯也 Fasting in ceremonial dress, not acting against the norms of propriety; this is how you polish your character. Letting go of slander, freeing yourself from lust, disregarding wealth and prizing virtue: This is how you promote goodness. Respecting their rank, paying them well, going along with their likes and dislikes: this is the way to take care of your relatives. Giving them enough officers to dole out their responsibilities: this is the way to encourage the high ministers. To reward well trustworthiness and loyalty: this is the way to encourage the lower officers. Employing the people around their own farming schedules and taxing them lightly: this is the way to encourage the people. Daily and monthly examining their works and giving merit where due: this is the way to encourage the artisans. Sending out envoys to meet foreign visitors and bestowing kindness and pity on the handicapped: this is the way to be gentle to visitors from afar. To renew their broken lineages, restore their vanquished states, quell their rebellions and protect them from danger; giving them rich presents and expecting little in return: this is how you embrace the nobles. 凡爲天下國家有九經所以行之者一也 While altogether there are this nine patterns of treatment, there is a single way to carry out all of them. 凡事豫則立不豫則廢言前定則不跲 事前定則不困行前定則不疚 道前定則不窮 In all affairs, if you plan ahead you can be successful, and if you don't plan ahead, you will fail. If you are prepared before you speak, you won't be tongue-tied. If you are prepared before you begin a job, you won't have complications. If you are prepared before you act, you won't have to be sorry. If you are prepared before teaching, you won't run out of material. 在下位不獲乎上民不可得而治矣 Again, if you are in a position of low rank, and you have no influence above, you will have no way of governing people. 獲乎上有道不信乎朋友不獲乎上矣 Even though there is a way of influencing superiors, if your friends don't trust you, you won't be able to influence superiors. 信乎朋友有道不順乎親不信乎朋友矣 Even though there is a way of gaining the trust of your friends, if you have discord with your relatives, you will not be trusted by your friends. 順乎親有道反諸身不誠不順乎親矣 Even though there is a way of having harmony with your relatives, if your character is not sincere, you will have discord with your relatives. 誠身有道不明乎善不誠乎身矣 Even though there is a way to make your character sincere, if you have not awakened to your goodness, you will not be able to make your character sincere. 誠者天之道也誠之者人之道也誠者不勉而中不思而得從容中道聖人也 Sincerity is the Way of Heaven. Making oneself sincere is the Way of Man. If you can be perfectly sincere without effort, without a mindfulness to its attainment, and walk embracing the Middle Way, you are a sage. 誠之者擇善而固執之者也 If you are working at making yourself sincere, you must find your goodness and hold fast to it. 博學之審問之愼思之明辨之篤行之 You must study it broadly, investigate it in detail, deliberate on it carefully, discern it clearly and practice it universally. 有弗學學之弗能弗措也有弗問問之弗知弗措也有弗思思之弗得弗措也有弗辨辨之弗明弗措也有弗行行之弗篤弗措也 Where there is a lack in your understanding, or your study has not yet reached the point where it is effective, don't just leave it. When there is something you have investigated, or investigated but not understood, don't just leave it. When there is something that you have not yet discerned, or discerned but not yet clarified, don't just leave it. When there is something you have not yet practiced, or have practiced, but not yet universally, don't just leave it. 人一能之己百之人十能之己千之 If someone else gets it in one try, I will try one hundred times. If someone else gets it in ten tries, I will try one thousand times. 果能此道矣雖愚必明雖柔必强 If you are able to follow this Way, then even if you are stupid, you will become enlightened. Even if you are weak, you will become strong.   自誠明謂之性自明誠謂之敎誠則明矣明則誠矣 21. The enlightenment that comes from sincerity is our own nature. The sincerity that comes from enlightenment is called "education." If you are sincere you will be enlightened. If you are enlightened, you will be sincere.   唯天下至誠爲能盡其性能盡其性則能盡人之性能盡人之性則能盡物之性能盡物之性則可以贊天地之化育可以贊天地之化育則可以與天地參矣 22. Only the perfectly sincere person can actualize his own essence. Actualizing his own essence, he can fully actualize the essence of others. Fully actualizing the essence of others, he can fully actualize the essence of all things. Being able to fully actualize the essence of all things, he can assist Heaven and Earth in their transformation and sustenance. Able to assist in Heaven and Earth's transformation and sustenance, he forms a trinity with Heaven and Earth.   其次致曲曲能有誠誠則形形則著著則明明則動動則變變則化唯天下至誠爲能化 23. Those of the next level straighten out their own twistedness. Being straightened they can possess sincerity. Having sincerity, they can give form to their character. Their character having form, their sincerity becomes manifest. Being manifest it is luminous, being luminous it can function. Functioning, it changes; changing, it transforms. Only the most fully actualized sincerity is able to transform people and things.   至誠之道可以前知國家將興必有禎祥國家將亡必有妖孼見乎蓍龜動乎四體禍福將至善必先知之不善必先知之故至誠如神 24. Once you are in the Path of fully actualized sincerity, you have foreknowledge of things. When a nation or clan is about to rise up, there are always omens of their fortune. When a nation or clan is about to fall, there are always omens of their misfortune. It can be seen in the milfoil stalks,[3] tortoise shells[4] and in the movements of the body. When good or evil fortune is imminent, the perfectly sincere person will know without obstruction. With fully actualized sincerity, you are like a god.   誠者自成也而道自道也 25. Sincerity is just 'perfecting' and the Tao is just 'following.' 誠者物之終始不誠無物是故君子誠之爲貴 Sincerity is the beginning and end of all things. Without sincerity there is nothing. Thus the Superior Man values the process of "becoming-sincere." 誠者非自成己而已也所以成物也成己仁也成物知也性之德也合內外之道也故時措之宜也 But sincerity is not "just-perfecting"; it also means "perfecting all things." To perfect yourself, you need jen. To perfect others, you need wisdom. The virtue of our nature is that it is none other than the Tao by which inner and outer are merged. Thus we can always use it to set things right.  故至誠無息 26. Therefore, fully actualized sincerity is ceaseless. 不息則久久則徵 Ceaseless, it is eternal. Eternal, it is apparent. 徵則悠遠悠遠則博厚博厚則高明 Apparent, it is far-reaching. Far-reaching, it is vast and deep. Vast and deep, it is high and bright. 博厚所以載物也高明所以覆物也悠久所以成物也 Since it is vast and deep, it can support all things. Since it is high and bright, it can cover all things. Since it is far-reaching and long-lasting, it can accomplish all things.   博厚配地高明配天悠久無疆 Vastness and depth refer to the Earth. Highness and brightness refer to Heaven. Far-reaching and long-lasting refer to limitlessness. 如此者不見而章不動而變無爲而成 In this way, it is manifest without being seen, it changes without moving, and accomplishes without effort. The Tao of Heaven and Earth can be perfectly expressed in a single phrase: "Its appearance as things is not repeated; therefore its production of things is unfathomable(or 'bottomless')." 天地之道可一言而盡也其爲物不貳則其生物不測 The Tao of Heaven and Earth is vast and deep, high and bright, far-reaching and long-lasting. 天地之道博也厚也高也明也悠也久也 Now, Heaven is made of many single lights. But they are infinite; the sun, moon and stars are all suspended in it, and it covers the myriad things. 今夫天斯昭昭之多及其無窮也日月星辰繫焉萬物覆焉今夫地一撮土之多及其廣厚載華嶽而不重振河海而不洩萬物載焉 The Earth is but a collection of numerous handfuls of dirt. But it is vast and deep. It supports Mt. Hua and Mt. Yueh without feeling their weight; it contains the seas and rivers without spilling a drop. It supports all things. 今夫山一券石之多及其廣大草木生之禽獸居之寶藏興焉 The mountains are made of many small stones. But they become high and broad. Plants and trees grow on them, the birds and beasts live on them, and rare gems are stored within them. 今夫水一勺之多及其不測 黿鼉蛟龍魚鼈生焉貨財殖焉 The waters are mere collections of many teaspoons. But their depth is unfathomable. Tortoises, alligators, dragons, fish and turtles live there, and all sorts of gems grow there. 詩云維天之命於穆不已蓋曰天之所以爲天也於乎不顯文王之德之純蓋曰文王之所以爲文也純亦不已 The Book of Odes says: The Mandate of the Heavenly Principle Has no end to its depth. This is why we call Heaven, "Heaven." It also says: Was it not apparent, The purity of King Wen's virtue? This is how Wen made his own character--unceasing in purity.