Book 20 堯曰篇第二十

20.1 Yao said: "Oh, you Shun! The succession of Heaven's seasons rests on your person. Truly hold to the middle. If the four seas fall into distress and want, the gift of Heaven will end forever." Shun likewise commanded Yu in these words. He said: "I, the little one, Lü, venture to use a black ox and dare to make clear announcement to the great and sovereign Lord: offenses I dare not pardon. The Lord's servants I do not conceal; the choice is in the Lord's heart. If I myself am guilty, do not visit it on the ten thousand regions; if the ten thousand regions are guilty, let the guilt rest on my person." "Zhou had a great bestowal, and the good were made rich. Though there be near kinsmen of Zhou, they are not equal to humane men. If the hundred clans commit offenses, the guilt rests on me alone." He weighed the measures, examined the laws, restored offices that had fallen into disuse, and the government of the four quarters went forward. He revived states that had been destroyed, restored lines that had been cut off, raised up men who had withdrawn from the world, and the hearts of the people under Heaven turned to him. What he valued: the people, food, mourning, sacrifice. Being generous, he won the multitude; being trustworthy, the people relied on him; being diligent, he achieved much; being just, men rejoiced.

20.2 Zizhang asked the Master: "How must a man be before he can take part in government?" The Master said: "If he honors the five beauties and puts away the four evils, then he can take part in government." Zizhang said: "What are the five beauties?" The Master said: "The noble man is generous without expense; he toils men without their resentment; he desires without greed; he is at ease without pride; he is majestic without fierceness." Zizhang said: "What is meant by generous without expense?" The Master said: "To benefit the people by what benefits them — is that not generosity without expense? To choose where they may rightly be toiled and set them to it — who will resent it? To desire humaneness and attain humaneness — how is that greed? The noble man, whether the multitude be many or few, small or great, dares not slight them — is that not being at ease without pride? The noble man sets his robe and cap straight and makes his gaze reverent; gravely he is looked on and men fear him — is that not being majestic without fierceness?" Zizhang said: "What are the four evils?" The Master said: "To put to death without teaching is called cruelty; to demand results without warning is called tyranny; to give careless orders and then enforce a deadline is called robbery; and in giving to others, to grudge the reckoning of what goes out and comes in — that is called being a mere steward."

20.3 The Master said: "Without knowing the command of Heaven, one cannot be a noble man; without knowing ritual, one cannot take one's stand; without knowing the force of words, one cannot know men."

20.1 Yao said: "Oh, you Shun! Heaven's succession now rests on you. Hold faithfully to the middle. If the four seas fall into poverty and distress, Heaven's favor ends forever." Shun passed the same charge on to Yu. Tang said: "I, the little one, Lü, dare to use a black ox and openly announce to the great and august Lord above: I dare not pardon the guilty. The Lord's servants I do not hide; the Lord's own heart chooses. If I am guilty, don't punish the ten thousand peoples for it; if the ten thousand peoples are guilty, let the guilt be on me alone." "Zhou gave out great gifts and made good men rich. Even a close relative of Zhou is not worth as much as a good man. If the people do wrong, the fault is mine alone." He standardized the weights and measures, examined the laws and rules, restored government offices that had lapsed, and the government of the four quarters went forward. He raised up fallen states, restored broken family lines, brought forward men who had walked away from the world, and the hearts of all the people turned to him. What he valued most: the people, food, mourning, and sacrifice. Being generous, he won the crowd; being honest, the people trusted him; being energetic, he got things done; being fair, everyone was pleased.

20.2 Zizhang asked Confucius, "How should a person be to take part in government?" The Master said, "If he honors the five good things and does away with the four bad things, he can take part in government." Zizhang said, "What are the five good things?" The Master said: "To be generous without wasting money, to put people to work without making them resent it, to want things without being greedy, to be at ease without being arrogant, to be impressive without being fierce." Zizhang said, "What does generous without wasting money mean?" The Master said: "Give people benefits by benefiting what they already need — isn't that generosity without waste? Pick work people can reasonably do and put them to it — who will resent it? Want goodness and get goodness — where's the greed? A good man, whether the crowd is big or small, high or low, never slights them — isn't that being at ease without arrogance? A good man straightens his clothes and cap and keeps his gaze serious, so people look at him with respect — isn't that being impressive without being fierce?" Zizhang said, "What are the four bad things?" The Master said: "Killing people without teaching them first is cruelty. Demanding results without warning them is bullying. Issuing careless orders and then cracking down on the deadline is robbery. And when you're giving something to someone, haggling over every little bit that goes out — that's being a petty clerk."

20.3 Confucius said: "If you don't know Heaven's command, you can't be a good man. If you don't know ritual, you can't take your stand. If you don't understand what people say, you can't understand people."