CHAP. I. 1. Yao said, 'Oh! you, Shun, the Heaven-determined
order of succession now rests in your person. Sincerely hold fast the
due Mean. If there shall be distress and want within the four seas,
the Heavenly revenue will come to a perpetual end.'
2. Shun also used the same language in giving charge to Yu.
3. T'ang said, 'I the child Li, presume to use a dark-coloured
victim, and presume to announce to Thee, O most great and
sovereign God, that the sinner I dare not pardon, and thy ministers,
O God, I do not keep in obscurity. The examination of them is by
thy mind, O God. If, in my person, I commit offences, they are not to
be attributed to you, the people of the myriad regions. If you in the
myriad regions commit offences, these offences must rest on my
person.'
4. Chau conferred great gifts, and the good were enriched.
5. 'Although he has his near relatives, they are not equal to
my virtuous men. The people are throwing blame upon me, the One
man.'
6. He carefully attended to the weights and measures,
examined the body of the laws, restored the discarded officers, and
the good government of the kingdom took its course.
7. He revived States that had been extinguished, restored
families whose line of succession had been broken, and called to
office those who had retired into obscurity, so that throughout the
kingdom the hearts of the people turned towards him.
8. What he attached chief importance to, were the food of the
people, the duties of mourning, and sacrifices.
9. By his generosity, he won all. By his sincerity, he made the
people repose trust in him. By his earnest activity, his
achievements were great. By his justice, all were delighted.
CHAP. II. 1. Tsze-chang asked Confucius, saying, 'In what way
should a person in authority act in order that he may conduct
government properly?' The Master replied, 'Let him honour the five
excellent, and banish away the four bad, things;-- then may he
conduct government properly.' Tsze-chang said, 'What are meant by
the five excellent things?' The Master said, 'When the person in
authority is beneficent without great expenditure; when he lays
tasks on the people without their repining; when he pursues what
he desires without being covetous; when he maintains a dignified
ease without being proud; when he is majestic without being fierce.'
2. Tsze-chang said, 'What is meant by being beneficent
without great expenditure?' The Master replied, 'When the person
in authority makes more beneficial to the people the things from
which
they naturally derive benefit;-- is not this being beneficent without
great expenditure? When he chooses the labours which are proper,
and makes them labour on them, who will repine? When his desires
are set on benevolent government, and he secures it, who will
accuse him of covetousness? Whether he has to do with many
people or few, or with things great or small, he does not dare to
indicate any disrespect;-- is not this to maintain a dignified ease
without any pride? He adjusts his clothes and cap, and throws a
dignity into his looks, so that, thus dignified, he is looked at with
awe;-- is not this to be majestic without being fierce?'
3. Tsze-chang then asked, 'What are meant by the four bad
things?' The Master said, 'To put the people to death without having
instructed them;-- this is called cruelty. To require from them,
suddenly, the full tale of work, without having given them
warning;-- this is called oppression. To issue orders as if without
urgency, at first, and, when the time comes, to insist on them with
severity;-- this is called injury. And, generally, in the giving pay
or rewards to men, to do it in a stingy way;-- this is called acting
the part of a mere official.'
CHAP III. 1. The Master said, 'Without recognising the
ordinances of Heaven, it is impossible to be a superior man.
2. 'Without an acquaintance with the rules of Propriety, it is
impossible for the character to be established.
3. 'Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to
know men.'