Tsze-lu asked about government. Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs. Be not weary in these things. Chung-kung asked how to know men of virtue and talent. Raise those whom you know. As to those whom you do not know, will others neglect them. The ruler of Wei has been waiting. What will you consider the first thing to be done. What is necessary is to rectify names. So, indeed. You are wide of the mark. How uncultivated you are, Yu. A superior man, in regard to what he does not know, shows a cautious reserve. If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success. When affairs cannot be carried on to success, proprieties and music will not flourish. When they do not flourish, punishments will not be properly awarded. When punishments are not properly awarded, the people do not know how to move hand or foot. Fan Ch'ih requested to be taught husbandry, then gardening. I am not so good for that as an old husbandman. I am not so good for that as an old gardener. If a superior love propriety, the people will not dare not to be reverent. The people from all quarters will come bearing their children on their backs. What need has he of a knowledge of husbandry. Though a man may be able to recite the three hundred odes, yet if, when entrusted with a governmental charge, he knows not how to act, of what practical use is it.
When a prince's personal conduct is correct, his government is effective without the issuing of orders. If his personal conduct is not correct, he may issue orders, but they will not be followed. How numerous are the people. Enrich them. And when they have been enriched, what more shall be done. Teach them. If there were any of the princes who would employ me, in twelve months I should have done something considerable. In three years the government would be perfected. If a minister make his own conduct correct, what difficulty will he have in assisting in government. If he cannot rectify himself, what has he to do with rectifying others. Zan returning late from court said they had government business. It must have been family affairs. If there had been government business, though I am not now in office, I should have been consulted about it. Duke Ting asked whether there was a single sentence which could make a country prosperous. There is a saying: to be a prince is difficult, to be a minister is not easy. If a ruler knows the difficulty of being a prince, may there not be expected from this one sentence the prosperity of his country. Is there a single sentence which can ruin a country. I have no pleasure in being a prince, but only in that no one can offer any opposition to what I say. If a ruler's words are not good, and no one opposes them, may there not be expected from this one sentence the ruin of his country.
Good government obtains when those who are near are made happy, and those who are far off are attracted. Do not be desirous to have things done quickly. Do not look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly. The Duke of Sheh said that among them those who may be styled upright will bear witness if their father have stolen a sheep. Among us, those who are upright are different. The father conceals the misconduct of the son, and the son conceals the misconduct of the father. Uprightness is to be found in this. He who in his conduct of himself maintains a sense of shame, and when sent to any quarter will not disgrace his prince's commission, deserves to be called an officer. Those of the present day who engage in government are so many pecks and hampers, not worth being taken into account. What do you say of a man who is loved by all the people of his neighbourhood. We may not for that accord our approval of him. And of him who is hated by all. We may not for that conclude that he is bad. It is better that the good love him, and the bad hate him. The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please. In his employment of men, he uses them according to their capacity. The mean man is difficult to serve and easy to please, and wishes them to be equal to everything. Let a good man teach the people seven years, and they may then likewise be employed in war. To lead an uninstructed people to war, is to throw them away.
Coming Up in Chapter 14
Hsien asked what was shameful. When good government prevails in a state, to be thinking only of salary, and when bad government prevails, to be thinking only of salary: this is shameful. The scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.
