《论语》Confucian Analects (20)尧曰第二十
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."
Shun also used the same language in giving charge to Yu.
T'ang said, "I the child li, presume to use a dark-colored 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 offenses, they are not to be attributed to you, the people of the myriad regions. If you in the myriad regions commit offenses, these offenses must rest on my person."
Chau conferred great gifts, and the good were enriched.
"Although he has his near relatives, they are not equal to my virtuous men. The people are throwing blame upon me, the one man."
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.
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.
What he attached chief importance to was the food of the people, the duties of mourning, and sacrifices.
尧(让位给舜时)说:“啧!你这个舜呀!按照天命安排的帝位次序已经落到你的身上了,你要真诚地奉行中和之道啊。如果天下的人都陷入穷困的境地,上天赐给你的禄位也就完结了。”舜(让位给禹的时候)也这样告诫禹。商汤说:“我冒昧地用黑色的公牛来祭祀,明白地向光明伟大的天帝祷告:有罪的人我不敢擅自赦免。您臣仆的善恶我不敢隐瞒,请上帝予以明察。我本人如果有罪,不要因此牵连百姓;老百姓有罪,要归我一人承担责任。”周朝赏赐分封诸侯,让为善的人都富贵。(周武王说:)“即使是同姓至亲,也不如有仁德的人。百姓有过错,在我一人身上。”(孔子说:)谨慎地规范度量衡,恢复废弃的官职,政令就可以畅通了。复兴灭亡了的国家,接续断绝了的世袭贵族世家,启用被废黜的、遁世的有才德的人,天下的老百姓就会心悦诚服。执政者要重视的是:民生、粮食、丧葬、祭祀之礼。执政者宽厚就能到到老百姓的拥护,诚恳守信就会得到人民的信任,勤勉就会取得成功,公平公正老百姓就会心悦诚服。
【解读】人的成长要走正道,社会的发展也是如此。任何发展都是在前代的基础上损益的结果,完全否认传统,谈不上真正的发展。
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 honor 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."
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 labors which are proper, and makes them labor 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?"
孔子说:“不事先教育便杀戮,就是暴虐;不事先通知,而突然要求完成,就是残暴;命令下达很晚,却要求如期完成,就叫贼害;同样要给与人的东西,在拿出来的时候又很吝啬,这就是酷吏的作风。”
【解读】君亲师三者集于一身,才是好领导。“不教而杀”、“不戒视成”,是虐者,是暴者,谓之无师教之德。“慢令致期”,是贼害,谓无君王之风。黄侃《论语义疏》中说“欲仁义者为廉,欲财色者为贪。”“为政之道必先施教,教若不从,然后乃杀,若不先行教而即用杀,则是酷虐之君也。”
The master said, "Without recognizing the ordinances of heaven, it is impossible to be a superior man.
"Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established.
孔子说:“不懂得天命不可违,就不能成为君子;不懂得礼义法度,就不能立足于社会;不理解他人说的话,就不能真正了解这个人。”
【解读】《为政第二》篇孔子说:“吾十又五而志于学,三十而立,四十而不惑,五十而知天命,六十而耳顺,七十二从心所欲,不逾矩。”至此,我们才会明白,成为君子是需要长期修养磨练的。不学习礼制、礼节不但没有独立的精神与天地来往,更难以立身、立世。
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《论语》Confucian Analects (17)阳货第十七
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