2. The Tao of the Sovereign[4]
: Organizing the Wise[5]
As one man in physical strength can not rival a multitude
of people and in wisdom can not comprehend everything,
using one man's strength and wisdom can not be compared
with using the strength and wisdom of the whole state.
Therefore, who with his own strength and wisdom defies
people, will be overcome in all things. If he by chance hits
the object, he will have already over-worked himself; if he
misses the object, he will be held responsible
[6]
for the
mistake.
The inferior ruler exerts his own ability; the average ruler
exerts people's physical strength; and the superior ruler
exerts people's wisdom. For this reason, in case of emergency
he gathers the wise men, listens to each one, and calls a
conference. If he does not listen to each one, consequent
results will be contrary to antecedent words. If consequent
results are contrary to antecedent words, there will be no
distinction[7]
between the stupid and the wise. If the ruler
does not call a conference, there will be hesitation and no
decision. Without decision, everything will come to a standstill.
If the ruler adopts one of the counsels himself, he will
have no fear of falling into the trap of rapacious people.
Therefore, he should let everybody utter his opinions. After
opinions are settled, he should hold them responsible[8]
for
equivalent results. For this purpose, on the day that opinions
are uttered, he should make written memoranda. Thus, the
organizer of wise men verifies their words after starting the
tasks; the organizer of able men estimates[9]
their merits after
seeing their works. Success and failure leave evidence,
which reward and punishment follow respectively. If tasks
are successfully accomplished, the ruler harvests their fruits;
if they fail, the ministers face criminal charges.
Who rules over men, never busies himself with the
identification of tallies, not to mention laborious work.
Nor does he busy himself in case of[10]
emergency at hand,
still less with distant affairs. Therefore, self-exhaustion is
not the right policy in personnel administration. The ruler
does not take advice from the same source. If ministers unify
their words, the ruler will reprimand them. If he makes
people exert their respective abilities, he will become godlike.
If he is godlike, the inferiors will exert their wisdom. If every
inferior exerts his wisdom[11]
the ministers will not take
advantage of the ruler and the Tao of the sovereign will be
accomplished.
