To serve a tyrannical state is difficult, but it is easy to make a
tyrannical state serve oneself. If you serve it with goods and
valuables, then when your valuables are exhausted,[2]
friendly
relations will not continue. If you make treaties and covenants,
it will not be long after the agreement is fixed that [such a state]
will repudiate it. Should you present [such a state] with territory
cut off from your own borders, even though the amount cut off
[and presented] be fixed, still their greed will not be satisfied. The
more completely one gives in to them, the more serious their
encroachments. The inevitable end is that your valuables are
used up[2]
and your [whole] state taken over; even with Yao on
your left and Shun on your right you would not be able to avoid
[such an end], if you follow this road. So one who, without the
methods of the sages, serves in fear, putting his sole[3]
reliance on
glib speech and obsequious conduct will not be able to hold his
state or keep his own person intact. Hence the enlightened ruler
does not follow this way. It is necessary to reform ritual (li) to
regulate the court, to rectify the laws to regulate the officials, and
to stabilize the government to regulate the lower classes. Only
after that is the rhythm of
li and
i adjusted in the court, are rules
and regulations rectified among the officials, and loyalty and
honesty, love and gain stabilized among the lower classes. He
would not practice one unjust thing, or put to death one innocent
man to get the empire, and so those in his vicinity contest for
his affection, while those far away desire to go to him. Superiors
and inferiors are of one mind; the three armies make common
effort. When his renown in sufficient to consume [his opponents]
and his power sufficient to bring them under his control, he bows
and grasps his signal flag, and not one of the tyrannical states
but makes haste to send envoys, like infants turning to their
mother. Why is this? It is because
jên is put into practice,
[4]
i
is established, instruction is sincere, and love deep. Truly, as the
Ode says,
[5]
The king's plans were true and sincere,
And the country of Hsü submitted.
