1. Yao (堯) said, "Well, Shun (舜), the time has now come to you. Do take hold of it right in the middle. If poverty strikes all corners of the empire, the privileges given by the Heaven will cease forever." Shun (舜) gave the same order to Wu (禹).
堯曰：「咨！爾舜！天之曆數在爾躬。允執其中。四海困窮，天祿永終。」舜亦以命禹。
Tang (湯) said, "I, the humble child Lu (履), offer this black calf and respectfully report thus to the highest Lord: I dare not pardon those who commit crimes. I shall not remove thy ministers. It is thy will that chooses them. If I commit a crime, that is not due to my people. If my people commit a crime, that is due to me."
曰：「予小子履，敢用玄牡，敢昭告于皇皇后帝：有罪不敢赦。帝臣不蔽，簡在帝心。朕躬有罪，無以萬方；萬方有罪，罪在朕躬。」
Zhou (周) dynasty began by giving abundant gifts and the good people became rich.
周有大賚，善人是富。
"Although one may have parents and close relatives, it is better to have people with ethical integrity. My people's fault is due to me."
「雖有周親，不如仁人。百姓有過，在予一人。」
Pay careful attention to weights and measures. Review the laws and institutions. Restore the posts which have been abolished. Then all corners of the country will be well governed. Revive the fallen state. Restore the cut off family. Re-invite those who had withdrawn from government positions to work again. People from the whole world will turn to you. These are important: people, food, funeral and sacrificial ceremonies.
謹權量，審法度，修廢官，四方之政行焉。興滅國，繼絕世，舉逸民，天下之民歸心焉。所重：民、食、喪、祭。
If you are open-minded, you will win many people's heart. If you are trustworthy, people will entrust you with a task. If you are diligent, you will achieve a lot. If you are fair, people will be delighted.
寬則得眾，信則民任焉，敏則有功，公則說。
2. Zi Zhang asked Confucius, "What must I do to be engaged in governing?" The Master said, "Promote five good qualities. Shield yourself from four bad qualities. That's how you can be engaged in governing." Zi Zhang said, "What are five good qualities?" The Master said, "A noble man should be munificent without being extravagant. He should make people work hard without complaining. He should be motivated without being greedy. He should be relaxed without being arrogant. He should have gravitas without being ferocious." Zi Zhang said, "What do you mean by being munificent without being extravagant?" The Master said, "Let people benefit from what they consider beneficial to them. Isn't it also a way to be munificent without being extravagant? Choose the work which is worth striving for. Then who will complain? If you fulfil your ethical integrity because you wanted it, then how can you be greedy? A noble man dares not be condescending regardless of the number or the age of his counterpart. Isn't it also a way to be relaxed without being arrogant. A noble man will have his robe and hat properly adjusted, maintain a dignified gaze and have an air of austerity so that people look up to him in awe. Isn't it also a way to have gravitas without being ferocious? Zi Zhang said, "What are four bad qualities?" The Master said, "If you execute people instead of teaching them, you are being cruel. If you proceed with inspection of a work without any forewarning, you are being rough. If you rush the deadline while you yourself have been lazy with your insructions, then you are being harmful. If you are miserly in a situation where you cannot make substantial savings by being so, you are being a petty cash clerk.
子張問於孔子曰：「何如斯可以從政矣？」子曰：「尊五美，屏四惡，斯可以從政矣。」子張曰：「何謂五美？」子曰：「君子惠而不費，勞而不怨，欲而不貪，泰而不驕，威而不猛。」子張曰：「何謂惠而不費？」子曰：「因民之所利而利之，斯不亦惠而不費乎？擇可勞而勞之，又誰怨？欲仁而得仁，又焉貪？君子無眾寡，無小大，無敢慢，斯不亦泰而不驕乎？君子正其衣冠，尊其瞻視，儼然人望而畏之，斯不亦威而不猛乎？」子張曰：「何謂四惡？」子曰：「不教而殺謂之虐；不戒視成謂之暴；慢令致期謂之賊；猶之與人也，出納之吝，謂之有司。」
3. The Master said, "If you do not know your destiny, you cannot be a noble man. If you do not know Li, you cannot establish yourself. If you do not unserstand language, you cannot understand people."
子曰：「不知命，無以為君子也。不知禮，無以立也。不知言，無以知人也。」
