| Chinese Text Project |
《尚賢上 - Exaltation of the Virtuous I》 | English translation: W. P. Mei [?] | Library Resources |
| 1 | 尚賢上: | 子墨子言曰：「今1者王公大人為政於國家者，皆欲國家之富，人民之眾，刑政之治，然而不得富而得貧，不得眾而得寡，不得治而得亂，則是本失其所欲，得其所惡，是其故何也？」 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: |
Mozi said: Now, all the rulers desire their provinces to be wealthy, their people to be numerous, and their jurisdiction to secure order. But what they obtain is not wealth but poverty, not multitude but scarcity, not order but chaos - this is to lose what they desire and obtain what they avert. Why is this? 1. 今 : Originally read: "古". Corrected by 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》 | |
| 2 | 尚賢上: | 子墨子言曰：「是在王公大人為政於國家者，不能以尚賢事能為政也。是故國有賢良之士眾，則國家之治厚，賢良之士寡，則國家之治薄。故大人之務，將在於眾賢而己。」 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: | Mozi said: This is because the rulers have failed to exalt the virtuous and to employ the capable in their government. When the virtuous are numerous in the state, order will be stable; when the virtuous are scarce, order will be unstable. Therefore the task of the lords lies nowhere but in multiplying the virtuous. | |
| 3 | 尚賢上: | 曰：「然則眾賢之術將柰何哉？」 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: | But what is the way to multiply the virtuous? | |
| 4 | 尚賢上: | 子墨子言曰：「譬若欲眾其國之善射御之士者，必將富之，貴之，敬之，譽之，然后國之善射御之士，將可得而眾也。況又有賢良之士厚乎德行，辯乎言談，博乎道術者乎，此固國家之珍，而社稷之佐也，亦必且富之，貴之，敬之，譽之，然后國之良士，亦將可得而眾也。 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: | Mozi said: Supposing it is desired to multiply good archers and good drivers in the country, it will be only natural to enrich them, honour them, respect them, and commend them; then good archers and good drivers can be expected to abound in the country. How much more should this be done in the case of the virtuous and the excellent who are firm in morality, versed in rhetoric, and experienced in statecraft - since these are the treasures of the nation and props of the state? They should also be enriched, honoured, respected, and commended in order that they may abound. | |
| 5 | 尚賢上: |
是故古者聖王之為政 也1，言曰：「不義不富，不義不貴，不義不親，不義不近。」是以國之富貴人聞之，皆退而謀曰：『始我所恃者，富貴也，今上舉義不辟貧賤，然則我不可不為義。』親者聞之，亦退而謀曰：『始我所恃者親也，今上舉義不辟 親2疏，然則我不可不為義。』近者聞之，亦退而謀曰：『始我所恃者近也，今上舉義不避遠，然則我不可不為義。』遠者聞之，亦退而謀曰：『我始以遠為無恃，今上舉義不辟遠，然則我不可不為義。』逮至遠鄙郊外之臣，門庭庶子，國中之眾、四鄙之萌人聞之，皆競為義。是其故何也？曰：上之所以使下者，一物也，下之所以事上者，一術也。譬之富者有高牆深宮，牆立既，謹上為鑿一門，有盜人入，闔其自入而求之，盜其無自出。是其故何也？則上得要也。 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: |
When the ancient sage-kings administered the government they declared: "The unrighteous will not be enriched, the unrighteous will not be honoured, the unrighteous will not be favoured, the unrighteous will not be placed near." Upon hearing this, the rich and honoured of the country all began to deliberate, saying: "What I have been depending on was wealth and honour. Now the Lord promotes the righteous without discrimination against the poor and humble. Hence I may not do unrighteousness." Upon hearing this, the favoured also began to deliberate, saying: "What I have been depending on was favour. Now the Lord promotes the righteous without discrimination against those thus far neglected. Hence I may not do unrighteousness." Upon hearing this, those placed near began to deliberate, saying: "What I have been depending on was intimacy. Now the Lord promotes the righteous without discrimination against the distant. Hence I may not do unrighteousness." Upon hearing this, the distant also began to deliberate, saying : "I used to think, being distant I had nothing to depend on. Now the Lord promotes the righteous without discrimination against the distant. Hence I may not do unrighteousness." Vassals of distant districts as well as youths in the palace, and multitudes within the state boundaries as well as the rustics living on the four borders, upon hearing this, all competed in doing righteousness. Now what is the reason for all this? It is only with material goods that the superior can employ his subordinates, and it is only with statecraft that the subordinates can serve their lord. Take, for example, the rich man who built his walls high and left only one gate. When the burglar had entered, the man closed the gate and searched for him, and the burglar had no more exit. Why? Because the man had the vantage-point. 1. 也 : Inserted. | |
| 6 | 尚賢上: | 故古者聖王之為政，列德而尚賢，雖在農與工肆之人，有能則舉之，高予之爵，重予之祿，任之以事，斷予之令，曰：「爵位不高則民弗敬，蓄祿不厚則民不信，政令不斷則民不畏」，舉三者授之賢者，非為賢賜也，欲其事之成。故當是時，以德就列，以官服事，以勞殿賞，量功而分祿。故官無常貴，而民無終賤，有能則舉之，無能則下之，舉公義，辟私怨，此若言之謂也。故古者堯舉舜於服澤之陽，授之政，天下平；禹舉益於陰方之中，授之政，九州成；湯舉伊尹於庖廚之中，授之政，其謀得；文王舉閎夭泰顛於罝罔之中，授之政，西土服。故當是時，雖在於厚祿尊位之臣，莫不敬懼而施，雖在農與工肆之人，莫不競勸而尚意。故士者所以為輔相承嗣也。故得士則謀不困，體不勞，名立而功成，美章1而惡不生，則由得士也。」 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: |
Therefore in administering the government, the ancient sage-kings ranked the morally excellent high and exalted the virtuous. If capable, even a farmer or an artisan would be employed - commissioned with high rank, remunerated with liberal emoluments, trusted with important charges, and empowered to issue final orders. For, if his rank were not high, people would not respect him; if his emoluments were not liberal, people would not have confidence in him; if his orders were not final, people would not stand in awe before him. To place these three (honours) upon the virtuous is not so much to reward virtue, as to bring about the success of the enterprise (of government). Therefore ranks should be standardized according to virtue, tasks assigned according to office, and rewards given according to labour spent. When emoluments are distributed in proportion to achievements, officials cannot be in constant honour, and people in eternal humility. If a person is capable promote him, if incapable, lower his rank. Give prominence to public approval and keep back private grudges (in the matter of selecting men). Here, then, is the principle. So, in days of old, Yao brought forward Shun from Fuzi and entrusted him with the government, and the world had peace. Yu brought forward Yi from Yin Fang and entrusted him with the government, and the nine districts became organized. Tang brought forward Yi Yin from the kitchen and entrusted him with the government and his plans were successful. King Wen brought forward Hung Yao and Tai Tian from their rabbit nets and entrusted them with the government and the Western land showed respect. Therefore, during those days the officials of high rank and liberal emoluments all carefully and anxiously executed their duties; and the farmers and artisans all encouraged one another in exalting virtue. Therefore, the scholars are really to be officials and governors. As long as there were scholars (in government), the plans (of the ruler) were not defeated and he had no hardships to endure; his name was established and success achieved; his excellence became known and yet evils were not spread. This is all due to the employment of the scholars. 1. 成，美章 : Originally read: "業彰". Corrected by 孫詒讓《墨子閒詁》 | |
| 7 | 尚賢上: | 是故子墨子言曰：「得意賢士不可不舉，不得意賢士不可不舉，尚欲祖述堯舜禹湯之道，將不可以不尚賢。夫尚賢者，政之本也。」 |
| Exaltation of the Virtuous...: | Therefore Mozi said: The virtuous who are prosperous must be exalted, and the virtuous who are not prosperous must be exalted too. If it is desired to continue the ways of Yao and Shun, to exalt the virtuous is indispensable. Now, exaltation of the virtuous is the root of government. |
URN: ctp:mozi/exaltation-of-the-virtuous-i