Confucian Analects · Analects 20.2
1. 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 honour 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.' 2. 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…
Chinese · source text【第二章】【一節】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。【二節】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。【三節】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。
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Confucius · English translation by James Legge · bilingual transcription
James Legge, The Chinese Classics, Volume 1: Confucian Analects · Project Gutenberg #4094
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