3.11 [61] 景公问古之盛君其行如何晏子对以问道者更正

齐景公问古时候的圣明君主的德行是什么样的，晏子回答说询问道义的人都改行正道

【原文】

景公问晏子曰：“古之盛君，其行如何？”晏子对曰：“薄于身而厚于民，约于身而广于世；其处上也，足以明政行教，不以威天下；其取财也，权有无，均贫富，不以养嗜欲；诛不避贵，赏不遗贱；不淫于乐，不遁于哀；尽智导民而不伐焉，劳力（岁事）〔事民〕而不责焉；（为）政尚相利，故下不以相害〔为〕行；教尚相爱，故民不以相恶为名。刑罚中于法，废罪顺于民。是以贤者处上而不华，不肖者处下而不怨，四海之内，社稷之中，粒食之民，一意同欲。若夫私家之政，生有〔厚利〕，〔死有〕遗教，此盛君之行也。”（公不图），晏子曰：“臣闻问道者更正，闻道者更容。今君税敛重，故民心离；市买悖，故（啇）〔商〕旅绝；玩好充，故家货殚。积邪在于上，蓄怨藏于民，嗜欲备于侧，毁非满于国，而公不图。”公曰：“善。”于是令玩好不御，公市不豫，宫室不饰，业土不成，止役轻税，上下行之，而百姓相亲。

【今译】

齐景公问晏子说：“古时候的圣君，他们的行为是什么样的？”晏子回答说：“他们薄待自己但厚待百姓，约束自身但宽待天下；他们居于国君之位，足以澄明政治推行教化，不用靠武力威慑天下；他们征收财物，权衡有无，均匀贫富，不以此满足自己的嗜好和欲望；诛罚不避权贵，恩赏不忘贫贱；不过度沉迷于享乐，不过分沉浸于哀痛；竭尽智慧教导百姓而不自我夸耀，劳心费力治理百姓而不胡乱责罚；治国理政崇尚互利，因此百姓之间以不相互损害为行为准则；推行教化崇尚相爱，因此百姓之间不以恶名相加。刑罚适度而且符合法律，废刑和问罪都要顺应民意。因此贤能的人居于上层而不哗众取宠，没有才能的人居于下层而没有怨言，四海之内，全国之中，平民百姓同心同德。像这样仿佛处理家事的政事，活着的时候对百姓有厚利，死后还遗留下教化，这就是圣君的德行。”（景公不想这样做）晏子说：“我听闻询问道义的人是要更改正道，听到道义的人要更改仪容。现在您赋税聚敛过重，因此民心离散；买卖贸易混乱，因此商旅断绝；国君的玩好之物充盈，因此百姓家中财货竭尽。邪僻累积隐藏于朝堂，怨恨滋生隐藏于民间，嗜欲之物放在身边，诽谤非议遍布全国，而您却不去考虑。”景公说：“好。”于是下令玩好之物不再使用，市场贸易不许欺诈，宫室不再装饰，未完成的工程不再修建，停止劳役减轻税赋，上下一起行动，而百姓相亲相爱。

Duke Jing queried Yanzi as follows: “What characterized the conduct of the great rulers of ancient times?”

Yanzi replied: “They restricted themselves,but were generous to the people. As for themselves,they were restrained,but towards the world,they were generous. In their position as superiors,they were fit to practice enlightened rule and moral instructions. They did not use their position to intimidate the world. In collecting money and goods,they balanced the weight of the haves and the have-nots; they treated the poor and the rich w ith equity; and they did not use their positions to indulge their own desires. When they applied punishments,they did not shy away from the nobles,and when they gave rewards,they did not neglect the low ly. They were not extravagant in their pleasures,and they did not get mired in grief. They used their w isdom to the fullest in guiding the people,but they were not boastful in doing so. They worked extremely hard to serve the people and did not find fault w ith them. Their government promoted mutual benefit; therefore,their subjects did not consider mutual harm to be acceptable conduct. Their m oral teaching promoted mutual love; therefore,the people did not regard mutual hatred as a way to gain fame. Punishments followed the law precisely,and dismissals and indictments were made in accordance w ith the circumstances of the people. Therefore,the worthy occupied superior positions w ithout ostentation,and the unworthy occupied inferior positions w ithout resentment. Within the Four Seas and the domain of the altars of soil and grain,the people who lived on grain^[2] shared a common purpose and identical desires. This was like the managing of a private family: during their lifetime,they had large benefits; when they died,they left their moral teaching. Such was the conduct of the mighty rulers. I have heard that those who ask about the Way change their hearts,^[3] and those who hear about the Way change their countenance. But now,your tax collections,my Lord,are heavy; therefore,the hearts of the people turn away from you. Market conditions are adverse,and therefore tradesmen and traveling merchants abandon you. Fine things and precious objects abound,and therefore the wealth of households is exhausted. Those in superior positions amass w ickedness,and the people horde up resentments. You have all that you desire w ithin your palace,while slander and defamation spread throughout your capital,yet you still do not try to resolve all this.”

The Duke said: “Well argued.”

Thereupon,he prohibited the carrying of fine things and precious objects,inflated prices in the market,decoration of palaces,and completion of the earthworks for construction. He stopped compulsory labor and lowered taxes. Superiors and inferiors followed these decrees,and the people felt kinship w ith one another.

注释

[1]正→心 (JS,206/13).

[2]I.e.,the Chinese,as opposed to tribes surrounding China.

[3]正→心 (JS,206/13).