Chapter 20 of the Analects of Confucius

尧Yao曰yuē：“咨zi，尔er舜Shun，天tian之zhi历li数shu在zai尔er躬gong，允yun执zhi其qi中zhong。四si海hai困kun穷qiong，天tian禄lu永yong终zhong。”
舜Shun亦yi以yi命ming禹Yu，曰yuē：“予yu小xiao子zi履Lü，敢gan用yong玄xuan牡mu，敢gan昭zhao告gao于yu皇huang皇huang后hou帝di，有you罪zui不bu敢gan赦she，帝di臣chen不bu蔽bi，简jian在zai帝di心xin。朕zhen躬gong有you罪zui，无wu以yi万wan方fang；万wan方fang有you罪zui，罪zui在zai朕zhen躬gong。周Zhou有you大da赉lai，善shan人ren是shi富fu。虽sui有you周zhou亲qin，不bu如ru仁ren人ren。百bai姓xing有you过guo，在zai予yu一yi人ren。谨jin权quan量liang，审shen法fa度du，修xiu废fei官guan，四si方fang之zhi政zheng行xing焉yan。兴xing灭mie国guo，继ji绝jue世shi，举ju逸yi民min，天tian下xia之zhi民min归gui心xin焉yan。所suo重zhong民min，食shi丧sang祭ji。宽kuan则ze得de众zhong，信xin则ze民min任ren焉yan，敏min则ze有you功gong，公gong则ze说yue。”

XX.1. The emperor Yao said:
— Well then, Shun, here is the time fixed by Heaven for your accession to the empire. Apply yourself to keeping in all things the just mean. If through your negligence the people should lack resources, Heaven would withdraw from you forever the power and the royal treasures.
Shun gave the same counsels to Yu, his successor.
Cheng Tang, founder of the Shang dynasty, after having driven out Jie, the last emperor of the Xia dynasty, said:
— I, Lü, who am like a feeble child, have dared to immolate a black bull. I have dared to declare solemnly, before the august Sovereign and Lord of Heaven, that I would not permit myself to spare the guilty and that I would not leave buried in private life the servants of the Sovereign King, because the cruelties of the tyrant and the virtues of the sages were inscribed in the heart of the supreme Master. If I commit a fault, the people shall not be responsible for it. If the people commit a fault, I shall be responsible for it.

Wu Wang, founder of the Zhou dynasty, spread his benefits throughout the whole empire. He enriched only virtuous men.
— Although the tyrant Zhou has many near kinsmen, he said, they are not worth my men, who are very virtuous. If I do not overthrow him, all the complaints of the people will turn against me alone.
He regulated the weights and measures, revised the laws and ordinances, restored the offices that had been established by Zhou; and, throughout the whole empire, the administration resumed its regular course. He reconstituted the suppressed principalities, gave an adoptive posterity to the heads of the great families who had died without a male child; raised to office the capable men who had been left in private life; and all hearts were his. He attached great importance to the subsistence of the people, to funerals and to sacrifices. If a prince does good to all his subjects, he will win all hearts; if he is diligent, he will bring all his works to a good end; if he is just, he will be the joy of the people.

Notes:

XX.1. These expressions, the august Sovereign and Lord of Heaven, are respectful terms to designate the Sovereign Master. All the sages are the ministers of the Sovereign Master. Before marching against Jie, Cheng Tang said:
« All actions, good or bad, are inscribed and may be read in the heart of the Sovereign Lord. In attacking Jie, I shall only obey the orders of the Sovereign King. »

子zi张Zhang问wen于yu孔Kong子zi曰yuē：“何he如ru，斯si可ke以yi从cong政zheng矣yi？”子zi曰yuē：“尊zun五wu美mei，屏bing四si恶e，斯si可ke以yi从cong政zheng矣yi。”子zi张Zhang曰yuē：“何he谓wei五wu美mei？”曰yuē：“君jun子zi惠hui而er不bu费fei，劳lao而er不bu怨yuan，欲yu而er不bu贪tan，泰tai而er不bu骄jiao，威wei而er不bu猛meng。”子zi张Zhang曰yuē：“何he谓wei惠hui而er不bu费fei？”子zi曰yuē：“因yin民min之zhi所suo利li而er利li之zhi，斯si不bu亦yi惠hui而er不bu费fei乎hu？择ze可ke劳lao而er劳lao之zhi，又you谁shui怨yuan？欲yu仁ren得de仁ren，又you焉yan贪tan？君jun子zi无wu众zhong寡gua、无wu小xiao大da、无wu敢gan慢man，斯si不bu亦yi泰tai而er不bu骄jiao乎hu？君jun子zi正zheng其qi衣yi冠guan，尊zun其qi瞻zhan视shi，俨yan然ran人ren望wang而er畏wei之zhi，斯si不bu亦yi威wei而er不bu猛meng乎hu？”子zi张Zhang曰yuē：“何he谓wei四si恶e？”子zi曰yuē：“不bu教jiao而er杀sha谓wei之zhi虐nüe，不bu戒jie视shi成cheng谓wei之zhi暴bao，慢man令ling致zhi期qi谓wei之zhi贼zei，犹you之zhi与yu人ren也ye，出chu纳na之zhi吝lin，谓wei之zhi有you司si。”

XX.2. Zizhang asked Confucius what one must do to govern well. The Master replied:
— One must hold in esteem five qualities, and avoid four faults; that is enough.
— What are these five qualities? said Zizhang.
The Master replied:
— A wise prince exercises beneficence without spending anything; he imposes burdens on the people without making them discontented; he has desires without being covetous; he is happy and calm without pride or negligence; he has dignity without anything harsh.
Zizhang said:
— How does he exercise beneficence without spending anything?
The Master replied:
— He favours all that procures resources for the people; by this means, does he not exercise beneficence without spending anything? He imposes neither labours nor other burdens except at suitable times and for necessary things; thenceforth, who would be discontented? He desires that his administration be beneficent, and he obtains it; how would he be covetous? A wise prince, without considering whether the persons are few or many, nor whether the affairs are important or not, never permits himself the least negligence. Is he not tranquil, without pride or want of care? A wise prince takes care that his garments and his cap be well adjusted, that his looks have dignity. His gravity inspires respect. Is he not majestic, without being harsh?
Zizhang then asked what were the four faults to avoid. The Master replied:
— Not to instruct one's subjects, and to punish them with death when they break the laws, is cruelty. Without having warned beforehand, to require that the imposed work be finished at once, is precipitation and violence. To give orders that are not pressing and then to hasten their execution, is to murder the people. When it is absolutely necessary to give something sooner or later, to calculate with parsimony what one receives and what one gives, is to act like a steward.

子zi曰yuē：“不bu知zhi命ming，无wu以yi为wei君jun子zi；不bu知zhi礼li，无wu以yi立li也ye；不bu知zhi言yan，无wu以yi知zhi人ren也ye。”

XX.3. The Master said:
— He who does not know the will of Heaven will never be a sage. He who does not know the rules and usages will not be constant in his conduct. He who does not know how to discern the true from the false in the discourses of men cannot know men.