愛臣

When the ruler loves his ministers with too much intimacy, he endangers his own person. When ministers become too exalted, they will inevitably encroach upon the ruler's position. When the principal wife and concubines are not differentiated in rank, the legitimate heir is endangered. When brothers do not submit to hierarchy, the altars of soil and grain are endangered.

I have heard that a lord of a thousand chariots who takes no precautions will certainly have a minister of a hundred chariots at his side, who will steal his people and overturn his state. A lord of ten thousand chariots who takes no precautions will certainly have a household of a thousand chariots at his side, who will usurp his authority and overturn his state. This is how treacherous ministers multiply and the ruler's Way declines into ruin.

Thus, when the feudal lords grow too great, it harms the Son of Heaven. When the assembled ministers grow too wealthy, it ruins the ruler. When generals and chancellors control the ruler while aggrandizing their own houses -- this is what a ruler of men must guard against.

Of all things, nothing is more precious than one's own person, nothing more exalted than one's position, nothing weightier than the ruler's authority, nothing more elevated than the ruler's positional advantage. These four excellences need not be sought from without, nor requested from others -- deliberate upon them and they are yours. Therefore it is said: a ruler who cannot employ his own wealth will end up subordinate to others. This is what a ruler of men must understand.

In the past, the ruin of Zhou of Shang and the decline of the Zhou dynasty both arose from the feudal lords growing too great. The partition of Jin and the usurpation of Qi both arose from the assembled ministers growing too wealthy. The assassinations of rulers in Yan and Song were of the same kind. Thus, comparing upward to Yin and Zhou, and in the middle to Yan and Song, all followed from this same pattern.

Therefore, when an enlightened ruler manages his ministers, he exhaustively applies the law to regulate them and holds them in check with precautionary measures. He does not pardon capital crimes; he does not forgive punishments. To pardon death and forgive punishment is called 'dissipation of authority.' When this happens, the altars of soil and grain are endangered and state power becomes unbalanced.

Therefore, no matter how great a minister's stipend, he must not be permitted to leverage his authority over cities and markets. No matter how numerous his partisans, he must not be permitted to command soldiers as his own. Ministers in the state must hold no private courts; ministers in the army must form no private alliances; their household treasuries must not make private loans. This is how an enlightened ruler prohibits treachery.

Therefore, ministers may not travel with unauthorized entourages, may not carry irregular weapons. Unless on official relay or urgent dispatch, anyone carrying irregular weapons or military equipment is punished with death without pardon. This is how an enlightened ruler prepares against the unforeseen.