六守

The Six Guards

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六守之名

The Names of the Six Guards

文王問太公曰：「君國主民者，其所以失之者何也？」太公曰：「不慎所與也。人君有六守、三寶。」文王曰：「六守何也？」太公曰：「一曰仁，二曰義，三曰忠，四曰信，五曰勇，六曰謀：是謂六守。」

King Wen asked Taigong: 'Those who rule states and govern people — how do they come to lose what they have?' Taigong said: 'By not being careful about whom they entrust things to. A ruler has six guards and three treasures.' King Wen asked: 'What are the six guards?' Taigong said: 'First is humaneness, second is righteousness, third is loyalty, fourth is trustworthiness, fifth is courage, sixth is strategic thinking — these are called the six guards.'

擇六守之法

The Method for Testing the Six Guards

文王曰：「慎擇六守者何？」太公曰：「富之，而觀其無犯；貴之，而觀其無驕；付之，而觀其無轉；使之，而觀其無隱；危之，而觀其無恐；事之，而觀其無窮。富之而不犯者，仁也；貴之而不驕者，義也；付之而不轉者，忠也；使之而不隱者，信也；危之而不恐者，勇也；事之而不窮者，謀也。人君無以三寶借人，借人則君失其威。」

King Wen asked: 'How does one carefully select those with the six guards?' Taigong said: 'Enrich them, and observe whether they transgress. Ennoble them, and observe whether they become arrogant. Entrust them with responsibility, and observe whether they waver. Employ them, and observe whether they conceal anything. Put them in danger, and observe whether they show fear. Burden them with affairs, and observe whether they are at a loss. Those enriched who do not transgress have humaneness. Those ennobled who do not become arrogant have righteousness. Those entrusted who do not waver have loyalty. Those employed who do not conceal have trustworthiness. Those endangered who do not fear have courage. Those burdened who are never at a loss have strategic thinking. A ruler must never lend the three treasures to others — if he lends them, he loses his authority.'

三寶之道

The Way of the Three Treasures

文王曰：「敢問三寶？」太公曰：「大農、大工、大商謂之三寶。農一其鄉，則谷足；工一其鄉，則器足；商一其鄉，則貨足。三寶各安其處，民乃不慮。無亂其鄉，無亂其族，臣無富於君，都無大於國。六守長，則君昌；三寶完，則國安。」

King Wen asked: 'May I ask about the three treasures?' Taigong said: 'Great agriculture, great industry, and great commerce — these are called the three treasures. When farming is concentrated in its proper districts, grain is sufficient. When craftsmanship is concentrated in its proper districts, tools are sufficient. When commerce is concentrated in its proper districts, goods are sufficient. When the three treasures are each settled in their proper places, the people have no anxieties. Do not disrupt their districts, do not disrupt their clans. No minister should be richer than the ruler, no city should be greater than the capital. When the six guards flourish, the ruler prospers; when the three treasures are intact, the state is secure.'

Edition & Source

Text: 《六韜》 Liutao
Edition: 中華古詩文古書籍網 transcription
Commentary: Traditional military commentaries