守土之要
Essentials of Guarding the Land
文王問太公曰：「守土奈何？」太公曰：「無疏其親，無怠其眾，撫其左右，御其四旁。無借人國柄，借人國柄，則失其權。無掘壑而附丘，無舍本而治末。日中必慧，操刀必割，執斧必伐。日中不彗，是謂失時；操刀不割，失利之期；執斧不伐，賊人將來。涓涓不塞，將為江河。熒熒不救，炎炎奈何；兩葉不去，將用斧柯。是故人君從事於富。不富無以為仁，不施無以合親。疏其親則害，失其眾則敗。無借人利器，借人利器，則為人所害，而不終於世。」
King Wen asked Taigong: 'How does one guard the land?' Taigong said: 'Do not alienate your kin, do not neglect your people. Care for those around you, control your borders. Do not lend the instruments of state power to others — if you lend the instruments of state, you lose your authority. Do not dig out the valleys to build up the hills; do not neglect the root to tend the branches. When the sun is at its zenith, one must act with clarity. When holding a knife, one must cut. When wielding an axe, one must chop. If you do not act when the sun is high, that is called losing the moment. If you hold a knife and do not cut, you miss the time for profit. If you wield an axe and do not chop, the enemy will come. A trickle left unstopped will become a river. A spark left unextinguished — what can be done when it becomes a blaze? Two leaves left unpicked will require an axe to the branch. Therefore the ruler must devote himself to enriching the state. Without wealth, there can be no humaneness; without generosity, there can be no binding of kin. Alienate your kin and you invite harm; lose your people and you invite defeat. Do not lend others your sharp instruments — if you lend them your sharp instruments, you will be harmed by others and will not last.'