去強

Using strength to eliminate strength results in weakness; using weakness to eliminate strength results in strength. When the state promotes goodness, villainy will inevitably multiply. A wealthy state governed as though poor is called 'doubly wealthy' — the doubly wealthy are strong. A poor state governed as though rich is called 'doubly impoverished' — the doubly impoverished are weak. When the army undertakes what the enemy dares not undertake, there is strength; when affairs are pursued that the enemy would be ashamed to pursue, there is advantage. The ruler values frequent change; the state values infrequent change. When the state has many diversions, it is diminished; when the ruler has few diversions, it is strong. A state of a thousand chariots that guards a thousand diversions will be diminished. When warfare employs the army, it is called strength; when warfare is chaotic and the army idle, the state is diminished.

Farmers, merchants, and officials — these three are the regular functionaries of the state. These three functionaries generate six parasitic functionaries: 'annual surplus' and 'food surplus'; 'beauty' and 'desirability'; 'ambition' and 'conduct.' If these six have substance, the state will inevitably be diminished. The regular three functionaries employ three people; the six parasitic functionaries employ one. Governing through law brings strength; governing through mere administration brings diminishment. When regular officials govern properly, officials are promoted. When administration is large, the state is small; when administration is small, the state is large. Strengthening what is already strong brings doubled diminishment; weakening what is strong brings doubled strength. Using strength to attack strength leads to destruction; using weakness to attack strength leads to kingship. When a state is strong but does not wage war, the poison flows inward — rites, music, and parasitic officials arise, and it will inevitably be diminished. When a state wages war, the poison flows toward the enemy — with no rites, music, or parasitic officials, it will inevitably be strong. Elevating glory and employing merit is called strength; when parasitic officials arise, there is inevitably diminishment. When farmers are few and merchants many, when the nobles are poor, the merchants poor, and the farmers poor — when all three functionaries are poor, there is inevitably diminishment.

If a state has rites, music, the Odes, the Documents, goodness, self-cultivation, filial piety, brotherly deference, integrity, and eloquence — if the state has these ten things, the ruler will be unable to make the people wage war, and it will inevitably be diminished to the point of destruction. If a state lacks these ten things, the ruler will be able to make the people wage war, and it will inevitably flourish to the point of kingship.

If the state uses good people to govern wicked people, it will inevitably fall into disorder and be diminished. If the state uses wicked people to govern good people, it will inevitably be well ordered and become strong. If the state employs the Odes, Documents, rites, music, filial piety, brotherly deference, goodness, and self-cultivation in governance, then when the enemy arrives, the state will be diminished; when the enemy does not arrive, the state will be impoverished. If it does not use these eight in governance, the enemy will not dare to come; even if they come, they will be repulsed; if it raises arms to attack, it will conquer; having conquered, it will be able to hold; if it rests its arms and does not attack, it will grow wealthy. A state that values strength — this is called being attacked through what is difficult. A state that loves talk — this is called being attacked through what is easy. A state attacked through what is difficult raises one and gains ten; a state attacked through what is easy sends out ten and loses a hundred.

Heavy punishments and light rewards mean the ruler cherishes the people, and the people will die for the ruler. Heavy rewards and light punishments mean the ruler does not cherish the people, and the people will not die for the ruler. A rising state that applies punishment finds the people both profited and awed; when it applies reward, the people are both profited and devoted. A state that lacks strength and yet relies on cleverness and skill will inevitably perish. Cowardly people directed through punishment will become brave; brave people directed through reward will fight to the death. When the cowardly become brave and the brave fight to the death, the state will have no enemy and be strong — and the strong will inevitably achieve kingship. The poor directed through punishment will become wealthy; the wealthy directed through reward will become poor. A governed state that can make the poor wealthy and the wealthy poor will have great strength, and with great strength comes kingship. A state that achieves kingship applies punishment in nine cases and reward in one. A strong state applies punishment in seven cases and reward in three. A diminished state applies punishment in five cases and reward in five.

A state that maintains unified commitment for one year will be strong for ten years; for ten years, strong for a hundred; for a hundred years, strong for a thousand. A state strong for a thousand years will achieve kingship. Authority takes one and gains ten, operating through both reputation and substance — therefore one who can wield authority will achieve kingship. A state that can produce but cannot eliminate is called 'a state that attacks itself' and will inevitably be diminished. A state that can both produce and eliminate is called 'a state that attacks the enemy' and will inevitably be strong. Of attacking through officials, attacking through strength, and attacking the enemy — a state that employs two and sets aside one will be strong; if it commands all three, it will have authority and achieve kingship.

When decisions are made within ten li, the state is weak; when decisions are made within nine li, the state is strong. When governance is completed within a day, there is kingship; when completed at night, there is strength; when it takes overnight, there is diminishment.

Register the total number of the people's mouths: record the living, remove the dead. If the people do not evade grain production and the fields have no barren grass, then the state is wealthy — and the wealthy state is strong.

Using punishment to eliminate punishment, the state is well ordered. Using punishment to invite more punishment, the state is disordered. Therefore it is said: when punishments are applied heavily for light offenses, punishments cease and affairs are accomplished — the state is strong. When heavy offenses are punished heavily and light offenses lightly, punishments multiply and problems arise — the state is diminished. Punishment generates strength, strength generates power, power generates authority, authority generates beneficence — and beneficence is born from strength. Exert strength to achieve brave warfare; wage war to achieve strategic wisdom.

When grain is produced, gold dies; when grain dies, gold is produced. If basic commodities are cheap, there will be many dealers and few buyers; farmers will be distressed while the treacherous prosper, the army will be weak, and the state will inevitably be diminished to the point of destruction. When one tael of gold is produced within the borders, twelve shi of grain die beyond the borders; when twelve shi of grain are produced within the borders, one tael of gold dies beyond the borders. If the state loves producing gold within its borders, then both gold and grain will die — the granaries and treasuries will both be empty, and the state will be weak. If the state loves producing grain within its borders, then both gold and grain will be produced — the granaries and treasuries will both be full, and the state will be strong.

A strong state knows thirteen statistics: the number of granaries and mouths within its borders; the number of able-bodied men and able-bodied women; the number of the old and the weak; the number of officials and scholars; the number of those who live by persuasion and talk; the number of useful people; the number of horses, cattle, and fodder. If you desire a strong state but do not know the thirteen statistics, then even if the land is fertile and the people numerous, the state will grow ever weaker until it is diminished.

A state with no resentful people is called a strong state. If it raises arms and campaigns, then grant military ranks and military appointments — victory is certain. If it rests its arms and farms, grant grain ranks and grain appointments — the state is wealthy. The state that wages war and defeats its enemies, rests its arms and grows wealthy — that state will achieve kingship.