荀子 Xunzi · Chapter 18
Correct Judgments
The Ruler's Way Benefits from Clarity, Not Secrecy
故主道利明不利幽，利宣不利周。故主道明則下安，主道幽則下危。
Therefore the ruler's Way benefits from clarity, not from obscurity; from openness, not from secrecy. When the ruler's Way is clear, those below are secure. When the ruler's Way is obscure, those below are in danger.
Tang and Wu Did Not Commit Regicide
湯武非取天下也，修其道，行其義，興天下之同利，除天下之同害，而天下歸之也。桀紂非去天下也，反禹湯之德，亂禮義之分，禽獸之行，積其凶，全其惡，而天下去之也。天下歸之之謂王，天下去之之謂亡。故桀紂無天下，湯武不弒君，由此效之也。
Tang and Wu did not seize the world. They cultivated the Way, practiced duty, promoted the common benefit of all under Heaven, and eliminated the common harm — and the world turned to them. Jie and Zhou did not lose the world through external conquest. They reversed the virtue of Yu and Tang, disrupted the distinctions of ritual propriety, behaved like beasts, accumulated violence, and perfected wickedness — and the world abandoned them. When the world turns to someone, this is called kingship. When the world abandons someone, this is called destruction. Therefore Jie and Zhou had no legitimate claim to the world, and Tang and Wu did not commit regicide — this is demonstrated by these facts.