Exalting the Worthy I尚贤上

子墨子言曰：古者王公大人为政于国家者，皆欲国家之富，人民之众，刑政之治。然而不得富而得贫，不得众而得寡，不得治而得乱，则是本失其所欲，得其所恶，是其故何也？

Master Mozi said: In ancient times, the kings, dukes and great men who governed the state all wished the state to be wealthy, its people numerous, and its punishments and government well ordered. Yet instead of wealth they got poverty, instead of numbers they got scarcity, and instead of order they got disorder; thus at the root they lost what they desired and got what they hated. What is the reason for this?

子墨子言曰：是在王公大人为政于国家者，不能以尚贤事能为政也。是故国有贤良之士众，则国家之治厚；贤良之士寡，则国家之治薄。故大人之务，将在于众贤而已。

Master Mozi said: It lies in the fact that the kings, dukes and great men who govern the state are unable to govern by exalting the worthy and employing the capable. Thus when a state has many worthy and good men, the good order of the state is substantial; when worthy and good men are few, the good order of the state is thin. Therefore the task of the great men lies simply in increasing the number of the worthy.

曰：然则众贤之术将柰何哉？子墨子言曰：譬若欲众其国之善射御之士者，必将富之贵之，敬之誉之，然后国之善射御之士将可得而众也。况又有贤良之士厚乎德行、辩乎言谈、博乎道术者乎？此固国家之珍，而社稷之佐也。亦必且富之贵之，敬之誉之，然后国之良士亦将可得而众也。

It is asked: what then is the method for increasing the number of the worthy? Master Mozi said: Suppose one wished to increase the number of men in the state skilled at archery and charioteering. One would certainly have to enrich and honor them, respect and praise them, and only then could the state's skilled archers and charioteers be obtained in numbers. How much more so with worthy and good men, rich in virtuous conduct, discerning in speech and argument, and broad in their learning of the Way and its arts? These are truly the treasures of the state and the aides of its altars of soil and grain. They too must certainly be enriched and honored, respected and praised; only then can the good men of the state likewise be obtained in numbers.

是故古者圣王之为政也，言曰：「不义不富，不义不贵，不义不亲，不义不近。」是以国之富贵人闻之，皆退而谋曰：「始我所恃者，富贵也。今上举义不辟贫贱，然则我不可不为义。」亲者闻之，亦退而谋曰：「始我所恃者，亲也。今上举义不辟亲疏，然则我不可不为义。」近者闻之，亦退而谋曰：「始我所恃者，近也。今上举义不辟远近，然则我不可不为义。」远者闻之，亦退而谋曰：「我始以远为无恃。今上举义不辟远，然则我不可不为义。」逮至远鄙郊外之臣、阙庭庶子、国中之众、四鄙之萌人，闻之皆竞为义。是其故何也？曰：上之所以使下者，一物也；下之所以事上者，一术也。譬之富者，有高墙深宫，墙立既谨，上为凿一门。有盗人入，阖其自入而求之，盗其无自出。是其故何也，则上得要也。

Therefore when the sage kings of antiquity governed, they declared: "The unrighteous shall not be enriched, the unrighteous shall not be honored, the unrighteous shall not be treated as kin, the unrighteous shall not be kept near." Thereupon the rich and honored men of the state, hearing this, all withdrew and deliberated, saying: "What I relied on at first was wealth and rank. Now the ruler promotes the righteous without excluding the poor and lowly; then I cannot but practice righteousness." The kinsmen, hearing this, likewise withdrew and deliberated, saying: "What I relied on at first was kinship. Now the ruler promotes the righteous without regard to kin or stranger; then I cannot but practice righteousness." Those near at hand, hearing this, likewise withdrew and deliberated, saying: "What I relied on at first was nearness. Now the ruler promotes the righteous without regard to far or near; then I cannot but practice righteousness." Those far away, hearing this, likewise withdrew and deliberated, saying: "At first I thought that being far away left me nothing to rely on. Now the ruler promotes the righteous without excluding the distant; then I cannot but practice righteousness." Even the officers of the distant borderlands and outer districts, the young sons serving at court, the multitudes within the capital, and the common folk of the four frontiers, on hearing this, all vied to practice righteousness. What is the reason for this? It is said: what the ruler uses to direct those below is a single thing, and what those below use to serve the ruler is a single method. It is like a rich man who has high walls and a deep-set mansion; once the walls are firmly built, he cuts a single gate in them. If a thief gets in, he shuts the gate the thief came in by and searches for him, and the thief has no way out. What is the reason for this? It is that the master has hold of the essential point.

故古者圣王之为政，列德而尚贤，虽在农与工肆之人，有能则举之，高予之爵，重予之禄，任之以事，断予之令，曰：「爵位不高则民弗敬，蓄禄不厚则民不信，政令不断则民不畏。」举三者授之贤者，非为贤赐也，欲其事之成。故当是时，以德就列，以官服事，以劳殿赏，量功而分禄。故官无常贵，而民无终贱。有能则举之，无能则下之。举公义，辟私怨，此若言之谓也。

Therefore when the sage kings of antiquity governed, they ranked men by virtue and exalted the worthy. Even among farmers or artisans in their workshops, whoever had ability was promoted: given high rank, given generous emolument, entrusted with responsibilities, and given decisive authority to command. For they said: "If rank is not high, the people will not respect him; if emolument is not generous, the people will not trust him; if his orders are not decisive, the people will not fear him." These three things were bestowed on the worthy, not as a gift for being worthy, but out of the wish that their work succeed. So in those times men were ranked by virtue, given duties by office, rewarded according to their labor, and allotted emolument in measure with their achievements. Thus no official was permanently honored, and no commoner was lowly to the end. Whoever had ability was raised up; whoever lacked it was brought down. Promote public righteousness and set aside private grudges: this is what those words mean.

故古者尧举舜于服泽之阳，授之政，天下平；禹举益于阴方之中，授之政，九州成；汤举伊尹于庖厨之中，授之政，其谋得；文王举闳夭、泰顚于罝罔之中，授之政，西土服。故当是时，虽在于厚禄尊位之臣，莫不敬惧而施；虽在农与工肆之人，莫不竞劝而尚意。故士者，所以为辅相承嗣也。故得士则谋不困，体不劳，名立而功成，美章而恶不生，则由得士也。

Thus in antiquity Yao raised up Shun from the sunny side of Fuze, entrusted him with government, and the world was at peace. Yu raised up Yi from the midst of Yinfang, entrusted him with government, and the nine provinces were brought to completion. Tang raised up Yi Yin from the kitchen, entrusted him with government, and his plans succeeded. King Wen raised up Hong Yao and Tai Dian from among the hunting nets, entrusted them with government, and the western lands submitted. So in those times, even ministers of generous emolument and honored position were without exception respectful, fearful, and diligent; even farmers and artisans in their workshops without exception strove and encouraged one another to raise their aspirations. For men of worth are the means by which rulers are assisted and their work carried on. Hence, gaining such men, one's plans are not frustrated and one's body is not worn out; one's name is established and one's work accomplished; the fine is made manifest and the evil does not arise. All this comes from gaining men of worth.

是故子墨子言曰：得意，贤士不可不举；不得意，贤士不可不举。尚欲祖述尧舜禹汤之道，将不可不以尚贤。夫尚贤者，政之本也。

Therefore Master Mozi said: When things go as one wishes, worthy men must be promoted; when things do not go as one wishes, worthy men must still be promoted. If one wishes to follow and carry on the Way of Yao, Shun, Yu and Tang, one cannot but exalt the worthy. Exalting the worthy is the root of government.