20.1. 堯曰：“諮！爾舜！天之歷數在爾躬，允執其中。四海困窮，天祿永終。”舜亦以命禹。曰：“予小子履，敢用玄牡，敢昭告於皇皇後帝：有罪不敢赦，帝臣不蔽，簡在帝心。朕躬有罪，無以萬方；萬方有罪，罪在朕躬。”周有大賚，善人是富。“雖有周親，不如仁人。百姓有過，在予一人。”謹權量，審法度，修廢官，四方之政行焉。 興滅國，繼絕世，舉逸民，天下之民歸心焉。 所重：民、食、喪、祭。 寬則得眾，信則民任焉，敏則有功，公則說。
Yao said to Shun who succeeded him as emperor, "Oh, Shun! Heaven lays the divine duty on you. You should follow the right way without deviation. If the people in the world suffer poverty and misery, Heaven would no longer bestow favor on you." Shun said the same thing to Yu who succeeded him as emperor. Tang who founded the Yin dynasty said, "I, your humble servant, venture to sacrifice a black ox and declare to my Supreme Sovereign in Heaven that I dare not pardon any sinner nor conceal any guilt of my ministers which is of course clear in your mind. If I myself am guilty, do not lay blame on my people. If my people have done wrong, you may lay blame on me." Zhou had ennobled its lords and enriched its good men. King Wu of Zhou said, "I have bestowed favor on my kinsmen, but less than on good men. If my people are guilty, lay blame on me alone!" When attention was paid to weights and measures, statute and laws were reviewed and disused offices were restored, the government would go on the right way. When fallen states were re-established, descendants of extinguished families were found out, and unemployed good people were employed, the heart of the people would turn to the government. Emphasis should be laid on people, food, mourning and sacrifice. Lenience will win the people, faithfulness will win trust, diligence will win success, and justice will win happiness for the people.
20.2. 子張問於孔子曰：“何如斯可以從政矣？”子曰：“尊五美，屏四惡，斯可以從政矣。”子張曰：“何謂五美？”子曰：“君子惠而不費，勞而不怨，欲而不貪，泰而不驕，威而不猛。”子張曰：“何謂惠而不費？”子曰：“因民之所利而利之，斯不亦惠而不費乎？擇可勞而勞之，又誰怨？欲仁而得仁，又焉貪？君子無眾寡，無小大，無敢慢，斯不亦泰而不驕乎？君子正其衣冠，尊其瞻視，儼然人望而畏之，斯不亦威而不猛乎？”子張曰：“何謂四惡？”子曰：“不教而殺謂之虐；不戒視成謂之暴；慢令致期謂之賊；猶之與人也，出納之吝謂之有司。”
Zi Zhang asked Confucius, "How could a man become a good ruler?" The Master said, "A man good in five aspects and free from four evils may become a good ruler." Zi Zhang asked, "May I know in which five aspects?" The Master said, "An intelligentleman should do good without waste, make people work without complaint, have desire without greed, uphold justice without pride and inspire respect without awe." Zi Zhang asked, "How could a man do good without waste?" The Master said, "If a ruler only does what will profit the people, is it not doing good without waste? If he orders people to do what they can, how could they complain? If he desires only to do good, how could he become greedy? If he treats all equally, whether there are many people or few, in great matter or small, is it not justice without pride? If he adjusts his clothes and hat and looks dignified, would he not inspire respect without awe?" Zi Zhang asked, "May I ask about the four evils?" The Master said, "To put people to death without reason is called tyranny. To expect success without due warning is called exaction. To demand timely completion without giving timely orders is called irresponsibility. To reward people in a stingy way is called miserliness."
20.3. 孔子曰：“不知命，無以為君子也；不知禮，無以立也；不知言，無以知人也。”
Confucius said, "One who does not understand the divine law cannot be called an intelligentleman. One who does not understand the social order cannot stand in society. One who does not understand what wards imply cannot understand men."