尚书 The Book of History -- 《周官--Officers of Zhou》(James Legge 英译)（3）
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周官: 王曰：“呜呼！凡我有官君子，钦乃攸司，慎乃出令，令出惟行，弗惟反。以公灭私，民其允怀。学古入官。议事以制，政乃不迷。其尔典常作之师，无以利口乱厥官。蓄疑败谋，怠忽荒政，不学墙面，莅事惟烦。
Officers of Zhou: The king said, 'Oh! all ye men of virtue, my occupiers of office, pay reverent attention to your charges. Be careful in the commands you issue; for, once issued, they must be carried into effect, and cannot be retracted. Extinguish all selfish aims by your public feeling, and the people will have confidence in you, and be gladly obedient. Study antiquity as a preparation for entering on your offices. In deliberating on affairs, form your determinations by help (of such study), and your measures will be free from error. Make the regular statutes of (our own) dynasty your rule, and do not with artful speeches introduce disorder into your offices. To accumulate doubts is the way to ruin your plans; to be idle and indifferent is the way to ruin your government. Without study, you stand facing a wall, and your management of affairs will be full of trouble.
戒尔卿士，功崇惟志，业广惟勤，惟克果断，乃罔后艰。位不期骄，禄不期侈。恭俭惟德，无载尔伪。作德，心逸日休；作伪，心劳日拙。居宠思危，罔不惟畏，弗畏入畏。推贤让能，庶官乃和，不和政庞。举能其官，惟尔之能。称匪其人，惟尔不任。”
'I warn you, my high ministers and officers, that exalted merit depends on the high aim, and a patrimony is enlarged only by diligence; it is by means of bold decision that future difficulties are avoided. Pride comes, along with rank, unperceived, and extravagance in the same way with emolument. Let reverence and economy be (real) virtues with you, unaccompanied with hypocritical display. Practise them as virtues, and your minds will be at ease, and you will daily become more admirable. Practise them in hypocrisy, and your minds will be toiled, and you will daily become more stupid. In the enjoyment of favour think of peril, and never be without a cautious apprehension; he who is without such apprehension finds himself amidst what is really to be feared. Push forward the worthy, and show deference to the able; and harmony will prevail among all your officers. When they are not harmonious, the government becomes a mass of confusion. If those whom you advance be able for their offices, the ability is yours; if you advance improper men, you are not equal to your position.'
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周官: 王曰：“呜呼！三事暨大无，敬尔有官，乱尔有政，以佑乃辟。永康兆民，万邦惟无斁。
Officers of Zhou: The king said, 'Oh! ye (charged) with the threefold business (of government) and ye great officers, I reverently attend to your departments, and conduct well the affairs under your government, so as to assist your sovereign, and secure the lasting happiness of the millions of the people - so shall there be no dissatisfaction throughout the myriad states.'
