Section 31.1
In giving birth to people, Heaven sustains them by giving birth to righteous principles
1 and material benefits:
Material benefits to nourish their bodies; righteous principles to nourish their hearts.
If the heart does not obtain righteous principles, it cannot be joyful;
if the body does not obtain material benefits, it cannot be secure.
Righteous principles are the heart’s nourishment;
material benefits are the body’s nourishment.
With regard to the body, nothing is more exalted than the heart.
With regard to nurture, nothing is more important than righteous principles.
For nourishing and sustaining people, righteous principles are more important than material benefits. How do we know this to be true? When people amply possess righteous principles but sorely lack material benefits, though poor and humble, they still may bring honor to their conduct, thereby cherishing their persons and rejoicing in life. Those like Yuan Hui, Ceng [San], and Min [Sun] exemplify this.
2 When people amply possess material benefits but utterly lack righteous principles, though exceedingly wealthy, they are insulted and despised. If their misdeeds are excessive, their misfortunes are serious. If they are not executed for their crimes, they [nevertheless] are struck down by an early death. They can neither rejoice in life nor live out their years. People who are punished with execution or die prematurely exemplify this.
Now those who possess righteous principles, although poor, are able to find joy in themselves, but those who utterly lack righteous principles, although wealthy, are not able to preserve themselves. I rely on such examples to substantiate the claim that for nourishing and sustaining the people, righteous principles are more important than material benefits and more beneficial than wealth. But [ordinary] people are incapable of knowing this, so they constantly get it backward; they all
forget righteous principles and lust after material benefits,
disregard inherent principles and follow evil ways,
thereby harming themselves and endangering their families. It is not that they personally intend to be disloyal [to their families] but that this is a matter their knowledge is incapable of understanding.
Now if you hold dates in one hand and gold in the other and show them to a child, a child will certainly choose the dates and not the gold. Similarly if you hold a catty of gold [in one hand] and ten thousand pearls [in the other] and show them to an uncouth savage, the uncouth savage will certainly choose the gold and not the pearls. Thus when it comes to people and things, it is easy to comprehend what is unimportant but difficult to grasp what is really important. Now given that material benefits are unimportant and righteous principles are important, is it not strange that people seek material benefits and disregard righteous principles? They certainly must be in the dark on this point. The sage strives to illuminate righteous principles and to shed light on that about which people are in the dark so that consequently people will not fall into the trap [of evil]. An Ode declares:
“Show me how to manifest the conduct of virtue.”
3The former kings manifested virtue in order to instruct the people. The people were joyful and sang of this virtue, giving rise to odes;
4 they were pleased and transformed it,
5 giving rise to customs. Thus
without being commanded [to act], they took it upon themselves to act;
without being prohibited [from acting], they took it upon themselves to stop.
They followed the intentions of their superiors, and it was not necessary to coerce them. It was as if their actions came naturally. Thus it is said: The sage is one who moves with Heaven and Earth and transforms with the four seasons. It amounts to nothing other than that. His manifestation of righteous principles is profound; therefore he can move others.
Having moved others, he can transform them.
Having transformed them, he can glorify their conduct.
Having transformed and glorified their conduct, laws are not disobeyed.
When laws are not disobeyed, punishments are not employed.
When punishments are not employed, the virtue of Yao and Shun is achieved.
This is the Way of Great Governance. The former sages transmitted and received it in succession. Thus Confucius said: “Who can go out without using the door? Why, then, does no one follow the Way?”
6Now if you do not instruct by manifesting virtuous conduct, the people will be in the dark about righteous principles and will not be able to be enlightened; they will be confused about the Way and will not be able to disentangle [their confusion]. If you try to use great severity and cruelty to compel their rectitude, you will simply harm and injure Heaven’s people and compromise your power to rule. Your positional advantage will not be realized. Zhongni [i.e., Confucius] said: “When a state possesses the Way, though it might implement punishments, there would be no one to punish. When a state does not possess the Way, though it might slaughter the people, it will not be possible to subdue them.” This speaks about [the difference between] those who possess the Way and those who do not, and [between] those who instruct the people by manifesting virtuous conduct and those who do not. [31/41/10–27]