《韩非子》选读

法fǎ不bù阿ā贵guì，绳shéng不bù挠náo曲qǔ。法fǎ之zhī所suǒ加jiā，智zhì者zhě弗fú能néng辞cí，勇yǒng者zhě弗fú敢gǎn争zhēng。

The law does not flatter the noble; the line does not bend around the crooked. Where the law applies, the wise cannot argue it away nor the brave contest it.

释shì读dú：法律fǎ lǜ不bù偏向piān xiàng权quán贵guì。墨mò线xiàn画huà出来chū lái是shì直zhí的de，规矩guī ju面前miàn qián，再zài聪明cōng ming再zài勇敢yǒng gǎn的de人rén也yě得děi服从fú cóng。

Gloss: the law favors no lord. The ink line is straight; before the rule, wit and courage alike must yield.

宰zǎi相xiāng必bì起qǐ于yú州zhōu部bù，猛měng将jiāng必bì发fā于yú卒zú伍wǔ。

A prime minister must rise from the provinces; a great general must come up through the ranks.

释shì读dú：能néng当dàng宰zǎi相xiāng的de人rén，一定yī dìng要yào在zài基层jī céng干gàn过guo；能néng当dàng大dà将jiāng的de人rén，一定yī dìng当dàng过guo小xiǎo兵bīng。位置wèi zhi越yuè高gāo，越yuè需要xū yào底层dǐ céng的de经验jīng yàn。

Gloss: ministers must have served locally, generals must have been soldiers. The higher the seat, the more it needs ground-level experience.

千qiān丈zhàng之zhī堤dī，以yǐ蝼lóu蚁yǐ之zhī穴xué溃kuì；百bǎi尺chǐ之zhī室shì，以yǐ突tū隙xì之zhī烟yān焚fén。

A dike of a thousand zhang collapses from an ant hole; a house of a hundred feet burns from a spark through a crack in the chimney.

释shì读dú：千qiān里lǐ长zhǎng堤dī会huì被bèi一yī个gè小xiǎo蚂蚁mǎ yǐ洞dòng毁huǐ掉diào。大dà灾难zāi nàn，常常cháng cháng是shì从cóng最zuì小xiǎo的de漏洞lòu dòng开始kāi shǐ的de。

Gloss: a great dike falls to a tiny ant hole. Catastrophes usually begin at the smallest crack.

长zhǎng袖xiù善shàn舞wǔ，多duō钱qián善shàn贾jiǎ。

Long sleeves help the dancer; much capital helps the merchant.

释shì读dú：袖xiù子zi长zhǎng了liǎo跳舞tiào wǔ好看hǎo kàn，本钱běn qián多duō了liǎo生意shēng yi好hào做zuò。条件tiáo jiàn好hào，事情shì qing就jìu好hào办bàn,,韩hán非fēi子zi是shì现实xiàn shí主义zhǔ yì者zhě。

Gloss: long sleeves make dancing graceful, big capital makes trading easy. Better conditions make better results; Han Fei the realist.

世shì异yì则zé事shì异yì，事shì异yì则zé备bèi变biàn。

When the age changes, its affairs change; when affairs change, preparations must change.

释shì读dú：时代shí dài变biàn了liǎo，事情shì qing就jìu变biàn了liǎo；事情shì qing变biàn了liǎo，办法bàn fǎ就jìu得děi跟gēn着zhuó变biàn。死sǐ守shǒu老lǎo办法bàn fǎ的de人rén，韩hán非fēi子zi最zuì看不起kàn bu qǐ。

Gloss: times change, things change, methods must follow. Clinging to the old was what Han Fei despised most.

上shàng古gǔ竞jìng于yú道德dào dé，中zhōng世shì逐zhú于yú智zhì谋móu，当今dāng jīn争zhēng于yú气qì力lì。

In high antiquity they competed in virtue; in the middle ages they chased cleverness; today they contend in strength.

释shì读dú：上shàng古gǔ拼pīn道德dào dé，中zhōng古gǔ拼pīn计jì谋móu，现在xiàn zài拼pīn实力shí lì。韩hán非fēi子zi看kān历史lì shǐ，一yī个gè字zì：变biàn。

Gloss: antiquity competed on virtue, the middle on strategy, now on force. Han Fei read history in one word: change.

故gù明míng主zhǔ之zhī国guó，无wú书shū简jiǎn之zhī文wén，以yǐ法fǎ为wéi教jiāo；无wú先xiān王wáng之zhī语yǔ，以yǐ吏lì为wéi师shī。

So in the enlightened ruler's state there are no texts of bamboo slips, the law is the teaching; no words of former kings, the officials are the teachers.

释shì读dú：韩hán非fēi子zi的de理想lǐ xiǎng国guó：不bù读dú古gǔ书shū，只zhī学xué法律fǎ lǜ；不bù拜bài先xiān王wáng，只zhī认rèn官员guān yuán。听tīng着zhuó激jī进jìn，这zhè就是jìu shì法fǎ家jiā。

Gloss: Han Fei's ideal state: no old books, only law; no sage kings, only officials. Radical-sounding, that is Legalism.

恃shì人rén之zhī为wéi吾wú善shàn也yě，境内jìng nèi不bù什shén数shǔ；用人yòng rén不得bù dé为wéi非fēi，一yī国guó可kě使shǐ齐qí。

Counting on others' kindness, you will not find ten in the realm; constraining them from wrong, the whole state can be made uniform.

释shì读dú：指望zhǐ wàng人rén自觉zì jué做zuò好事hǎo shì，全国quán guó找zhǎo不bù出chū十shí个gè；用yòng制度zhì dù让ràng人rén不bù敢gǎn做zuò坏事huài shì，全国quán guó都dōu能néng管guǎn住zhù。

Gloss: trust people's goodness and you will not find ten; bind them by rules and the whole state falls in line.

志zhì之zhī难nán也yě，不bù在zài胜shèng人rén，在zài自zì胜shèng也yě。故gù曰yuē：自zì胜shèng之zhī谓wèi强qiáng。

The hard thing in ambition is not overcoming others but overcoming oneself. So it is said: self-victory is true strength.

释shì读dú：最zuì难nán的de不bù是shì赢yíng过guo别人bié ren，是shì赢yíng过guo自己zì jǐ。能néng管guǎn住zhù自己zì jǐ的de人rén，才cái是shì真正zhēn zhèng的de强qiáng者zhě。

Gloss: the hardest victory is over oneself. Whoever masters himself is the truly strong.

右yòu手shǒu画huà圆yuán，左zuǒ手shǒu画huà方fāng，不bù能néng两liǎng成chéng。

Draw a circle with the right hand and a square with the left, neither will succeed.

释shì读dú：一yī只zhī手shǒu画huà圆yuán，一yī只zhī手shǒu画huà方fāng，两liǎng样yàng都dōu画huà不bù好hào。一心yī xīn不bù能néng二èr用yòng，专心zhuān xīn才能cái néng成chéng事shì。

Gloss: circle in one hand, square in the other, both fail. One heart cannot serve two tasks.

以yǐ肉ròu去qù蚁yǐ，蚁yǐ愈yù多duō；以yǐ鱼yú驱qū蝇yíng，蝇yíng愈yù至zhì。

Drive ants away with meat and they multiply; chase flies with fish and they come thicker.

释shì读dú：用yòng肉ròu赶gǎn蚂蚁mǎ yǐ，蚂蚁mǎ yǐ越来越yuè lái yuè多duō；用yòng鱼yú赶gǎn苍蝇cāng ying，苍蝇cāng ying越yuè赶gǎn越yuè多duō。办法bàn fǎ用yòng错cuò了liǎo，越yuè努力nǔ lì越yuè糟糕zāo gāo。

Gloss: repelling ants with meat brings more; chasing flies with fish draws more. The wrong method makes effort worse.

不bù吹chuī毛máo而ér求qíu小xiǎo疵cī，不bù洗xǐ垢gòu而ér察chá难nán知zhī。

Do not blow apart the fur to seek tiny flaws; do not wash off the dirt to inspect what is hard to see.

释shì读dú：吹chuī开kāi毛máo找zhǎo小xiǎo毛病máo bìng，洗xǐ净jìng垢gòu看kān暗àn处chù,,韩hán非fēi子zi说shuō，挑tiǎo刺cì谁shéi都会dū huì，那nà不bù是shì本事běn shi。

Gloss: anyone can hunt flaws in the fur or stains in the dirt; Han Fei says fault-finding is no skill.

去qù规guī而ér妄wàng意yì度dù，奚xī仲zhòng必bì成chéng轮lún难nán矣yǐ。无wú策cè而ér决jué事shì，投tóu石shí而ér问wèn吉jí凶xiōng，圣shèng人rén不bù能néng断duàn其qí时shí也yě。

Discard the compass and guess at a circle, even master craftsman Xizhong could hardly make a wheel; decide matters without a plan, casting stones for omens, even a sage could not judge the moment.

明míng主zhǔ之zhī吏lì，宰zǎi相xiāng必bì起qǐ于yú州zhōu部bù，猛měng将jiāng必bì发fā于yú卒zú伍wǔ。夫fū有yǒu功gōng者zhě必bì赏shǎng，则zé爵jué禄lù厚hòu而ér愈yù劝quàn。

In the enlightened ruler's service, ministers rise from the provinces and generals from the ranks. When merit is always rewarded, rank and pay drive men harder still.

释shì读dú：韩hán非fēi子zi的de用人yòng rén观guàn：大dà官guān要yào从cóng基层jī céng选xuǎn，赏shǎng罚fá分明fēn míng，大家dà jiā才cái肯kěn卖mài命mìng。

Gloss: Han Fei's staffing rule, pick leaders from the ground up, reward and punish cleanly, and men will give their all.

国guó无wú常cháng强qiáng，无wú常cháng弱ruò。奉fèng法fǎ者zhě强qiáng则zé国guó强qiáng，奉fèng法fǎ者zhě弱ruò则zé国guó弱ruò。

No state is forever strong or forever weak. When those who uphold the law are strong, the state is strong; when they are weak, the state is weak.

释shì读dú：国家guó jiā强qiáng弱ruò不bù在zài天tiān命mìng，在zài执法zhí fǎ的de人rén硬yìng不bù硬yìng。法律fǎ lǜ立lì得děi住zhù，国家guó jiā才cái立lì得děi住zhù。

Gloss: a state's strength is not fate but the spine of its law-enforcers. Law stands, the state stands.

宰zǎi相xiāng之zhī不bù能néng得děi，犹yóu医yī之zhī不bù能néng治zhì内nèi疾jí；猛měng将jiāng之zhī不bù能néng用yòng，犹yóu体tǐ之zhī不bù能néng使shǐ臂bì也yě。

Failing to gain a good minister is like a physician failing to cure an inner illness; failing to use a great general is like the body failing to move its arm.

释shì读dú：韩hán非fēi子zi把bǎ国家guó jiā比bǐ作zuò身体shēn tǐ：好hào宰zǎi相xiāng用yòng不bù了liǎo，像xiàng大夫dài fu治zhì不bù了liǎo内nèi病bìng；猛měng将jiāng用yòng不bù上shàng，像xiàng胳膊gē bo抬tái不bù起来qǐ lai。

Gloss: the state as body, an unused minister is an incurable illness, an unused general a paralyzed arm.

治zhì民mín者zhě禁jìn奸jiān于yú未wèi萌méng，而ér用yòng兵bīng者zhě服fú战zhàn于yú民mín心xīn。

Those who govern the people stop crime before it sprouts; those who wage war win the people's hearts first.

释shì读dú：最好zuì hǎo的de治理zhì lǐ是shì防fáng患huàn于yú未wèi然rán，最好zuì hǎo的de战争zhàn zhēng是shì先xiān得děi人心rén xīn。韩hán非fēi子zi懂dǒng：惩罚chéng fá是shì下xià策cè，心xīn服fú才cái是shì上shàng策cè。

Gloss: best governance prevents crime before it forms; best warfare wins hearts first; Han Fei knew punishment is the worst tool, consent the best.

小xiǎo知zhī不bù可kě使shǐ谋móu事shì，小xiǎo忠zhōng不bù可kě使shǐ主zhǔ法fǎ。

Small cleverness cannot be trusted with great plans; small loyalty cannot be trusted with the law.

释shì读dú：小xiǎo聪明cōng ming的de人rén不bù能néng办bàn大事dà shì，只zhī会huì听话tīng huà的de人rén不bù能néng执法zhí fǎ。用人yòng rén要yào看kān大dà格局gé jú，不bù能néng只zhī看kān表面biǎo miàn。

Gloss: petty cleverness cannot run affairs, blind obedience cannot enforce law, judge men by scale, not surface.

人rén主zhǔ之zhī患huàn在于zài yú信xìn人rén，信xìn人rén则zé制zhì于yú人rén。

The ruler's danger lies in trusting men; to trust them is to be ruled by them.

释shì读dú：韩hán非fēi子zi的de冷lěng面miàn一句话yī jù huà：做zuò君jūn主zhǔ最zuì大dà的de隐患yǐn huàn是shì轻qīng信xìn人rén。信xìn了liǎo，就jìu被bèi控制kòng zhì了liǎo。

Gloss: Han Fei's cold warning, a ruler's greatest danger is credulity; to trust is to be ruled.

火huǒ形xíng严yán，故gù人rén鲜xiān灼zhuó；水shuǐ形xíng懦nuò，人rén多duō溺nì。

Fire's form is harsh, so few get burned; water's form is soft, so many drown.

释shì读dú：火huǒ看起来kàn qǐ lai凶xiōng，烧shāo伤shāng的de人rén少shǎo；水shuǐ看起来kàn qǐ lai柔róu，淹yān死sǐ的de人rén多duō。严厉yán lì的de东西dōng xi让ràng人rén躲duǒ着zhuó走zǒu，宽松kuān sōng的de环境huán jìng反而fǎn ér危险wēi xiǎn。

Gloss: fire looks harsh and burns few; water looks soft and drowns many. Severity keeps people wary; softness invites disaster.

宰zǎi相xiāng之zhī爵jué，前qián对duì后hòu食shí；猛měng将jiāng之zhī赏shǎng，虚xū爵jué而ér重chóng禄lù。

The minister's rank earns a front seat and back table; the general's reward is empty title but rich pay.

释shì读dú：韩hán非fēi子zi的de赏shǎng罚fá细xì账zhàng：给gěi宰zǎi相xiāng位置wèi zhi，给gěi猛měng将jiāng实惠shí huì。赏shǎng要yào赏shǎng到dào点子diǎn zi上shàng，罚fá要yào罚fá到dào骨头gǔ tou里lǐ。

Gloss: Han Fei's reward ledger, seat the minister, pay the general. Rewards must hit the mark, punishments the bone.

明míng主zhǔ之zhī所suǒ导dǎo制zhì其qí臣chén者zhě，二èr柄bǐng而已ér yǐ矣yǐ。二èr柄bǐng者zhě，刑xíng德dé也yě。

The enlightened ruler guides his ministers with two handles only: punishment and favor.

释shì读dú：韩hán非fēi子zi的de帝dì王wáng术shù：管guǎn臣chén子zi就jìu靠kào两liǎng样yàng,,罚fá和hé赏shǎng。一手yī shǒu拿ná刀dāo，一手yī shǒu拿ná糖táng。

Gloss: Han Fei's art of rule, two handles suffice, knife in one hand, sugar in the other.

韩hán非fēi子zi说话shuō huà从不cóng bù绕rào弯wān：人性rén xìng有yǒu恶è，制度zhì dù要yào严yán，赏shǎng罚fá要yào明míng。两liǎng千qiān年nián后hòu看kān，还是hái shi那么nà me冷lěng，那么nà me准zhǔn。

Han Fei never minced words: human nature has evil, rules must be strict, rewards and punishments clear. Two millennia on, still cold and still precise.

木mù欲yù寿shòu而ér蠹dù蚀shí之zhī，官guān欲yù久jǐu而ér蠹dù蚀shí之zhī。

Wood that would last is eaten by borers; an office that would last is eaten by its pests.

释shì读dú：木头mù tou想xiǎng长久cháng jǐu，虫chóng蠹dù就jìu来lái了liǎo；官guān位wèi想xiǎng长久cháng jǐu，蛀zhù虫chóng就jìu来lái了liǎo。韩hán非fēi子zi提醒tí xǐng：最zuì大dà的de敌人dí rén，常常cháng cháng长zhǎng在zài身体shēn tǐ里面lǐ miàn。

Gloss: wood that would endure draws borers; an office that would endure draws parasites, the worst enemy grows from within.

释shì读dú：丢dīu下xià规矩guī ju靠kào猜cāi，再zài巧qiǎo的de工gōng匠jiàng也yě做zuò不成bù chéng车轮chē lún；没méi计划jì huà靠kào运气yùn qi，圣shèng人rén也yě会huì判断pàn duàn失误shī wù。

Gloss: guessing without tools defeats even masters; divining without plans defeats even sages.