第十八章

    陈牧：寡人闻，古之人目短于自见，故以镜观面；智短于自知，故以道正已，何也？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，智有所有不能立，力有所不能举，强有所有不能胜。故虽有尧之智，而无众人之助，大功不立；有乌获之劲而不得人助，不能自举；有贲、育之强而无法术，不得长胜。势有不可得，事有不可成，故以有余补不足，以长己短，因可势，求易道，用力寡而功名立，是谓明主。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。chen mu：i heard，the ancients could not see themselves，so they look at themselves in the mirror，they cannot see their shortings，so they demand themselves with truth，sir taught me why？xiao fan：i think，human intelligence and strength are limited，no matter how wise yao is， but without others to help him， he cannot succeed，even if wu had the strength， without the help of others， he could not move himself，no matter how brave benyu is， without strategy， he cannot always win，there are situations in which nothing can be done，it is hard to do something，so you have to use the strengths of others to pensate for your own weaknesses，you need to choose the best option for the situation，only in this way can it be easy to succeed，this is the wisdom of the holy king。chen mu：sir is right，i accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人闻，芒芒昧昧，因天之威，与元同气，何也？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，夫覆巢毁卵，则凤凰不至；刳兽食胎，则麒麟不来；乾泽涸渔，则龟龙不往。物之从同，不可为记也，五帝三王是以用之，成齐类同皆有合也，故尧为善而众善至，桀为非而众非来，《商箴》云：天降灾布祥，并有其职，以言祸福人或召之也。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。chen mu：i heard，between heaven and earth， similar magic fields attract each other，sir taught me why？xiao fan：i think，it is impossible for the broken nest to attract phoenixes，it is impossible to attract unicorns by killing animals，it is impossible for a dry river to attract dragon turtles，there are many such cases，the ancient holy king had insight into a law，so they worked hard to boost the energy of their own magic field，therefore， if yao does good deeds， he can attract good people，if jie does bad things， he attracts bad people，natural disasters arise as a warning to humanity，disasters are attracted by humans themselves。chen mu：sir is right，i accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人欲知，政孰为务？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，大理为务。听狱不中，死者不可生也，断者不可属也，司马为务，两国有难，两军相当，司马执枹以行之，一斗不当，死者数成，而杀人亦众矣，教化为务，昔禹与有扈氏战，三陈而不服，禹于是修教一年，而有扈氏请服，愿大王察之。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。chen mu：i want to know，which is more important in government affairs？sir taught me。xiao fan：i think，court matters are crucial，if the court is unfair，then the dead will not be resurrected，it is useless for the judge to regret it，the second is the military，when there is a war，if the military mand is not properly then a lot of people are killed，the third is education，previously， yu could not conquer hu，therefore， he has worked to improve the policy，in order to civilize the world，a year later， hu returned to yu，i hope you learn from this。chen mu：sir is right，i accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人欲知，明君何以立功成名？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为有四，一曰天时，二曰人心，三曰技能，四曰势位。非天时，虽十尧不能冬生一穗；逆人心，虽贲、育不能尽人力。故得天时则不务而自生，得人心，则不趣而自劝；因技能则不急而自疾；得势位则不推进而名成。若水之流，若船之浮。守自然之道，行毋穷之令，故曰明主。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。chen mu：i want to know，how the holy king established merit，sir taught me。xiao fan：i think，i think there are four points，the first is timing，the second is the will of the people，the third is strategy，the fourth is official position，if the timing is not right，even ten yao cannot make the crops grow，if someone goes against the will of the people，even if he was as brave as ben， he did not have the support of the people，if the timing is right， then the crops grow naturally，if you obey the will of the people， then you have their support，if you have the right strategy， then the situation will develop smoothly，if you have an official position and status，then it is natural for you to bee famous，it is as easy as a boat flowing on water，only by observing the truth of nature can one bee a holy king。chen mu：sir is right，i accept your teachings。陈牧：今北方一统，今日宴饮，寡人甚悦，先生何以教我？萧凡：臣以为，大王安不虑危，燕乐过度，一失也；宗室骨肉，当无纤介，今则不然，二失也；蛮夷不静，大王谓功业已隆，不以为念，三失也；兵革之后，百姓穷困，不闻振救，四失也；大王与诸将盟约，事定之后，赏不踰时，而今犹有功未论者，五失也，此诚危急也，非宴乐之时也。陈牧：非先生之言，寡人几误大事，吾知过矣。chen mu：now the north has been pacified，i was very happy at the banquet，sir， what do you think？xiao fan：i think you have made five mistakes，first，you overplay without thinking about the crisis，second，you are very suspicious of your brothers，third，the foreign threat has not been eliminated but you already have some conceit，fourth，after the war， the people were poor， but you did not pacify and help them，fifth，you promised to reward the generals after the victory，but you have broken your promise，now is a dangerous time， not a time for you to play。chen mu：sir is right，i was wrong。陈牧：寡人欲知，取天下何难也？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，取天下有五难，冒犯锋刃，克强敌，一难也；聚致英豪，共王业，二难也；与将士均劳苦，先士卒，三难也；以弱胜强，纳奇策，四难也；兴复皇业，固社稷，五难也。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。chen mu：i want to know，why is it so hard to conquer the world？sir taught me。xiao fan：i think，there are five difficulties in conquering the world，first，you have to risk your life to fight the enemy，second，recruit talent to start a business with you，third，you have to suffer with the soldiers，and you have to lead by example，fourth，defeat strong enemies with weak strength，at the same time， you need to actively adopt the right advice，fifth，revive the country and protect it。chen mu：sir is right，i accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人赏罚皆当，而民不与，何也？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，此乃社鼠之过也，臣闻之夺世禄，以来四方之士。其父有功而禄，其子无功而食之，出则乘车马，衣美裘，以为荣华，入则修竽瑟钟石之声，而安其子女之乐，以乱乡曲之教，如此者，当夺其世禄，方致四方之士。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：my rewards and punishments are appropriate，however， the people do not follow me，sir taught me why？xiao fan：i think，this is because there are corrupt officials，only by dealing with corrupt officials can you attract excellent talent，their father was meritorious and rewarded，they did not establish merit but enjoyed equal treatment，they dressed well， drove good carriages， and lived in big houses，they are conceited and extravagant，their actions have a bad impact on society，therefore， you should abolish their treatment，only in this way can you recruit excellent talents。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。