Page:Horæ Sinicæ, Translations from the Popular Literature of the Chinese (horsinictran00morrrich, Morrison, 1812).djvu/46

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
36
TRANSLATIONS FROM THE CHINESE.

tory, he will have property,—and having property, will have wherewith to answer his necessities.

Virtue is first; property last. When the first is placed without and the last within, discord is sown among the people, and you teach them violence. Hence it is that by hoarding up wealth, you scatter the people: but in diffusing property you unite the people.

If the words which you utter be contrary to reason, the answer which you receive will be contrary to reason. If you acquire property by unjust means, by unjust means it will be taken from you.

Kang-kao said, “The appointment of heaven will not continue always; virtue will obtain it, vice will lose it.”

The book Tsie says, “The nation Tsu does not esteem wealth precious; virtue only is precious.”

Tsin-wen-kung’s uncle Fan said, “Those who wander abroad are not valuable; the love of kindred is valuable.”

The book Tsin-shi says, “If there be a minister possessed of strict fidelity, he seems to have no other qualification; [i. e. this includes all others:] his mind is en-