"And when they have been enriched, what more shall be done?" The Master said, "Teach them."
曰:“既富矣,又何加焉?”曰:“教之。”
The Master said, "If there were any of the princes who would employ me, in the course of twelve months, I should have done something considerable. In three years, the government would be perfected."
子曰:“苟有用我者,期月而已可也,三年有成。”
The Master said, "'If good men were to govern a country in succession for a hundred years, they would be able to transform the violently bad, and dispense with capital punishments.'
子曰:“‘善人为邦百年,亦可以胜残去杀矣。’
True indeed is this saying!"
诚哉是言也!”
The Master said, "If a truly royal ruler were to arise, it would stir require a generation, and then virtue would prevail."
子曰:“如有王者,必世而后仁。”
The Master said, "If a minister make his own conduct correct, what difficulty will he have in assisting in government?
子曰:“苟正其身矣,于从政乎何有?
If he cannot rectify himself, what has he to do with rectifying others?"
不能正其身,如正人何?”
The disciple Zan returning from the court, the Master said to him, "How are you so late?" He replied, "We had government business."
冉子退朝,子曰:“何晏也?”对曰:“有政。”
The Master said, "It must have been family affairs. If there had been government business, though I am not now in office, I should have been consulted about it."
子曰:“其事也。如有政,虽不吾以,吾其与闻之。”
The Duke Ting asked whether there was a single sentence which could make a country prosperous. Confucius replied, "Such an effect cannot be expected from one sentence."
定公问:“一言而可以兴邦,有诸?”孔子对曰:“言不可以若是其几也。”