陈牧:寡人闻,履霜,坚冰至,何也?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,履霜坚冰,阴始凝也;驯致其道,至坚冰也。此防渐虑微慎终于始之大戒也。故君子治未病,不治已病;治未乱,不治已乱也。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人谨受教。
chenmu:Iheard,Whenyouseefrost,winterisalmosthere,Sirtaughtmewhy?
xiaofan:Ithink,Theappearanceoffrostmeansthattheweatherisgettinglder,Ifitntinuestodevelop,thenthewaterwillfreeze,Itwarnsustoprepareinadvancebeforethingshappen,Therefore,gentlemenstarttopreventitbeforetheygetsick,andnotwaitforittohappen,Theydealwithproblemsbeforechaoshappensinsteadofwaitingforittohappen。
chenmu:Sirisright,Irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:寡人闻,取法于上,仅得为中;取法于中,故为其下,何也?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,取法于天而则之,斯为其上。颜孟取法于孔子而近之,才得其中。后儒取于颜孟而远之,则为其下矣。既为其下,何足法乎?为儒者,当取法孔子、颜子、孟子;为君者,当取法于尧、舜、文王,自非上德,不可效焉。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人谨受教。
chenmu:Iheard,Choosethebeststrategythenyoucanonlydoitmedium,Chooseamediumstrategythenyoucanonlydoitasinferior,Sirtaughtmewhy?
xiaofan:Ithink,Choosethehighesttruthandimitateit,andthenyoucandoitfirst,YanandMengstudiednfucius,andtheyuldonlyachieveanintermediatelevel,OtherslearnfromYanandMeng,andtheycanonlydosoatalowerlevel,Nottomentiontherest,Asagentleman,youshouldlearnfromnfuciusandYanMeng,Asaking,youshouldlearnfromYaoShunandKingWen,Youhavetolearnfrombetterpeople。
chenmu:Sirisright,Irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:寡人愿闻,身固国安之道,先生何以教我?
萧凡:臣以为,若崇善以广德,则业泰身安;庶可得矣,若肆情以从非,则业倾身丧。如放肆情欲,以嗜邪淫,必是基业倾危,身位丧败。且成迟败速者,国基也;失易得难者,天位也。可不惜哉?
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人受教矣。
chenmu:Iheard,Iwanttoknowthewaytostabilizemyselfandtheuntry,Sirtaughtmewhattodo?
xiaofan:Ithink,Ifyoudogooddeedsandgivefavorstothepeople,Onlythenwillyourcauseandyourselfbestableandsafe,Ifyouindulgeanddobadthingstheneverythingaboutyouwillbelost,Excessiveindulgenceoflustcanalsoleadtocareerdecline,andevenendangerlives,Allofthisncernstheveryessenceoftheuntry,Startingabusinessistoughbutit‘seasytolose,Itisapitytolosetheuntryandyourownlifebecauseofthat。
chenmu:Sirisright,Iacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:寡人闻,帝王之为国也,必藉匡辅之资。故求之斯劳,任之斯逸。何也?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,国之匡辅,必待忠良。任使得人,天下自治。故尧命四岳,舜举八元,以成恭己之隆,用赞钦明之道。士之居世,贤之立身,莫不戢翼隐鳞,待风云之会;怀奇蕴异,思会遇之秋。是明君旁求俊乂,博访英贤,搜扬侧陋。不以卑而不用,不以辱而不尊。昔伊尹,有莘之媵臣;吕望,渭滨之贱老。夷吾困于缧绁。商汤不以鼎俎为羞,姬文不以屠钓为耻,终能献规景毫,光启殷朝;执旌牧野,会昌周室。秦成一匡之业,实资仲父之谋;汉以六合为家,是赖淮阴之策。故舟航之绝海也,必假桡楫之功;鸿鹄之凌云也,必因羽翮之用;照车十二,黄金累千,岂如多士之隆哉!
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人受教矣。
chenmu:Iheard,Kingsneedthehelpofthewisetogoverntheuntry,therefore,findingtalentistiring,butitwillbeeasyafterthat,Sirtaughtmewhy?
xiaofan:Ithink,Onlybyappointingloyalandtalentedpeoplecantheuntrybegovernedbetter,YaoShundidjustthat,sotheiruntryuldprosper,Sagesoftenhidethemselvestowaitfortherightmoment,Therefore,theHolyKingsearchedextensivelyfortalent,afraidofmissingthem,Eveniftheyefromhumbleorigins,theHolyKingwillappointthem,Eveniftheyarea
ogant,theHolyKingwillrespectthem,Theancientsaintsandsageswerelikethis,TheQinDynastyunifiedtheworldbecauseofLuBuwei‘sstrategy,TheHanDynastypacifiedtheworldbecauseofHanXin‘sstrategy,Steamshipsneedoarstosailthesea,Geeseneedwingstoflyinthesky,Inthesameway,kingsneedthehelpofthewisetogoverntheuntry。
chenmu:Sirisright,Iacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:寡人闻,良匠无弃材,明主无弃士,何也?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,明主之任人,如巧匠之制木,直者以为辕,曲者以为轮;长者以为栋梁,短者以为栱角。无曲直长短,各有所施。明主之任人,亦由是也。智者取其谋,愚者取其力;勇者取其威,怯者取其慎,无智、愚、勇、怯,兼而用之。不以一恶忘其善;勿以小瑕掩其功。割政分机,尽其所有。然则函牛之鼎,不可处以烹鸡;捕鼠之狸,不可使以搏兽;一钧之器,不能容以江汉之流;百石之车,不可满以斗筲之粟。何则大非小之量,轻非重之宜。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人受教矣。
chenmu:Iheard,Excellentcraftsmenhavenowaste,EveryoneundertheHolyKingisvaluable,Sirtaughtmewhy?
xiaofan:Ithink,TheHolyKingchoosesthesageslikeacraftsmanmakeswood,Straightwoodwasmadeintoaplow,Thecurvedwoodismadeintowheels,Straightwoodismadeintoroofbeams,Shortwoodismadeintosmallaccessories,Nomatterwhatwoodlookslike,ithasapurpose,ThesameistrueoftheHolyKing‘sappointmentofthesages,Awiseman,youhavetousehisstrategy,Anordinaryperson,youhavetousehisphysicalstrength,A
aveman,youmustusehisfearlessness,Atimidman,youhavetousehiscaution,Nomatterwhatkindofpersonhasthevalueofhisexistence,Therefore,youshouldnotforgetthecreditofothersjustbecausetheymadeasmallmistake,Youhavetoappointeachpersonacrdingtotheircharacteristics,Youhavetousethestrengthsofmeritocracyinsteadofthedisadvantages,Atthesametime,youmusthaveabighearttoacmodatethem。
chenmu:Sirisright,Iacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:寡人欲为圣世之君,先生何以教我?
萧凡:臣以为,圣君为政,当存节俭。富贵广大,守之以约;睿智聪明,守之以愚。不以身尊而骄人,不以德厚而矜物。茅茨不剪,采椽不斫,舟车不饰,衣服无文,土阶不崇,大羹不和。非憎荣而恶味,乃处薄而行俭。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人受教矣。
chenmu:Iheard,Iwanttobeaholyking,Sirtaughtmewhattodo?
xiaofan:Ithink,TheHolyKingshouldgovernwithfrugality,Eveniftheuntryisrichandstrong,itmustadheretofrugality,Evenifyouaresmartandwise,keepalowprofileandbehumble,Don‘tlookdownonothersbecauseofyournoblestatus,Don‘tbea
ogantbecauseofyourvirtues,Stayedinanormalhouse,Usearegularcar,Weargeneralclothing,Eatordinaryfood,Thisisnotdoneoutofdisgustwithit,Instead,wepracticefrugalitywithpracticalactions。
chenmu:Sirisright,Iacceptyourteachings。