Govern

Analects 13.11

Original Text:

子曰善人为邦百年亦可以胜残去杀矣诚哉是言也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “‘If excellent people managed the state for a hundred years, then certainly they could overcome cruelty and do away with executions’—how true this saying is!”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, They say that if good men were to govern the domain for a hundred years, they could wipe out violence and put an end to killing. How true those words!

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 12.17

Original Text:

季康子问政于孔子孔子对曰政者正也子帅以正孰敢不正

Translation:

Other Translations:

Ji Kangzi asked Confucius about governing.

Confucius responded, “To ‘govern’ means to be ‘correct’. If you set an example by being correct yourself, who will dare to be incorrect?”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Ji Kangzi asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, To govern is to put to rights. If you lead in the right direction, who will dare do what is not right?

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.