Chapter 79 — Relying on the contract任契

不明理其契，以致大怨已至。而德和之，其傷不復，故有餘怨也。

He did not manage the contract clearly, and so a great grudge had already come about. Even settling it with virtue does not undo the hurt, and so some grudge remains.

殺人者死，傷人者刑，以相和報。

To put to death the one who has killed, and to punish the one who has wounded — this is requiting each in kind.

任刑者失人情，必有餘怨及於良人也。

One who relies on punishment loses the hearts of the people, and so a remnant of resentment is bound to reach even the good.

左契，防怨之所由生也。

The left half of the contract guards against what gives rise to grudges.

言一人吁嗟則失天心，安可以和怨為善？

The meaning is that if a single person sighs, the mind of Heaven is already lost; how then can settling resentment be called good?

古者聖人執左契，合符信也。無文書法律，刻契合符以為信也。

In antiquity the sage held the left half of the contract and matched it as a token of trust. There were no written documents or statutes, so a notched tally was matched to serve as a pledge.

有德之人念思其契，不念怨生而後責於人也。

One who has virtue keeps his mind on the contract; he does not keep his mind on pressing others once a grudge has arisen.

但刻契為信，不責人以他事也。

He merely takes the notched tally as a pledge; he does not call others to account over other matters.

有德之君，司察契信而已。

A ruler who has virtue does no more than see to the trust of the contract.

徹，司人之過也。

Che (徹) is to take charge of other people's faults.

無德之君，背其契信，司人所失。

A ruler without virtue turns his back on the trust of the contract and watches for the faults of others.

天道無有親疏，唯與善人，則與司契者也。

The Way of Heaven has neither near nor far; it is with the good alone — that is, with the one who keeps to the contract.