The Will of Heaven, Part Two天志中
子墨子言曰：今天下之君子之欲爲仁義者，則不可不察義之所從出。既曰不可以不察義之所從出，然則義何從出？子墨子曰：義不從愚且賤者出，必自貴且知者出。何以知義之不從愚且賤者出，而必自貴且知者出也？曰：義者，善政也。何以知義之善政也？曰：天下有義則治，無義則亂，是以知義之善政也。夫愚且賤者，不得爲政乎貴且知者；貴且知者，然後得爲政乎愚且賤者。此吾所以知義之不從愚且賤者出，而必自貴且知者出也。然則孰爲貴？孰爲知？曰：天爲貴、天爲知而已矣。然則義果自天出矣。
Mozi said, "Now those gentlemen of all under heaven who wish to do benevolence and righteousness cannot but examine where righteousness comes out from.
Since it is said that we cannot but examine where righteousness comes out from, then where does righteousness come out from?"
Mozi said, "Right does not come out from the foolish and the low. It must come out from the noble and the wise.
How do we know that righteousness does not come out from the foolish and the low, but must come out from the noble and the wise? I say, righteousness is good government.
How do we know that righteousness is good government? I say, when all under heaven has righteousness it is well ordered, and when it has no righteousness it is in disorder. By this we know that righteousness is good government.
Now the foolish and the low cannot govern the noble and the wise, and only the noble and the wise can govern the foolish and the low. This is how I know that righteousness does not come out from the foolish and the low, but must come out from the noble and the wise.
Then who is noble, and who is wise? I say, Heaven is noble and Heaven is wise, and that is all. Then righteousness indeed comes out from Heaven."
今天下之人曰：當若天子之貴諸侯，諸侯之貴大夫，傐明知之。然吾未知天之貴且知於天子也。子墨子曰：吾所以知天之貴且知於天子者，有矣。曰：天子爲善，天能賞之；天子爲暴，天能罰之。天子有疾病禍祟，必齋戒沐浴，潔爲酒醴粢盛，以祭祀天鬼，則天能除去之。然吾未知天之祈福於天子也，此吾所以知天之貴且知於天子也。且吾所以知天之貴且知於天子者，不止此而已矣，又以先王之書馴天明不解之道也知之。曰：「明哲維天，臨君下土。」則此語天之貴且知於天子。不知亦有貴知夫天者乎？曰：天爲貴、天爲知而已矣。然則義果自天出矣。是故子墨子曰：今天下之君子，中實將欲尊道利民，本察仁義之本，天之意不可不慎也。
Now the men of all under heaven say, "That the Son of Heaven is nobler than the feudal lords, and the feudal lords nobler than the great officers, this we truly know clearly. But that Heaven is nobler and wiser than the Son of Heaven, this we do not yet know."
Mozi said, "I have my reasons for knowing that Heaven is nobler and wiser than the Son of Heaven. I say, when the Son of Heaven does good, Heaven can reward him, and when the Son of Heaven does violence, Heaven can punish him. When the Son of Heaven has sickness or calamity, he must fast and bathe and prepare pure wine and grain offerings to sacrifice to Heaven and the spirits, and Heaven can take it away. But I have never yet known Heaven to pray to the Son of Heaven for blessing. This is how I know that Heaven is nobler and wiser than the Son of Heaven.
And my reasons for knowing that Heaven is nobler and wiser than the Son of Heaven do not stop here. I also know it from the books of the former kings, which teach the bright and untiring way of Heaven. They say, 'Bright and clear is Heaven alone, which comes down to the land below and rules it.' This is to say that Heaven is nobler and wiser than the Son of Heaven.
I cannot tell whether there is anything nobler and wiser than that Heaven. I say, Heaven is noble and Heaven is wise, and that is all. Then righteousness indeed comes out from Heaven."
Therefore Mozi said, "Now if the gentlemen of all under heaven in their hearts wish to honor the way and benefit the people, and to examine the root of benevolence and righteousness at its root, they cannot but be careful of the will of Heaven."
既以天之意以爲不可不慎已，然則天之將何欲何憎？子墨子曰：天之意，不欲大國之攻小國也，大家之亂小家也，强之劫弱，衆之暴寡，詐之謀愚，貴之傲賤，此天之所不欲也。不止此而已，欲人之有力相營，有道相教，有財相分也。又欲上之强聽治也，下之强從事也。上强聽治，則國家治矣；下强從事，則財用足矣。若國家治，財用足，則上有以絜爲酒醴粢盛，以祭祀天鬼；外有以爲環璧珠玉，以聘撓四鄰，諸侯之冤不興矣，邊境兵甲不作矣；內有以食飢息勞，持養其萬民，則君臣上下惠忠，父子弟兄慈孝。故惟毋明乎順天之意，奉而光施之天下，則刑政治，萬民和，國家富，財用足，百姓皆得煖衣飽食，便寍無憂。是故子墨子曰：今天下之君子，中實將欲遵道利民，本察仁義之本，天之意不可不慎也。
Since it has been said that we cannot but be careful of the will of Heaven, then what does Heaven wish and what does it hate?
Mozi said, "The will of Heaven does not wish the great state to attack the small state, the great house to throw the small house into disorder, the strong to press the weak, the many to be violent toward the few, the cunning to plot against the foolish, or the noble to be proud toward the low. This is what Heaven does not wish.
It does not stop here. Heaven wishes that those who have strength should help one another, that those who have the way should teach one another, and that those who have goods should share with one another. It wishes also that those above should strive to attend to government, and that those below should strive to follow their work. If those above strive to attend to government, the state is well ordered. If those below strive to follow their work, goods and supplies are enough.
If the state is well ordered and goods and supplies are enough, then above, men can prepare pure wine and grain offerings to sacrifice to Heaven and the spirits. Outside, they can prepare rings and jade discs and pearls and jade to pay visits to the neighbors on four sides, so that the resentment of the feudal lords does not rise and weapons and armor do not stir on the borders. Within, they can feed the hungry and rest the weary and hold and nourish their ten thousand people. Then ruler and subject, high and low, are kind and true, and father and son, younger brother and elder brother, are loving and filial.
Therefore only when a man is clear about following the will of Heaven, and upholds it and spreads it in brightness over all under heaven, are punishment and government well ordered, the ten thousand people in harmony, the state rich and goods and supplies enough, and all the people warmly clothed and fully fed, at ease and without care."
Therefore Mozi said, "Now if the gentlemen of all under heaven in their hearts wish to follow the way and benefit the people, and to examine the root of benevolence and righteousness at its root, they cannot but be careful of the will of Heaven."
且夫天子之有天下也，辟之無以異乎國君諸侯之有四境之內也。今國君諸侯之有四境之內也，夫豈欲其臣國萬民之相爲不利哉？今若處大國則攻小國，處大家則亂小家，欲以此求賞譽，終不可得，誅罰必至矣。夫天之有天下也，將無已異此。今若處大國則攻小國，處大都則伐小都，欲以此求福祿於天，福祿終不得，而禍祟必至矣。然有所不爲天之所欲，而爲天之所不欲，則夫天亦且不爲人之所欲，而爲人之所不欲矣。人之所不欲者何也？曰：病疾禍祟也。若己不爲天之所欲，而爲天之所不欲，是率天下之萬民以從事乎禍祟之中也。故古者聖王明知天鬼之所福，而辟天鬼之所憎，以求興天下之利，而除天下之害。是以天之爲寒熱也節，四時調，陰陽雨露也時，五穀孰，六畜遂，疾葘戾疫凶饑則不至。是故子墨子曰：今天下之君子，中實將欲遵道利民，本察仁義之本，天意不可不慎也。
Again, that the Son of Heaven holds all under heaven is no different from the ruler of a state or a feudal lord holding all within his four borders. Now when the ruler of a state or a feudal lord holds all within his four borders, how could he wish the states under him and his ten thousand people to work what is not of benefit to one another?
Now if a man dwells in a great state and attacks a small state, or dwells in a great house and throws a small house into disorder, and by this seeks reward and praise, in the end he cannot get it, and execution and punishment will surely come.
That Heaven holds all under heaven is no different from this. Now if a man dwells in a great state and attacks a small state, or dwells in a great city and strikes a small city, and by this seeks blessing and emolument from Heaven, in the end he does not get blessing and emolument, and calamity will surely come.
Then he has not done what Heaven wishes, and has done what Heaven does not wish. So Heaven too will not do what men wish, and will do what men do not wish. What is it that men do not wish? I say, sickness and calamity.
If a man himself does not do what Heaven wishes and does what Heaven does not wish, this is to lead the ten thousand people of all under heaven into the midst of calamity.
Therefore the sage kings of old knew clearly what Heaven and the spirits bless, and avoided what Heaven and the spirits hate, and so sought to raise up the benefit of all under heaven and to remove the harm of all under heaven. In this way Heaven made cold and heat fall in measure, the four seasons even, and the yin and the yang and the rain and the dew timely, so that the five grains ripened and the six kinds of livestock grew, and sickness and calamity and harsh plague and famine and hunger did not come.
Therefore Mozi said, "Now if the gentlemen of all under heaven in their hearts wish to follow the way and benefit the people, and to examine the root of benevolence and righteousness at its root, they cannot but be careful of the will of Heaven."
且夫天下蓋有不仁不祥者，曰：當若子之不事父，弟之不事兄，臣之不事君也。故天下之君子與謂之不祥者。今夫天兼天下而愛之，檄遂萬物以利之，若豪之末，末非天之所爲也，而民得而利之，則可謂否矣。然獨無報夫天，而不知其爲不仁不祥也。此吾所謂君子明細而不明大也。
Again, in all under heaven there are things without benevolence and ill omened. It is said: the son not serving his father, the younger brother not serving his elder brother, the subject not serving his ruler. Therefore the gentlemen of all under heaven all call these ill omened.
Now Heaven loves all under heaven together and brings the ten thousand things to their full growth to benefit them. Even to the tip of a hair, there is no tip that Heaven has not made, and the people get it and are benefited by it. This may be called great. Yet men alone make no return to that Heaven, and do not know that this is to be without benevolence and ill omened. This is what I call the gentleman being clear about the small and not clear about the great.
且吾所以知天之愛民之厚者，有矣。曰：以曆爲日月星辰，以昭道之；制爲四時春秋冬夏，以紀綱之；雷降雪霜雨露，以長遂五穀麻絲，使民得而財利之；列爲山川谿谷，播賦百事；爲王公侯伯，以臨司民之善否，使之賞賢而罰暴，賊金木鳥獸，從事乎五穀麻絲，以爲民衣食之財。自古及今，未嘗不有此也。今有人於此，驩若愛其子，竭力單務以利之。其子長，而無報乎求父。故天下之君子與謂之不仁不祥。今夫天兼天下而愛之，檄遂萬物以利之，若豪之末，末非天之所爲，而民得而利之，則可謂否矣。然獨無報夫天，而不知其爲不仁不祥也。此吾所謂君子明細而不明大也。
Again, I have my reasons for knowing that Heaven's love for the people is deep.
I say: Heaven set out the sun and the moon and the stars to give light and lead them. It made the four seasons, spring and autumn and winter and summer, to order them. It sent down thunder and snow and frost and rain and dew to grow and ripen the five grains and hemp and silk, so that the people could get them and take them as goods and be benefited by them. It set out mountains and rivers and streams and valleys, and portioned out the hundred tasks. It set up kings and dukes and marquises and earls to watch over and take charge of whether the people are good or not, and to reward the worthy and punish the violent. It let them take metal and wood and birds and beasts, and go to work at the five grains and hemp and silk, to make the goods for the people's clothing and food. From of old down to today, there has never been a time without this.
Now suppose there is a man here who gladly loves his son, and spends all his strength and exhausts all his labor to benefit him. If the son grows up and makes no return to his father, the gentlemen of all under heaven all call this without benevolence and ill omened.
Now Heaven loves all under heaven together and brings the ten thousand things to their full growth to benefit them. Even to the tip of a hair, there is no tip that Heaven has not made, and the people get it and are benefited by it. This may be called great. Yet men alone make no return to that Heaven, and do not know that this is to be without benevolence and ill omened. This is what I call the gentleman being clear about the small and not clear about the great.
Interlinear notes 1
竭力單務
The source text has 單, taken here as an error for 殫 (to exhaust), matching 竭力 before it. ― Translator
且吾所以知天愛民之厚者，不止此而已矣。曰：殺不辜者，天予不祥。不辜者誰也？曰：人也。予之不祥者誰也？曰：天也。若天不愛民之厚，夫胡說人殺不辜而天予之不祥哉？此吾所以知天之愛民之厚也。且吾所以知天之愛民之厚者，不止此而已矣。曰：愛人利人，順天之意，得天之賞者，有矣。憎人賊人，反天之意，得天之罰者，亦有矣。
Again, my reasons for knowing that Heaven's love for the people is deep do not stop here.
I say: if a man kills one who is not guilty, Heaven gives him ill fortune. Who is the one not guilty? I say, a man. Who is it that gives him ill fortune? I say, Heaven. If Heaven's love for the people were not deep, then for what reason would Heaven give ill fortune to a man who kills one not guilty? This is how I know that Heaven's love for the people is deep.
Again, my reasons for knowing that Heaven's love for the people is deep do not stop here. I say: there are those who loved others and benefited others, followed the will of Heaven, and got the reward of Heaven. And there are also those who hated others and harmed others, went against the will of Heaven, and got the punishment of Heaven.
夫愛人利人，順天之意，得天之賞者，誰也？曰：若昔三代聖王堯舜禹湯文武者是也。堯舜禹湯文武焉所從事？曰：從事兼，不從事別。兼者，處大國不攻小國，處大家不亂小家，强不劫弱，衆不暴寡，詐不謀愚，貴不傲賤。觀其事，上利乎天，中利乎鬼，下利乎人。三利無所不利，是謂天德。聚斂天下之美名而加之焉，曰：此仁也，義也，愛人利人，順天之意，得天之賞者也。不止此而已，書於竹帛，鏤之金石，琢之槃盂，傳遺後世子孫。曰：將何以爲？將以識夫愛人利人，順天之意，得天之賞者也。《皇矣》道之曰：「帝謂文王，予懷明德，不大聲以色，不長夏以革，不識不知，順帝之則。」帝善其順法則也，故舉殷以賞之，使貴爲天子，富有天下，名譽至今不息。故夫愛人利人，順天之意，得天之賞者，既可得而知已。
Who are those who loved others and benefited others, followed the will of Heaven, and got the reward of Heaven? I say, they are the sage kings of the three ages of old, Yao and Shun and Yu and Tang and Wen and Wu.
What did Yao and Shun and Yu and Tang and Wen and Wu go to work at? I say, they went to work at loving all alike, and did not go to work at setting apart.
Loving all alike is this. Dwelling in a great state, one does not attack a small state. Dwelling in a great house, one does not throw a small house into disorder. The strong do not press the weak, the many are not violent toward the few, the cunning do not plot against the foolish, and the noble are not proud toward the low.
Looking at their work, above it benefited Heaven, in the middle it benefited the spirits, and below it benefited men. With these three benefits there was nothing it did not benefit, and this is called the virtue of Heaven. Men gathered the fair names of all under heaven and laid them upon these kings, saying, "This is benevolence, this is righteousness. These are the men who loved others and benefited others, followed the will of Heaven, and got the reward of Heaven."
It did not stop here. Men wrote it on bamboo and silk, cut it into metal and stone, carved it on basins and bowls, and handed it down to the sons and grandsons of later ages. They say: what is this for? It is to make known those who loved others and benefited others, followed the will of Heaven, and got the reward of Heaven.
The Huang yi (皇矣) tells of this, saying, "The Lord on High said to King Wen, 'I cherish bright virtue.' He does not make much of sound and looks, and does not prolong the rod and the hide. Without knowing, without being aware, he follows the rule of the Lord on High." The Lord on High held it good that he followed the rule, and so raised up Yin and gave it to him as a reward, making him noble as the Son of Heaven and rich in holding all under heaven, and his name and praise have not ceased to this day.
Therefore those who loved others and benefited others, followed the will of Heaven, and got the reward of Heaven can now be known.
夫憎人賊人，反天之意，得天之罰者，誰也？曰：若昔者三代暴王桀紂幽厲者是也。桀紂幽厲焉所從事？曰：從事別，不從事兼。別者，處大國則攻小國，處大家則亂小家，强劫弱，衆暴寡，詐謀愚，貴傲賤。觀其事，上不利乎天，中不利乎鬼，下不利乎人。三不利無所利，是謂天賊。聚斂天下之醜名而加之焉，曰：此非仁也，非義也，憎人賊人，反天之意，得天之罰者也。不止此而已，又書其事於竹帛，鏤之金石，琢之槃盂，傳遺後世子孫。曰：將何以爲？將以識夫憎人賊人，反天之意，得天之罰者也。《大明》之道之曰：「紂越厥夷居，不肎事上帝，棄厥先神祇不祀，乃曰：吾有命，無廖𠏿務。天下天亦縱棄紂而不葆。」察天所以縱棄紂而不葆者，反天之意也。故夫憎人賊人，反天之意，得天之罰者，既可得而知也。
Who are those who hated others and harmed others, went against the will of Heaven, and got the punishment of Heaven? I say, they are the violent kings of the three ages of old, Jie and Zhou and King You and King Li.
What did Jie and Zhou and King You and King Li go to work at? I say, they went to work at setting apart, and did not go to work at loving all alike.
Setting apart is this. Dwelling in a great state, one attacks a small state. Dwelling in a great house, one throws a small house into disorder. The strong press the weak, the many are violent toward the few, the cunning plot against the foolish, and the noble are proud toward the low.
Looking at their work, above it did not benefit Heaven, in the middle it did not benefit the spirits, and below it did not benefit men. With these three things that do not benefit there was nothing it benefited, and this is called the robber of Heaven. Men gathered the foul names of all under heaven and laid them upon these kings, saying, "This is not benevolence, this is not righteousness. These are the men who hated others and harmed others, went against the will of Heaven, and got the punishment of Heaven."
It did not stop here. Men also wrote their deeds on bamboo and silk, cut them into metal and stone, carved them on basins and bowls, and handed them down to the sons and grandsons of later ages. They say: what is this for? It is to make known those who hated others and harmed others, went against the will of Heaven, and got the punishment of Heaven.
The Da ming (大明) tells of this, saying, "Zhou went beyond his dwelling and was not willing to serve the Lord on High. He cast away the spirits of his forebears and did not sacrifice to them. Then he said, 'I have the mandate,' and he took no care for his tasks. Heaven too let Zhou go and did not keep him."
If we examine why Heaven let Zhou go and did not keep him, it was because he went against the will of Heaven. Therefore those who hated others and harmed others, went against the will of Heaven, and got the punishment of Heaven can now be known.
是故子墨子之有天之，辟之無以異乎輪人之有規，匠人之有矩也。今夫輪人操其規，將以量度天下之圜與不圜也，曰：「中吾規者謂之圜，不中吾規者謂之不圜。」是以圜與不圜，皆可得而知也。此其故何？則圜法明也。匠人亦操其矩，將以量度天下之方與不方也，曰：「中吾矩者謂之方，不中吾矩者謂之不方。」是以方與不方，皆可得而知之。此其故何？則方法明也。故子墨子之有天之意也，上將以度天下之王公大人之爲刑政也，下將以量天下之萬民爲文學、出言談也。觀其行，順天之意，謂之善意行。反天之意，謂之不善意行。觀其言談，順天之意，謂之善言談；反天之意，謂之不善言談。觀其刑政，順天之意，謂之善刑政；反天之意，謂之不善刑政。故置此以爲法，立此以爲儀，將以量度天下之王公大人卿大夫之仁與不仁，譬之猶分黑白也。
Therefore Mozi's having the will of Heaven is no different from the wheelwright having his compasses and the carpenter having his square.
Now the wheelwright takes up his compasses and would measure what is round and what is not round in all under heaven, saying, "What fits my compasses I call round, and what does not fit my compasses I call not round." In this way what is round and what is not round can all be known. What is the reason for this? It is because the rule for the round is clear.
The carpenter too takes up his square and would measure what is square and what is not square in all under heaven, saying, "What fits my square I call square, and what does not fit my square I call not square." In this way what is square and what is not square can all be known. What is the reason for this? It is because the rule for the square is clear.
So Mozi's having the will of Heaven is this. Above, it is to measure how the kings and dukes and great men of all under heaven carry on punishment and government. Below, it is to measure how the ten thousand people of all under heaven pursue letters and learning and put forth their words.
Looking at a man's conduct, if it follows the will of Heaven it is called conduct of a good will, and if it goes against the will of Heaven it is called conduct of a will that is not good. Looking at his words, if they follow the will of Heaven they are called good words, and if they go against the will of Heaven they are called words that are not good. Looking at his punishment and government, if it follows the will of Heaven it is called good punishment and government, and if it goes against the will of Heaven it is called punishment and government that are not good.
Therefore he sets this up as a rule and plants it as a standard, and would measure the benevolence or the lack of benevolence of the kings and dukes and great men and ministers and great officers of all under heaven. It is like dividing black from white.
是故子墨子曰：今天下之王公大人士君子，中實將欲遵道利民，本察仁義之本，天之意不可不順也。順天之意者，義之法也。
Therefore Mozi said, "Now if the kings and dukes and great men and officers and gentlemen of all under heaven in their hearts wish to follow the way and benefit the people, and to examine the root of benevolence and righteousness at its root, they cannot but follow the will of Heaven. Following the will of Heaven is the rule of righteousness."