Against Fatalism, Part One非命上
子墨子言曰：古者王公大人爲政國家者，皆欲國家之富，人民之衆，刑政之治。然而不得富而得貧，不得衆而得寡，不得治而得亂，則是本失其所欲，得其所惡，是故何也？子墨子言曰：執有命者以襍於民閒者衆。執有命者之言曰：「命富則富，命貧則貧；命衆則衆，命寡則寡；命治則治，命亂則亂；命壽則壽，命夭則夭。命，雖强勁，何益哉？」上以說王公大人，下以駔百姓之從事。故執有命者不仁，故當執有命者之言，不可不明辨。然則明辨此之說，將奈何哉？子墨子言曰：言必立儀，言而毋儀，譬猶運鈞之上而立朝夕者也，是非利害之辨，不可得而明知也。故言必有三表。何謂三表？子墨子言曰：有本之者，有原之者，有用之者。於何本之？上本之於古者聖王之事。於何原之？下原察百姓耳目之實。於何用之？廢以爲刑政，觀其中國家百姓人民之利。此所謂言有三表也。
Mozi said, "In old times the kings and dukes and great men who governed states all wished their states to be rich, their people to be many, and their punishments and government to be well ordered. Yet they did not get riches but got poverty, they did not get many but got few, they did not get order but got disorder. This is to lose at the root what they wished and to get what they hated. What is the reason for this?"
Mozi said, "It is because those who hold that there is fate (命) are many among the people.
The words of those who hold that there is fate say, 'If fate is rich, then rich; if fate is poor, then poor. If fate is many, then many; if fate is few, then few. If fate is order, then order; if fate is disorder, then disorder. If fate is long life, then long life; if fate is early death, then early death. Though a man strive against fate with all his strength, what good is it?'
Above, they use this to coax the kings and dukes and great men. Below, they use this to block the common people from following their work. Therefore those who hold that there is fate are not benevolent, and the words of those who hold that there is fate must be clearly judged.
Then what must be done to judge these words clearly?"
Mozi said, "In speech a gauge must be set up. To speak without a gauge is like setting the marks of sunrise and sunset upon a turning potter's wheel. The judgment of right and wrong, of benefit and harm, cannot be gained and clearly known.
Therefore in speech there must be three gauges (表). What are called the three gauges?"
Mozi said, "There is what is taken as the root. There is what is traced to the source. There is what is put to use.
Where is the root taken? Above, the root is taken in the affairs of the sage kings of old. Where is the source traced? Below, the source is traced and examined in the facts of the ears and eyes of the common people. Where is it put to use? It is set out as punishment and government, and one sees whether it fits the benefit of the state and the common people.
This is what is called speech having three gauges."
然而今天下之士君子或以命爲有，葢嘗尚觀於聖王之事。古者桀之所亂，湯受而治之；紂之所亂，武王受而治之。此世未易，民未渝，在於桀紂則天下亂，在於湯武則天下治，豈可謂有命哉？
Yet now some of the officers and gentlemen of all under heaven hold that there is fate. Let them once look up to the affairs of the sage kings.
In old times what Jie threw into disorder, King Tang received and set in order. What Zhou threw into disorder, King Wu received and set in order. The age was not changed and the people were not altered. Under Jie and Zhou all under heaven was in disorder, and under King Tang and King Wu all under heaven was in order. How can it be said that there is fate?
然而今天下之士君子或以命爲有，葢嘗尚觀於先王之書。先王之書，所以出國家、布施百姓者，憲也。先王之憲，亦嘗有曰「福不可請，而禍不可諱，敬無益，暴無傷」者乎？所以聽獄制罪者，刑也。先王之刑，亦嘗有曰「福不可請，禍不可諱，敬無益，暴無傷」者乎？所以整設師旅、進退師徒者，誓也。先王之誓，亦嘗有曰「福不可請，禍不可諱，敬無益，暴無傷」者乎？是故子墨子言曰：吾當未盡數，天下之良書不可盡計數，大方論數，而五者是也。今雖毋求執有命者之言，不必得，不亦可錯乎。
Yet now some of the officers and gentlemen of all under heaven hold that there is fate. Let them once look up to the books of the former kings.
Among the books of the former kings, what is sent out to the state and spread among the common people is the statutes (憲). In the statutes of the former kings, was there ever a saying, "Blessing cannot be asked for and calamity cannot be avoided. Reverence brings no gain and violence brings no harm"?
What hears cases and settles crimes is the penal codes (刑). In the penal codes of the former kings, was there ever a saying, "Blessing cannot be asked for and calamity cannot be avoided. Reverence brings no gain and violence brings no harm"?
What draws up the armies and moves the troops forward and back is the declarations (誓). In the declarations of the former kings, was there ever a saying, "Blessing cannot be asked for and calamity cannot be avoided. Reverence brings no gain and violence brings no harm"?
Therefore Mozi said, "I have surely not counted them all. The good books of all under heaven cannot be counted to the end, but counted in the large, these five are they. Now though one seek the words of those who hold that there is fate, one will surely not find them. Is it not right, then, to put them away?"
今用執有命者之言，是覆天下之義，覆天下之義者，是立命者也，百姓之誶也。說百姓之誶者，是滅天下之人也。然則所爲欲義人在上者，何也？曰：義人在上，天下必治，上帝山川鬼神必有幹主，萬民被其大利。何以知之？子墨子曰：古者湯封於亳，絕長繼短，方地百里，與其百姓兼相愛、交相利，移則分，率其百姓，以上尊天事鬼。是以天鬼富之，諸侯與之，百姓親之，賢士歸之，未歿其世，而王天下，政諸侯。昔者文王封於岐周，絕長繼短，方地百里，與其百姓兼相愛、交相利，則。是以近者安其政，遠者歸其德。聞文王者，皆起而趨之。罷不肖股肱不利者，處而願之，曰：「奈何乎使文王之地及我吾，則吾利豈不亦猶文王之民也哉。」是以天鬼富之，諸侯與之，百姓親之，賢士歸之。未歿其世，而王天下，政諸侯。鄉者言曰：義人在上，天下必治，上帝山川鬼神必有幹主，萬民被其大利。吾用此知之。
Now to use the words of those who hold that there is fate is to overturn the righteousness of all under heaven. One who overturns the righteousness of all under heaven is one who sets up fate, and one who reviles the common people. One who delights in reviling the common people is one who wipes out the men of all under heaven.
Then what is the reason for wishing a righteous man to be above? It is said: when a righteous man is above, all under heaven is surely in order, the Lord on High and the mountains and rivers and the ghosts and spirits surely have their master, and the ten thousand people receive his great benefit.
How is this known?
Mozi said, "In old times King Tang was enfeoffed at Bo. Cutting off the long to piece out the short, his land was a hundred li square. With his people he loved them all alike and benefited them in their dealings, and what was left over he shared out. He led his people to honor Heaven above and to serve the ghosts. Thus Heaven and the ghosts made him rich, the feudal lords stood with him, the people drew close to him, and worthy officers came over to him. Before his generation was ended he was king over all under heaven and governed the feudal lords.
In old times King Wen was enfeoffed at Qizhou. Cutting off the long to piece out the short, his land was a hundred li square. With his people he loved them all alike and benefited them in their dealings. Thus those near at hand were at peace under his government, and those far off came over to his virtue. All who heard of King Wen rose up and hurried to him. The worn out and the unfit, whose arms and legs were not sound, stayed where they were and wished, saying, 'How may the land of King Wen reach us? Then would our benefit not also be like that of King Wen's own people?'
Thus Heaven and the ghosts made him rich, the feudal lords stood with him, the people drew close to him, and worthy officers came over to him. Before his generation was ended he was king over all under heaven and governed the feudal lords.
It was said before that when a righteous man is above, all under heaven is surely in order, the Lord on High and the mountains and rivers and the ghosts and spirits surely have their master, and the ten thousand people receive his great benefit. By this I know it."
是故古之聖王發憲出令，設以爲賞罰以勸賢。是以入則孝慈於親戚，出則弟長於鄉里，坐處有度，出入有節，男女有辨。是故使治官府則不盜竊，守城則不崩叛，君有難則死，出亡則送。此上之所賞，而百姓之所譽也。執有命者之言曰：「上之所賞，命固且賞，非賢故賞也。上之所罰，命固且罰，不暴固罰也。」是故入則不慈孝於親戚，出則不弟長於鄉里，坐處不度，出入無節，男女無辨。是故治官府則盜竊，守城則崩叛，君有難則不死，出亡則不送。此上之所罰，百姓之所非毀也。執有命者言曰：「上之所罰，命固且罰，不暴故罰也；上之所賞，命固且賞，非賢故賞也。」以此爲君則不義，爲臣則不忠，爲父則不慈，爲子則不孝，爲兄則不長，爲弟則不弟。而强執此者，此特凶言之所自生，而暴人之道也。
Therefore the sage kings of old sent out statutes and issued commands, and set up rewards and punishments to urge on the worthy. Thus at home men were filial and loving to their kin, and abroad they were as younger brothers and as elders in their villages. There was measure in how they sat and dwelt, there was restraint in their going out and coming in, and there was a distinction between men and women.
Thus when they were set to govern an office they did not steal, when they guarded a city wall they did not break and betray it, when their ruler was in trouble they died for him, and when he fled abroad they escorted him. This is what those above rewarded and what the common people praised.
The words of those who hold that there is fate say, "What those above reward, fate was going to reward from the first. It is not because a man is worthy that he is rewarded. What those above punish, fate was going to punish from the first. He is punished from the first though he is not violent."
Thus at home men are not loving and filial to their kin, and abroad they are not as younger brothers and as elders in their villages. There is no measure in how they sit and dwell, no restraint in their going out and coming in, and no distinction between men and women. Thus when they govern an office they steal, when they guard a city wall they break and betray it, when their ruler is in trouble they do not die for him, and when he flees abroad they do not escort him. This is what those above punish and what the common people call wrong and revile.
Those who hold that there is fate say, "What those above punish, fate was going to punish from the first. It is not because a man is violent that he is punished. What those above reward, fate was going to reward from the first. It is not because he is worthy that he is rewarded."
With this, a man as ruler is not righteous, as minister not loyal, as father not loving, as son not filial, as elder brother not an elder, and as younger brother not a younger brother. To hold to this by force is only the source from which ill-omened words arise, and it is the way of a violent man.
然則何以知命之爲暴人之道？昔上世之窮民，貪於飲食，惰於從事，是以衣食之財不足，而飢寒凍餒之憂至。不知曰：「我罷不肖，從事不疾。」必曰：「我命固且貧。」昔上世暴王，不忍其耳目之淫、心涂之辟，不順其親戚，遂以亡失國家，傾覆社稷。不知曰：「我罷不肖，爲政不善。」必曰：「吾命固失之。」於《仲虺之告》曰：「我聞于夏人，矯天命，布命於下，帝伐之惡，龔喪厥師。」此言湯之所以非桀之執有命也。於《大誓》曰：「紂夷處，不肎事上帝鬼神，禍厥先神禔不祀，乃曰：『吾民有命，無廖排屚。』天亦縱之棄而弗葆。」此言武王所以非紂執有命也。
Then how is it known that fate is the way of a violent man?
In old times the hard pressed people of the former age were greedy for food and drink and lazy in following their work. Thus the goods for clothing and food were not enough, and the sorrow of hunger and cold and freezing came upon them. Yet they did not know to say, "I am worn out and unfit, and I am not quick in following my work." They would surely say, "My fate was poor from the first."
In old times the violent kings of the former age could not bear to hold back the excess of their ears and eyes and the crookedness of the paths of their hearts. They did not go along with their kin, and so in the end they lost their states and overturned the altars of soil and grain. Yet they did not know to say, "I am worn out and unfit, and I have not governed well." They would surely say, "My fate was to lose it from the first."
The Announcement of Zhonghui (仲虺之告) says, "I have heard from the men of Xia that they falsified the mandate of Heaven and spread their own command below. The Lord on High struck their evil and made them lose their host." This tells why King Tang held it wrong that Jie held that there is fate.
The Great Declaration (大誓) says, "Zhou dwelt at ease and was not willing to serve the Lord on High and the ghosts and spirits. He brought calamity upon the spirits of his forebears and did not sacrifice to them. Then he said, 'My people have their fate,' and he pushed them away and took no care of what was leaking. Heaven too let him go and did not keep him." This tells why King Wu held it wrong that Zhou held that there is fate.
今用執有命者之言，則上不聽治，下不從事。上不聽治，則刑政亂；下不從事，則財用不足。上無以供粢盛酒醴，祭祀上帝鬼神；外無以應待諸侯之賓客，降綏天下賢可之士；內無以食飢衣寒，將養老弱。故命上不利於天，中不利於鬼，下不利於人。而强執此者，此特凶言之所自生，而暴人之道也。
Now if the words of those who hold that there is fate are used, those above will not attend to government and those below will not follow their work. If those above do not attend to government, punishment and government fall into disorder. If those below do not follow their work, goods and means are not enough.
Above, there is nothing to offer as grain and wine in sacrifice to the Lord on High and the ghosts and spirits. Abroad, there is nothing with which to receive and entertain the guests of the feudal lords, and nothing with which to settle in peace the worthy and able officers of all under heaven. At home, there is nothing with which to feed the hungry, clothe the cold, and nourish the old and the weak.
Therefore fate is not of benefit to Heaven above, not of benefit to the ghosts in the middle, and not of benefit to men below. To hold to this by force is only the source from which ill-omened words arise, and it is the way of a violent man.
是故子墨子言曰：今天下之士君子，忠實欲天下之富而惡其貧，欲天下之治而惡其亂，執有命者之言不可不非，此天下之大害也。
Therefore Mozi said, "If now the officers and gentlemen of all under heaven truly wish all under heaven to be rich and hate its poverty, and wish all under heaven to be in order and hate its disorder, then the words of those who hold that there is fate must be held wrong. This is the great harm of all under heaven."