1
太史公曰：法令所以導民也，刑罰所以禁姦也。 文武不備，良民懼然身修者，官未曾亂也。 奉職循理，亦可以為治，何必威嚴哉？
The Grand Historian remarks: Laws and decrees exist to guide the people; punishments and penalties exist to prohibit wrongdoing. Even when civil and military institutions are imperfect, virtuous citizens still cultivate themselves out of caution—so long as their officials have never fallen into disorder. If one faithfully performs one's duties and follows sound principles, good governance will naturally follow. Why must one resort to severity and intimidation?
2
孫叔敖者，楚之處士也。 虞丘相進之於楚莊王，以自代也。 三月為楚相，施教導民，上下和合，世俗盛美，政緩禁止，吏無姦邪，盜賊不起。 秋冬則勸民山採，春夏以水，各得其所便，民皆樂其生。
Sun Shuao was a reclusive scholar from the state of Chu. The minister Yu Qiu recommended him to King Zhuang of Chu as his own replacement. Within three months of becoming Chancellor of Chu, he implemented policies to educate and guide the people. Superiors and subordinates worked in harmony, public morals flourished, governance was lenient yet prohibitions were respected, officials committed no transgressions, and bandits ceased to arise. In autumn and winter he encouraged the people to gather resources in the mountains; in spring and summer, to fish and work along the waterways. Everyone found what suited them, and the people all took joy in their livelihoods.
3
莊王以為幣輕，更以小為大，百姓不便，皆去其業。 市令言之相曰：「市亂，民莫安其處，次行不定。」 相曰：「如此幾何頃乎？」 市令曰：「三月頃。」 相曰：「罷，吾今令之復矣。」 後五日，朝，相言之王曰：「前日更幣，以為輕。 今市令來言曰『市亂，民莫安其處，次行之不定』。 臣請遂令復如故。」 王許之，下令三日而市復如故。
King Zhuang decided the currency was too light and replaced the small coins with larger ones. The common people found this inconvenient and abandoned their trades. The market superintendent reported to the Chancellor: 'The marketplace is in chaos. The people cannot settle in their stalls, and the rows of merchants are in disarray.' The Chancellor asked, 'How long has this been going on?' The market superintendent replied, 'About three months.' The Chancellor said, 'Enough. I shall now have the old currency restored.' Five days later, at the morning audience, the Chancellor addressed the king: 'Recently the currency was changed because it was deemed too light. Now the market superintendent has come to report that the marketplace is in chaos, the people cannot settle in their stalls, and the merchants' rows are in disarray. I respectfully request that we issue an order to restore the former system.' The king approved his request. Within three days of the order being issued, the marketplace returned to normal.
4
楚民俗好庳車，王以為庳車不便馬，欲下令使高之。 相曰：「令數下，民不知所從，不可。 王必欲高車，臣請教閭里使高其梱。 乘車者皆君子，君子不能數下車。」 王許之。 居半歲，民悉自高其車。
The people of Chu customarily favored low-slung carriages. The king considered these inconvenient for the horses and wished to issue a decree requiring them to be raised. The Chancellor said, 'If decrees are issued too frequently, the people will not know which to follow. This will not do. If Your Majesty insists on raising the carriages, allow me to instruct the neighborhoods to raise their door thresholds instead. Those who ride in carriages are all gentlemen, and gentlemen cannot be constantly stepping down from their carriages.' The king approved. Within half a year, the people had all raised their carriages of their own accord.
5
此不教而民從其化，近者視而效之，遠者四面望而法之。 故三得相而不喜，知其材自得之也； 三去相而不悔，知非己之罪也。
In this way, without issuing edicts, the people followed his transformative influence. Those nearby observed and imitated him; those far away looked on from all directions and modeled themselves after him. Thus, when he was appointed Chancellor three times, he felt no elation, knowing that his ability had earned it naturally; and when he was dismissed three times, he felt no regret, knowing it was not due to any fault of his own.
6
子產者，鄭之列大夫也。 鄭昭君之時，以所愛徐摯為相，國亂，上下不親，父子不和。 大宮子期言之君，以子產為相。 為相一年，豎子不戲狎，斑白不提挈，僮子不犁畔。 二年，市不豫賈。 三年，門不夜關，道不拾遺。 四年，田器不歸。 五年，士無尺籍，喪期不令而治。 治鄭二十六年而死，丁壯號哭，老人兒啼，曰：「子產去我死乎！ 民將安歸？」
Zi Chan was a senior grandee of the state of Zheng. In the time of Duke Zhao of Zheng, the duke appointed his favorite Xu Zhi as chief minister. The state fell into disorder: superiors and subordinates were estranged, and fathers and sons were at odds. Dagong Ziqi spoke to the duke and had Zi Chan appointed as chief minister. After one year as minister, young men no longer engaged in reckless mischief, the gray-haired elderly no longer had to carry heavy loads, and children no longer labored at plowing the fields. After two years, merchants in the marketplace no longer cheated on prices. After three years, gates were no longer bolted at night, and no one picked up lost items from the road. After four years, farmers left their tools in the fields without bringing them home. After five years, soldiers had no need for conscription rolls, and mourning rites were observed in proper order without any commands being issued. He governed Zheng for twenty-six years before he died. The young and strong wailed aloud, and the old wept like children, crying: 'Zi Chan has left us—we are lost! Where shall the people turn now?'
7
公儀休者，魯博士也。 以高弟為魯相。 奉法循理，無所變更，百官自正。 使食祿者不得與下民爭利，受大者不得取小。
Gongyi Xiu was a scholar-official of the state of Lu. By virtue of his outstanding scholarship, he was appointed Chancellor of Lu. He upheld the law and followed sound principles, making no arbitrary changes, and all the officials naturally corrected their own conduct. He ensured that those who received government salaries did not compete with the common people for profit, and that those in high positions did not seize petty gains.
8
客有遺相魚者，相不受。 客曰：「聞君嗜魚，遺君魚，何故不受也？」 相曰：「以嗜魚，故不受也。 今為相，能自給魚； 今受魚而免，誰復給我魚者？ 吾故不受也。」
A visitor once presented the Chancellor with a gift of fish, but the Chancellor refused to accept it. The visitor said, 'I have heard that you are fond of fish, so I brought you some. Why do you refuse?' The Chancellor replied, 'It is precisely because I am fond of fish that I refuse. As Chancellor, I can provide my own fish; but if I accept your fish and am dismissed from office, who then would supply me with fish? That is why I refuse.'
9
食茹而美，拔其園葵而棄之。 見其家織布好，而疾出其家婦，燔其機，云「欲令農士工女安所讎其貨乎」？
When he tasted the vegetables from his garden and found them delicious, he uprooted the mallows growing there and threw them away. When he saw that his household produced fine cloth, he angrily sent away his wife, burned her loom, and declared, 'How would you have the farmers and craftswomen find a market for their goods?'
10
石奢者，楚昭王相也。 堅直廉正，無所阿避。 行縣，道有殺人者，相追之，乃其父也。 縱其父而還自系焉。 使人言之王曰：「殺人者，臣之父也。 夫以父立政，不孝也； 廢法縱罪，非忠也； 臣罪當死。」 王曰：「追而不及，不當伏罪，子其治事矣。」 石奢曰：「不私其父，非孝子也； 不奉主法，非忠臣也。 王赦其罪，上惠也； 伏誅而死，臣職也。」 遂不受令，自刎而死。
Shi She was the Chancellor of King Zhao of Chu. He was firm, upright, incorruptible, and just, showing neither favoritism nor evasion. While on an inspection tour of the counties, he encountered a murderer on the road. The Chancellor gave chase, only to discover it was his own father. He released his father, then returned and placed himself in bonds. He sent a messenger to inform the king: 'The murderer is your servant's father. To enforce the law upon one's own father would be unfilial; to set aside the law and release a criminal would be disloyal; your servant's crime deserves death.' The king said, 'You gave chase but did not catch him. You should bear no guilt. Return to your duties.' Shi She replied, 'A man who shows no partiality toward his own father is no filial son; a man who does not uphold his lord's law is no loyal minister. That Your Majesty pardons my crime is a sovereign's grace; but to submit to execution and die is a minister's duty.' He refused the king's pardon and cut his own throat.
11
李離者，晉文公之理也。 過聽殺人，自拘當死。 文公曰：「官有貴賤，罰有輕重。 下吏有過，非子之罪也。」 李離曰：「臣居官為長，不與吏讓位； 受祿為多，不與下分利。 今過聽殺人，傅其罪下吏，非所聞也。」 辭不受令。 文公曰：「子則自以為有罪，寡人亦有罪邪？」 李離曰：「理有法，失刑則刑，失死則死。 公以臣能聽微決疑，故使為理。 今過聽殺人，罪當死。」 遂不受令，伏劍而死。
Li Li was the chief judge under Duke Wen of Jin. Having mistakenly relied on false testimony and sentenced an innocent man to death, he placed himself under arrest and declared he deserved to die. Duke Wen said, 'There are ranks among officials, and degrees of punishment. A subordinate official made the error; it is not your crime.' Li Li said, 'I hold the office of chief and have never yielded my position to a subordinate; I receive the highest salary and have never shared my emoluments with those below me. Now that I have mistakenly condemned a man to death, to shift the blame onto a subordinate—that is something I have never heard of.' He declined and refused the duke's order. Duke Wen said, 'If you consider yourself guilty, then am I not guilty as well?' Li Li said, 'A judge has his code: if he wrongly sentences a man to punishment, he himself is punished; if he wrongly sentences a man to death, he himself must die. Your Grace appointed me as judge because you believed I could discern the subtle and resolve the doubtful. Now I have mistakenly condemned an innocent man to death. My crime warrants death.' He refused the order and fell upon his sword.
12
太史公曰：孫叔敖出一言，郢市復。 子產病死，鄭民號哭。 公儀子見好布而家婦逐。 石奢縱父而死，楚昭名立。 李離過殺而伏劍，晉文以正國法。
The Grand Historian remarks: Sun Shuao spoke a single word, and the market of Ying was restored. When Zi Chan fell ill and died, the people of Zheng wailed in grief. When Gongyi Xiu saw fine cloth in his home, he expelled his wife. Shi She released his father and chose to die, and the reputation of King Zhao of Chu was established. Li Li wrongly condemned a man and fell upon his sword, and through this Duke Wen of Jin upheld the laws of the state.