鐔津文集 7.14

7.14

知其人而不能育之。非智也。愛其人而不能教之。非義也。善其人而不能試之。非信也。任其人而不能全之。非仁也。育賢者智之實也。教賢者愛之正也。用賢者善之效也。全賢者任之功也。任而無功。孰為仁乎。善而無效。孰為信乎。愛而不正。孰為義乎。育而無實。孰為智乎。君子之與人也。不失智。不虧義。不愆信。不歉仁。所以道修而德備身。名尊而天下稱之。故曰知賢不如養賢。養賢不如教賢。教賢不如用賢。用賢不如成賢。成賢者終也。知賢者始也。終始者天地四時存而不忒也。人其不慎乎。與其失始寧與其得終。又不若終始之為休也。齊桓公初以讐視管仲。逮取以為相。遂同霸天下。桓公所謂不能始而能終也。漢文帝喜得賈生。慨得之之晚也。及其以絳灌之惡出而踈之。卒無大用文帝可謂能始而不能終乎。殷之高宗起傅說於刑人。資以治天下。天下至今以聖相稽之。高宗可謂能始而能終也。

To know a person but be unable to nurture him is not wisdom. To care for a person but be unable to instruct him is not righteousness. To recognize someone's worth but be unable to put him to the test is not trustworthiness. To entrust someone with office but be unable to protect him to fruition is not benevolence. Nurturing the worthy is the reality of wisdom. Instructing the worthy is the rectitude of care. Employing the worthy is the efficacy of recognizing worth. Protecting the worthy to fruition is the merit of entrusting them. If one entrusts without merit, where is benevolence? If one recognizes worth without efficacy, where is trustworthiness? If one cares without rectitude, where is righteousness? If one nurtures without substance, where is wisdom? When the noble person interacts with people, he does not fall short in wisdom, does not diminish righteousness, does not transgress trustworthiness, and does not lack benevolence. Therefore, his Way is cultivated, virtue is perfected in his person, his name is honored, and the realm praises him. Thus it is said: Knowing the worthy is not as good as nourishing the worthy; nourishing the worthy is not as good as instructing the worthy; instructing the worthy is not as good as employing the worthy; employing the worthy is not as good as bringing the worthy to fulfillment. Bringing them to fulfillment is the end; knowing the worthy is the beginning. Beginning and end remain present without aberration, just like heaven, earth, and the four seasons. Should a person not be prudent? Rather than losing the beginning, it is better to attain the end; yet even that is not as good as having both beginning and end be auspicious. Duke Huan of Qi at first looked upon Guan Zhong as a mortal enemy, yet when he took him as prime minister, together they achieved hegemony over the realm. Duke Huan is what may be called one who was incapable at the beginning but capable at the end. Emperor Wen of Han was delighted to obtain Master Jia, lamenting only that he had found him so late. But when, due to the slanderous malice of Jiang and Guan, he sent him away and distanced him, in the end employing him to no great purpose, can Emperor Wen be called one who was capable at the beginning but incapable at the end? Gaozong of the Yin raised Fu Yue from among convict laborers and relied on him to govern the realm; to this day, the realm examines him as a sage minister. Gaozong may be called one who was capable at both beginning and end.