Humane Government and Invincibility

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Original Chinese text

English translation

Mencius said: If a ruler honors the worthy, employs the capable, and places outstanding talents in office, then all the scholars of the world will be pleased and willing to stand in his court. In the marketplace, if he provides warehouses for storing goods without taxing them and buys goods according to law so that they are not left accumulating, then all the merchants of the world will be pleased and willing to store their goods in his marketplace. At the passes, if he only inspects and does not tax, then all the travelers of the world will be pleased and willing to travel along his roads. For those who farm, if he requires only communal-field assistance and does not levy additional taxes, then all the farmers of the world will be pleased and willing to farm in his fields. In residential areas, if he does not levy the fu and li cloth taxes, then all the people of the world will be pleased and willing to become his subjects. If he truly can practice these five things, then the people of neighboring states will look up to him as they look up to parents. If one leads one's own younger brothers and sons to attack their parents, from the time there have been people, there has never been anyone able to succeed. In this way, he will have no enemy in the world. One who has no enemy in the world is an officer of Heaven. Yet for such a one not to become king—there has never been such a thing.

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