Page 155 - 《大学》中·英对照版

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will not be far from doing so. There never has been
a girl who learned to bring up a child, that she might
afterwards marry.

From the loving example of one family a
whole state becomes loving, and from its courtesies
the whole state becomes courteous, while, from
the ambition and perverseness of the one man, the
whole state may be led to rebellious disorder;—
such is the nature of the influence. This verifies the
saying, “Affairs may be ruined by a single sentence;
a kingdom may be settled by its one man.” Yao and
Shun led on the kingdom with benevolence and
the people followed them. Jie and Zhou led on the
kingdom with violence, and people followed them.
The orders which these issued were contrary to the
practices which they loved, and so the people did not
follow them. On this account, the ruler must himself
be possessed of the good qualities, and then he may
require them in the people. He must not have the

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