【原文】取人以己，成事以质。审用财，慎施报，察称量；故用财不可以嗇，用力不可以苦。用财嗇则费，用力苦则劳。民不足，令乃辱。民苦殃，令不行。施报不得，祸乃始昌。祸昌不寤，民乃自图。《版法》

 

【汉解】取用于人要比照一下自己，办事要根据实际力量。要详细斟酌国家的用财，慎重处理施予和报酬，明察事物的分量与限度。所以，君主用财于民不可以吝啬，征用民力不可以过头。用财吝啬则人民反抗，用力过头则人民疲劳。人民贫困，政令就繁复无效；人民苦于劳役之灾，政令就无法贯彻。施予酬报不得当，祸乱就开始发展；祸乱发展而人君尚不觉悟，民众就自图造反了。

 

【英译】The prince should be judicious when expending resources and the strength of the people, careful when distributing rewards, and meticulous when making calculations. Therefore, when expending resources, he must not be miserly; when expending the strength of his people, he must not be overly demanding. If he is overly demanding, when expending the strength of the people, it leads to their being overworked. If the people lack sufficiency, the Prince’s orders will not be scorned. If the people suffer hardships, his orders will not be carried out. If he distributes rewards in an inappropriate manner, misfortunes will begin to abound. If misfortunes abound without the prince becoming aware of them, the people will seek their own devices.