命鄉，論秀士，升之司徒，曰選士。司徒論選士之秀者而升之學，曰俊士。升於司徒者，不征於鄉；升於學者，不征於司徒，曰造士。
Orders were given that, throughout the districts, the youths who were decided on as of promising ability should have their names passed up to the minister of Instruction, when they were called 'select scholars.' He then decided which of them gave still greater promise, and promoted them to the (great) college, where they were called 'eminent scholars.' Those who were brought to the notice of the minister were exempted from services in the districts; and those who were promoted to the (great) school, from all services under his own department, and (by and by) were called 'complete scholars.'
天子使其大夫為三監，監於方伯之國，國三人。
The son of Heaven employed his Great officers as the Three Inspectors - to inspect the states under the Chiefs of Regions. For each state there were three Inspectors.
司空執度度地，居民山川沮澤，時四時。量地遠近，興事任力。凡使民：任老者之事，食壯者之食。
The minister of Works with his (various) instruments measured the ground for the settlements of the people. About the hills and rivers, the oozy ground and the meres, he determined the periods of the four seasons. He measured the distances of one spot from another, and commenced his operations in employing the labour of the people. In all his employment of them, he imposed (only) the tasks of old men (on the able-bodied), and gave (to the old) the food-allowance of the able-bodied.
有虞氏皇而祭，深衣而養老。夏后氏收而祭，燕衣而養老。殷人冔而祭，縞衣而養老。周人冕而祭，玄衣而養老。
The lord of Yu wore the huang cap in sacrificing (in the ancestral temple), and the white robes in nourishing the aged. The sovereigns of Xia used the shou cap in sacrificing, and the upper and lower dark garments of undress in nourishing the aged. During the Yin, they used the xu cap in sacrificing, and the tipper and lower garments, both of white thin silk, in nourishing the aged. During the Zhou dynasty, they used the mien cap in sacrificing, and the dark-coloured upper and lower garments in nourishing the aged.
方百里者為田九十億畝：山陵、林麓、川澤、溝瀆、城郭、宮室、涂巷，三分去一，其餘六十億畝。
A space of 100 li square contained ground to the amount of 9,000,000 mu. Hills and mounds, forests and thickets, rivers and marshes, ditches and canals, city walls and suburbs., houses, roads, and lanes took up one third of it, leaving 6,000,000 mu.
將出學，小胥、大胥、小樂正簡不帥教者以告于大樂正。大樂正以告于王。王命三公、九卿、大夫、元士皆入學。不變，王親視學。不變，王三日不舉，屏之遠方。西方曰棘，東方曰寄，終身不齒。
When the time drew near for their quitting the college, the smaller and greater assistants, and the inferior director of the board, put down those who had not attended to their instructions, and reported them to the Grand director, who in turn reported them to the king. The king ordered the three ducal ministers, his nine (other) ministers, the Great officers, and the (other) officers, all to enter the school (and hold an examination). If this did not produce the necessary change; the king in person inspected the school; and if this also failed, for three days he took no full meal nor had music, after which the (culprits) were cast but to the remote regions. Sending them to those of the west was called 'a (temporary) expulsion;' to the east, 'a temporary exile.' But all their lives they were excluded from distinction.
王者之制：祿爵，公、侯、伯、子、男，凡五等。諸侯之上大夫卿、下大夫、上士、中士、下士，凡五等。
According to the regulations of emolument and rank framed by the kings, there were the duke; the marquis; the earl; the count; and the baron - in all, five gradations (of rank). There were (also), in the feudal states, Great officers of the highest grade - the ministers; and Great officers of the lowest grade; officers of the highest, the middle, and the lowest grades - in all, five gradations (of office).
天子、諸侯無事則歲三田：一為乾豆，二為賓客，三為充君之庖。無事而不田，曰不敬；田不以禮，曰暴天物。天子不合圍，諸侯不掩群。天子殺則下大綏，諸侯殺則下小綏，大夫殺則止佐車。佐車止，則百姓田獵。
When the son of Heaven and the princes had no (special) business in hand, they had three huntings in the year. The first object in them was to supply the sacrificial dishes with dried flesh; the second, to provide for guests and visitors; and the third, to supply the ruler's kitchen. Not to hunt when there was no (special) business in the way was deemed an act of irreverence. To hunt without observing the rules (for hunting) was deemed cruelty to the creatures of Heaven. The son of Heaven did not entirely surround (the hunting ground); and a feudal prince did not take a (whole) herd by surprise. When the son of Heaven had done killing, his large flag was lowered; and when the princes had done, their smaller flag. When the Great officers had done, the auxiliary carriages were stopped; and after this, the common people fell a hunting (for themselves).
凡制五刑，必即天論。郵罰麗於事。凡聽五刑之訟，必原父子之親、立君臣之義以權之。意論輕重之序、慎測淺深之量以別之。悉其聰明、致其忠愛以盡之。疑獄，泛與眾共之；眾疑，赦之。必察小大之比以成之。
In all determining on the application of any of the five punishments, it was required to decide according to the judgment of Heaven. Inadvertent and redeemable offences were determined by (the circumstances of) each particular case. When hearing a case requiring the application of any of the five punishments, (the judge) was required to have respect to the affection between father and son, or the righteousness between ruler and minister (which might have been in the mind of the defendant), to balance his own judgment. He must consider the gravity or lightness (of the offence), and carefully try to fathom the capacity (of the offender) as shallow or deep, to determine the exact character (of his guilt). He must exert his intelligence to the utmost, and give the fullest play to his generous and loving feeling, to arrive at his final judgment, If the criminal charge appeared to him doubtful, he was to take the multitude into consultation with him; and if they also doubted, he was to pardon the defendant. At the same time he was to examine analogous cases, great and small, and then give his decision.
天子犆礿，祫禘，祫嘗，祫烝。諸侯礿則不禘，禘則不嘗，嘗則不烝，烝則不礿。諸侯礿，犆；禘，一犆一祫；嘗，祫；烝，祫。
The son of Heaven offered the spring sacrifice apart and by itself alone, but his sacrifices of all the other seasons were conducted on a greater scale in the fane of the high ancestor. The princes of the states who offered the spring sacrifice omitted that of the summer; those who offered that of the summer omitted that of the autumn; those who sacrificed in autumn did not do so in winter; and those who sacrificed in winter did not do so in spring. In spring they offered the sacrifice of the season by itself apart; in summer, in the fane of the high ancestor; in autumn and winter both the sacrifices were there associated together.
天子之縣內：方千里者為方百里者百。封方百里者九，其餘方百里者九十一。又封方七十里者二十一，為方百里者十，方十里者二十九；其餘，方百里者八十，方十里者七十一。又封方五十里者六十三，為方百里者十五，方十里者七十五；其餘方百里者六十四，方十里者九十六。
The territory of the son of Heaven, amounting to 1000 li square, contained 100 spaces of 100 li square each. There were constituted nine appanages of 100 li square, leaving ninety-one spaces of the same size. There were also constituted twenty-one appanages of 70 li square, ten of 100 li, and twenty-nine spaces of 10 li square; leaving enough for eighty of 100 li square, and seventy-one of 10 li There were further constituted sixty-three appanages of 50 li square, fifteen of 100 li, and seventy-five spaces of 10 li, while there still remained enough for sixty-four appanages of 100 li square, and ninety-six spaces of 10 li each.
大夫祭器不假。祭器未成，不造燕器。
A Great officer, (having land of his own), was not permitted to borrow the vessels for sacrifice; nor to make vessels for his own private use before he had made those for sacrifice.
國無九年之蓄曰不足，無六年之蓄曰急，無三年之蓄曰國非其國也。三年耕，必有一年之食；九年耕，必有三年之食。以三十年之通，雖有凶旱水溢，民無菜色，然後天子食，日舉以樂。
If in a state there was not accumulated (a surplus) sufficient for nine years, its condition was called one of insufficiency; if there was not enough for six years, one of urgency. If there was not a surplus sufficient for three years, the state could not continue. The husbandry of three years was held to give an overplus of food sufficient for one year; that of nine years, an overplus sufficient for three years. Going through thirty years (in this way), though there might be bad years, drought, and inundations, the people would have no lack or be reduced to (eating merely) vegetables, and then the son of Heaven would every day have full meals and music at them.
凡三王養老皆引年。八十者一子不從政，九十者其家不從政，廢疾非人不養者一人不從政。父母之喪，三年不從政。齊衰、大功之喪，三月不從政。將徙於諸侯，三月不從政。自諸侯來徙家，期不從政。
The kings of the three dynasties, in nourishing the old, always had the years of those connected with them brought to their notice. Where (an officer) was eighty, one of his sons was free from all duties of government service; where he was ninety, all the members of his family were set free from them. In cases of parties who were disabled or ill, and where the attendance of others was required to wait upon them, one man was discharged from those duties (for the purpose). Parties mourning for their parents had a discharge for three years. Those mourning for one year or nine months had a discharge for three months. Where an officer was about to move to another state, he was discharged from service for three months beforehand. When one came from another state, he was not required to take active service for around year.
凡四海之內九州，州方千里。州，建百里之國三十，七十里之國六十，五十里之國百有二十，凡二百一十國；名山大澤不以封，其餘以為附庸間田。八州，州二百一十國。天子之縣內，方百里之國九，七十里之國二十有一，五十里之國六十有三，凡九十三國；名山大澤不以封，其餘以祿士，以為間田。凡九州，千七百七十三國。天子之元士、諸侯之附庸不與。
Of the nine provinces embracing all within, the four seas, a province was 1000 li square, and there were established in it 30 states of 100 li (square) each.; 60 of 70 li; 120 of 50 li - in all, 210 states. The famous hills and great meres were not included in the investitures. The rest of the ground formed attached territories and unoccupied lands of the eight provinces (apart from that which formed the royal domain), each contained (the above) 210 states. Within the domain of the son of Heaven there were 9 states of 100 li square; 21 of 70 li; and 63 of 50 li - in all, 93 states. The famous hills and great meres were not assigned. The rest of the ground served to endow the officers, and to form unoccupied lands. In all, in the nine provinces, there were 1773 states, not counting in (the lands of) the officers of the chief grade of the son of Heaven, nor the attached territories in the feudal states.
五十杖於家，六十杖於鄉，七十杖於國，八十杖於朝；九十者，天子欲有問焉，則就其室，以珍從。
At fifty, one kept his staff always in his hand in his family; at sixty, in his district; at seventy, in the city; at eighty, (an officer) did so in the court. If the son of Heaven wished to put questions to (all officer) of ninety, he went to his house, and had rich food carried after him.
七十不俟朝，八十月告存，九十日有秩。
At seventy, (an officer) did not wait till the court was over (before he retired); at eighty, he reported every month (to the ruler's messenger) that he was still alive; at ninety; he (had delicate food sent) regularly to him every day.
五十不從力政，六十不與服戎，七十不與賓客之事，八十齊喪之事弗及也。
At fifty, a (common) man was not employed in services requiring strength; at sixty, he was discharged from bearing arms along with others; at seventy, he was exempted from the business of receiving guests and visitors; and at eighty, he was free from the abstinences and other rites of mourning.
道路：男子由右，婦人由左，車從中央。父之齒隨行，兄之齒雁行，朋友不相逾。輕任并，重任分，斑白者不提挈。君子耆老不徒行，庶人耆老不徒食。
On the roads, men took the right side and women the left; carriages kept in the middle. A man kept behind another who had a father's years; he followed one who might be his elder brother more closely, but still keeping behind, as geese fly after one another in a row. Friends did not pass by one another, when going the same way. (In the case of an old and a young man, carrying burdens,) both were borne by the younger; and if the two were too heavy for one, he took the heavier. A man with grey hair was not allowed to carry anything, though he might do it with one hand. An officer of superior rank, of the age of sixty or seventy, did not walk on foot. A common man, at that age, did not go without flesh to eat.
冢宰制國用，必於歲之杪，五穀皆入然後制國用。用地小大，視年之豐耗。以三十年之通制國用，量入以為出，祭用數之仂。喪，三年不祭，唯祭天地社稷為越紼而行事。喪用三年之仂。喪祭，用不足曰暴，有余曰浩。祭，豐年不奢，凶年不儉。
The chief minister determined the expenditure of the states, and it was the rule that he should do so at the close of the year. When the five kinds of grain had all been gathered in, he then determined the expenditure - according to the size of each territory, as large or small, and the returns of the year, as abundant or poor. On the average of thirty years he determined the expenditure, regulating the outgoing by the income. A tenth of the (year's) expenditure was for sacrifices. During the three years of the mourning rites (for parents), the king did not sacrifice (in person), excepting to Heaven, Earth, and the Spirits of the land and grain; and when he went to transact any business, the ropes (for his chariot) were made of hemp (and not of silk). A tithe of three years, expenditure was allowed for the rites of mourning. When there was not sufficient for the rites of sacrifice and mourning, it was owing to lavish waste; when there was more than enough, the state was described as affluent. In sacrifices there should be no extravagance in good years, and no niggardliness in bad.
天子將出征，類乎上帝，宜乎社，造乎禰，禡於所征之地。受命於祖，受成於學。出征，執有罪；反，釋奠于學，以訊馘告。
When the son of Heaven was about to go forth on a punitive expedition, he sacrificed specially, but with the usual forms, to God; offered the Yi sacrifice at the altar of the Earth, and the Za in the fane of his father. He offered sacrifice also to the Father of War (on arriving) at the state which was the object of the expedition. He had received his charge from his ancestors, and the complete (plan) for the execution of it in the college. He went forth accordingly, and seized the criminals; and on his return he set forth in the college his offerings, and announced (to his ancestors) how he had questioned (his prisoners), and cut off the ears (of the slain).
天子百里之內以共官，千里之內以為御。千里之外，設方伯。五國以為屬，屬有長。十國以為連，連有帥。三十國以為卒，卒有正。二百一十國以為州，州有伯。八州八伯，五十六正，百六十八帥，三百三十六長。八伯各以其屬，屬於天子之老二人，分天下以為左右，曰二伯。千里之內曰甸，千里之外，曰采、曰流。
(The contributions from) the first hundred li (square) of the son of Heaven served to supply (the needs of) the (various) public offices; (those from the rest of) the thousand li were for his own special use. Beyond his thousand li, chiefs of regions were appointed. Five states formed a union, which had a President. Ten formed a combination, which had a Leader. Thirty formed a confederation, which had a Director. Two hundred and ten formed a province, which had a Chief. In the eight provinces there were eight Chiefs, fifty-six Directors, one hundred and sixty-eight Leaders, and three hundred and thirty-six Presidents. The eight Chiefs, with those under them, were all under the two Ancients of the son of Heaven. They divided all under the sky between them, one having charge of the regions on the left and the other of those on the right, and were called the two (Great) Chiefs. All within the thousand li (of the royal domain) was called the Tien (or field Tenure). Outside that domain there were the Cai (or service territories) and the Liu (or territory for banished persons).
六禮：冠、昏、喪、祭、鄉、相見。七教：父子、兄弟、夫婦、君臣、長幼、朋友、賓客。八政：飲食、衣服、事為、異別、度、量、數、制。
The six ceremonial observances were: capping; marrying; mourning rites; sacrifices; feasts; and interviews. The seven lessons (of morality) were: (the duties between) father and son; elder brother and younger; husband and wife; ruler and minister; old and young; friend and friend; host and guest. The eight objects of government were:-food and drink; clothes; business (or, the profession); maintenance of distinctions; measures of length; measures of capacity; and definitely assigned rules. Source: Chinese Text Project http://ctext.org/liji. English translation "Sacred Books of the East, volume 28, part 4: The Li Ki", James Legge, 1885
凡居民，量地以制邑，度地以居民。地、邑、民、居，必參相得也。無曠土，無游民，食節事時，民咸安其居，樂事勸功，尊君親上，然後興學。
In settling the people, the ground was measured for the formation of towns, and then measured again in smaller portions for the allotments of the people. When the division of the ground, the cities, and the allotments were thus fixed in adaptation to one another, so that there was no ground unoccupied, and none of the people left to wander about idle, economical arrangements were made about food; and its proper business appointed for each season. Then the people had rest in their dwellings, did joy fully what they had to do, exhorted one another to labour, honoured their rulers, and loved their superiors. This having been secured, there ensued the institution of schools.