」太公對曰：「不能獨斷，以人言斷者，殃也。
」武王曰：「何為以人言斷？
“What do you mean by basing decisions on the advice of others?” asked King Wu.
」太公對曰：「不能定所去，以人言去；不能定所取，以人言取；不能定所為，以人言為；不能定所罰，以人言罰；不能定所賞，以人言賞；賢者不必用，不肖者不必退，而士不必敬。
“Being unable to decide what to reject and rejecting what another advises him to reject; being unable to decide what to accept and accepting what another thinks desirable; being unable to decide what measures to adopt and adopting those another advocates; being unable to decide what punishments to impose and imposing punishments proposed by another; being unable to decide what rewards to distribute and distributing rewards that another thinks suitable—under these conditions, the worthy will not necessarily be employed, the unworthy will not necessarily be discharged, and the officers will not necessarily be treated with respect.” “Good!” said King Wu.
」武王曰：「善！
其為國何如？
“How does such a ruler go about his tasks?” “His nature is such that he hates learning about his own circumstances and loves learning the circumstances of others; he hates hearing about his own defects and loves hearing about the defects of others.
」太公對曰：「其為人惡聞其情，而喜聞人之情，惡聞其惡，而喜聞人之惡，是以不必治也。
」武王曰：「善！」
That is why his state will not necessarily be well governed.” “Well said!” said King Wu.