」故上下相虧也,猶水火之相滅也,人君不可不察,而大盛其臣下,此私門盛而公家毀也,人君不察焉,則國家危殆矣。
And, when subordinates grow greatly powerful, this is because private structures flourish while the public enterprise collapses.
筦子曰:「權不兩錯,政不二門。
If rulers of men do not look into this, the state will be imperiled.
」故曰:「脛大於股者難以步,指大於臂者難以把。
」本小末大,不能相使也。
Guanzi said, “Power cannot be exerted from two sources; government cannot be lodged in two places.” Hence, it is said, “When the shins are greater than the thighs, one cannot walk; when the fingers are larger than the arms, one cannot grasp objects.” When the trunk is small and the limbs large, it is impossible to make the limbs do one’s bidding.