魯君進群臣而謀。
The Lu ruler summoned his officers to court and consulted with them.
皆曰：「師行數十里，入蠻夷之地，必不反矣。
They all said, “It is an expedition of several thousand li that would take us deep into barbarian territory—our troops would never return!” The Lu ruler thereupon promised to aid the expedition but failed to act on his promise.
」於是魯許助之而不行。
When Lord Huan finished attacking the Mountain Rong and the state of Guzhu, he wanted to dispatch his troops to Lu.
齊已伐山戎孤竹，而欲移兵於魯。
Guan Zhong72 said, “This cannot be done!
管仲曰：「不可！
The various lords do not as yet feel close to us.
諸侯未親，今又伐遠而還誅近鄰，鄰國不親，非霸王之道。
And, if we now chastise a nearby state after having attacked a distant one, the nearby states will not draw nearer; this is no way to become the chief of all the lords.
君之所得山戎之寶器者，中國之所鮮也，不可以不進周公之廟乎？
The precious vessels that you took from the Mountain Rong are of a kind rarely seen in the Central States.
」桓公乃分山戎之寶，獻之周公之廟。
Can we not present them at the temple to the Duke of Zhou [in Lu]?” Lord Huan thereupon set aside a portion of the treasures of the Mountain Rong and had them presented at the temple to the Duke of Zhou.
明年，起兵伐莒，魯下令丁男悉發，五尺童子皆至。
The following year, when he raised troops to attack Ju, the ruler of Lu ordered that all the able-bodied young men in his state be mobilized.
孔子曰：「聖人轉禍為福，報怨以德。
All those over five feet tall came in response.
」此之謂也。
Kongzi said, “A sage turns disasters into blessings and repays offenses with acts of kindness.” That applies well to this case.
Zhonghang Wenzi Chooses Not to Rely on a Former Subordinate