说苑/昔堯誅四凶以懲惡，周公殺管蔡以弭亂，子產殺鄧析以威侈，孔子斬少正卯以變眾，佞賊之人而不誅，亂之道也。

昔堯誅四凶以懲惡，周公殺管蔡以弭亂，子產殺鄧析以威侈，孔子斬少正卯以變眾，佞賊之人而不誅，亂之道也。

Eric Henry

In former times, Yao82 executed the Four Criminals83 so as to punish evil, the Duke of Zhou84 killed Guan and Cai85 in order to quell disorder, Zichan86 killed Deng Xi87 in order to put fear into the extravagant, and Kongzi beheaded Shaozheng Mao88 in order to transform the populace.

易曰：「不威小，不懲大，此小人之福也。」

Eric Henry

To fail to execute criminals is a path that leads to disorder.

Eric Henry

A passage in the Changes says, “Failing to put fear into minor transgressors and failing to execute major transgressors—this is a blessing to the unprincipled.” On the Necessity of Using Force to Establish the Way