说苑/五帝三王教以仁義，而天下變也，孔子亦教以仁義，而天下不從者，何也？

五帝三王教以仁義，而天下變也，孔子亦教以仁義，而天下不從者，何也？

Eric Henry

The Five Lords90 and the Three Kings91 taught humanity and righteousness, and the world was transformed.

Eric Henry

Kongzi also taught humanity and righteousness, but the people of the realm did not follow him.

昔明王有紱冕以尊賢，有斧鉞以誅惡，故其賞至重而刑至深，而天下變；孔子賢顏淵無以賞之，賤孺悲無以罰之，故天下不從。

Eric Henry

Why?

Eric Henry

In former times, enlightened kings used the sashes and headgear of office to do honor to the worthy and had hatchets and axes to execute the evil; thus, their rewards were of the greatest richness and their punishments of the greatest severity, and the realm was in consequence transformed.

Eric Henry

Kongzi deemed Yan Yuan92 to be worthy but had nothing with which to reward him.

是故道非權不立，非勢不行，是道尊然後行。

Eric Henry

He thought Ru Bei93 a petty scoundrel but had nothing with which to punish him.

Eric Henry

So the people of the realm did not follow Kongzi.

Eric Henry

This shows that the Way cannot be established without power and cannot proceed without external compulsion. The Way, in short, can be carried out only when it is held in awe.