」墨子曰：「惡！
“These are not things I concern myself with.
是非吾用務也！
In ancient times there were some who dispensed with adornments—they grasped this principle.
古有無文者，得之矣。
Yu of the house of Xia was an example.
夏禹是也。
卑小宮室，損薄飲食，土階三等，衣裳細布。
His palace compound was small and humble, his food simple and restricted, the steps leading to his reception hall only three in number, and his clothing of closely woven hemp.
當此之時，黼黻無所用，而務在於完堅。
In his day, robes with formal patterns were not used; what people sought instead were garments that were whole and made of sturdy materials.
殷之盤庚，大其先王之室，而改遷於殷。
“Pan Geng22 of the house of Shang enlarged the achievements of his ancestors and moved the capital to Yin. He did not trim the thatched roofs of his dwellings, nor did he have the pillars in his palace carved; and, by these means, he changed the outlook of the realm.
茅茨不剪，采椽不斲，以變天下之視。
Where could bright brocade have been used in his day?
當此之時，文采之帛，將安所施？
“Commoners, let us note, have no minds of their own, but take their minds from the ruler.
夫品庶非有心也，以人主為心。
苟上不為，下惡用之？
If those above don’t do a thing, how can those below adopt it?
二王者以化身先於天下，故化隆於其時，成名於今世也。
Because these two kings were the first in the realm to transform their hearts, their influence was deep and great, and their fame has lasted to the present day.
且夫綿繡絺紵，亂君之所造也。
“One can moreover observe that embroidered cloth and finely woven fabric were fashions created by disordered rulers, and the origin of all these things lies in Qi.
其本皆興於齊。
Lord Jing of Qi23 loved luxury and hated economy.
景公喜奢而忘儉，幸有晏子，以儉鐫之。
然猶幾不能勝。
Fortunately, Yanzi24 was there in his court to curtail his excesses, but he was still close to losing his hold on power.