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AX. XXXIX.
TÂ HSIO.
421
him in the same way, and wealth got by improper ways will take its departure by the same.
27. It is said in the Announcement to the Prince of Khang (Shû, V, ix, 2, 3), The decree (of Heaven) is not necessarily perpetual.' That is, goodness obtains the decree, and the want of goodness loses it. · 28. In a Book of Khù it is said !, The state of Khů does not consider (such a toy) to be precious. Its good men are what it considers to be precious.'
29. Fan, the maternal uncle (of duke Wăn of Zin), said, ' A fugitive (like you) should not account (that) to be precious. What he should consider precious is the affection due (even) to his (deceased) parent?'
30. It is said in the Speech of (duke Md of) Khin (Shů, V, xxx, 6, 7), 'Let me have but one minister, plain and sincere, not possessed of other abilities, but with a simple, upright, and at the same time a generous, mind, regarding the talents of others as if they were his own; and when he finds accomplished and perspicacious men, loving them in his heart more than his mouth expresses, and really showing himself able to bear them (and employ them),—such a minister will be able to preserve my sons and grandsons, and other benefits (to the state) may well be expected from him. But if (it be his character), when he finds men of ability, to be
1 The narratives about Khu, Section II, Article 5, in the Narratives of the States.' The exact characters of the text are not found in the article, but they might easily arise from what we do find. An officer of Zin is asking Wang-sun Wei, an envoy from Kha, about a famous girdle of that state. The envoy calls it a toy, and gives this answer.
See vol. xxvii, page 165, paragraph 19.
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