晋太宗宣武帝实录31

    陈牧：今敦煌危急，朝臣议速救之，寡人甚忧之，先生何以教我？

    萧凡：臣以为，敦煌虽小，城守固备，未易可拔，契丹虽强，攻敦煌不下，其众必疲，疲而击之，全胜之道也，将何救焉！且车骑将军已至酒泉，必有分画处置，臣料不出七日捷报可至。

    陈牧：先生之言甚善，前置安西都护，正为今日，寡人无忧矣。

    chenmu：Today，thesituationinDunhuangisverycritical，Theministersrecommendedimmediaterescue，I‘mveryworriedaboutthat，Sirtaughtmewhattodo？

    xiaofan：Ithink，AlthoughDunhuangissmall，itiswellpreparedforwar，TheKhitanwerepowerfulbutnotnecessarilyabletoconquerit，Onceitcouldnotbeconqueredforalongtime，thentheKhitanwouldbeverytired，Itisthebesttimeforustotaketheopportunitytoattack，Thereisnoneedtolaunchanimmediaterescue，Besides，GeneralGuoKuanghadalreadyarrivedatJiuquan，Hemusthavemadeastrategiclayout，Iguess，Thegoodnewswillbedeliveredsoon，Aboutsevendays。

    chenmu：Sirisright，Wesetupthewarzoneforthismoment，Ihavenothingtoworryabout。

    陈牧：寡人观今之群臣，罕能贞白卓异者，何也？先生教我。

    萧凡：臣以为，盖求之不切，励之未津故也。若勖之以公忠，期之以远大，各有职分，得行其道；贵则观其所举，富则观其所养，居则观其所好，习则观其所言，穷则观其所不受，贱则观其所不为；因其材以取之，审其能以任之，用其所长，掩其所短；进之以六正，戒之以六邪，则不严而自励，不劝而自勉矣。

    陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。

    chenmu：Iobservedtheministersandfoundthattherewereveryfewincorruptibleandremarkable，people，Sirtaughtmewhy？

    xiaofan：Idon‘tthinkyourheartfortalentissincereenough，Andtheincentivesarenotstrongenough，Youhavetoencouragethemtobejustandfaithful，Andexpectthemtodoit，Youappointthemtododifferentthingsdependingontheposition，Theyarerichandnoble，andobservetheirbehavior，Observewhattheyliketodoafterwork，Observewhethertheirwordsanddeedsareconsistent，Whentheyarepoor，observetheirbottomlinesandprinciples，Thenappointthemtopositionsbasedontheircharacteristicsandtalents，Usetheirprosratherthantheirdrawbacks，Andletthemknowtherelevantrules，Onlythenwilltheyencouragethemselves。

    chenmu：Sirisright，Irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。

    陈牧：古云正臣有六，何也？寡人愿闻其详，先生教我。

    萧凡：臣以为知之不难，一曰萌芽未动，形兆未见，昭然独见存亡之机，得失之要，预禁乎未然之前，使主超然立乎显荣之处，如此者，圣臣也。二曰虚心尽意，日进善道，勉主以礼义，谕主以长策，将顺其美，匡救其恶，如此者，良臣也。三曰夙兴夜寐，进贤不懈，数称往古之行事，以厉主意，如此者，忠臣也。四曰明察成败，早防而救之，塞其间，绝其源，转祸以为福，使君终以无忧，如此者，智臣也。五曰守文奉法，任官职事，不受赠遗，辞禄让赐，饮食节俭，如此者，贞臣也。六曰家国昏乱，所为不谀，敢犯主之严颜，面言主之过失，如此者，直臣也。

    陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。

    chenmu：I‘veheardthatcourtiershavesixrealms，Iwonderwhatitis？Sirtaughtme。

    xiaofan：Idon‘tthinkit‘shardtounderstandit，first，Hepredicteditbeforeitevenhappened，Andhegraspedthemainpointsandcarriedoutthestrategiclayoutinadvance，Becauseofthis，hemadethekinghonorable，Suchapersonisasaint，second，Wholeheartedlyassisttheking，Teachkingsjustice，manners，andstrategy，Thekingdoestherightthing，thentheywillpromoteit，Ifthekingmakesamistake，thentheywillcorrectit，Suchapersonisagoodminister，third，Heworkedveryhardandoftengaveadvicetotheking，Suchapersonisaloyalcourtier，fourth，Hedetectedthecrisisinadvanceandremediedit，Eventuallyheturnedbadthingsintogoodthings，andsavedthecrisis，Suchamanisaministerofwisdom，fifth，Abidebythelawanddohisjob，Hedoesnotacceptbribesandisveryfrugal，Suchapersonisachastecourtier，sixth，Thekingfaintedanddidmanywrongthings，Hecorrectedtheking‘smistakesandwasnotafraid，Suchapersonisanuprightcourtier。

    chenmu：Sirisright，Iacceptyourteachings。

    陈牧：寡人思欲进忠良，退不肖，十有余载矣，徒闻其语，不见其人，何也？先生教我。

    萧凡：臣以为，此乃言之是而行之非也。言之是，则出乎公道，行之非，则涉乎邪径。是非相乱，好恶相攻。所爱虽有罪，不及于刑；所恶虽无辜，不免于罚。此所谓爱之欲其生，恶之欲其死者也。或以小恶弃大善，或以小过忘大功。此所谓君之赏不可以无功求，君之罚不可以有罪免者也。赏不以劝善，罚不以惩恶，而望邪正不惑，其可得乎？

    陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人知过矣。

    chenmu：Iwanttopromotethosewhoareuprightandloyalandremovetreacherouspeople，It‘sbeenalmostadecadeandI‘veonlyheardofthembutcan‘tfindthem，Sirtaughtmewhy？

    xiaofan：Ithink，Thisisthereasonfortheinconsistencybetweenwordsanddeeds，Wordsareonlyaboutrightandwrong，Butwrongbehaviorcanhaveseriousconsequences，Itisdifficulttodistinguishbetweenrightandwrongandgoodandevil，Thepersonyoulovemakesamistakebutgoesunpunished，Thepeopleyouhatearerightbutpunished，Youoftenforgettheirexploitsbecauseofsmallmistakes，Akingcannotrewardthosewhohavenomerit，Andkingscannotpunishthosewhohavenotmademistakes，Ifnot，itisimpossibleforyoutodistinguishbetweengoodandevil。

    chenmu：Sirisright，Iwaswrong。

    陈牧：寡人愿闻，何以择贤臣，何以别小人，先生教我。

    萧凡：臣以为，当设礼以待之，执法以御之，为善者蒙赏，为恶者受罚，安敢不企及乎？安敢不尽力乎？若赏不遗疏远，罚不阿亲贵，以公平为规矩，以仁义为准绳，考事以正其名，循名以求其实，则邪正莫隐，善恶自分。然后取其实，不尚其华，处其厚，不居其薄，则不言而化，期月而可知矣。若徒爱美锦，而不为民择官，有至公之言，无至公之实，爱而不知其恶，憎而遂忘其善，徇私情以近邪佞，背公道而远忠良，则虽夙夜不怠，劳神苦思，将求至理，不可得也。

    陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。

    chenmu：Iwonderhowtodistinguishbetweenthevirtuousandthewicked，Sirtaughtme。

    xiaofan：Ithink，Youshouldtreatthemaccordingtoetiquetteandrules，Thosewhodogoodarerewarded，andthosewhodobadarepunished，Ifso，everyonewilllookuptoyouandbewillingtoworkhardforyou，Eveniftheestrangedpeopledoagoodjob，youwillrewardthem，Ifcroniesmakemistakes，thenyoupunishthemtoo，Youhavetohandlethingsaccordingtofairnessandbenevolence，Andorganizeexamstoseeiftheyreallyhavetalent，Onlyinthiswayisiteasyforsagesandvillainstobedistinguished，Ifyoujustlikeflashystuffandnotthinkaboutitforthepeople，Thereareonlygoodideasbuttheyarenotimplemented，Andwordsanddeedsareinconsistent，Thennomatterhowhardyoutry，youcan‘tgovernthecountrywell。

    chenmu：Sirisright，Irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。