Motse said: The gentlemen of the world all understand only trifles but not things of importance. How do we know? We know this from one's conduct in the family. If one should offend the patriarch of the family, there are still the homes of the neighbours in which to seek shelter. Yet parents, brothers, and friends all keep on reminding one to be obedient and careful. For, how can one offend the patriarch and stay in the family? Not only is this true about conduct in the family, but also in the state. If one should offend the lord of the state there are still the neighbouring states whither he may flee. Yet parents, brothers, and friends all keep on reminding one to be obedient and careful. For, how can one offend the lord of the state and stay in it? From these there are yet shelters to flee to, yet there are such constant counsels. Should there not be more counsels in a case from which there is nowhere to flee? As the saying goes: "Sinning in broad daylight, whither can one flee?" Really there is nowhere to flee. For, Heaven [GOD] clearly discerns it even if it be in the woods, valleys, or solitary caves where there is no man. But, contrary to our expectation, regarding GOD, the gentlemen of the world do not understand mutually to give counsel. This is how we know the gentlemen in the world understand only trifles and not things of importance.

Now, what does GOD desire and what does He abominate? GOD desires righteousness and abominates unrighteousness. So, in leading the people in the world to engage in doing righteousness I should be doing what GOD desires. When I do what GOD desires, GOD will also do what I desire. Now, what do I desire and what do I abominate? I desire blessings and emoluments, and abominate calamities and misfortunes. When I do not do what GOD desires, neither will GOD do what I desire. Then I should be leading the people into calamities and misfortunes. But how do we know GOD desires righteousness and abominates unrighteousness? For, with righteousness the world lives and without it the world dies; with it the world becomes rich and without it the world becomes poor; with it the world becomes orderly and without it the world becomes chaotic. GOD likes to have the world live and dislikes to have it die, likes to have it rich and dislikes to have it poor, and likes to have it orderly and dislikes to have it disorderly. Therefore we know GOD desires righteousness and abominates unrighteousness.

Moreover, righteousness is the standard. A standard is not to be given by the subordinates to the superior but by the superior to the subordinates. Therefore, while the common people should spare no pains at work they may not make the standard at will. There are the scholars to give them the standard. While the scholars should spare no pains at work, they may not make the standard at will. There are the ministers and secretaries to give them the standard. While the ministers and secretaries should spare no pains at work, they may not make the standard at will. There are the high duke and feudal lords to give them the standard. While the high duke and the feudal lords should spare no pains at work, they may not make the standard at will. There is the emperor to give them the standard. The emperor may not make the standard at will (either). There is GOD to give him the standard. That the emperor gives the standard to the high duke, to the feudal lords, to the scholars, and to the common people, the gentlemen in the world clearly understand. But that GOD gives the standard to the emperor, the people do not know well. Therefore the ancient sage-kings of the Three Dynasties, Yü, T'ang, Wen, and Wu, desiring to make it clear to the people that GOD gives the standard to the emperor, fed oxen and sheep with grass, and pigs and dogs with grain, and cleanly prepared the cakes and wine [lawful drink] to do sacrifice to GOD on High [alone], and invoked GOD's blessing. But I have not yet heard of GOD invoking the emperor for blessing. So I know GOD gives the standard to the emperor.

The emperor is the most honourable of the world and the richest of the world. So, the honoured and the rich cannot but obey the will of GOD. He who obeys the will of GOD, loving universally and benefiting others, will obtain rewards. He who opposes the will of GOD, by being partial and unfriendly and harming others, will incur punishment. Now, who were those that obeyed the will of GOD and obtained rewards, and who were those that opposed the will of GOD and incurred punishment?

Motse said: The ancient sage-kings of the Three Dynasties, Yü, T'ang, Wen, and Wu, were those that obeyed the will of GOD and obtained reward. And the wicked kings of the Three Dynasties, Chieh, Chow, Yu, and Li, were those that opposed the will of GOD and incurred punishment. How did Yü, T'ang, Wen, and Wu obtain their reward?

Motse said: In the highest sphere they revered GOD, in the middle sphere they [honoured] the spirits [angels], and in the lower sphere they loved the people. Thereupon the will of GOD proclaimed: "All those whom I love these love also, and all those whom I benefit these benefit also. Their love to men is all-embracing and their benefit to men is most substantial." And so, they were raised to the honour of [rulers under GOD] and enriched with the heritage of the empire. They were succeeded by descendants for ten thousand generations to continue the spread of their righteousness all over the world. And people praise them unto this day, calling them righteous sage-kings.

How did Chieh, Chow, Yu, and Li incur their punishment?

Motse said: In the highest sphere they blasphemed against GOD, in the middle sphere they blasphemed against the spirits, and in the sphere below they oppressed the people. Thereupon the will of GOD proclaimed: "From those whom I love these turn away and hate, and those whom I want to benefit they oppress. Their hate of men is without limit and their oppression of men the most severe." And, so, they were not permitted to finish out their lives, or to survive a single generation. And people condemn them unto this day, calling them wicked kings.

How do we know GOD loves the people? Because He teaches them all. How do we know He teaches them all? Because He claims them all. How do we know He claims them all? Because He accepts sacrifices from them all. How do we know He accepts sacrifices from all? Because within the four seas all who live on grains feed oxen and sheep with grass, and dogs and pigs with grains, and prepare clean cakes and wine [lawful drink] to do sacrifice to GOD on High [alone]. Claiming all the people, why will GOD not love them? Moreover, as I have said, for the murder of one innocent individual there will be one calamity. Who is it that murders the innocent? It is man. Who is it that sends down the calamity? It is GOD. If GOD should be thought of as not loving the people, why should He send down calamities for the murder of man by man? So, I know GOD loves the people.

To obey the will of GOD is to accept righteousness as the standard. To oppose the will of GOD is to accept force as the standard. Now what will the standard of righteousness do?

Motse said: He who rules a large state does not attack small states; he who rules a large house does not molest small houses. The strong does not plunder the weak. The honoured does not disdain the humble. The clever does not deceive the stupid. This is beneficial to GOD above, beneficial to the spirits in the middle sphere, and beneficial to the people below. Being beneficial to these three it is beneficial to all. So the most excellent name is attributed to such a man and he is called sage-king.

The standard of force is different from this. It is contradictory to this in word and opposed to this in deed like galloping with back to back. Leading a large state, he whose standard is force attacks small states; leading a large house he molests small houses. The strong plunders the weak. The honoured disdains the humble. The clever deceives the stupid. This is not beneficial to GOD above, or to the spirits in the middle sphere, or to the people below. Not being beneficial to these three, it is beneficial to none. So, the most evil name in the world is attributed to him and he is called the wicked king.

Motse said: The will of GOD to me is like the compasses to the wheelwright and the square to the carpenter. The wheelwright and the carpenter measure all the square and circular objects with their square and compasses and accept those that fit as correct and reject those that do not fit as incorrect. The writings of the gentlemen of the world of the present day cannot be all loaded (in a cart), and their doctrines cannot be exhaustively enumerated. They endeavour to convince the feudal lords on the one hand and the scholars on the other. But from magnanimity and righteousness they are far off. How do we know? Because I have the most competent standard in the world to measure them with.