陈牧：《易》曰：困于石，据于蒺藜，入于其宫，不见其妻，凶。何也？先生教我？
萧凡：臣以为，非所困而困焉，名必辱。非所据而据焉，身必危。既辱且危，死期将至，妻其可得见耶？
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。
Chen Mu: The *Book of Changes* says，“Stranded by a rock， clinging to thistles， entering his house， he does not see his wife. Misfortune.“ What does this mean? Sir taught me。
Xiao Fan: I believe that when one is trapped where one should not be trapped， one's reputation will surely be disgraced. When one clings to what one should not cling to， one's person will surely be endangered. Disgraced and endangered， with death approaching， how could one expect to see one's wife?
Chen Mu: sir is right，I accept your teachings。
陈牧:《易》曰，何校灭耳，凶。何也？先生教我。
萧凡：臣以为，善不积，不足以成名；恶不积，不足以灭身。小人以小善为无益而弗为也，以小恶为无伤而弗去也。故恶积而不可揜，罪大而不可解。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。
Chen Mu: The *Book of Changes* says，“Carrying a burden that cuts off the ears—misfortune.“ What does this mean? Sir taught me。
Xiao Fan: I believe that without accumulating good deeds， one cannot achieve fame; without accumulating evil deeds， one cannot bring about one's own destruction. Petty individuals think that **all acts of goodness are of no benefit and therefore do not perform them， and that **all acts of evil are harmless and therefore do not avoid them. Thus， evil accumulates until it cannot be concealed， and crimes grow until they cannot be forgiven.
Chen Mu: sir is right，I accept your teachings。
陈牧：寡人愿闻，何谓大丈夫也？先生教我。
萧凡：臣以为，君子立天下之正位，行天下之正道，得志则与民由之，不得志则独行其道，富贵不能淫，贫贱不能移，威武不能诎，是之谓大丈夫也。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。
Chen Mu: I wish to know， what is meant by a true gentleman? Sir taught me。
Xiao Fan: I believe that a true gentleman should stand in the rightful place of the world and walk the righteous path of the world. If he can achieve his aspirations， he should guide the people along these paths; if he cannot realize his ambitions， he should steadfastly adhere to his principles. Neither wealth nor poverty can alter his integrity; nor can power and force make him yield. Such a man can be called a true gentleman.
Chen Mu: sir is right，I accept your teachings。
陈牧：敢问先生，何谓天德？
萧凡：臣以为，君子养心，莫善于诚。致诚无他，唯仁之守，唯义之行。诚心守仁则能化，诚心行义则能变。变化代兴，谓之天德。天不言而人推高焉，地不言而人推厚焉，四时不言而百姓期焉。夫此有常，以至其诚者也。天地为大矣，不诚则不能化万物；圣人为智矣，不诚则不能化万民；父子为亲矣，不诚则疏；君上为尊矣，不诚则卑。夫诚者，君子之守，而政事之本也。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。
Chen Mu: May I ask， esteemed advisor， what is meant by “heavenly virtue“?
Xiao Fan: I believe that for a noble person cultivating their mind， nothing is better than sincerity. Achieving sincerity requires nothing else but upholding benevolence and practicing righteousness. With a sincere heart upholding benevolence， one can transform others; with a sincere heart practicing righteousness， one can change circumstances. The alternation and flourishing of such transformations are what is called “heavenly virtue.“ Heaven does not speak， yet people revere its loftiness; earth does not speak， yet people revere its depth; the four seasons do not speak， yet the people anticipate their cycles. These are constant because they have reached the utmost sincerity. Heaven and earth are vast， yet without sincerity， they could not nurture all things; sages are wise， yet without sincerity， they could not educate all people; fathers and sons are close， yet without sincerity， they would grow distant; rulers are revered， yet without sincerity， they would become lowly. Sincerity is the noble person's foundation and the root of governance.
Chen Mu: sir is right，I accept your teachings。
陈牧：敢问先生，国家之利势，当以何持之？
萧凡：臣以为，得道以持之，则大安也，大荣也，积美之源也。不得道以持之，则大危也，大累也，有之不如无之。及其綦也，索为匹夫，不可得也。齐湣、宋献是也。故用国者义立而王，信立而霸，权谋立而亡。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。
Chen Mu: May I ask， esteemed advisor， how should the advantageous position of a state be maintained?
Xiao Fan: I believe that if it is maintained through the right path， it will bring great peace， great honor， and become a source of accumulated virtue. If it is not maintained through the right path， it will bring great danger， great burden， and having such a position would be worse than not having it. At its extreme， even becoming an ordinary commoner would be impossible. King Min of Qi and Duke Xian of Song are examples of this. Therefore， those who govern a state will establish kingship through righteousness， achieve hegemony through trustworthiness， and face ruin through schemes and manipulation.
Chen Mu: sir is right，I respectfully accept your teachings。
陈牧：古来帝王，多以骄奢而取败，先生每犯颜切谏，不许我为非，我所以重之也，先生以为如何？
萧凡：臣以为，大王导臣使言，臣所以敢言。若大王不受臣言，臣亦何敢犯龙鳞，触忌讳也！所谓君明则臣直是也。唐太宗李世民曾言：以铜为镜，可以正衣冠；以古为镜，可以知兴替；以人为镜，可以明得失，大王得之矣。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。
Chen Mu: Throughout history， many emperors have fallen due to arrogance and extravagance. You， esteemed advisor， often risk offending my dignity to offer earnest remonstrance， preventing me from wrongdoing. This is why I hold you in high regard. Sir，What do you think?
Xiao Fan: I believe that it is because Your Majesty guides me to speak that I dare to speak frankly. If Your Majesty did not accept my words， how would I dare to provoke the dragon's scales or touch upon taboos? This is what is meant by “when the ruler is wise， the ministers are upright.“ Emperor Taizong of Tang， Li Shimin， once said:“Using bronze as a mirror， one can adjust one's attire; using history as a mirror， one can understand the rise and fall of states; using others as a mirror， one can discern gains and losses.“ Your Majesty has already grasped this truth.
Chen Mu: sir is right，I accept your teachings。
陈牧：大理寺卿荀顗，杀我家臣，寡人欲罢其职，可乎？先生以为如何？
萧凡：臣以为，大王乃一国之君，今纵家臣而不奉公，则法削，法削则国弱，国弱则诸侯加兵，是无晋也，大王安得有社稷乎？以大王之贵，奉公如法则上下平，上下平则国强，国强则晋固，大王岂不尊荣，且大理寺卿荀顗奉公执法，而大王无故罢黜，恐失天下之望，臣窃以为不可。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人知过矣。
Chen Mu: Xun Yi， the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review， has killed one of my household servants. I wish to di**iss him from his position. Is this permissible? Sir， what do you think？
Xiao Fan: I believe that Your Majesty is the ruler of the state. If you indulge your household servants and they do not uphold the law， then the law will be weakened. If the law is weakened， the state will grow feeble. If the state is feeble， the feudal lords will raise armies against us， and the state of Jin will cease to exist. How then could Your Majesty retain the throne? With Your Majesty's noble status， upholding the law and acting justly will bring fairness to both high and low. Fairness will strengthen the state， and a strong state will secure Jin's stability. Would this not bring Your Majesty honor and glory? Moreover， Xun Yi， the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review， upholds the law and enforces it impartially. If Your Majesty di**isses him without cause， it may lead to the loss of the people's trust. I humbly believe this should not be done.
Chen Mu: sir is right，I was wrong。
陈牧：寡人愿闻，圣王用人之道，先生教我。
萧凡：臣以为，明王之使人有五：一曰以大体期之；二曰要其成功；三曰忠信不疑；四曰至公无私；五曰与天下同忧。以大体期之，则臣自重。要其成功，则臣勤惧。忠信不疑，则臣尽节。至公无私，则臣尽情；与天下同忧，则臣尽死。夫唯信而后可以使人也。
陈牧：先生之言甚善，寡人谨受教。
Chen Mu: I wish to hear about the way a sage king employs people. Sir taught me。
Xiao Fan: I believe that a wise king employs his ministers with five principles: First， he expects them to uphold the greater principles. Second， he demands their success. Third， he remains loyal and trusting， free from doubt. Fourth， he is supremely just and selfless. Fifth， he shares the worries of the world. By expecting them to uphold the greater principles， the ministers will value their own integrity. By demanding their success， the ministers will be diligent and cautious. By remaining loyal and trusting， the ministers will devote themselves to their duties. By being supremely just and selfless， the ministers will give their utmost effort. By sharing the worries of the world， the ministers will exhaust their strength. Only through trust can one truly employ ministers.
Chen Mu: sir is right，I respectfully accept your teachings。
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