Analects 13.15 — The Duke Ting asked whether there was a…

定dìng公gōng问wèn：“一yī言yán而ér可kě以yǐ兴xīng邦bāng，有yǒu诸zhū？”孔kǒng子zǐ对duì曰yuē：“言yán不bù可kě以yǐ若ruò是shì。其qí几jǐ也yě。人rén之zhī言yán曰yuē：‘为wéi君jūn难nán，为wéi臣chén不bù易yì。’如rú知zhī为wéi君jūn之zhī难nán也yě，不bù几jī乎hū一yī言yán而ér兴xīng邦bāng乎hū？”曰yuē：“一yī言yán而ér丧sāng邦bāng，有yǒu诸zhū？”孔kǒng子zǐ对duì曰yuē：“言yán不bù可kě以yǐ若ruò是shì其qí几jǐ也yě。人rén之zhī言yán曰yuē：‘予yú无wú乐lè乎hū为wéi君jūn，唯wéi其qí言yán而ér莫mò予yú违wéi也yě。’如rú其qí善shàn而ér莫mò之zhī违wéi也yě，不bù亦yì善shàn乎hū？如rú不bù善shàn而ér莫mò之zhī违wéi也yě，不bù几jī乎hū一yī言yán而ér丧sāng邦bāng乎hū？”

1The Duke Ting asked whether there was a single sentence which could make a country prosperous. Confucius replied, 'Such an effect cannot be expected from one sentence.

2'There is a saying, however, which people have-- "To be a prince is difficult; to be a minister is not easy."

3'If a ruler knows this,-- the difficulty of being a prince,-- may there not be expected from this one sentence the prosperity of his country?'

4The duke then said, 'Is there a single sentence which can ruin a country?' Confucius replied, 'Such an effect as that cannot be expected from one sentence. There is, however, the saying which people have-- "I have no pleasure in being a prince, but only in that no one can offer any opposition to what I say!"

5'If a ruler's words be good, is it not also good that no one oppose them? But if they are not good, and no one opposes them, may there not be expected from this one sentence the ruin of his country?'

Book 13, Passage 13.15