The sky is high but can be understood; the earth is vast but can be governed. All things find peace, and where then should human feelings seek? Bo Yi and Shu Qi could be free of theft, yet they could not prevent people from having thoughts about them. Shentu Di thought the world was corrupt and unfit to live in, so he tied stones to himself and threw himself into a river, not knowing that there were even greater disorders beneath the water. When virtue is at its height, there are no paths in the mountains and no bridges across the marshes; people do not travel back and forth, and boats and carriages do not pass through. Why is this so? Their people are like newborn infants. Those who possess knowledge do not use it to deceive or enslave others, and those with strength do not use it to subjugate or dominate. Therefore, the nests of magpies can be looked into from below, and herds of deer can be approached and tethered. In a declining age, fathers and sons plot against each other, and brothers suspect one another. Why is this so? It is because their moral influence is shallow, and they act out of mutual competition and deliberate action. Therefore, those who act forcefully bring about failure, and those who govern with control create disorder. When there is failure, people become confused; when there is disorder, they become sycophantic. Sycophancy leads to the collapse of principles, and confusion prevents righteousness from being established. Yao passed the empire on to Shun; therefore, those who value righteousness consider Yao wise, while those who seek profit regard Yao as foolish. Tang and Wu deposed tyrants and killed them for the benefit of their sons; therefore, those who value righteousness regard this as unjust, while those who seek profit consider it an act of virtue. In that age, the virtuous were not passed on, so there arose the deposing of rulers; because a ruler favored confusion and flattery, there came about the killing of sovereigns. Those who are deposed or killed in such ways, and those whose states fall into ruin—I have never seen anyone who finds ease and comfort in such misfortune. To seek false security amid danger is to follow sorrow and diminish joy. Therefore, a state may have mourning without proper funeral rites, and an army without soldiers—these can be foreseen beforehand. Therefore, Ji Zi fled while Bo Choumu was killed, and Shang Rong was imprisoned while Jian Shu wept. In the past, those who climbed to a height had people below tying ropes for them; their hands and feet sweated with effort, while those above began breaking branches and rushing ahead to seize the wood, and anyone who tried to stop them was punished. Therefore, people throughout the land grew fearful in their hearts, and the ruler stood alone without support. In this age, those in positions of influence are all disorderly ministers; their intelligence is sufficient to prevent the ruler from understanding affairs, their words are enough to confuse governance, and their factional alliances are strong enough to maintain harmony over matters of profit and harm. In the past, Tang employed Yi Yin; Zhou used Tai Gong; Qin relied on Bai Li; Chu appointed Shen Biao; and Qi utilized Guan Zi. These several ministers were renowned in their time, yet they were also the loyal subjects of fallen states who perished for their loyalty. From this we see that it is not their intelligence or ability that is difficult to match, but rather the timing and fate they encountered, which cannot be replicated. Only by being free of such constraints can one accept a time when it is right to act and refuse when it is not, and respond to fate when it opens or closes. A virtuous person does not necessarily encounter the right time, and a wicked person does not necessarily lose favor with fate. Therefore, the virtuous abide by the times, while the unworthy cling to their destiny. In this age there are not lacking those who emulate Shun, yet they do not understand the reasons behind Yao's actions; there are not lacking deeds like those of Tang and Wu, yet people fail to comprehend the causes behind Yi Yin and Tai Gong's achievements. Fei Zhong and E Lai gained the benefits of Xin Zhou but did not foresee King Wu's attack on them; Bi Gan and Wu Zixu were devoted to loyal remonstration, yet they failed to realize that their rulers would kill them. Fei Zhong and E Lai might be said to have known the hearts of others, yet they did not understand affairs. Bi Gan and Wu Zixu may be said to have understood affairs, yet they did not comprehend the hearts of their rulers. A sage must possess both qualities—understanding of human hearts and mastery of worldly affairs—before he can fully grasp and influence an entire age.