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Exemplarious translation:
6.＜齊語＞3.＜管仲佐桓公為政＞
正月之朝，鄉長復事．君親問焉，曰：「於子之鄉，有居處好學、慈孝於父母 、聰慧質仁、發聞於鄉里者，有則以告．有而不以告，謂之蔽明，其罪五 ．」有司已於事而竣．桓公又問焉，曰：「於子之鄉，有拳勇股肱之力秀出於眾者，有 則以告．有而不以告，謂之蔽賢，其罪五．」有司已於事而竣．桓公又問焉，曰：「於子之鄉， 有不慈孝於父母、不長悌於鄉里、驕躁淫暴、不用上令者，有則以告．有而不以告，謂 之下比，其罪五．」有司已於事而竣．是故鄉長退而修德進賢，桓公親見之，遂使役官．
Guan Zhong assisted duke Huan the Effector in government
When the town heads came to court to report of their tasks, the duke himself asked them about and spoke: "If in your village should be a man who usually studies well, is filial and pietous to father and mother, is clever and benevolent and has a good reputation among the villagers, you should report this to your superiors. If you do not make report of such men, you shall be called men that hide wisdom, and shall suffer the five mutilations." The officer responsible with this task made report and withdraw. The duke asked once more: "If in your village should be a man full of courage and whose stength surpasses that of the masses, it should be reported. If you do not make report of such men, you shall be called men that hide competence and shall suffer the five mutilations." The officer responsible with this task made report and withdraw. The duke asked once more: "If in your village should be a man who shows no filial piety, does not help his brothers in the village, is arrogrant and choleric, and does not obey the orders from above, it should be reported. If you do not make report of such men, you shall be called defenders of bad men and shall suffer the five mutilations." The officer responsible with this task made report and withdraw. The town heads, after withdrawing, nourished virtue and enhanced wisdom (in their village). The duke went himself to inspect these virtuous and wise men and employed them as officers.
桓公令官長期而書伐，以告且選，選其官之賢者而復用之，曰：「有人居我官，有功休德，惟慎端愨以待時，使民以勸，綏謗言，足以補官之不善政．」桓公召而與之語，訾相其質，足以比成事，誠可立而授之．設之以國家之患而不疚，退問之其鄉，以觀其所能而無大厲，升以為上卿之贊．謂之三選．國子、高子退而修鄉，鄉退而修連，連退而修里，里退而修軌，軌退而修伍，伍退而修家．是故匹夫有善，可得而舉也；匹夫有不善，可得而誅也．政既成，鄉不越長，朝不越爵，罷士無伍，罷女無家．夫是，故民皆勉為善．與其為善於鄉也，不如為善於里；其為善於里也，不如為善於家．是故士莫敢言一朝之便，皆有終歲之計；莫敢以終歲之議，皆有終身之功．
The duke ordered the senior officers to make yearly report of people that had achieved great merit, to be recorded in the Annals. From these men, the most able were to be chosen and had do take over special tasks. The record of selection should state: "There is a man among my officers who has outstanding merits and possesses great virtue, prudent and correct in behaving according to the seasons, he is able to guide and admonish the people, pacifying slandering words. He is worthy to fill up the ranks of the officials that are not good in government." After this, the duke received him at the court and spoke to him, testing the worthiness of the man before him, if he was able to fulfil his tasks, and if he could be appointed as an integer official. The duke tested him with questions about harm for his country, and if he did not fail, the duke asked him about his town to see what was his abilites. If the tested man did not make severe faults, the duke appointed him with the raised post of assistant officer 1st grade. The state barons and high barons then withdraw to regulate the towns, the town heads withdraw to regulate the community, the community heads withdraw to regulate the hamlets, the hamlet heads withdraw to regulate the streets, the street heads withdraw to regulate the block, and the block heads withdraw to regulate the families. For this reason, the good men among the people were worthy to be upgraded, and the bad men were guilty to be executed. After this kind of government was perfect, nobody in the town would challenge the town head, and at the court, nobody would have challenged the ranks and grades, a man without virtue could not enter a block, and an unworthy woman could not found a family. For that reason then, all people strove eagerly to create the good. To do good things for the town was not as good as doing good things for the block, and doing good things for the block was not as good as doing good things for the family. Therefore nobody dared to make shortviewed selfish plans, but all planned to fulfil the task of the whole year, and nobody dared to make discussions about the fulfilment of one single year's task, but all worked for the merit of the whole life.
桓公曰：「伍鄙若何？」管子對曰：「相地而衰征，則民不移；政不旅舊，則民不偷；山澤各致其時，則民不苟；陸、阜、陵、墐、井、 田、疇均，則民不憾；無奪民時，則百姓富；犧牲不略，則牛羊遂．」
The duke asked: "How shall the Block Basic be organized?" Master Guan answered: "According to the minor quality of soil, the taxes shall be lowered, to motive the people not to move to another ground. Concerning government, don't throw away the measures of the Old Rulers, to motive the people not to drag out an ignominious life. Mountain (woods) and swamps shall be cultivated according to the seasons of the year, to motive the people not to poach. Hills, estates, fields and dykes shall be distributed fairly, to motive people not to be envious of each other. The labour of peasants shall not be overextended, to give the people enough wealth. During the ceremonies, you should not stinge with sacrificial animals, for cattle will increase hundredfold."
桓公曰：「定民之居若何？」管子對曰：「制鄙．三十家為邑，邑有司；十邑為卒，卒有卒帥；十卒為鄉，鄉有鄉帥；三鄉為縣，縣有縣帥；十縣為屬，屬有大夫．五屬，故立五大夫，各使治一屬焉；立五正，各使聽一屬焉．是故正之政聽屬，牧政聽縣，下政聽鄉．」桓公曰： 「各保治爾所，無或淫怠而不聽治者！」
The duke asked: "How shall the settlements of the people be organized?" Master Guan answered: "They shall be organized in Basic Units. Thirty families constitute a Village with a village head. Ten villages constitute a Military Area with a military commander. Ten Military Areas constitute a Town with a town commander. Three Towns constitute a District with a district commander. Ten Districts constitute a Unit with a unit secretary. The Five Units (that constitute the state of Qi) shall be commanded by five secretaries each of whom one administers a Unit, and shall be administered by five rectifiers each of whom governs one Unit. Therefore, the five rectifiers have to govern the Unit, the district commander below governs the District, and the Town Commander governs the Town." The duke said: "Having such an administration, everybody holds his own area to govern, and there will be nobody being lazy or not taking part in the governmental structure."
Translated by Ulrich Theobald.
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