子張問於孔子曰：“何如斯可以從政矣?”子曰：“尊五美，屏四惡，斯可以從政矣。”子張曰：“何謂五美?”子曰：“君子惠而不費，勞而不怨，欲而不貪，泰而不驕，威而不猛。”子張曰：“何謂惠而不費?”子曰：“因民之所利而利之，斯不亦惠而不費乎?擇可勞而勞之，又誰怨?欲仁而得仁，又焉貪?君子無眾寡，無小大，無敢慢，斯不亦泰而不驕乎?君子正其衣冠，尊其瞻視，儼然人望而畏之，斯不亦威而不猛乎?”子張曰：“何謂四惡?”子曰：“不教而殺謂之虐;不戒視成謂之暴;慢令致期謂之賊;猶之與人也，出納之吝，謂之有司。”
Zi Zhang asked Confucius, saying, "In what way should a person in authority act in order that he may conduct government properly?" The Master replied, "Let him honor the five excellent, and banish away the four bad, things; then may he conduct government properly." Zi Zhang said, "What are meant by the five excellent things?"
The Master said, "When the person in authority is beneficent without great expenditure; when he lays tasks on the people without their repining; when he pursues what he desires without being covetous; when he maintains a dignified ease without being proud; when he is majestic without being fierce."
Zi Zhang said, "What is meant by being beneficent without great expenditure?" The Master replied, "When the person in authority makes more beneficial to the people the things from which they naturally derive benefit;-- is not this being beneficent without great expenditure? When he chooses the labors which are proper, and makes them labor on them, who will repine? When his desires are set on benevolent government, and he secures it, who will accuse him of covetousness?
Whether he has to do with many people or few, or with things great or small, he does not dare to indicate any disrespect - is not this to maintain a dignified ease without any pride? He adjusts his clothes and cap, and throws a dignity into his looks, so that, thus dignified, he is looked at with awe - is not this to be majestic without being fierce?"
Zi Zhang then asked, "What are meant by the four bad things?" The Master said, "To put the people to death without having instructed them - this is called cruelty. To require from them, suddenly, the full tale of work, without having given them warning - this is called oppression. To issue orders as if without urgency, at first, and, when the time comes, to insist on them with severity - this is called injury. And, generally, in the giving pay or rewards to men, to do it in a stingy way - this is called acting the part of a mere official."
【原文】
子张问于孔子曰：“何如斯可以从政矣①?”子曰：“尊五美，屏四恶②，斯可以从政矣。”子张曰：“何谓五美?”子曰：“君子惠而不费③，劳而不怨，欲而不贪，泰而不骄④，威而不猛。”子张曰：“何谓惠而不费?”子曰：“因民之所利而利之⑤，斯不亦惠而不费乎?择可劳而劳之，又谁怨?欲仁而得仁⑥，又焉贪?君子无众寡，无大小，无敢慢⑦，斯不亦泰而不骄乎?君子正其衣冠⑧，尊其瞻视⑨，俨然人望而畏之⑩，斯不亦威而不猛乎?”子张曰：“何谓四恶?”子曰：“不教而杀谓之虐;不戒视成⑾谓之暴;慢令致期⑿谓之贼;犹之与人⒀也，出纳⒂之吝⒁谓之有司⒃。”
【今译】
子张向孔子请教说：“怎样才能管理好政事呢?”孔子说：“尊重五种美德，摒弃四种恶政，就能管理好政事了。”子张问：“什么叫五种美德?”孔子说：“君子施惠于人，但自己不浪费;安排劳役百姓不怨恨;要想追求仁德、而不贪图财利;心情舒泰、却不骄傲放肆;表情威严而不凶猛。”子张说：“什么叫施惠于人民而自己不浪费呢?”孔子说：“顺着百姓所能得到利益之处让他们去获得利益，不就是施惠于人民而自己不浪费吗?选择百姓能干得了的劳役让他们去干，谁还怨恨呢?希望得到仁德却得到仁德，又有什么贪欲呢?君子待人无论人多人少，权力或大或小，都不敢怠慢，这不就是心情舒泰而不骄傲放肆吗?君子衣冠端正整齐，目光神色严肃庄重，使人望而生畏，这不就是表情威严而不凶猛吗?”子张说：“什么叫四种恶政?”孔子说：“不先教育，犯了错就杀戮，这叫虐;不先告诫、不打招呼而要求速成，这叫暴;很晚才下令，却突然限期完成，这叫贼;同样是给人家东西，拿出手时却很吝啬，这叫有司。”
【注释】
①斯：才，就。从政：治理国家，处理政务。
②屏：摒弃，排除。
③费：耗费，浪费。
④泰：舒泰。
⑤因：顺从，按照。
⑥欲仁：要想追求仁德。
⑦慢：怠慢。
⑧正：整齐。
⑨瞻视：仪态，外表。
⑩俨然：庄重严肃的样子。
⑾视成：指得到成果。
⑿慢令致期：很晚下令而提出期限速成。
⒀犹之与人：同是给人家东西。犹之：如同。
⒁吝：吝啬。
⒂出纳：支出与收入，此处实指支出。
⒃有司：指官府中办理一般事务的小吏。借指器量狭小。
【评点】
本章孔子论述施仁政于民的为政之道。孔子认为民为邦本，政治管理首重在民。因此，孔子倡导惠民政策的基点是如何利民，但他尽管满怀仁德之心，在当时不可能全心全意为民，因此，“尊五美，摒四恶”体现出对统治者利益和民众利益折中调和兼顾的政策导向。例如，他既要给老百姓实惠，又要让为政者少耗费;既要役使老百姓，又要照顾他们的实际困难，等等。总之，孔子是想既能照顾到统治者利益，又能照顾到老百姓利益。
孔子论政，还着眼于执政者的素质。孔子心目中的执政者，能扬善除恶，即“尊五美，屏四恶”，涉及到执政者政策的制定与推行，从政者的作风与态度，又涉及到执政者的自身品德修养。执政者的素质决定了政事的优劣。
