Legge Translation (1861)

Confucius said: "When right principles prevail in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions proceed from the emperor. When right principles are absent from the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions proceed from the princes.

When these things proceed from the princes, as a rule, the cases will be few in which they do not lose their power in ten generations. When they proceed from the great officers of the princes, as a rule, the cases will be few in which they do not lose their power in five generations. When the subsidiary ministers of the great officers hold in their grasp the orders of the State, as a rule, the cases will be few in which they do not lose their power in three generations.

When right principles prevail in the empire, government will not be in the hands of the great officers.

When right principles prevail in the empire, there will be no discussions among the common people."