孔kǒng子zǐ曰yuē，天tiān下xià有yǒu道dào，则zé礼lǐ乐yuè征zhēng伐fá，自zì天tiān子zǐ出chū，天tiān下xià无wú道dào，则zé礼lǐ乐yuè征zhēng伐fá，自zì诸zhū侯hóu出chū，自zì诸zhū侯hóu出chū，盖gài十shí世shì希xī不bù失shī矣yǐ，自zì大dà夫fū出chū，五wǔ世shì希xī不bù失shī矣yǐ，陪péi臣chén执zhí国guó命mìng，三sān世shì希xī不bù失shī矣yǐ。天tiān下xià有yǒu道dào，则zé政zhèng不bú在zài大dà夫fū。天tiān下xià有yǒu道dào，则zé庶shù人rén不bú议yì。

James Legge Translation

1. Confucius said, "When good government prevails in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions proceed from the son of Heaven. When bad government prevails in 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. 2. "When right principles prevail in the kingdom, government will not be in the hands of the Great officers. 3. "When right principles prevail in the kingdom, there will be no discussions among the common people."

Source: James Legge, public domain, 1893.

Notes

• 底本：Wikisource 整理的 James Legge《The Chinese Classics》公版中英文本（1893–1895）。
• 简体化：原文由繁体转为简体（OpenCC），与公版英译逐句对应。