Some one said, "What do you say concerning the principle that injury should be recompensed with kindness?" The Master said, "With what then will you recompense kindness? "Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness."
或曰、以德報怨、何如。子曰、何以報德。以直報怨、以德報德。
Truth is higher than everything; but higher still is truthful living.
Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; But turn away from the ignorant.
A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.
Learn to do well; Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Let us live happily then, not hating those who hate us! among men who hate us let us dwell free from hatred!
'Men frequently apply punishment wrongly: the innocent are put in prison, and the perpetrator of the crime is set at liberty.'
That devotee of mine, who hates no being, who is friendly and compassionate, who is free from egoism, and from (the idea that this or that is) mine, to whom happiness and misery are alike, who is forgiving, contented, constantly devoted, self-restrained, and firm in his determinations, and whose mind and understanding are devoted to me, he is dear to me.
“Cherish the poor, and seek not thine own comfort. The shepherd should not sleep while the wolf is among the sheep. Protect the needy, for a king wears his crown for the sake of his subjects. The people are as the root and the king as the tree; and the tree, O son, gains strength from the root. He should not oppress the people who has fear of injury to his kingdom. Seek not plenteousness in that land where the people are afflicted by the king. Fear them that are proud and them that fear not God.”