亡征 Signs of a Doomed State
凡人主之国小而家大，权轻而臣重者，可亡也。When a ruler's state is small while the ministers' households are powerful, when the ruler's power is weak while that of the ministers is strong, the state may perish.
简法禁而务谋虑，荒封内而恃交援者，可亡也。When a ruler neglects laws and prohibitions and focuses on stratagems, when he neglects domestic governance and relies on external alliances, the state may perish.
群臣为学，门子好辩，商贾外积，小民内困者，可亡也。When the ministers indulge in learning without practical purpose, the young nobles are fond of empty debates, merchants accumulate wealth abroad, and the common people suffer hardship at home, the state may perish.
好宫室台榭陂池，事车服器玩，好罢露百姓，煎靡货财者，可亡也。When a ruler is fond of building palaces, terraces, pavilions, ponds, is preoccupied with carriages, clothing, utensils, and curios, and exhausts the people and squanders wealth, the state may perish.
用时日，事鬼神，信卜筮而好祭祀者，可亡也。When a ruler depends on auspicious days, worships ghosts and spirits, believes in divination, and is keen on sacrifices, the state may perish.
听以爵不以众言参验，用一人为门户者，可亡也。When a ruler makes decisions based on a person's rank rather than verifying with the words of many, and when he depends solely on one person's opinions, the state may perish.
官职可以重求，爵禄可以货得者，可亡也。When official positions can be obtained through bribery and ranks and emoluments can be bought with money, the state may perish.
缓心而无成，柔茹而寡断，好恶无决而无所定立者，可亡也。When a ruler is slow-witted and achieves nothing, is indecisive and weak-willed, and cannot make up his mind about likes and dislikes, the state may perish.
饕贪而无厌，近利而好得者，可亡也。When a ruler is greedy and insatiable, and is eager for immediate benefits and gains, the state may perish.
喜淫辞而不周于法，好辩说而不求其用，滥于文丽而不顾其功者，可亡也。When a ruler likes flowery but unsubstantiated words that do not conform to laws, is fond of debates but does not seek practical use, and is obsessed with literary elegance without considering the actual effect, the state may perish.
浅薄而易见，漏泄而无藏，不能周密而通群臣之语者，可亡也。When a ruler is shallow and transparent, leaks secrets and has no discretion, and cannot keep things confidential while communicating with ministers, the state may perish.
很刚而不和，愎谏而好胜，不顾社稷而轻为自信者，可亡也。When a ruler is obstinate and inharmonious, is stubbornly opposed to advice and fond of competing, and acts self-confidently without considering the state's interests, the state may perish.
恃交援而简近邻，怙强大之救而侮所迫之国者，可亡也。When a ruler relies on external alliances and neglects neighboring states, and insults the states that are close to him while relying on the rescue of powerful states, the state may perish.
羁旅侨士，重帑在外，上间谋计，下与民事者，可亡也。When foreign sojourners and expatriates, with a large amount of wealth stored abroad, interfere in the ruler's strategies above and meddle in civil affairs below, the state may perish.
民信其相，下不能其上，主爱信之而弗能废者，可亡也。When the people believe in the prime minister more than the ruler, and the ruler loves and trusts the prime minister but cannot remove him, the state may perish.
境内之杰不事，而求封外之士，不以功伐课试，而好以各问举错，羁旅起贵以陵故常者，可亡也。When the outstanding people within the state are not employed, and the ruler seeks talents from other states, when he does not assess people based on their achievements but likes to make appointments according to empty reputations, and when sojourners rise to high positions and overshadow the old-timers, the state may perish.
轻其嫡正，庶子称衡，太子未定而主即世者，可亡也。If a ruler looks down upon his legitimate heir, the sons of concubines are on an equal footing, and the crown prince is not determined when the ruler passes away, the state may perish.
大心而无悔，国乱而自多，不料境内之资而易其邻敌者，可亡也。When a ruler is over-confident and unrepentant, is complacent when the state is in chaos, and underestimates the state's resources and provokes neighboring enemies, the state may perish.
国小而不处卑，力少而不畏强，无礼而侮大邻，贪愎而拙交者，可亡也。When a small state does not maintain a humble stance, a state with little power does not fear the strong, when it is rude and insults a large neighboring state, and is greedy, stubborn, and clumsy in diplomacy, the state may perish.
太子已置，而娶于强敌以为后妻，则太子危，如是，则群臣易虑者，可亡也。When a crown prince has been established, but the ruler marries a woman from a powerful enemy state as his subsequent wife, the crown prince is in danger. If the ministers change their loyalties in such a situation, the state may perish.
怯慑而弱守，蚤见而心柔懦，知有谓可，断而弗敢行者，可亡也。When a ruler is timid and weak in governance, foresees problems but is too cowardly to act, knows what should be done but dares not make a decision, the state may perish.
出君在外而国更置，质太子未反而君易子，如是则国携；国携者，可亡也。When the ruler is away from the state and the state installs a new ruler, or when the hostage crown prince has not returned but the ruler changes the heir, the state will be divided. A divided state may perish.
挫辱大臣而狎其身，刑戮小民而逆其使，怀怒思耻而专习则贼生，贼生者，可亡也。When a ruler humiliates and bullies ministers, punishes and oppresses the common people, and if they bear grudges and seek revenge, then rebels will emerge. When rebels emerge, the state may perish.
大臣两重，父兄众强，内党外援以争事势者，可亡也。When two powerful ministers co-exist, and there are many powerful relatives of the ruler, and they form internal cliques and seek external support to fight for power, the state may perish.
婢妾之言听，爱玩之智用，外内悲惋而数行不法者，可亡也。When a ruler listens to the words of concubines and uses the wits of his favorites, and when both the inner and outer courts are sad and indignant while the ruler often acts unlawfully, the state may perish.
简侮大臣，无礼父兄，劳苦百姓，杀戮不辜者，可亡也。When a ruler disrespects and bullies ministers, is rude to his relatives, overworks the common people, and kills the innocent, the state may perish.
好以智矫法，时以行杂公，法禁变易，号令数下者，可亡也。When a ruler likes to use his own intelligence to distort laws, often mixes personal actions with public affairs, changes laws and prohibitions frequently, and issues orders repeatedly, the state may perish.
无地固，城郭恶，无畜积，财物寡，无守战之备而轻攻伐者，可亡也。When a state has no natural barriers, its city walls are in disrepair, it has no stockpiles, little property, and is ill-prepared for defense and war but is eager to launch attacks, the state may perish.
种类不寿，主数即世，婴兒为君，大臣专制，树羁旅以为党，数割地以待交者，可亡也。When the royal family has a short lifespan, the ruler dies frequently, and an infant becomes the ruler, when ministers monopolize power, form cliques with sojourners, and often cede territory to seek alliances, the state may perish.
太子尊显，徒属众强，多大国之交，而威势蚤具者，可亡也。When the crown prince is highly respected and has a large number of powerful followers, has many alliances with powerful states, and has amassed power too early, the state may perish.
变褊而心急，轻疾而易动发，心悁忿而不訾前后者，可亡也。When a ruler is narrow-minded and impatient, is quick-tempered and impulsive, and acts out of anger without considering the consequences, the state may perish.
主多怒而好用兵，简本教而轻战攻者，可亡也。When a ruler is prone to anger and fond of waging war, neglects basic education and is reckless in launching attacks, the state may perish.
贵臣相妒，大臣隆盛，外藉敌国，内困百姓，以攻怨雠，而人主弗诛者，可亡也。When powerful ministers envy each other, when they become extremely powerful, rely on foreign states externally, oppress the common people internally, and attack their enemies, and the ruler does not punish them, the state may perish.
君不肖而侧室贤，太子轻而庶子伉，官吏弱而人民桀，如此则国躁；国躁者，可亡也。When the ruler is incompetent while his relatives are capable, when the crown prince is weak while the sons of concubines are strong, when officials are weak and the people are unruly, the state will be in turmoil. A state in turmoil may perish.
藏恕而弗发，悬罪而弗诛，使群臣阴赠而愈忧惧，而久未可知者，可亡也。When a ruler conceals his anger and does not express it, suspends punishment for crimes and does not execute them, making the ministers secretly worried and increasingly fearful, and the situation remains uncertain for a long time, the state may perish.
出军命将太重，边地任守太尊，专制擅命，径为而无所请者，可亡也。When the power given to the generals in the army is too great, the power of the border guards is too high, and they act independently, make decisions without permission, the state may perish.
后妻淫乱，主母畜秽，外内混通，男女无别，是谓两主；两主者，可亡也。When the subsequent wife is promiscuous, the ruler's mother engages in immoral behavior, and there is chaos between the inner and outer courts, with no distinction between men and women, it is like having two rulers. A state with two rulers may perish.
后妻贱而婢妾贵，太子卑而庶子尊，相室轻而典谒重，如此则内外乖；内外乖者，可亡也。When the subsequent wife is of low status while the concubines are of high status, when the crown prince is humble while the sons of concubines are honored, when the prime minister is despised while the palace attendants are powerful, there will be disharmony between the inner and outer courts. A state with such disharmony may perish.
大臣甚贵，偏党众强，壅塞主断而重擅国者，可亡也。When a minister is extremely powerful, forms a large and powerful clique, blocks the ruler's decision-making, and monopolizes state power, the state may perish.
私门之官用，马府之世绌，乡曲之善举者，可亡也。When the private retainers of powerful families are employed, the hereditary officials of the imperial court are dismissed, and those with local influence are promoted, the state may perish.
官职之劳废，贵私行而贱公功者，可亡也。When the efforts in official positions are not recognized, and private actions are valued more than public achievements, the state may perish.
公家虚而大臣实，正户贫而寄寓富，耕战之士困，末作之民利者，可亡也。When the state treasury is empty while the ministers are wealthy, when the common people are poor while the sojourners are rich, when those engaged in farming and warfare suffer hardship while those in non-essential industries benefit, the state may perish.
见大利而不趋，闻祸端而不备，浅薄于争守之事，而务以仁义自饰者，可亡也。When a ruler fails to pursue great benefits and does not prepare for potential disasters, is shallow in matters of competition and defense, and only tries to adorn himself with benevolence and righteousness, the state may perish.
不为人主之孝，而慕瓜夫之孝，不顾社稷之利，而听主母之令，女子用国，刑馀用事者，可亡也。When a ruler does not fulfill his filial duty as a ruler but imitates the filial piety of common people, does not consider the state's interests but obeys the orders of his mother, when women interfere in state affairs and eunuchs are in power, the state may perish.
辞辩而不法，心智而无术，主多能而不以法度从事者，可亡也。When words are eloquent but not in line with laws, when intelligence is used without proper statecraft, and when the ruler is capable but does not act according to laws and regulations, the state may perish.
亲臣进而故人退，不肖用事而贤良伏，无功贵而劳苦贱，如是则下怨；下怨者，可亡也。When new favorites are promoted while old acquaintances are dismissed, when the incompetent are in power and the virtuous are sidelined, when the unmeritorious are honored and the hard-working are despised, the people below will resent. A state with resentful people may perish.
父兄大臣禄秩过功，章服侵等，宫室供养大侈，而人主弗禁，则臣心无穷，臣心无穷者，可亡也。When the salaries and ranks of the ruler's relatives and ministers exceed their merits, when their clothing and insignia exceed the proper level, when their palaces and living expenses are overly luxurious, and the ruler does not prohibit it, the ministers will become insatiable. A state with insatiable ministers may perish.
公胥公孙与民同门，暴慠其邻者，可亡也。When the ruler's relatives and the common people live in the same neighborhood, and they act arrogantly towards their neighbors, the state may perish.
亡征者，非曰必亡，言其可亡也。The signs of a doomed state do not mean that the state will surely perish, but that it is likely to perish.
夫两尧不能相王，两桀不能相亡；亡王之机，必其治乱，其强弱相踦者也。Two rulers as virtuous as Yao cannot rule over each other, and two rulers as wicked as Jie cannot destroy each other. The key to the rise or fall of a state lies in the contrast between order and chaos, and between strength and weakness.
木之折也必通蠹，墙之坏也必通隙。A tree breaks because of termites, and a wall collapses because of cracks.
然木虽蠹，无疾风不折；墙虽隙，无大雨不坏。However, although a tree is infested with termites, it will not break without a strong wind; although a wall has cracks, it will not collapse without heavy rain.
万乘之主，有能服术行法以为亡征之君风雨者，其兼天下不难矣。If a ruler of a large state can master statecraft and enforce laws, acting as the strong wind and heavy rain for a state with signs of doom, it will not be difficult for him to unify the world.
