chenmu:i‘veheardthatdragonsflytoohighthenitwillregretit,sirtaughtmewhy?
xiaofan:ithink,toohonorable,thenthereisnoplace,standtoohigh,thentherewillbenopeoplefollowingyou,thesagesareatthebottom,sotheycan‘thelpyou,sothedragonwillregretittoo,ihopeyoucanlearnfromit。
chenmu:sirisright,irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:知人之事,自古为难,王者为官择人,不可造次,先生以为然否?
萧凡:臣以为然也,大王每行一事,则为天下所观;出一言,则为天下所听。用得正人,为善者皆劝;误用恶人,不善者竞进。赏当其劳,无功者自退;罚当其罪,为恶者戒惧。故知赏罚不可轻行,用人弥须慎择,故考绩黜陟,察其善恶,今欲求人,必须审访其行。若知其善,然后用之,差可济事。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人谨受教。
chenmu:itisverydifficulttounderstandaperson,thekingneedsmorecautioninselectingtalentsforthecountry,sirthoughtso?
xiaofan:ithinkso,everythingyoudowillbeseenbythewholeworld,everythingyousaywillbeheardbythewholeworld,appointingpeopleofintegritywillattractalotofgoodpeople,appointthewicked,thenthevillainwillappear,rewardthosewhohavemeritthennoonewillobjecttothis,punishtheoffenderthentheothervillainswillbecarefultorestrain,therefore,rewardsandpunishmentshavetobecautious,theappointmentoftalentsshouldalsobecarefullychosen,nowifyouwanttoselectatalent,youmustexaminehismeritsandcharacter,aftermanyexpeditions,thenyouappointhimagain,onlyinthiswaycanthesagesbeselected。
chenmu:sirisright,irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:今谏议大夫方诩为官数月,劾奏常侍、大臣、郡守等数十人,百官侧目,号为苛刻,寡人当如何处之?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,法禁者,俗之堤防;刑罚者,民之衔辔。今州曰任郡,郡曰任县,更相委远,百姓怨穷;以苟容为贤,尽节为愚。方诩所举,臧罪非一,大臣恐为其所奏,遂加诬罪,大王当佑之,以嘉其直臣之气。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人谨受教。
chenmu:nowfangxuanhasonlybeenanofficialforafewmonths,andhehasimpeacheddozensofattendants,ministers,andmayors,theministerswereterrifiedandsaidhewasharsh,whatshouldidoaboutit?sirtaughtme。
xiaofan:ithink,thelawisaleveethatprotectscustomsandpeople,atpresent,localofficialscolludeandshieldeachotherveryseriously,andtreatlazypeopleastalents,andhard-workingpeopleasstupid,thismadethepeoplepoorandresentful,fangxue‘simpeachmentisbasicallytrue,theministerswantedtoescapepunishmentbyslanderinghim,youshouldprotectandrewardhimbecauseofhisintegrityandjustice。
chenmu:sirisright,irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:近来多有灾异,五州大水,寡人甚忧之,先生何以教我?
萧凡:臣以为,海内颇有灾异,朝廷修政,太官减膳,珍玩不御,盖以德禳灾也。然安定太守,远献大珠以求幸媚,非忠臣所为也,大王当封之以还。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人谨受教。
chenmu:therehavebeenalotofdisasterslately,andfloodinghasoccurredinallfivestates,i‘mveryworriedaboutthat,sirtaughtmewhattodo?
xiaofan:ithinktherehavebeenalotofdisasterslately,soyouhavetobediligentinhandlinggovernmentaffairs,reducewasteandplay,onlyinthiswaycandisastersbereduced,butthemayorofandingofferedyoutreasuresforpromotion,thisisnotwhatloyalistsshoulddo,therefore,youshouldreturnthethingstohim。
chenmu:sirisright,irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。