There is a saying, however, which people have -'To be a prince is difficult; to be a minister is not easy.'
人之言曰：‘为君难，为臣不易。’
"If a ruler knows this, the difficulty of being a prince, may there not be expected from this one sentence the prosperity of his country?"
“如知为君之难也，不几乎一言而兴邦乎？”
The duke then said, "Is there a single sentence which can ruin a country?"
曰：“一言而丧邦，有诸？”
Confucius replied, "Such an effect as that cannot be expected from one sentence.
孔子对曰：“言不可以若是其几也。
There is, however, the saying which people have-'I have no pleasure in being a prince, but only in that no one can offer any opposition to what I say!'
人之言曰：‘予无乐乎为君，唯其言而莫予违也。’

If a ruler's words be good, is it not also good that no one oppose them?
如其善而莫之违也，不亦善乎？
But if they are not good, and no one opposes them, may there not be expected from this one sentence the ruin of his country?"
如不善而莫之违也，不几乎一言而丧邦乎？”
The Duke of Sheh asked about government, the Master said, "Good government obtains when those who are near are made happy, and those who are far off are attracted."
叶公问政，子曰：“近者说，远者来。”
Tsze-hsia! being governor of Chu-fu, asked about government, the Master said, "Do not be desirous to have things done quickly, do not look at small advantages.
子夏为莒父宰，问政，子曰：“无欲速，无见小利。
Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly, looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished."
欲速则不达，见小利则大事不成。”