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13
Favour
and disgrace would seem equally to be feared; honour and
great calamity, to be regarded as personal conditions (of the
same
kind).
What is
meant by speaking thus of favour and disgrace? Disgrace is
being in a low position (after the enjoyment of favour). The
getting
that (favour) leads to the apprehension (of losing it), and the losing
it leads to the fear of (still greater
calamity):--this is what is
meant by saying that favour and disgrace would seem equally to be
feared.
And what is meant by saying that honour and great calamity
are to be
(similarly) regarded as personal conditions? What makes me liable to
great calamity is my having the body
(which I call myself); if I had
not the body, what great calamity could come to me?
Therefore he who would administer the kingdom, honouring it as he
honours
his own person, may be employed to govern it, and he who would
administer it with the love which he bears to his own person
may be
entrusted with it.
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