制惑

原文

民不畏死，奈何以死惧之？若使民常畏死，而为奇者，吾得执而杀之，孰敢？常有司杀者杀。夫司杀者，是大匠斫；夫代大匠斫者，希有不伤其手矣。

王弼注

民不畏死，奈何以死惧之？若使民常畏死，而为奇者，吾得执而杀之，孰敢？诡异乱群谓之奇也。常有司杀者杀，夫代司杀者杀，是谓代大匠斫，夫代大匠斫者，希有不伤其手矣。为逆顺者之所恶忿也，不仁者人之所疾也。故曰，常有司杀也。

英文 · James Legge

(Restraining delusion) The people do not fear death; to what purpose is it to (try to) frighten them with death? If the people were always in awe of death, and I could always seize those who do wrong, and put them to death, who would dare to do wrong? There is always One who presides over the infliction death. He who would inflict death in the room of him who so presides over it may be described as hewing wood instead of a great carpenter. Seldom is it that he who undertakes the hewing, instead of the great carpenter, does not cut his own hands!