以德服人

以德服人

1. to convince people by virtue

   • 以力服人者，非心服也，力不贍也；以德服人者，中心悅而誠服也，如七十子之服孔子也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     以力服人者，非心服也，力不赡也；以德服人者，中心悦而诚服也，如七十子之服孔子也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, circa 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Yǐ lì fú rén zhě, fēi xīn fú yě, lì bù shàn yě; yǐ dé fú rén zhě, zhōngxīn yuè ér chéngfú yě, rú qīshí zǐ zhī fú Kǒngzǐ yě. [Pinyin]

     When one by force subdues men, they do not submit to him in heart. They submit, because their strength is not adequate to resist. When one subdues men by virtue, in their hearts' core they are pleased, and sincerely submit, as was the case with the seventy disciples in their submission to Confucius.