韓非子 五蠹　第49編

Han Feizi, Wu Xi, Part 49.

今の人は、働かずに食っている者を見れば、これを「能」といい、戦功もなしに出世する者を見れば、これを「賢」という。

Nowadays, when people see a man who eats without working, they call him 'Noh', and when they see a man who rises in the ranks without any war success, they call him 'Sage'.

賢能の行いが成れば、兵は弱くなり、田畑は荒れる。しかるに人主は賢能の行いを喜んで、兵が弱くなり、田畑が荒れる禍を忘れる。かくなれば私的な善行は成立するだろうが、公的な利益は滅んでいくだろう。

If a man is wise and efficient in action, his troops will be weak and his fields will be desolate. However, the sovereign is pleased with the deeds of the wise and forgets the misfortune of weakening the army and destroying the fields. In this way, private nice deals might be done, but the public good will perish.