No thought is loftier than loving people, no conduct is greater than bringing joy to the people. -- 《Yanzi Annals》

廉者，政之本也；谦者，德之主也。 --《晏子春秋》

Integrity is the foundation of good governance; humility is the essence of virtue. -- 《Yanzi Annals》

圣人千虑，必有一失；愚人千虑，必有一得。 --《晏子春秋》

Even a sage who thinks a thousand times may make one mistake; even a fool who thinks a thousand times may have one good idea. -- 《Yanzi Annals》

穷民财力以供嗜欲，谓之暴；崇完好，威严拟乎君，谓之逆；刑杀不辜谓之贼。此三者守国之大殃。 --《晏子春秋》

To exhaust the wealth and strength of the people to satisfy one’s own desires is called tyranny; to build extravagant palaces and assume a majesty equal to that of the ruler is called rebellion; to punish or kill the innocent is called villainy.
These three are the great calamities that bring ruin to a state. -- 《Yanzi Annals》

【註】《晏子春秋》是记载春秋时期齐国丞相晏婴言行活动的一部书，成书于战国时期，唐代以前认为《晏子春秋》一书是晏婴自著。唐人柳宗元认为是由墨家学徒将史料和民间传说汇编而成的。清人管同认为《晏子春秋》“其文浅薄过甚”，是六朝人伪作。四库全书列为史部传记类圣贤、名人之属。

《晏子春秋》中的晏子爱民、任贤、廉洁、尚俭等形象，基本上是有史实依据的。该书记载了许多晏子劝告君主勤政、不要贪图享乐、任用贤能、虚心纳谏、以及爱护百姓的事例，更反对横征暴敛，滥施酷刑。这些观点既有儒家思想，又有墨家思想。西汉刘向对其加以过整理，共8卷215章，分为内篇6卷和外篇2卷。清末苏舆、张纯一分别著有《晏子春秋校注》，现代吴则虞著有《晏子春秋集释》。

Note : 《Yanzi Annals》 is a work that records the words and deeds of Yan Ying, Chancellor of the State of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period. It was compiled in the Warring States period. Before the Tang dynasty, the book was believed to have been written by Yan Ying himself. The Tang writer Liu Zongyuan argued that it was compiled by students of the Mohist school from historical materials and popular legends. In the Qing dynasty, Guan Tong criticized the book as “extremely shallow and crude,” regarding it as a forgery of the Six Dynasties period. In the 《Siku Quanshu》 (Complete Library of the Four Treasuries), it is classified under the section of history, in the biographies of sages and famous men.

The portrayal of Yan Ying in 《Yanzi Annals》，as one who loved the people, employed the worthy, was incorruptible, and valued frugality，is generally based on historical fact. The book records many instances of Yan Ying advising rulers to be diligent in government, to avoid greed and indulgence, to employ the capable, to accept remonstrance with humility, and to care for the people. He also opposed harsh taxation and the arbitrary use of cruel punishments. These ideas embody both Confucian and Mohist thought.

In the Western Han, Liu Xiang reorganized the work into eight juan (scrolls) with 215 chapters, divided into six inner juan and two outer juan. In the late Qing, Su Yu and Zhang Chunyi each produced annotated editions (Yanzi Chunqiu Jiaozhu). In modern times, Wu Zeyu published a collected commentary (Yanzi Chunqiu Jishi).