網罟

網罟

1. (literary) trap for fish, birds or other animals
2. (literary, figurative) net of justice; justice

   • 聖人師蜂，立君臣；師蜘蛛，立網罟；師拱鼠，制禮；師戰蟻，置兵。眾人師賢人，賢人師聖人，聖人師萬物。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     圣人师蜂，立君臣；师蜘蛛，立网罟；师拱鼠，制礼；师战蚁，置兵。众人师贤人，贤人师圣人，圣人师万物。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 《關尹子/关尹子》, 300s BCE

     Shèngrén shī fēng, lì jūnchén; shī zhīzhū, lì wǎnggǔ; shī gǒngshǔ, zhì lǐ; shī zhàn yǐ, zhì bīng. Zhòngrén shī xiánrén, xiánrén shī shèngrén, shèngrén shī wànwù. [Pinyin]

     The sages learned from the bees to have monarchs and subjects, and they learned from the spiders to have nets of justice. They learned from the ground squirrels to establish politeness, and they learned from the warring ants to deploy armies. The masses learn from the worthies, the worthies learn from the sages, and the sages learn from the myriad things.