《淮南子·泰族训》
所以仁义是治国安民的根本，现在如果人们不懂得致力于根本，却致力于枝末的话，那就等于是放弃对树根的浇灌而去浇灌枝叶，做的是一件蠢事。
故仁义者，治之本也。今不知事修其本，而务治其未，是释其根而灌其枝也。
Therefore, benevolence and righteousness are the fundamental of governing a country and pacifying its people; if people nowadays do not know to focus on the fundamental but focus on the nonessential instead, then that would be like giving up irrigating the roots of a tree and irrigating the branches and leaves instead, which is a foolish thing to do. 