分崩離析

From the Analects, Book 16 (《論語·季氏》):

孔子曰：「……故遠人不服，則修文德以來之。既來之，則安之。今由與求也，相夫子，遠人不服而不能來也；邦分崩離析而不能守也。……」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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孔子曰：「……故远人不服，则修文德以来之。既来之，则安之。今由与求也，相夫子，远人不服而不能来也；邦分崩离析而不能守也。……」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Kǒng Zǐ yuē: “...... Gù yuǎn rén bùfú, zé xiū wéndé yǐ lái zhī. Jì lái zhī, zé ān zhī. Jīn Yóu yǔ Qiú yě, xiàng fūzǐ, yuǎn rén bùfú ér bùnéng lái yě; bāng fēnbēng líxī ér bùnéng shǒu yě.......” [Pinyin]

Confucius said. "… Therefore, if remoter people are not submissive, all the influences of civil culture and virtue are to be cultivated to attract them to be so; and when they have been so attracted, they must be made contented and tranquil. Now, here are you, You and Qiu, assisting your chief. Remoter people are not submissive, and, with your help, he cannot attract them to him. In his own territory there are divisions and downfalls, leavings and separations, and, with your help, he cannot preserve it. …"

分崩離析

1. (of a country or a group) to disintegrate; to fall apart