梁惠王章句上 Book I, Part I: King Hûi of Liang
[1.1]
孟子見梁惠王。
王曰，「叟，不遠千里而來，亦將有以利吾國乎？」
孟子對曰，「王何必曰利？亦有仁義而已矣。
王曰：『何以利吾國？』大夫曰：『何以利吾家？』士庶人曰：『何以利吾身？』上下交征利，而國危矣！萬乘之國弒其君者，必千乘之家千乘之國，弒其君者，;必百乘之家。萬取千焉，千取百焉，不爲不多矣茍爲後義而先利，不奪不饜;。
未有仁而遺其親者也，未有義而後其君者也。
王亦曰仁義而已矣，何必曰利？」
1. Mencius went to see king Hûi of Liang.
2. The king said, 'Venerable sir, since you have not counted it far to come here, a distance of a thousand lî, may I presume that you are provided with counsels to profit my kingdom?'
3. Mencius replied, 'Why must your Majesty use that word "profit?" What I am provided with, are counsels to benevolence and righteousness, and these are my only topics.
4. 'If your Majesty say, "What is to be done to profit my kingdom?" the great officers will say, "What is to be done to profit our families?" and the inferior officers and the common people will say, "What is to be done to profit our persons?" Superiors and inferiors will try to snatch this profit the one from the other, and the kingdom will be endangered. In the kingdom of ten thousand chariots, the murderer of his sovereign shall be the chief of a family of a thousand chariots. In the kingdom of a thousand chariots, the murderer of his prince shall be the chief of a family of a hundred chariots. To have a thousand in ten thousand, and a hundred in a thousand, cannot be said not to be a large allotment, but if righteousness be put last, and profit be put first, they will not be satisfied without snatching all.
5. 'There never has been a benevolent man who neglected his parents. There never has been a righteous man who made his sovereign an after consideration.
6. 'Let your Majesty also say, "Benevolence and righteousness, and let these be your only themes." Why must you use that word -- "profit?".
[1.2]
孟子見梁惠王。王立於沼上，顧鴻鴈麋鹿，曰：「賢者亦樂此乎？」
孟子對曰：「賢者而後樂此，不賢者雖有此，不樂也。」
「詩云：『經始靈臺，經之營之庶民攻之，不日成之經始勿亟，庶民子來;;。王在靈囿，麀鹿攸伏，麀鹿濯濯，白鳥鶴鶴。王在靈沼，於牣魚躍。』文王以民力爲臺爲沼，而民歡樂之謂其臺曰靈臺，謂其沼曰靈沼，樂其有麋鹿魚;鼈。古之人與民偕樂、故能樂也。」
「湯誓曰：『時日害喪，子及女偕亡！』民欲與之偕亡，雖有臺池鳥獸，豈能獨樂哉！」
1. Mencius, another day, saw King Hûi of Liang. The king went and stood with him by a pond, and, looking round at the large geese and deer, said, 'Do wise and good princes also find pleasure in these things?'
2. Mencius replied, 'Being wise and good, they have pleasure in these things. If they are not wise and good, though they have these things, they do not find pleasure.
3. 'It is said in the Book of Poetry,
He measured out and commenced his marvellous tower;
He measured it out and planned it.
The people addressed themselves to it,
And in less than a day completed it.
When he measured and began it, he said to them --
Be not so earnest:
But the multitudes came as if they had been his children.
The king was in his marvellous park;
The does reposed about,
The does so sleek and fat:
And the white birds came glistening.
The king was by his marvellous pond;
How full was it of fishes leaping about!"
'King Wan used the strength of the people to make his tower and his pond, and yet the people rejoiced to do the work, calling the tower "the marvellous tower," calling the pond "the marvellous pond," and rejoicing that he had his large deer, his fishes, and turtles. The ancients caused the people to have pleasure as well as themselves, and therefore they could enjoy it.
4. 'In the Declaration of T'ang it is said, "O sun, when wilt thou expire? We will die together with thee." The people wished for Chieh's death, though they should die with him. Although he had towers, ponds, birds, and animals, how could he have pleasure alone?'
[1.3]
梁惠王曰：「寡人之於國也，盡心焉耳矣！河內凶，則移其民於河東，移其粟於河內河東凶亦然;。察鄰國之政，無如寡人之用心者鄰國之民不加少，寡人之民不;加多：何也？」
孟子對曰：「王好戰，請以戰喻。填然鼓之，兵刃旣接，棄甲曳兵而走，或百步而後止，或五十步而後止以五十步笑百步，則何如？;」
曰：「不可。直不百步耳，是亦走也！」曰：「王如知此，則無望民之多於鄰國也。」
「不違農時，穀不可勝食也數罟不入洿池，魚;鼈不可勝食也斧斤以時入山;林，材木不可勝用也穀與魚;鼈不可勝食，材木不可勝用，是使民養生喪死無憾也養生喪死無憾，王道之始也;。」
「五畝之宅，樹之以桑，五十者可以衣帛以雞豚狗彘之畜，無失其時，七十者可;以食肉矣百畝之田，勿奪於時，數口之家可以無饑矣謹庠序之教，申之以孝悌;;之義，頒白者不負戴於道路矣七十者衣帛食肉，黎民不饑不寒然而不王者，未;;之有也！」
「狗彘食人食而不知檢，塗有餓莩而不知發人死，則曰：;『非我也，歲也。』是何異於刺人而殺之，曰：『非我也，兵也！』王無罪歲，斯天下之民至焉。」
1. King Hûi of Liang said, 'Small as my virtue is, in the government of my kingdom, I do indeed exert my mind to the utmost. If the year be bad on the inside of the river, I remove as many of the people as I can to the east of the river, and convey grain to the country in the inside. When the year is bad on the east of the river, I act on the same plan. On examining the government of the neighboring kingdoms, I do not find that there is any prince who exerts his mind as I do. And yet the people of the neighboring kingdoms do not decrease, nor do my people increase. How is this?'
2. Mencius replied, 'Your majesty is fond of war; -- let me take an illustration from war. -- The soldiers move forward to the sound of the drums; and after their weapons have been crossed, on one side they throw away their coats of mail, trail their arms behind them, and run. Some run a hundred paces and stop; some run fifty paces and stop. What would you think if those who run fifty paces were to laugh at those who run a hundred paces?' The kind said, 'They should not do so. Though they did not run a hundred paces, yet they also ran away.' 'Since your Majesty knows this,' replied Mencius, 'you need not hope that your people will become more numerous than those of the neighboring kingdoms.
3. 'If the seasons of husbandry be not interfered with, the grain will be more than can be eaten. If close nets are not allowed to enter the pools and ponds, the fishes and turtles will be more than can be consumed. If the axes and bills enter the hills and forests only at the proper time, the wood will be more than can be used. When the grain and fish and turtles are more than can be eaten, and there is more wood than can be used, this enables the people to nourish their living and mourn for their dead, without any feeling against any. This condition, in which the people nourish their living and bury their dead without any feeling against any, is the first step of royal government.
4. 'Let mulberry trees be planted about the homesteads with their five mâu, and persons of fifty years may be clothed with silk. In keeping fowls, pigs, dogs, and swine, let not their times of breeding be neglected, and persons of seventy years may eat flesh. Let there not be taken away the time that is proper for the cultivation of the farm with its hundred mâ, and the family of several mouths that is supported by it shall not suffer from hunger. Let careful attention be paid to education in schools, inculcating in it especially the filial and fraternal duties, and grey-haired men will not be seen upon the roads, carrying burdens on their backs or on their heads. It never has been that the ruler of a State, where such results were seen, -- persons of seventy wearing silk and eating flesh, and the black-haired people suffering neither from hunder nor cold, -- did not attain to the royal dignity.
5. 'Your dogs and swine eat the food of men, and you do not make any restrictive arrangements. There are people dying from famine on the roads, and you do not issue the stores of your granaries for them. When people die, you say, "It is not owing to me; it is owing to the year." In what does this differ from stabbing a man and killing him, and then saying -- "It was not I; it was the weapon?" Let your Majesty cease to lay the blame on the year, and instantly from all the nation the people will come to you.'
[1.4]
梁惠王曰：「寡人願安承教。」
孟子對曰：「殺人以梃與刃，有以異乎？」
曰：「無以異也。」
「以刃與政有以異乎？」
曰：「無以異也。」
曰：庖有肥肉，廄有肥馬，民有飢色，野有餓莩，此率獸而食人也。獸相食，且人惡之爲民父母行政，不免於率獸而食人，惡在其爲民父母也！仲尼曰：;『始作俑者，其無後乎！』爲其象人而用之也，如之何其使斯民饑而死也。」
1. King Hûi of Liang said, 'I wish quietly to receive your instructions.'
2. Mencius replied, 'Is there any difference between killing a man with a stick and with a sword ?' The king said, 'There is no difference!
3. 'Is there any difference between doing it with a sword and with the style of government? 'There is no difference,' was the reply.
4. Mencius then said, 'In your kitchen there is fat meat; in your stables there are fat horses. But your people have the look of hunger, and on the wilds there are those who have died of famine. This is leading on beasts to devour men.
5. 'Beasts devour one another, and men hate them for doing so. When a prince, being the parent of his people, administers his government so as to be chargeable with leading on beasts to devour men, where is his parental relation to the people?'
6. Chung-nî said, 'Was he not without posterity who first made wooden images to bury with the dead? So he said, because that man made the semblances of men, and used them for that purpose:-- what shall be thought of him who causes his people to die of hunger?'
[1.5]
梁惠王曰：「普國，天下莫強焉，叟之所知也。及寡人之身，東敗於齊，長子死焉西喪地於秦七百里南辱於楚：寡人恥之，願比死者一洒之，如之何則可？;;」
孟子對曰：「地方百里而可以王。王如施仁政於民，省刑罰，薄稅歛，深耕易耨;壯者以暇日修其孝悌忠信，入以事其父兄，出以事其長上，可使制梃以撻秦楚之堅甲利兵矣！」
「彼奪其民時，使不得耕耨以養其父母，父母凍餓，兄弟妻子離散。彼陷溺其民，王往而征之，夫誰與王敵！故曰：『仁者無敵。』王請勿疑。」
1. King Hûi of Liang said, 'There was not in the nation a stronger State than Tsin, as you, venerable Sir, know. But since it descended to me, on the east we have been defeated by Ch'i, and then my eldest son perished; on the west we have lost seven hundred lî of territory to Ch'in; and on the south we have sustained disgrace at the hands of Ch'û. I have brought shame on my departed predecessors, and wish on their account to wipe it away, once for all. What course is to be pursued to accomplish this?'
2. Mencius replied, 'With a territory which is only a hundred lî square, it is possible to attain to the royal dignity.
3. 'If Your Majesty will indeed dispense a benevolent government to the people, being sparing in the use of punishments and fines, and making the taxes and levies light, so causing that the fields shall be ploughed deep, and the weeding of them be carefully attended to, and that the strong-bodied, during their days of leisure, shall cultivate their filial piety, fraternal respectfulness, sincerity, and truthfulness, serving thereby, at home, their fathers and elder brothers, and, abroad, their elders and superiors,-- you will then have a people who can be employed, with sticks which they have prepared, to oppose the strong mail and sharp weapons of the troops of Ch'in and Ch'û.
4. 'The rulers of those States rob their people of their time, so that they cannot plough and weed their fields, in order to support their parents. Their parents suffer from cold and hunger. Brothers, wives, and children are separated and scattered abroad.
5. 'Those rulers, as it were, drive their people into pit-falls, or drown them. Your Majesty will go to punish them. In such a case, who will oppose your Majesty?
6. 'In accordance with this is the saying,-- "The benevolent has no enemy." I beg your Majesty not to doubt what I say.'
[1.6]
孟子見梁襄王。
出語人曰：「望之不似人君，就之而不見所畏焉。卒然問曰：『天下惡乎定？』吾對曰：『定於一。』」
「孰能一之？」
「對曰：『不嗜殺人者能一之。』」
「孰能與之？」
「對曰：『天下莫不與也。王知夫苗乎？七八月之間旱，則苗槁矣。天油然作雲，沛然下雨，則苗浡然興之矣。其如是，孰能禦之！今夫天下之人牧，未有不嗜殺人者也。如有不嗜殺人者，則天下之民皆引領而望之矣。試如是也，民歸之，由水之就下，沛然誰能禦之！』
1. Mencius went to see the king Hsiang of Liang.
2. On coming out from the interview, he said to some persons, 'When I looked at him from a distance, he did not appear like a sovereign; when I drew near to him, I saw nothing venerable about him. Abruptly he asked me, "How can the kingdom be settled?" I replied, "It will be settled by being united under one sway."
3. '"Who can so unite it?"
4. 'I replied, "He who has no pleasure in killing men can so unite it."
5. "'Who can give it to him?"
6. 'I replied, " All the people of the nation will unanimously give it to him. Does your Majesty understand the way of the growing grain? During the seventh and eighth months, when drought prevails, the plants become dry. Then the clouds collect densely in the heavens, they send down torrents of rain, and the grain erects itself, as if by a shoot. When it does so, who can keep it back? Now among the shepherds of men throughout the nation, there is not one who does not find pleasure in killing men. If there were one who did not find pleasure in killing men, all the people in the nation would look towards him with outstretched necks. Such being indeed the case, the people would flock to him, as water flows downwards with a rush, which no one can repress."'
[1.7]
齊宣王問曰：「齊桓普文之事，可得聞乎？」
孟子對曰：「仲尼之徒，無道桓文之事者，是以後世無傳焉，臣未之聞也。無以，則王乎？」
曰：「德何如則可以王矣？」曰：「保民，而王莫之能禦也。」
曰：「若寡人者，可以保民乎哉？」曰：「可。」曰：「何由知吾可也？」曰：「臣聞之胡齕曰：『王坐於堂上，有牽牛而過 堂下者王見之，曰：;「牛何之？」對曰：「將以釁鐘。」王曰：「舍之吾不忍其觳觫，若無罪而就死地;。」對曰：「然則廢釁鐘與？」曰：「何可廢也？以羊易 之。」』不識有諸？」
曰：「有之。」曰：「是心足以王矣。百姓皆以王爲愛也，臣固知王之不忍也。」
王曰：「然，誠有百姓者，齊國雖褊小，吾何愛一牛？卽不忍其觳觫，若無罪而就死地，故以羊易之也。」
曰：「王無異於百姓之以王爲愛也以小易大，彼惡知之？王若隱其無罪而就死;地，則牛羊何擇焉！」王笑曰：「是誠何心哉！我非愛其財而易之以羊也，宜乎百姓之謂我愛也。」
曰：「無傷也，是乃仁術也，見牛未見羊也，君子之於禽獸也，見其生，不忍見其死聞其聲，不忍食其肉：是以君子遠庖廚也;。」
王說曰：「詩云：『他人有心，子忖度之。』夫子之謂也。夫我乃行之，反而求之，不得吾心夫子言之，於我心有戚戚焉此心之所以合宜王者，何也？;;」
曰：「有復於王者曰：『吾力足以擧百鈞，而不足以擧一羽明足以察秋毫之末，;而不見輿薪。』則王許之乎？」曰： 「否。」「今因足以及禽獸，而功不至於百姓者，獨何與？然則一羽之不擧，爲不用力焉輿薪之不見，爲不用明焉百姓之不;;見保，爲不用恩焉。故王之不王，不 爲也，非不能也。」
曰：「不爲者與不能者之形何以異？」曰：「挾太山以超北海，語人曰：『我不能。』是誠不能也，爲長者折枝語人曰：『我不能。』是不爲也，非不能也。故王之不王，非挾太山以超北海之類也王之不王，是折枝之類也;。」
「老吾老，以及人之老幼吾幼，以及人之幼天下可運於掌;;。詩云：『刑於寡妻，至于兄弟，以御於家邦。』言擧斯心加諸彼而已。故推恩足以保四海，不推恩無以保妻子古之人所以大過人者無他焉，善推其所爲而已矣;。今恩足以及禽獸，而功不至於百姓者，獨何與？」
「權，然後知輕重度，然後知長短，物皆然，心爲甚;。王請度之。」
「抑王興甲兵，危士臣，構怨於諸侯，然後快於心與？」
王曰：「否。吾何快於是！將以求吾所大欲也。」
曰：「王之所大欲，可得聞與？」王笑而不言。曰：「爲肥甘不足以口與？輕煖不足於體與？抑爲采色不足視於目與？聲音不 足聽於耳與？便嬖不足使令於前與？王之諸臣，皆足以供之。而王豈爲是哉？」曰：「否。吾不爲是也。」曰：「然則王之所大欲，可知已。欲辟土地，朝秦楚，莅 中國，而撫四夷也。以若所爲，求若所欲，猶緣木而求魚也。」
王曰：「若是其甚與？」曰：「殆有甚焉。緣木求魚，雖不得魚，無後災。以若所爲，求若所欲，盡心力而爲之，後必有 災。」曰：「可得聞與？」曰：「鄒人與楚人戰，則王以爲孰勝？」曰：「楚人勝。」曰：「然則小固不可以敵大，寡固不可以敵衆，弱固不可以敵彊。海內之地， 方千里者九，齊集有其一以一服八，何以;異於鄒敵楚哉！蓋亦反其本矣。」
「今王發政施仁，使天下仕者皆欲立於王之朝，耕者皆欲耕於王之野，商賈皆欲藏於王之市，行旅皆欲出於王之塗天下之欲疾其君者，皆欲赴愬於王;。其若是，孰能禦之！」
王曰：「吾惛，不能進於是矣。願夫子輔吾志，明以教我。我雖不敏，請嘗試之。」
曰：「無恆產而有恆心者，惟士爲能。若民，則無恆產，因無恆心。苟無恆心，放辟邪侈，無不爲已。及陷於罪，然後從而刑之，是罔民也。焉有仁人在位，罔民而可爲也！」
「是故，明君制民之產，必使仰足以事父母，俯足以畜妻子樂歲終身飽，凶年免;於死亡。然後驅而之善，故民之從之也輕。」
「今也制民之產，仰不足以事父母，俯不足以畜妻子樂歲終身苦，凶年不免於死;亡。此惟救死而恐不贍，奚暇治禮義哉！」
「王欲行之，則盍反其本矣。」
「五畝之宅，樹之以桑，五十者可以衣帛矣。雞豚狗彘之畜，無失其時，七十者可以食肉矣。百畝之田，勿奪其時。八口之家可以無飢矣。謹庠序之教，申之以孝悌之義，頒白者不負戴於道路矣。老者衣帛食肉，黎民不飢不寒然而不王者，未之;有也！」
1. The king Hsüan of Ch'î asked, saying, 'May I be informed by you of the transactions of Hwan of Ch'î, and Wan of Tsin?'
2. Mencius replied, 'There were none of the disciples of Chuncg-nî who spoke about the affairs of Hwan and WAn, and therefore they have not been transmitted to these after-ages ;-- your servant has not heard them. If you will have me speak, let it be about royal government.'
3. The king said, 'What virtue must there be in order to attain to royal sway?' Mencius answered, 'The love and protection of the people; with this there is no power which can prevent a ruler from attaining to it.'
4. The king asked again, 'Is such an one as I competent to love and protect the people?' Mencius said, 'Yes.' 'How do you know that I am competent for that?' 'I heard the following incident from Hû Ho:-- "The king," said he, "was sitting aloft in the hall, when a man appeared, leading an ox past the lower part of it. The king saw him, and asked, Where is the ox going? The man replied, We are going to consecrate a bell with its blood. The king said, Let it go. I cannot bear its frightened appearance, as if it were an innocent person going to the place of death. The man answered, Shall we then omit the consecration of the bell ? The king said, How can that be omitted? Change it for a sheep." I do not know whether this incident really occurred.'
5. The king replied, 'It did,' and then Mencius said, 'The heart seen in this is sufficient to carry you to the royal sway. The people all supposed that your Majesty grudged the animal, but your servant knows surely, that it was your Majesty's not being able to bear the sight, which made you do as you did.'
6. The king said, 'You are right. And yet there really was an appearance of what the people condemned. But though Chî be a small and narrow State, how should I grudge one ox? Indeed it was because I could not bear its frightened appearance, as if it were an innocent person going to the place of death, that therefore I changed it for a sheep.'
7. Mencius pursued, 'Let not your Majesty deem it strange that the people should think you were grudging the animal. When you changed a large one for a small, how should they know the true reason? If you felt pained by its being led without guilt to the place of death, what was there to choose between an ox and a sheep? The king laughed and said, 'What really was my mind in the matter? I did not grudge the expense of it, and changed it for a sheep!-- There was reason in the people's saying that I grudged it.'
8. 'There is no harm in their saying so,' said Mencius. 'Your conduct was an artifice of benevolence. You saw the ox, and had not seen the sheep. So is the superior man affected towards animals, that, having seen them alive, he cannot bear to see them die; having heard their dying cries, he cannot bear to eat their flesh. Therefore he keeps away from his slaughter-house and cook-room.'
9. The king was pleased, and said, 'It is said in the Book of Poetry, "The minds of others, I am able by reflection to measure;" -- this is verified, my Master, in your discovery of my motive. I indeed did the thing, but when I turned my thoughts inward, and examined into it, I could not discover my own mind. When you, Master, spoke those words, the movements of compassion began to work in my mind. How is it that this heart has in it what is equal to the royal sway?'
10. Mencius replied, 'Suppose a man were to make this statement to your Majesty:-- "My strength is sufficient to lift three thousand catties, but it is not sufficient to lift one feather;-- my eyesight is sharp enough to examine the point of an autumn hair, but I do not see a waggon-load of faggots;-- "would your Majesty allow what he said?' 'No,' was the answer, on which Mencius proceeded, 'Now here is kindness sufficient to reach to animals, and no benefits are extended from it to the people.-- How is this? Is an exception to be made here? The truth is, the feather is not lifted , because strength is not used; the waggon-load of firewood is not seen, because the eyesight is not used; and the people are not loved and protected, because kindness is not employed. Therefore your Majesty's not exercising the royal sway, is because you do not do it, not because you are not able to do it.'
11. The king asked, 'How may the difference between the not doing a thing, and the not being able to do it, be represented? Mencius replied,'In such a thing as taking the T'âi mountain under your arm, and leaping over the north sea with it, if you say to people-- "I am not able to do it," that is a real case of not being able. In such a matter as breaking off a branch from a tree at the order of a superior, if you say to people-- "I am not able to do it," that is a case of not doing it, it is not a case of not being able to do it. Therefore your Majesty's not exercising the royal sway, is not such a case as that of taking the T'âi mountain under your arm, and leaping over the north sea with it. Your Majesty's not exercising the royal sway is a case like that of breaking off a branch from a tree.
12. 'Treat with the reverence due to age the elders in your own family, so that the elders in the families of others shall be similarly treated; treat with the kindness due to youth the young in your own family, so that the young in the families of others shall be similarly treated:-- do this, and the kingdom may be made to go round in your palm. It is said in the Book of Poetry, "His example affected his wife. It reached to his brothers, and his family of the State was governed by it."-- The language shows how king Wan simply took his kindly heart, and exercised it towards those parties. Therefore the carrying out his kindness of heart by a prince will suffice for the love and protection of all within the four seas, and if he do not carry it out, he will not be able to protect his wife and children. The way in which the ancients came greatly to surpass other men, was no other but this:-- simply that they knew well how to carry out, so as to affect others, what they themselves did. Now your kindness is sufficient to reach to animals, and no benefits are extended from it to reach the people.-- How is this? Is an exception to be made here?
13. 'By weighing, we know what things are light, and what heavy. By measuring, we know what things are long, and what short. The relations of all things may be thus determined, and it is of the greatest importance to estimate the motions of the mind. I beg your Majesty to measure it.
14. 'You collect your equipments of war, endanger your soldiers and officers, and excite the resentment of the other princes;-- do these things cause you pleasnre in your mind?'
15. The king replied, 'No. How should I derive pleasure from these things? My object in them is to seek for what I greatly desire.'
16. Mencius said, 'May I hear from you what it is that you greatly desire?' The king laughed and did not speak. Mencius resumed, 'Are you led to desire it, because you have not enough of rich and sweet food for your mouth? Or because you have not enough of light and warm clothing for your body? Or because you have not enough of beautifully coloured objects to delight your eyes? Or because you have not voices and tones enough to please your ears? Or because you have not enough of attendants and favourites to stand before you and receive your orders? Your Majesty's various officers are sufficient to supply you with those things. How can your Majesty be led to entertain such a desire on account of them?' 'No,' said the king; 'my desire is not on account of them.' Mencius added, 'Then, what your Majesty greatly desires may be known. You wish to enlarge your territories, to have Ch'in and Ch'û wait at your court, to rule the Middle Kingdom, and to attract to you the barbarous tribes that surround it. But doing what you do to seek for what you desire is like climbing a tree to seek for fish.'
17. The king said, 'Is it so bad as that?' 'It is even worse,' was the reply. 'If you climb a tree to seek for fish, although you do not get the fish, you will not suffer any subsequent calamity. But doing what you do to seek for what you desire, doing it moreover with all your heart, you will assuredly afterwards meet with calamities.' The king asked, 'May I hear from you the proof of that?' Mencius said, 'If the people of Tsâu should fight with the people of Ch'û, which of them does your Majesty think would conquer?' 'The people of Ch'û would conquer.' 'Yes;-- and so it is certain that a small country cannot contend with a great, that few cannot contend with many, that the weak cannot contend with the strong. The territory within the four seas embraces nine divisions, each of a thousand lî square. All Ch'î together is but one of them. If with one part you try to subdue the other eight, what is the difference between that and Tsâu's contending with Ch'û? For, with such a desire, you must turn back to the proper course for its attainment.
18. 'Now if your Majesty will institute a government whose action shall be benevolent, this will cause all the officers in the kingdom to wish to stand in your Majesty's court, and all the farmers to wish to plough in your Majesty's fields, and all the merchants, both travelling and stationary, to wish to store their goods in your Majesty's market-places, and all travelling strangers to wish to make their tours on your Majesty's roads, and all throughout the kingdom who feel aggrieved by their rulers to wish to come and complain to your Majesty. And when they are so bent, who will be able to keep them back?'
19. The king said, 'I am stupid, and not able to advance to this. I wish you, my Master, to assist my intentions. Teach me clearly; although I am deficient in intelligence and vigour, I will essay and try to carry your instructions into effect.'
20. Mencius replied, 'They are only men of education, who, without a certain livelihood, are able to maintain a fixed heart. As to the people, if they have not a certain livelihood, it follows that they will not have a fixed heart. And if they have not a fixed heart, there is nothing which they will not do, in the way of self-abandonment, of moral deflection, of depravity, and of wild license. When they thus have been involved in crime, to follow them up and punish them;-- this is to entrap the people. How can such a thing as entrapping the people be done under the rule of a benevolent man?
21. 'Therefore an intelligent ruler will regulate the livelihood of the people, so as to make sure that, for those above them, they shall have sufficient wherewith to serve their parents, and, for those below them, sufficient wherewith to support their wives and children; that in good years they shall always be abundantly satisfied, and that in bad years they shall escape the danger of perishing. After this he may urge them, and they will proceed to what is good, for in this case the people will follow after it with ease.
22. 'Now, the livelihood of the people is so regulated, that, above, they have not sufficient wherewith to serve their parents, and, below, they have not sufficient wherewith to support their wives and children. Notwithstanding good years, their lives are continually embittered, and, in bad years, they do not escape perishing. In such circumstances they only try to save themselves from death, and are afraid they will not succeed. What leisure have they to cultivate propriety and righteousness?'
23. 'If your Majesty wishes to effect this regulation of the livelihood of the people, why not turn to that which is the essential step to it?
24. 'Let mulberry-trees be planted about the homesteads with their five mâu, and persons of fifty years may be clothed with silk. In keeping fowls, pigs, dogs, and swine, let not their times of breeding be neglected, and persons of seventy years may eat flesh. Let there not be taken away the time that is proper for the cultivation of the farm with its hundred mâu, and the family of eight mouths that is supported by it shall not suffer from hunger. Let careful attention be paid to educatlon in schools,-- the inculcation in it especially of the filial and fraternal duties, and grey-haired men will not be seen upon the roads, carrying burdens on their backs or on their heads. It never has been that the ruler of a State where such results were seen,-- the old wearing silk and eating flesh, and the black-haired people suffering neither from hunger nor cold,-- did not attain to the royal dignity.'
梁惠王章句下 Book I, Part II: King Hûi of Liang
[2.1]
莊暴見孟子曰：「暴見於王，王語暴以好樂，暴未有以對也。」曰：「好樂何如？」孟子曰：「王之好樂甚，則齊國其庶幾乎！」
他日，見於王曰：「王嘗語莊子以好樂，有諸？」王變乎色，曰：「寡人非能好先王之樂也，直好世俗之樂耳。」
曰：「王之好樂甚，則齊其庶幾乎！今之樂，由古之樂也。」
曰：「可得聞與？」曰：「獨樂樂，與人樂樂，孰樂？」曰：「不若與人。」曰：「與少樂樂，與衆樂樂，孰樂？」曰：「不若與衆。」
「臣請爲王言樂。」
「今王鼓樂於此，百姓聞王鐘鼓之聲，管籥之音，擧疾首蹙頞而相吿曰：『吾王之好鼓樂，夫何使我至於此極也！父子不相 見，兄弟妻子離散。』今王田獵於此，百姓聞王車馬之音，見弱旄之美，擧疾首蹙頞而相吿曰：『吾王之好田獵，夫何使我至於此極也！父子不相見，兄弟妻子離 散。』此無他，不與民同樂也。」
「今王鼓樂於此，百姓聞王鐘鼓之聲，管籥之音，擧欣欣然有喜色而相吿曰：『吾王庶幾無疾病與？何以能鼓樂也？』今王田獵於此，百姓聞王車馬之音，見弱旄之美，擧欣欣然有喜色而相吿曰：『吾王庶幾無疾病與？何以能田獵也？』此無他，與民同樂也。」
「今王與百姓同樂，則王矣。」
1. Chwang Pâ'o, seeing Mencius, said to him, 'I had an interview with the king. His Majesty told me that he loved music, and I was not prepared with anything to reply to him. What do you pronounce about that love of music?' Mencius replied, 'If the king's love of music were very great, the kingdom of Ch'î would be near to a state of good government!'
2. Another day, Mencius, having an interview with the king, said, 'Your Majesty, I have heard, told the officer Chwang, that you love music;-- was it so?' The king changed colour, and said, 'I am unable to love the music of the ancient sovereigns; I only love the music that suits the manners of the present age.'
3. Mencius said, 'If your Majesty's love of music were very great, Ch'î would be near to a state of good government! The music of the present day is just like the music of antiquity, as regards effecting that.'
4. The king said, 'May I hear from you the proof of that?' Mencius asked, 'Which is the more pleasant,-- to enjoy music by yourself alone, or to enjoy it with others?' 'To enjoy it with others,' was the reply. 'And which is the more pleasant,-- to enjoy music with a few, or to enjoy it with many?' 'To enjoy it with many.'
5. Mencius proceeded, 'Your servant begs to explain what I have said about music to your Majesty.
6. 'Now, your Majesty is having music here.-- The people hear the noise of your bells and drums, and the notes of your fifes and pipes, and they all, with aching heads, knit their brows, and say to one another, "That's how our king likes his music! But why does he reduce us to this extremity of distress?-- Fathers and sons cannot see one another. Elder brothers and younger brothers, wives and children, are separated and scattered abroad." Now, your Majesty is hunting here.-- The people hear the noise of your carriages and horses, and see the beauty of your plumes and streamers, and they all, with aching heads, knit their brows, and say to one another, "That's how our king likes his hunting! But why does he reduce us to this extremity of distress?-- Fathers and sons cannot see one another. Elder brothers and younger brothers, wives and children, are separated and scattered abroad." Their feeling thus is from no other reason but that you do not allow the people to have pleasure as well as yourself.
7. 'Now, your Majesty is having music here. The people hear the noise of your bells and drums, and the notes of your fifes and pipes, and they all, delighted, and with joyful looks, say to one another, "That sounds as if our king were free from all sickness! If he were not, how could he enjoy this music?" Now, your Majesty is hunting here.-- The people hear the noise of your carriages and horses, and see the beauty of your plumes and streamers, and they all, delighted, and with joyful looks, say to one another, "That looks as if our king were free from all sickness! If he were not, how could he enjoy this hunting?" Their feeling thus is from no other reason but that you cause them to have their pleasure as you have yours.
8. 'If your Majesty now will make pleasure a thing common to the people and yourself, the royal sway awaits you.'
[2.2]
齊宣王問曰：「文王之囿，方七十里，有諸？」孟子對曰：「於傳有之。」
曰：「若是其大乎？」曰：「民猶以爲小也。」曰：「寡人之囿，方四十里，民猶以爲大，何也？」曰：「文王之囿，方七十里，芻蕘者往焉，雉兔者往焉，與民同之民以爲小，不亦宜乎！;」
「臣始至於境，問國之大禁，然後敢入。臣聞郊關之內，有囿方四十里殺其麋鹿;者，如殺人之罪則是方四十里，爲阱於國中民以爲大，不亦宜乎！;;」
1. The king Hsüan of Ch'î asked, 'Was it so, that the park of king Wan contained seventy square lî?' Mencius replied, 'It is so in the records.'
2. 'Was it so large as that?' exclaimed the king. 'The people,' said Mencius, 'still looked on it as small.' The king added, 'My park contains only forty square lî, and the people still look on it as large. How is this?' 'The park of king Wan,' was the reply, 'contained seventy square lî, but the grass-cutters and fuel-gatherers had the privilege of entrance into it; so also had the catchers of pheasants and hares. He shared it with the people, and was it not with reason that they looked on it as small?
3. 'When I first arrived at the borders of your kingdom, I inquired about the great prohibitory regulations, before I would venture to enter it; and I heard, that inside the barrier-gates there was a park of forty square lî, and that he who killed a deer in it, was held guilty of the same crime as if he had killed a man.-- Thus those forty square lî are a pitfall in the middle of the kingdom. Is it not with reason that the people look upon them as large?'
[2.3]
齊宣王問曰：「交鄰國，有道乎？」孟子對曰：「有。惟仁者能以大事小是故：;湯事葛，文王事昆夷。惟智者爲能以小事大故大王事獯鬻，句踐事吳;。」
「以大事小者，樂天者也以小事大者，畏天者也;。樂天者保天下，畏天者保其國。」
「詩云：『畏天之威，於時保之。』」
王曰：「大哉言矣，寡人有疾，寡人好勇。」
對曰：「王請無好小勇。夫撫劍疾視曰：『彼惡敢當我哉！』此匹夫之勇，敵一人者也。王請大之。」
「詩云：『王赫斯怒，爰整其旅以遏徂莒，以篤周祜，以對於天下;。』此文王之勇也。文王一怒而安天下之民。」
「書曰：『天降下民，作之君，作之師：惟曰：「其助上帝，寵之四方有罪無;罪，爲我在，天下曷敢有越厥志。」』一人橫行於天下，武王恥之此武王之勇;也。而武王亦一怒而安天下之民。」
「今王亦一怒而安天下之民，民惟恐王之不好勇也。」
1. The king Hsüan of Ch'î asked, saying, 'Is there any way to regulate one's maintenance of intercourse with neighbouring kingdoms?' Mencius replied, 'There is. But it requires a perfectly virtuous prince to be able, with a great country, to serve a small one,-- as, for instance, T'ang served Ko, and king Wan served the Kwan barbarians. And it requires a wise prince to be able, with a small country, to serve a large one,-- as the king T'âi served the Hsün-yü, and Kâu-ch'ien served Wû.
2. 'He who with a areat State serves a small one, delights in Heaven. He who with a small State serves a large one, stands in awe of Heaven. He who delights in Heaven, will affect with his love and protection the whole kingdom. He who stands in awe of Heaven, will affect with his love and protection his own kingdom.
3. 'It is said in the Book of Poetry, "I fear the Majesty of Heaven, and will thus preserve its favouring decree."'
4. The king said,'A great saying! But I have an infirmity;-- I love valour.'
5. I beg your Majesty,' was the reply, 'not to love small valour. If a man brandishes his sword, looks fiercely, and says, "How dare he withstand me?"-- this is the valour of a common man, who can be the opponent only of a single individual. I beg your Majesty to greaten it.
6. 'It is said in the Book of Poetry,
"The king blazed with anger,
And he marshalled his hosts,
To stop the march to Chü,
To consolidate the prosperity of Châu,
To meet the expectations of the nation."
--This was the valour of king Wan. King Wan, in one burst of his anger, gave repose to all the people of the kingdom.--
7. 'In the Book of History it is said, "Heaven having produced the inferior people, made for them rulers and teachers, with the purpose that they should be assisting to God, and therefore distinguished them throughout the four quarters of the land. Whoever are offenders, and whoever are innocent, here am I to deal with them. How dare any under heaven give indulgence to their refractory wills?" There was one man pursuing a violent and disorderly course in the kingdom, and king Wû was ashamed of it. This was the valour of king Wû. He also, by one display of his anger, gave repose to all the people of the kingdom.
8. 'Let now your Majesty also, in one burst of anger, give repose to all the people of the kingdom. The people are only afraid that your Majesty does not love valour.'
[2.4]
齊宣王見孟子於雪宮。王曰：「賢者亦有此樂乎？」孟子對曰：「有。人不得，則非其上矣。」
「不得而非上者，非也爲民上而不與民同樂者，亦非也;。」
「樂民之樂者，民亦樂其樂，憂民之憂者，民亦憂其憂。樂以天下，憂以天下然;而不王者，未之有也。」
「昔者齊景公問於晏子曰：『吾欲觀於轉附朝儛，遵海而南，放於琅邪吾何;修而可以比於先王觀也？』」
「晏子對曰：『善哉問也！天子適諸侯曰巡狩巡狩者，巡所守也;。諸侯朝於天子曰述職述職者，述所職也，無非事者;。春省耕而補不足，秋省歛而助不給。 夏諺曰：「吾王不遊，吾何以休？吾王不豫，吾何以助？一遊一豫，爲諸侯度。」』」
「『今也不然。師行而糧食飢者弗食，勞者弗息睊睊胥讒，民乃作慝，方命虐;;民，飮食若流流連荒亡，爲諸侯憂;。』」
「『從流下而忘反謂之流從流上而忘反，謂之連從獸無厭，謂之荒樂酒無;;;厭，謂之亡。』」
「『先王無流連之樂，荒亡之行。』」
「『惟君所行也。』」
「景公說，大戒於國，出舍於郊，於是始興發補不足。召太師曰：『爲我作君臣相說之樂。』蓋微招角招是也。其詩曰：『畜君何尤！』畜君者，好君也。」
1. The king Hsüan of Ch'î had an interview with Mencius in the Snow palace, and said to him, 'Do men of talents and worth likewise find pleasure in these things?' Mencius replied, 'They do; and if people generally are not able to enjoy themselves, they condemn their superiors.
2. 'For them, when they cannot enjoy themselves, to condemn their superiors is wrong, but when the superiors of the people do not make enjoyment a thing common to the people and themselves, they also do wrong.
3. 'When a ruler rejoices in the joy of his people, they also rejoice in his joy; when he grieves at the sorrow of his people, they also grieve at his sorrow. A sympathy of joy will pervade the kingdom ; a sympathy of sorrow will do the same:-- in such a state of things, it cannot be but that the ruler attain to the royal dignity.
4. 'Formerly, the duke Ching of Ch'î asked the minister Yen, saying, "I wish to pay a visit of inspection to Chwan-fû, and Cbâo-wû, and then to bend my course southward along the shore, till I come to Lang-yê. What shall I do that my tour may be fit to be compared with the visits of inspection made by the ancient sovereigns?"
5. 'The minister Yen replied, "An excellent inquiry! When the Son of Heaven visited the princes, it was called a tour of inspection, that is, be surveyed the States under their care. When the princes attended at the court of the Son of Heaven, it was called a report of office, that is, they reported their administration of their offices. Thus, neither of the proceedings was without a purpose. And moreover, in the spring they examined the ploughing, and supplied any deficiency of seed; in the autumn they examined the reaping, and supplied any deficiency of yield. There is the saying of the Hsiâ dynasty,-- If our king do not take his ramble, what will become of our happiness? If our king do not make his excursion, what will become of our help? That ramble, and that excursion, were a pattern to the princes.
6. '"Now, the state of things is different.-- A host marches in attendance on the ruler, and stores of provisions are consumed. The hungry are deprived of their food, and there is no rest for those who are called to toil. Maledictions are uttered by one to another with eyes askance, and the people proceed to the commission of wickedness. Thus the royal ordinances are violated, and the people are oppressed, and the supplies of food and drink flow away like water. The rulers yield themselves to the current, or they urge their way against it; they are wild; they are utterly lost:-- these things proceed to the grief of the inferior princes.
7. '"Descending along with the current, and forgetting to return, is what I call yielding to it. Pressing up against it, and forgetting to return, is what I call urging their way against it. Pursuing the chase without satiety is what I call being wild. Delighting in wine without satiety is what I call being lost.
8. '"The ancient sovereigns had no pleasures to which they gave themselves as on the flowing stream; no doings which might be so characterized as wild and lost.
9. '"It is for you, my prince, to pursue your course."'
10. 'The duke Ching was pleased. He issued a proclamation throughout his State, and went out and occupied a shed in the borders. From that time he began to open his granaries to supply the wants of the people, and calling the Grand music-master, he said to him-- "Make for me music to suit a prince and his minister pleased with each other." And it was then that the Chî-shâo and Chio-shâo were made, in the words to which it was said, "Is it a fault to restrain one's prince?" He who restrains his prince loves his prince.'
[2.5]
齊宣王問曰：「人皆謂我毀明堂毀諸？已乎？;」
孟子對曰：「夫明堂者，王者之堂也。王欲行王政，則勿毀之矣。」
王曰：「王政可得聞與？」對曰：「昔者文王之治其岐也：耕者九一，仕者世祿，關市譏而不征，澤梁無禁，罪人不孥。老而無妻曰鰥，老而無夫曰寡，老而無子曰獨，幼而無父曰孤：此四者，天下之窮民而無吿者文王發政施仁，必先斯四者;。詩云：『哿矣富人，哀此煢獨。』」
王曰：「善哉言乎！」曰：「王如善之，則何爲不行？」王曰：「寡人有疾：寡人好貨。」對曰：「昔者公劉好貨詩云：; 『乃積乃食，乃裹餱糧於橐於囊，思戢;用光弓矢斯張，干戈戚揚：爰方啟行;。』故居者有積食，行者有裹糧也然後可;以爰方啟行。王如好貨，與百姓同之，於 王何有！」
王曰：「寡人有疾：寡人好色。」對曰：「昔者大王好色，愛厥妃詩云：;『古公亶父，來朝走馬率西水滸，至於岐下爰及姜女，聿來胥宇;;。』當是時也，內無怨女，外無曠夫王如好色，與百姓同之，於王何有！;」
1. The king Hsüan of Ch'î said, 'People all tell me to pull down and remove the Hall of Distinction. Shall I pull it down, or stop the movement for that object?'
2. Mencius replied, 'The Hall of Distinction is a Hall appropriate to the sovereigns. If your Majesty wishes to practise the true royal government, then do not pull it down.'
3. The king said, 'May I hear from you what the true royal government is?' 'Formerly,' was the reply, 'king Wan's government of Ch'î was as follows:-- The husbandmen cultivated for the government one-ninth of the land; the descendants of officers were salaried; at the passes and in the markets, strangers were inspected, but goods were not taxed: there were no prohibitions respecting the ponds and weirs; the wives and children of criminals were not involved in their guilt. There were the old and wifeless, or widowers; the old and husbandless, or widows; the old and childless, or solitaries ; the young and fatherless, or orphans:-- these four classes are the most destitute of the people, and have none to whom they can tell their wants, and king Wan, in the institution of his government with its benevolent action, made them the first objects of his regard, as it is said in the Book of Poetry,
"The rich may get through life well;
But alas! for the miserable and solitary!"'
4. The king said, 'O excellent words!' Mencius said, 'Since your Majesty deems them excellent, why do you not practise them?' 'I have an infirmity,' said the king; 'I am fond of wealth.' The reply was, 'Formerly, Kung-lîu was fond of wealth. It is said in the Book of Poetry,
"He reared his ricks, and filled his granaries,
He tied up dried provisions and grain,
In bottomless bags, and sacks,
That he might gather his people together, and glorify his State.
With bows and arrows all-displayed,
With shields, and spears, and battle-axes, large and small,
He commenced his march."
--In this way those who remained in their old seat had their ricks and granaries, and those who marched had their bags of provisions. It was not till after this that he thought he could begin his march. If your Majesty loves wealth, give the people power to gratify the same feeling, and what difficulty will there be in your attaining the royal sway?'--
5. The king said, 'I have an infirmity; I am fond of beauty.' The reply was, 'Formerly, king T'âi was fond of beauty, and loved his wife. It is said in the Book of Poetry,
"Kû-kung T'an-fû
Came in the morning, galloping his horse,
By the banks of the western waters,
As far as the foot of Ch'î hill,
Along with the lady of Chiang;
They came and together chose the site for their settlement."
--At that time, in the seclusion of the house, there were no dissatisfied women, and abroad, there were no unmarried men. If your Majesty loves beauty, let the people be able to gratify the same feeling, and what difficulty will there be in your attaining the royal sway?'--
[2.6]
孟子謂齊宣王曰：「王之臣，有託其妻子於其友，而之楚遊者比其反也，則凍餒;其妻子：則如之何？」王曰：「棄之。」
曰：「士師不能治士，則如之何？」王曰：「已之。」
曰：「四境之內不治，則如之何？」王顧左右而言他。
1. Mencius said to the king Hsüan of Ch'î, 'Suppose that one of your Majesty's ministers were to entrust his wife and children to the care of his friend, while he himself went into Ch'û to travel, and that, on his return, he should find that the friend had let his wife and children suffer from cold and hunger;-- how ought he to deal with him?' The king said, 'He should cast him off.'
2. Mencius proceeded, 'Suppose that the chief criminal judge could not regulate the officers under him, how would you deal with him?' The king said, 'Dismiss him.'
3. Mencius again said, 'If within the four borders of your kingdom there is not good government, what is to be done?' The king looked to the right and left, and spoke of other matters.
[2.7]
孟子見齊宣王曰：「所謂故國者，非謂有喬木之謂也，有世臣之謂也，王無親臣矣昔者所進，今日不知其亡也;。」
王曰：「吾何以識其不才而舍之？」
曰：「國君進賢，如不得已，將子卑踰尊，疏踰戚，可不愼與？」
「左右皆曰賢，未可也？諸大夫皆曰賢，未可也國人皆曰賢然後察之見賢焉，;;然後用之。左右皆曰不可，勿聽諸大夫皆曰不可，勿聽國人皆曰不可，然後察;;之見不可焉，然後去之;。」
「左右皆曰可殺，勿聽諸大夫皆曰可殺，勿聽國人皆曰可殺，然後察之見可;;;殺焉，然後殺之。故曰：『國人殺之也。』」
「如此，然後可以爲民父母。」
1. Mencius, having an interview with the king Hsüan of Ch'î, said to him, 'When men speak of "an ancient kingdom," it is not meant thereby that it has lofty trees in it, but that it has ministers sprung from families which have been noted in it for generations. Your Majesty has no intimate ministers even. Those whom you advanced yesterday are gone to-day, and you do not know it.'
2. The king said, 'How shall I know that they have not ability, and so avoid employing them at all?'
3. The reply was, 'The ruler of a State advances to office men of talents and virtue only as a matter of necessity. Since he will thereby cause the low to overstep the honourable, and distant to overstep his near relatives, ought he to do so but with caution?
4. 'When all those about you say,-- "This is a man of talents and worth," you may not therefore believe it. When your great officers all say,-- "This is a man of talents and virtue," neither may you for that believe it. When all the people say,-- "This is a man of talents and virtue," then examine into the case, and when you find that the man is such, employ him. When all those about you say,-- "This man won't do," don't listen to them. When all your great officers say,-- "This man won't do," don't listen to them. When the people all sav,-- "This man won't do," then examine into the case, and when you find that the man won't do, send him away.
5. 'When all those about you say,-- "This man deserves death," don't listen to them. When all your great officers say,-- "This man deserves death," don't listen to them. When the people all say,"This man deserves death," then inquire into the case, and when you see that the man deserves death, put him to death. In accordance with this we have the saying, "The people killed him."
6. 'You must act in this way in order to be the parent of the people.'
[2.8]
齊宣王問曰：「湯放桀，武王伐紂，有諸？」孟子對曰：「於傳有之。」
曰：「臣弒其君可乎？」
曰：「賊仁者謂之賊，賊義者謂之殘殘賊之人，謂之一夫;。聞誅一夫紂矣。未聞弒君也。」
1. The king Hsüan of Ch'î asked, saying, 'Was it so, that T'ang banished Chieh, and that king Wû smote Châu?' Mencius replied, 'It is so in the records.'
2. The king said, 'May a minister then put his sovereign to death?'
3. Mencius said, 'He who outrages the benevolence proper to his nature, is called a robber; he who outrages righteousness, is called a ruffian. The robber and ruffian we call a mere fellow. I have heard of the cutting off of the fellow Châu, but I have not heard of the putting a sovereign to death, in his case.'
[2.9]
孟子見齊宣王曰：「爲巨室，則必使工師求大木。工師得大木，則王喜，以爲能勝其任也。匠人斵而小之，則王怒，以爲不勝其任矣。夫人幼而學之，壯而欲行之王曰：;『姑舍女所學而從我。』則何如？」
「今有璞玉於此，雖萬鎰，必使玉人彫琢之。至於治國家，則曰：『姑舍女所學而從我。』則何以異於教玉人彫琢哉！」
1. Mencius, having an interview with the king Hsüan of Ch'î, said to him, 'If you are going to build a large mansion, you will surely cause the Master of the workmen to look out for large trees, and when he has found such large trees, you will be glad, thinking that they will answer for the intended object. Should the workmen hew them so as to make them too small, then your Majesty will be angry, thinking that they will not answer for the purpose. Now, a man spends his youth in learning the principles of right government, and, being grown up to vigour, he wishes to put them in practice;-- if your Majesty says to him, "For the present put aside what you have learned, and follow me," what shall we say?
2. 'Here now you have a gem unwrought, in the stone. Although it may be worth 240,000 taels, you will surely employ a lapidary to cut and polish it. But when you come to the government of the State, then you say,-- "For the present put aside what you have learned, and follow me." How is it that you herein act so differently from your conduct in calling in the lapidary to cut the gem?'
[2.10]
齊人伐燕，勝之。
宣王問曰：「或謂寡人勿取，或謂寡人取之。以萬乘之國，伐萬乘之，五旬而擧之，人力不至於此不取必有天殃，取之何如？;」
孟子對曰：「取之而燕民悅，則取之。古之人有行之者，武王是也。取之而燕民不悅，則勿取。古之人有行之者，文王是也。」
「以萬乘之國，伐萬乘之國，簞食壺漿以迎王師，豈有他哉，避水火也如水益;深，如火益熱，亦運而已矣。」
1. The people of Ch'î attacked Yen, and conquered it.
2. The king Hsüan asked, saying, 'Some tell me not to take possession of it for myself, and some tell me to take possession of it. For a kingdom of ten thousand chariots, attacking another of ten thousand chariots, to complete the conquest of it in fifty days, is an achievement beyond mere human strength. If I do not take possession of it, calamities from Heaven will surely come upon me. What do you say to my taking possession of it?'
3. Mencius replied, 'If the people of Yen will be pleased with your taking possession of it, then do so.-- Among the ancients there was one who acted on this principle, namely king Wû. If the people of Yen will not be pleased with your taking possession of it, then do not do so.-- Among the ancients there was one who acted on this principle, namely king Wan.
4. 'When, with all the strength of your country of ten thousand chariots, you attacked another country of ten thousand chariots, and the people brought baskets of rice and vessels of congee, to meet your Majesty's host, was there any other reason for this but that they hoped to escape out of fire and water ? If you make the water more deep and the fire more fierce, they will in like manner make another revolution.'
[2.11]
齊人伐燕，取之。諸侯將謀救燕。宣王曰：「諸侯多謀伐寡人者，何以待之？」孟子對曰：「臣聞七十里爲政於天下者，湯是也。未聞以千里畏人者也。」
「書曰：『湯一征自葛始，天下信之，東面而征西夷怨，南面而征北狄怨，曰：「奚爲後我？」』民望之，若大旱之望雲霓也歸市者不止，耕者不變誅其君而;;弔其民，若時雨降，民大悅。書曰：『徯我后，后來其蘇。』」
「今燕虐其民，王往而征之，民以爲將拯己於水火之中也，簞食壺漿以迎王師。若殺其父兄，係累其子弟，毀其宗廟，遷其重器，如之其可也！天下固畏齊之彊也，今又倍地而不行仁政，是動天下之兵也。」
「王速出令：反其旄倪，止其重器謀於燕衆，置君而後去之則猶可及止也;;。」
1. The people of Ch'î, having smitten Yen, took possession of it, and upon this, the princes of the various States deliberated together, and resolved to deliver Yen from their power. The king Hsüan said to Mencius, 'The princes have formed many plans to attack me:-- how shall I prepare myself for them?' Mencius replied, 'I have heard of one who with seventy lî exercised all the functions of government throughout the kingdom. That was T'ang. I have never heard of a prince with a thousand lî standing in fear of others.'
2. 'It is said in the Book of History, As soon as T'ang began his work of executing justice, he commenced with Ko. The whole kingdom had confidence in him. When he pursued his work in the east, the rude tribes on the west murmured. So did those on the north, when he was engaged in the south. Their cry was-- "Why does he put us last?" Thus, the people looked to him, as we look in a time of great drought to the clouds and rainbows. The frequenters of the markets stopped not. The husbandmen made no change in their operations. While he punished their rulers, he consoled the people. His progress was like the falling of opportune rain, and the people were delighted. It is said again in the Book of History, "We have waited for our prince long; the prince's coming will be our reviving!"
3. 'Now the ruler of Yen was tyrannizing over his people, and your Majesty went and punished him. The people supposed that you were going to deliver them out of the water and the fire, and brought baskets of rice and vessels of congee, to meet your Majesty's host. But you have slain their fathers and elder brothers, and put their sons and younger brothers in confinement. You have pulled down the ancestral temple of the State, and are removing to Ch'î its precious vessels. How can such a course be deemed proper? The rest of the kingdom is indeed jealously afraid of the strength of Ch'î; and now, when with a doubled territory you do not put in practice a benevolent government;-- it is this which sets the arms of the kingdom in in motion.
4. 'If your Majesty will make haste to issue an ordinance, restoring your captives, old and young, stopping the removal of the precious vessels, and saying that, after consulting with the people of Yen, you will appoint them a ruler, and withdraw from the country;-- in this way you may still be able to stop the threatened attack.'
[2.12]
鄒與魯鬨。穆公問曰：「吾有司死者三十三人，而民莫之死也。誅之，則不可勝誅不誅，則疾視其長上之死而不救;。如之何則可也？」
孟子對曰：「凶年饑歲，君之民，老弱轉乎溝壑，壯者散而之四方者，幾千人矣;而君之食廩實，府庫充，有司莫以吿：是上慢而殘下也。曾子曰：『戒之戒之，出乎爾者，反乎爾者也。』夫民今而後得反之也，君無尤焉。」
「君行仁政，斯民親其上，死其長矣。」
1. There had been a brush between Tsâu and Lû, when the duke Mû asked Mencius, saying,'Of my officers there were killed thirty-three men, and none of the people would die in their defence. Though I sentenced them to death for their conduct, it is impossible to put such a multitude to death. If I do not put them to death, then there is the crime unpunished of their looking angrily on at the death of their officers, and not saving them. How is the exigency of the case to be met?'
2. Mencius replied, 'In calamitous years and years of famine, the old and weak of your people, who have been found lying in the ditches and water-channels, and the able-bodied who have been scattered about to the four quarters, have amounted to several thousands. All the while, your granaries, 0 prince, have been stored with grain, and your treasuries and arsenals have been full, and not one of your officers has told you of the distress. Thus negligent have the superiors in your State been, and cruel to their inferiors. The philosopher Tsang said, "Beware, beware. What proceeds from you, will return to you again." Now at length the people have paid back the conduct of their officers to them. Do not you, 0 prince, blame them.
3. 'If you will put in practice a benevolent government, this people will love you and all above them, and will die for their officers.'
[2.13]
滕文公問曰：「滕、小國也間於齊楚，事齊乎事楚乎？;」
孟子對曰：「是謀非吾所能及也。無已，則有一焉。鑿斯池也，築斯城也，與民守之，效死而弗去，則是可爲也。」
1. The duke Wan of T'ang asked Mencius, saying, 'T'ang is a small kingdom, and lies between Ch'î and Ch'û. Shall I serve Ch'î? Or shall I serve Chû?'
2. Mencius replied, 'This plan which you propose is beyond me. If you will have me counsel you, there is one thing I can suggest. Dig deeper your moats; build higher your walls; guard them as well as your people. In case of attack, be prepared to die in your defence, and have the people so that they will not leave you;-- this is a proper course.
[2.14]
滕文公問曰：「齊人將築薛，吾甚恐如之何則可？;」
孟子對曰：「昔者大王居邠，狄人侵之，去之岐山之下居焉。非擇而取之，不得已也。」
「茍爲善，後世子孫必有王者矣。君子創業垂統，爲可繼也。若夫成功，則天也。君如彼何哉！彊爲善而已矣。」
1. The duke Wan of T'ang asked Mencius, saying, 'The people of Ch'î are going to fortify Hsieh. The movement occasions me great alarm. What is the proper course for me to take in the case?'
2. Mencius replied, 'Formerly, when king T'âi dwelt in Pin, the barbarians of the north were continually making incursions upon it. He therefore left it, went to the foot of mount Ch'î, and there took up his residence. He did not take that situation, as having selected it. It was a matter of necessity with him.
3. 'If you do good, among your descendants, in after generations, there shall be one who will attain to the royal dignity. A prince lays the foundation of the inheritance, and hands down the beginning which he has made, doing what may be continued by his successors. As to the accomplishment of the great result, that is with Heaven. What is that Ch'î to you, 0 prince? Be strong to do good. That is all your business.'
[2.15]
滕文公問曰：「滕、小國也竭力以事大國，則不得免焉;。如之何則可？」孟子對曰：「昔者大王居邠，狄人侵之事之以皮 幣，不得免焉事之以犬馬，不得免;;焉事之以珠玉，不得免焉;。乃屬其耆老而吿之曰：『狄人之所欲者，吾土地也。吾聞之也：君子不以其所以養人者害人。二 三子何患乎無君！我將去之。』去邠，踰梁山，邑于岐山之下居焉。邠人曰：『仁人也，不可失也。』從之者如歸市。」
「或曰：『世守也，非身之所能爲也，效死勿去：』」
「君請擇於斯二者。」
1. The duke Wan of T'ang asked Mencius, saying, 'T'ang is a small State. Though I do my utmost to serve those large kingdoms on either side of it, we cannot escape suffering from them. What course shall I take that we may do so?' Mencius replied, 'Formerly, when king T'âi dwelt in Pin, the barbarians of the north were constantly making incursions upon it. He served them with skins and silks, and still he suffered from them. He served them with dogs and horses, and still he suffered from them. He served them with pearls and gems, and still he suffered from them. Seeing this, he assembled the old men, and announced to them, saying, "What the barbarians want is my territory. I have heard this,-- that a ruler does not injure his people with that wherewith he nourishes them. My children, why should you be troubled about having no prince? I will leave this." Accordingly, he left Pin, crossed the mountain Liang, built a town at the foot of mount Ch'î, and dwelt there. The people of Pin said, "He is a benevolent man. We must not lose him." Those who followed him looked like crowds hastening to market.
2. 'On the other hand, some say, "The kingdom is a thing to be kept from generation to generation. One individual cannot undertake to dispose of it in his own person. Let him be prepared to die for it. Let him not quit it."
3. 'I ask you, prince, to make your election between these two courses.'
[2.16]
魯平公將出，嬖人臧倉者請曰：「他日君出，則必命有司所之今乘輿已駕矣，有;司未知所之，敢請。」公曰：「將見孟子。」曰：「何哉君所爲輕身以先於匹夫者！以爲賢乎？禮義由賢者出，而孟子之後喪踰前喪君無見焉;。」公曰：「諾。」
樂正子入見，曰：「君奚爲不見孟軻也？」曰：「或吿寡人曰：『孟子之後喪踰前喪，』是以不往見也。」曰：「何哉君所謂踰者？前以士，後以大夫，前以三鼎，而後以五鼎與？」曰：「否。謂棺槨衣衾之美也。」曰：「非所謂踰也，貧富不同也。」
樂正子見孟子曰：「克吿於君，君爲來見也，嬖人有臧倉者沮君，君是以不果來也。」曰：「行或使之，止或尼之，行止非人所能也。吾之不遇魯侯，天也。臧氏之子，焉能使子不遇哉！」
1. The duke P'ing of Lû was about to leave his palace, when his favourite, one Tsang Ts'ang, made a request to him, saying, 'On other days, when you have gone out, you have given instructions to the officers as to where you were going. But now, the horses have been put to the carriage, and the officers do not yet know where you are going. I venture to ask.' The duke said, 'I am going to see the scholar Mang.' 'How is this?' said the other. 'That you demean yourself, prince, in paying the honour of the first visit to a common man, is, I suppose, because you think that he is a man of talents and virtue. By such men the rules of ceremonial proprieties and right are observed. But on the occasion of this Mang's second mourning, his observances exceeded those of the former. Do not go to see him, my prince.' The duke said, 'I will not.'
2. The officer Yo-chang entered the court, and had an audience. He said, 'Prince, why have you not gone to see Mang K'o?' the duke said, 'One told me that, on the occasion of the scholar Mang's second mourning, his observances exceeded those of the former. It is on that account that I have not gone to see him.' 'How is this!' answered Yo-chang. 'By what you call "exceeding," you mean, I suppose, that, on the first occasion, he used the rites appropriate to a scholar, and, on the second, those appropriate to a great officer; that he first used three tripods, and afterwards five tripods.' The duke said, 'No; I refer to the greater excellence of the coffin, the shell, the grave-clothes, and the shroud.' Yo-chAng said, 'That cannot be called "exceeding." That was the difference between being poor and being rich.'
3. After this, Yo-chang saw Mencius, and said to him, 'I told the prince about you, and he was consequently coming to see you, when one of his favourites, named Tsang Ts'ang, stopped him, and therefore he did not come according to his purpose.' Mencius said, 'A man's advancement is effected, it may be, by others, and the stopping him is, it may be, from the efforts of others. But to advance a man or to stop his advance is really beyond the power of other men. My not finding in the prince of Lû a ruler who would confide in me, and put my counsels into practice, is from Heaven. How could that scion of the Tsang family cause me not to find the ruler that would suit me?'
公孫丑上 Book II, Part I: Kung-sun Ch'au
[3.1]
公孫丑問曰：「夫子當路於齊，管仲、晏子之功，可復許乎？」
孟子曰：「子誠齊人也，知管仲、晏子而已矣！
「或問乎曾西曰：『吾子與子路孰賢？』曾西蹴然曰：『吾先子之所畏也。』曰：『然則吾子與管仲孰賢？』曾西艴然不悅，曰：『爾何曾比豫於管仲！管仲得君如彼其專也，行乎國政如彼其久也，功烈如彼其卑也：爾何曾比豫於是！』」
曰：「管仲、曾西之所不爲也，而子爲我願之乎？」
曰：「管仲以其君霸，晏子以其君顯管仲;、晏子猶不足爲與？」
曰：「以齊王由反手也。」
曰：「若是，則弟子之感滋甚！且以文王之德，百年而後崩，猶未洽於天下。武王、周公繼之，然後大行。今言王若易然，則文王不足法與？」
曰：「文王何可當也！由湯至於武丁，賢聖之君六七作天下歸殷久矣，久則難變;也。武丁朝諸侯，有天下，猶運之掌也。紂 之去武丁，未久也其故家遺俗，流風;善政，猶有存者又有微子;、微仲、王子比干、箕子、膠鬲，皆賢人也，相與輔相之故久而後失之也;。尺地莫非其有也，一 民莫非其臣也。然而文王猶方百里起，是以難也。
「齊人有言曰：『雖有智慧，不如乘勢雖有鎡基，不如待時;。』今時則易然也。
「夏后、殷、周之盛，地未有過千里者也。而齊有其地矣。雞鳴狗吠相聞，而達乎四境。而齊有其民矣。地不改辟矣，民不改聚矣行仁政而王，莫之能禦也！;
「且王者之不作，未有疏於此時者也民之憔悴於虐政，未有甚於此時者也;。飢者易爲食，渴者易爲飮。
「孔子曰：『德之流行，速於置郵而傳命。』
「當今之時，萬乘之國，行仁政民之悅之，猶解倒懸也;。故事半古之倍之人，功必倍之惟此時爲然;。」
1. Kung-sun Ch'âu asked Mencius, saying, 'Master, if you were to obtain the ordering of the government in Ch'î, could you promise yourself to accomplish anew such results as those realized by Kwan Chung and Yen?'
2. Mencius said, 'You are indeed a true man of Ch'î. You know about Kwan Chung and Yen, and nothing more,
3. 'Some one asked Tsang Hsî, saying, "Sir, to which do you give the superiority,-- to yourself or to Tsze-lû?" Tsang Hsî looked uneasy, and said, "He was an object of veneration to my grandfather." "Then," pursued the other, "Do you give the superiority to yourself or to Kwan Chung?" Tsang Hsî, flushed with anger and displeased, said, "How dare you compare me with Kwan Chung? Considering how entirely Kwan Chung possessed the confidence of his prince, how long he enjoyed the direction of the government of the State, and how low, after all, was what he accomplished,-- how is it that you liken me to him?"
4. 'Thus,' concluded Mencius, 'Tsang Hsî would not play Kwan Chung, and is it what you desire for me that I should do so?'
5. Kung-sun Ch'âu said, 'Kwan Chung raised his prince to be the leader of all the other princes, and Yen made his prince illustrious, and do you still think it would not be enough for you to do what they did?'
6. Mencius answered, 'To raise Ch'î to the royal dignity would be as easy as it is to turn round the hand.'
7. 'So!' returned the other. 'The perplexity of your disciple is hereby very much increased. There was king Wan, moreover, with all the virtue which belonged to him; and who did not die till he had reached a hundred years:-- and still his influence had not penetrated throughout the kingdom. It required king Wû and the duke of Châu to continue his course, before that influence greatly prevailed. Now you say that the royal dignity might be so easily obtained:-- is king Wan then not a sufficient object for imitation?'
8. Mencius said, 'How can king Wan be matched? From T'ang to Wû-ting there had appeared six or seven worthy and sage sovereigns. The kingdom had been attached to Yin for a long time, and this length of time made a change difficult. Wû-ting had all the princes coming to his court, and possessed the kingdom as if it had been a thing which he moved round in his palm. Then, Châu was removed from Wû-ting by no great interval of time. There were still remaining some of the ancient families and of the old manners, of the influence also which had emanated from the earlier sovereigns, and of their good government. Moreover, there were the viscount of Wei and his second son, their Royal Highnesses Pî-kan and the viscount of Ch'î, and Kâo-ko, all men of ability and virtue, who gave their joint assistance to Châu in his government. In consequence of these things, it took a long time for him to lose the throne. There was not a foot of ground which he did not possess. There was not one of all the people who was not his subject. So it was on his side, and king Wan at his beginning had only a territory of one hundred square lî. On all these accounts, it was difficult for him immediately to attain to the royal dignity.
9. 'The people of Ch'î have a saying-- "A man may have wisdom and discernment, but that is not like embracing the favourable opportunity. A man may have instruments of husbandry, but that is not like waiting for the farming seasons." The present time is one in which the royal dignity may be easily attained.
10. 'In the flourishing periods of the Hsiâ, Yin, and Châu dynasties, the royal domain did not exceed a thousand lî, and Ch'î embraces so much territory. Cocks crow and dogs bark to one another, all the way to the four borders of the State:-- so Ch'î possesses the people. No change is needed for the enlarging of its territory: no change is needed for the collecting of a population. If its ruler will put in practice a benevolent government, no power will be able to prevent his becoming sovereign.
11. 'Moreover, never was there a time farther removed than the present from the rise of a true sovereign: never was there a time when the sufferings of the people from tyrannical government were more intense than the present. The hungry readily partake of any food, and the thirsty of any drink.'
12. 'Confucius said, "The flowing progress of virtue is more rapid than the transmission of royal orders by stages and couriers."
13. 'At the present time, in a country of ten thousand chariots, let benevolent government be put in practice, and the people will be delighted with it, as if they were relieved from hanging by the heels. With half the merit of the ancients, double their achievements is sure to be realized. It is only at this time that such could be the case.'
[3.2]
公孫丑問曰：「夫子加齊之卿相，得行道焉，雖由此霸王不異矣。如此，則動心否乎？」孟子曰：「否。我四十不動心。」
曰：「若是，則夫子過孟賁遠矣？」曰：「是不難，吿子先我不動心。」
曰：「不動心有道乎？」曰：「有。
「北宮黝之養勇也： 不膚撓，不目逃思以一毫挫於人，若撻之於市朝不受於;;褐寬博，亦不受於萬乘之君視刺萬乘之君，若刺褐夫：無嚴諸侯惡聲至，必反;;之。
「孟施舍之所養勇也，曰：『視不勝猶勝也量敵而後進，慮勝而後會，是畏三軍;者也。舍豈能爲必勝哉，能無懼而已矣！』
「孟施舍似曾子，北宮黝似子夏夫二子之勇，未知其孰賢然而孟施舍守約也;;。
「昔者曾子謂子讓子襄曰：『子好勇乎？吾嘗聞大勇於夫子矣：「自反而不縮，雖褐寬博，吾不惴焉。自反而縮，雖千萬人吾往矣。」』
「孟施舍之守氣，又不如曾子之守約也。」
曰：「敢問夫子之不動心，與吿子之不動心，可得聞與？」「吿子曰：『不得於言，勿求於心不得於心，勿求於氣;。』不得於心，勿求於氣，可不得於言，勿;求於心，不可。夫志、氣之帥也氣;、體之充也。夫志至焉，氣次焉。故曰：『持其志，無暴其氣。』」
「旣曰：『志至焉，氣次焉。』又曰：『持其志，無暴其氣』者，何也？」曰：「志壹則動氣，氣壹則動志也。今有蹶者趨者，是氣也，而反動其心。」
「敢問夫子惡乎長？」曰：「我知言，我善養吾浩然之氣。」
「敢問何謂浩然之氣？」曰：「難言也。
「其爲氣也，至大至剛以直養而無害，則塞于天地之間;。
「其爲氣也，配義與道無是，餒矣;。
「是集義所生者，非義襲而取之也。行有不慊於心，則餒矣。我故曰：『吿子未嘗知義，』以其外之也。
「必有事焉而勿正，心勿忘，勿助長也。無若宋人然。宋人有閔其苗之不長而揠之者芒芒然歸，謂其人曰：;『今日病矣，豫助苗長矣。』其子趨而往視之，苗則槁矣。天下之不助苗長者寡矣。以爲無益而舍之者，不耘苗者也。助之長者，揠苗者也。非徒無益，而又害之。」
「何謂知言？」曰：「詖辭知其所蔽，淫辭知其所陷，邪辭知其所離，遁辭知其所窮。生於其心，害於其政發於其政，害於其事;。聖人復起，必從吾言矣。」
「宰我、子貢善爲說辭，冉牛、閔子、顏淵善言德行孔子兼之，曰：;『我於辭命，則不能也。』然則夫子旣聖矣乎？」
曰：「惡，是何言也！昔者子貢問於孔子曰：『夫子聖矣乎？』孔子曰：『聖則吾不能。我學不厭而教不倦也。』子貢曰：『學不厭，智也，教不倦，仁也。仁且智，夫子旣聖矣。』夫聖，孔子不居是何言也！;」
「昔者竊聞之：子夏、子游、子張，皆有聖人之一體冉牛;、閔子、顏淵，則具體而微。敢問所安？」
曰：「姑舍是。」
曰：「伯夷伊尹何如？」曰：「不同道。非其君不事，非其民不使治則進，亂則;退伯夷也;。何事非君，何使非民治亦進，亂亦進：伊尹也;。可以仕則仕，可以止則止，可以久則久，可以速則速：孔子也。皆古聖人也。吾未能有行焉乃所;願，則學孔子也。」
「伯夷、伊尹於孔子，若是班乎？」曰：「否。自有生民以來，未有孔子也。」
曰：「然則有同與？」曰：「有。得百里之地而君之，皆能以朝諸侯有天下。行一不義，殺一不辜，而得天下，皆不爲也：是則同。」
曰：「敢問其所以異？」曰：「宰我、子夏、有若，智足以知聖人，汙不至阿其所好。
「宰我曰：『以豫觀於夫子，賢於堯、舜遠矣。』
「子貢曰：『見其禮而知其政，聞其樂而知其德由百世之後，等百世之王，莫之;能違也。自生民以來，未有夫子也。』
「有若曰：『豈惟民哉！麒麟之於走獸，鳳凰之於飛鳥，泰山之於丘垤，河海之於行潦：類也。聖人之於民，亦類也。出於其類。拔乎其萃。自生民以來，未有盛於孔子也。』」
1. Kung-sun Ch'âu asked Mencius, saying, 'Master, if you were to be appointed a high noble and the prime minister of Ch'î, so as to be able to carry your principles into practice, though you should thereupon raise the ruler to the headship of all the other princes, or even to the royal dignity, it would not be to be wondered at.-- In such a position would your mind be perturbed or not?' Mencius replied, 'No. At forty, I attained to an unperturbed mind.'
2. Ch'âu said, 'Since it is so with you, my Master, you are far beyond Mang Pan.' 'The mere attainment,' said Mencius, 'is not difficult. The scholar Kâo had attained to an unperturbed mind at an earlier period of life than I did.'
3. Ch'âu asked, 'Is there any way to an unperturbed mind?' The answer was, 'Yes.
4. 'Pî-kung Yû had this way of nourishing his valour:-- He did not flinch from any strokes at his body. He did not turn his eyes aside from any thrusts at them. He considered that the slightest push from any one was the same as if he were beaten before the crowds in the market-place, and that what he would not receive from a common man in his loose large garments of hair, neither should he receive from a prince of ten thousand chariots. He viewed stabbing a prince of ten thousand chariots just as stabbing a fellow dressed in cloth of hair. He feared not any of all the princes. A bad word addressed to him be always returned.
5. 'Mang Shih-shê had this way of nourishing his valour:-- He said, "I look upon not conquering and conquering in the same way. To measure the enemy and then advance; to calculate the chances of victory and then engage:-- this is to stand in awe of the opposing force. How can I make certain of conquering? I can only rise superior to all fear."
6. 'Mang Shih-shê resembled the philosopher Tsang. Pî-kung Yû resembled Tsze-hsiâ. I do not know to the valour of which of the two the superiority should be ascribed, but yet Mang Shih-shê attended to what was of the greater importance.
7. 'Formerly, the philosopher Tsang said to Tsze-hsiang, "Do you love valour? I heard an account of great valour from the Master. It speaks thus:-- 'If, on self-examination, I find that I am not upright, shall I not be in fear even of a poor man in his loose garments of hair-cloth? If, on self-examination, I find that I am upright, I will go forward against thousands and tens of thousands.'"
8. Yet, what Mang Shih-shê maintained, being merely his physical energy, was after all inferior to what the philosopher Tsang maintained, which was indeed of the most importance.'
9. Kung-sun Ch'âu said, 'May I venture to ask an explanation from you, Master, of how you maintain an unperturbed mind, and how the philosopher Kâo does the same?' Mencius answered,'Kâo says,-- "What is not attained in words is not to be sought for in the mind; what produces dissatisfaction in the mind, is not to be helped by passion-effort." This last,-- when there is unrest in the mind, not to seek for relief from passion-effort, may be conceded. But not to seek in the mind for what is not attained in words cannot be conceded. The will is the leader of the passion-nature. The passion-nature pervades and animates the body. The will is first and chief, and the passion-nature is subordinate to it. Therefore I say,-- Maintain firm the will, and do no violence to the passion-nature.'
10. Ch'âu observed, 'Since you say-- "The will is chief, and the passion-nature is subordinate," how do you also say, "Maintain firm the will, and do no violence to the passion-nature?"' Mencius replied, 'When it is the will alone which is active, it moves the passion-nature. When it is the passion-nature alone which is active, it moves the will. For instance now, in the case of a man falling or running, that is from the passion-nature, and yet it moves the mind.'
11. 'I venture to ask,' said Ch'âu again, 'wherein you, Master, surpass Kâo.' Mencius told him, 'I understand words. I am skilful in nourishing my vast, flowing passion-nature.'
12. Ch'âu pursued, 'I venture to ask what you mean by your vast, flowing passion-nature!' The reply was, 'It is difficult to describe it.
13. 'This is the passion-nature:-- It is exceedingly great, and exceedingly strong. Being nourished by rectitude, and sustaining no injury, it fills up all between heaven and earth.
14. 'This is the passion-nature:-- It is the mate and assistant of righteousness and reason. Without it, man is in a state of starvation.
15. 'It is produced by the accumulation of righteous deeds; it is not to be obtained by incidental acts of righteousness. If the mind does not feel complacency in the conduct, the nature becomes starved. I therefore said, "Kâo has never understood righteousness, because he makes it something external."
16. 'There must be the constant practice of this righteousness, but without the object of thereby nourishing the passion-nature. Let not the mind forget its work, but let there be no assisting the growth of that nature. Let us not be like the man of Sung. There was a man of Sung, who was grieved that his growing corn was not longer, and so he pulled it up. Having done this, he returned home, looking very stupid, and said to his people, "I am tired to-day. I have been helping the corn to grow long." His son ran to look at it, and found the corn all withered. There are few in the world, who do not deal with their passion-nature, as if they were assisting the corn to grow long. Some indeed consider it of no benefit to them, and let it alone:-- they do not weed their corn. They who assist it to grow long, pull out their corn. What they do is not only of no benefit to the nature, but it also injures it.'
17. Kung-sun Ch'âu further asked, 'What do you mean by saying that you understand whatever words you hear?' Mencius replied, 'When words are one-sided, I know how the mind of the speaker is clouded over. When words are extravagant, I know how the mind is fallen and sunk. When words are all-depraved, I know how the mind has departed from principle. When words are evasive, I know how the mind is at its wit's end. These evils growing in the mind, do injury to government, and, displayed in th government, are hurtful to the conduct of affairs. When a Sage shall again arise, he will certainly follow my words.'
18. On this Ch'âu observed, 'Tsâi Wo and Tsze-kung were skilful in speaking. Zan Niû, the disciple Min, and Yen Yüan, while their words were good, were distinguished for their virtuous conduct. Confucius united the qualities of the disciples in himself, but still he said, "In the matter of speeches, I am not competent."-- Then, Master, have you attained to be a Sage?'
19. Mencius said, 'Oh! what words are these? Formerly Tsze-kung asked Confucius, saying, "Master, are you a Sage?" Confucius answered him, "A Sage is what I cannot rise to. I learn without satiety, and teach without being tired." Tsze-kung said, "You learn without satiety:-- that shows your wisdom. You teach without being tired:-- that shows your benevolence. Benevolent and wise:-- Master, you ARE a Sage." Now, since Confucius would not allow himself to be regarded as a Sage, what words were those?'
20. Ch'âu said, 'Formerly, I once heard this:-- Tsze-hsiâ, Tsze-yû, and Tsze-chang had each one member of the Sage. Zan Niû, the disciple Min, and Yen Yüan had all the members, but in small proportions. I venture to ask,-- With which of these are you pleased to rank yourself?'
21. Mencius replied, 'Let us drop speaking about these, if you please.'
22. Ch'âu then asked, 'What do you say of Po-î and Î Yin?' 'Their ways were different from mine,' said Mencius. 'Not to serve a prince whom he did not esteem, nor command a people whom he did not approve; in a time of good government to take office, and on the occurrence of confusion to retire:-- this was the way of Po-î. To say-- "Whom may I not serve? My serving him makes him my ruler. What people may I not command? My commanding them makes them my people." In a time of good government to take office, and when disorder prevailed, also to take office:-- that was the way of Î Yin. When it was proper to go into office, then to go into it; when it was proper to keep retired from office, then to keep retired from it; when it was proper to continue in it long, then to continue in it long - when it was proper to withdraw from it quickly, then to withdraw quickly:-- that was the way of Confucius. These were all sages of antiquity, and I have not attained to do what they did. But what I wish to do is to learn to be like Confucius.'
23. Ch'âu said, 'Comparing Po-î and Î Yin with Confucius, are they to be placed in the same rank?' Mencius replied, 'No. Since there were living men until now, there never was another Confucius.'
24. Ch'âu said, 'Then, did they have any points of agreement with him?' The reply was,-- 'Yes. If they had been sovereigns over a hundred lî of territory, they would, all of them, have brought all the princes to attend in their court, and have obtained the throne. And none of them, in order to obtain the throne, would have committed one act of unrighteousness, or put to death one innocent person. In those things they agreed with him.'
25. Ch'âu said, 'I venture to ask wherein he differed from them.' Mencius replied, 'Tsâi Wo, Tsze-kung, and Yû Zo had wisdom sufficient to know the sage. Even had they been ranking themselves low, they would not have demeaned themselves to flatter their favourite.
26. 'Now, Tsâi Wo said, "According to my view of our Master, he was far superior to Yâo and Shun."
27. 'Tsze-kung said, "By viewing the ceremonial ordinances of a prince, we know the character of his government. By hearing his music, we know the character of his virtue. After the lapse of a hundred ages I can arrange, according to their merits, the kings of a hundred ages;-- not one of them can escape me. From the birth of mankind till now, there has never been another like our Master."
28. 'Yû Zo said, "Is it only among men that it is so? There is the Ch'î-lin among quadrupeds, the Fang-hwang among birds, the T'âi mountain among mounds and ant-hills, and rivers and seas among rain-pools. Though different in degree, they are the same in kind. So the sages among mankind are also the same in kind. But they stand out from their fellows, and rise above the level, and from the birth of mankind till now, there never has been one so complete as Confucius."'
[3.3]
孟子曰：「以力假仁者霸，霸必有大國。以德行仁者王，王不待大：湯以七十里，文王以百里。
「以力服人者，非心服也，力不贍也。以德服人者，中心悅而誠服也，如七十子之服孔子也，詩云：『自西自東，自南自北，無思不服。』此之謂也。」
1. Mencius said, 'He who, using force, makes a pretence to benevolence is the leader of the princes. A leader of the princes requires a large kingdom. He who, using virtue, practises benevolence is the sovereign of the kingdom. To become the sovereign of the kingdom, a prince need not wait for a large kingdom. T'ang did it with only seventy lî, and king Wan with only a hundred.
2. 'When one by force subdues men, they do not submit to him in heart. They submit, because their strength is not adequate to resist. When one subdues men by virtue, in their hearts' core they are pleased, and sincerely submit, as was the case with the seventy disciples in their submission to Confucius. What is said in the Book of Poetry,
"From the west, from the east,
From the south, from the north,
There was not one who thought of refusing submission,"
--is an illustration of this.'--
[3.4]
孟子曰：「仁則榮，不仁則辱。今惡辱而居不仁，是猶惡濕而居下也。
「如惡之，莫如貴德而尊士。賢者在位，能者在職，國家閒暇。及是時，明其政刑，雖大國必畏之矣。
「詩云：『迨天之未陰雨、徹彼桑土，綢繆牖戶。今此下民，或敢侮豫！』孔子曰：『爲此詩者，其知道乎！』能治其國家，誰敢侮之！
「今國家閒暇，及是時，般樂怠敖，是自求禍也。
「禍福無不自己求之者。
「詩云：『永言配命。自求多福。』太甲曰：『天作孽，猶可違自作孽，不可;活。』此之謂也。」
1. Mencius said, 'Benevolence brings glory to a prince, and the opposite of it brings disgrace. For the princes of the present day to hate disgrace and yet to live complacently doing what is not benevolent, is like hating moisture and yet living in a low situation.
2. 'If a prince hates disgrace, the best course for him to pursue, is to esteem virtue and honour virtuous scholars, giving the worthiest among them places of dignity, and the able offices of trust. When throughout his kingdom there is leisure and rest from external troubles, let him, taking advantage of such a season, clearly digest the principles of his government with its legal sanctions, and then even great kingdoms will be constrained to stand in awe of him.
3. 'It is said in the Book of Poetry,
"Before the heavens were dark w1th rain,
I gathered the bark from the roots of the mulberry trees,
And wove it closely to form the window and door of my nest;
Now, I thought, ye people below,
Perhaps ye will not dare to insult me."
--Confucius said, "Did not he who made this ode understand the way of governing?" If a prince is able rightly to govern his kingdom, who will dare to insult him?--
4. 'But now the princes take advantage of the time when throughout their kingdoms there is leisure and rest from external troubles, to abandon themselves to pleasure and indolent indifference;-- they in fact seek for calamities for themselves.
5. 'Calamity and happiness in all cases are men's own seeking.
6. 'This is illustrated by what is said in the Book of Poetry,--
Be always studious to be in harmony with the ordinances of God,
So you will certainly get for yourself much happiness;"
--and by the passage ofthe Tâi Chiah,-- "When Heaven sends down calamities, it is still possible to escape from them; when we occasion the calamities ourselves, it is not possible any longer to live."'--
[3.5]
孟子曰：「尊賢使能，俊傑在位，則天下之士，皆悅而願立於其朝矣。
「市廛而不征，法而不廛，則天下之商，皆悅而願藏於其市矣。
「關，譏而不征，則天下之旅，皆悅而願出於其路矣。
「耕者，助而不稅，則天下之農，皆悅而願耕於其野矣。
「廛，無夫里之布，則天下之民，皆悅而願爲之氓矣。
「信能行此五者，則鄰國之民，仰之若父母矣。率其子弟，攻其父母，自生民以來，未有能濟者也。如此，則無敵於天下。無敵於天下者，天吏也。然而不王者，未之有也。」
1. Mencius said, 'If a ruler give honour to men of talents and virtue and employ the able, so that offices shall all be filled by individuals of distinction and mark;-- then all the scholars of the kingdom will be pleased, and wish to stand in his court.
2. 'If, in the market-place of his capital, he levy a ground-rent on the shops but do not tax the goods, or enforce the proper regulations without levying a ground-rent;-- then all the traders of the kingdom will be pleased, and wish to store their goods in his market-place.
3. 'If, at his frontier-passes, there be an inspection of persons, but no taxes charged on goods or other articles, then all the travellers of the kingdom will be pleased, and wish to make their tours on his roads.
4. 'If he require that the husbandmen give their mutual aid to cultivate the public feld, and exact no other taxes from them;-- then all the husbandmen of the kingdom will be pleased, and wish to plough in his fields.
5. 'If from the occupiers of the shops in his market-place he do not exact the fine of the individual idler, or of the hamlet's quota of cloth, then all the people of the kingdom will be pleased, and wish to come and be his people.
6. 'If a ruler can truly practise these five things, then the people in the neighbouring kingdoms will look up to him as a parent. From the first birth of mankind till now, never has any one led children to attack their parent, and succeeded in his design. Thus, such a ruler will not have an enemy in all the kingdom, and he who has no enemy in the kingdom is the minister of Heaven. Never has there been a ruler in such a case who did not attain to the royal dignity.'
[3.6]
孟子曰：「人皆有不忍人之心。
「先王有不忍人之心，斯有不忍人之政矣。以不忍人之心，行不忍人之政，治天下可運之掌上。
「所以謂人皆有不忍人之心者：今人乍見孺子將入於井，皆有怵惕惻隱之心非所;以內交於孺子之父母也，非所以要譽於鄉黨朋友也，非惡其聲而然也。
「由是觀之，無惻隱之心，非人也無羞惡之心，非人也無辭讓之心，非人也;;;無是非之心，非人也。
「惻隱之心，仁之端也羞惡之心，義之端也辭讓之心，禮之端也是非之心，;;;智之端也。
「人之有是四端也，猶其有四體也。有是四端而自謂不能者，自賊者也謂其君不;能者，賊其君者也。
「凡有四端於我者，知皆擴而充之矣。若火之始然，泉之始達。茍能充之，足以保四海茍不充之，不足以事父母;。」
1. Mencius said, 'All men have a mind which cannot bear to see the sufferings of others.
2. 'The ancient kings had this commiserating mind, and they, as a matter of course, had likewise a commiserating government. When with a commiserating mind was practised a commiserating government, to rule the kingdom was as easy a matter as to make anything go round in the palm.
3. 'When I say that all men have a mind which cannot bear to see the sufferings of others, my meaning may be illustrated thus:-- even now-a-days, if men suddenly see a child about to fall into a well, they will without exception experience a feeling of alarm and distress. They will feel so, not as a ground on which they may gain the favour of the child's parents, nor as a ground on which they may seek the praise of their neighbours and friends, nor from a dislike to the reputation of having been unmoved by such a thing.
4. 'From this case we may perceive that the feeling of commiseration is essential to man, that the feeling of shame and dislike is essential to man, that the feeling of modesty and complaisance is essential to man, and that the feeling of approving and disapproving is essential to man.
5. 'The feeling of commiseration is the principle of benevolence. The feeling of shame and dislike is the principle of righteousness. The feeling of modesty and complaisance is the principle of propriety. The feeling of approving and disapproving is the principle of knowledge.
6. 'Men have these four principles just as they have their four limbs. When men, having these four principles, yet say of themselves that they cannot develop them, they play the thief with themselves, and he who says of his prince that he cannot develop them plays the thief with his prince.
7. 'Since all men have these four principles in themselves, let them know to give them all their development and completion, and the issue will be like that of fire which has begun to burn, or that of a spring which has begun to find vent. Let them have their complete development, and they will suffice to love and protect all within the four seas. Let them be denied that development, and they will not suffice for a man to serve his parents with.'
[3.7]
孟子曰：「矢人豈不仁於凾人哉！矢人惟恐不傷人，凾人惟恐傷人。巫匠亦然。故術不可不愼也。
「孔子曰：『里仁爲美擇不處仁，焉得智！;』夫仁，天之尊爵也，人之安宅也，莫之禦而不仁，是不智也。
「不仁不智，無禮無義，人役也。人役而恥爲役，由弓人而恥爲弓。矢人而恥爲矢也。
「如恥之，莫如爲仁。
「仁者如射：射者正己而後發，發而不中，不怨勝己者，反求諸己而已矣。」
1. Mencius said, 'Is the arrow-maker less benevolent than the maker of armour of defence? And yet, the arrow-maker's only fear is lest men should not be hurt, and the armour-maker's only fear is lest men should be hurt. So it is with the priest and the coffin-maker. The choice of a profession, therefore, is a thing in which great caution is required.
2. 'Confucius said, "It is virtuous manners which constitute the excellence of a neighbourhood. If a man, in selecting a residence, do not fix on one where such prevail, how can he be wise?" Now, benevolence is the most honourable dignity conferred by Heaven, and the quiet home in which man should awell. Since no one can hinder us from being so, if yet we are not benevolent;-- this is being not wise.
3. 'From the want of benevolence and the want of wisdom will ensue the entire absence of propriety and righteousness;-- he who is in such a case must be the servant of other men. To be the servant of men and yet ashamed of such servitude, is like a bowmaker's being ashamed to make bows, or an arrow-maker's being ashamed to make arrows.
4. 'If he be ashamed of his case, his best course is to practise benevolence.
5. 'The man who would be benevolent is like the archer. The archer adjusts himself and then shoots. If he misses, he does not murmur against those who surpass himself. He simply turns round and seeks the cause of his failure in himself.'
[3.8]
孟子曰：「子路，人吿之以有過，則喜。
「禹聞善言，則拜。
「大舜有大焉：善與人同，舍己從人，樂取於人以爲善;
「自耕稼陶漁以至爲帝，無非取於人者。
「取諸人以爲善，是與人爲善者也。故君子莫大乎與人爲善。」
1. Mencius said, 'When any one told Tsze-lû that he had a fault, he rejoiced.
2. 'When Yü heard good words, he bowed to the speaker.
3. 'The great Shun had a still greater delight in what was good. He regarded virtue as the common property of himself and others, giving up his own way to follow that of others, and delighting to learn from others to practise what was good.
4. 'From the time when he ploughed and sowed, exercised the potter's art, and was a fisherman, to the time when he became emperor, he was continually learning from others.
5. 'To take example from others to practise virtue, is to help them in the same practice. Therefore, there is no attribute of the superior man greater than his helping men to practise virtue.'
[3.9]
孟子曰：「伯夷非其君不事，非其友不友，不立於惡人之朝，不與惡人言立於惡;人之朝，與惡人言，如以朝衣朝冠，坐於塗炭。推惡惡之心，思與鄉人立，其冠不正，望望然去之，若將浼焉。是故，諸侯雖有善其辭命而至者，不受也不受也;者，是亦不屑就已。
「柳下惠不羞汙君，不卑小官進不隱賢，必以其道，遺佚而不怨，阨窮而不憫;。故曰：『爾爲爾，我爲我雖袒裼裸裎於我側，爾焉能浼我哉！;』故由由然與之偕而不自失焉。援而止之而止援而止之而止者，是亦不屑去已;。」
孟子曰：「伯夷隘，柳下惠不恭，隘與不恭，君子不由也。」
1. Mencius said, 'Po-î would not serve a prince whom he did not approve, nor associate with a friend whom he did not esteem. He would not stand in a bad prince's court, nor speak with a bad man. To stand in a bad prince's court, or to speak with a bad man, would have been to him the same as to sit with his court robes and court cap amid mire and ashes. Pursuing the examination of his dislike to what was evil, we find that he thought it necessary, if he happened to be standing with a villager whose cap was not rightly adjusted, to leave him with a high air, as if he were going to be defiled. Therefore, although some of the princes made application to him with very proper messages, he would not receive their gifts.-- He would not receive their gifts, counting it inconsistent with his purity to go to them.
2. 'Hûi of Liû-hsiâ was not ashamed to serve an impure prince, nor did he think it low to be an inferior officer. When advanced to employment, he did not conceal his virtue, but made it a point to carry out his principles. When neglected and left without office, he did not murmur. When straitened by poverty, he did not grieve. Accordingly, he had a saying,"You are you, and I am I. Although you stand by my side with breast and aims bare, or with your body naked, how can you defile me?" Therefore, self-possessed, he companied with men indifferently, at the same time not losing himself. When he wished to leave, if pressed to remain in office, he would remain.-- He would remain in office, when pressed to do so, not counting it required by his purity to go away.'
3. Mencius said, 'Po-î was narrow-minded, and Hûi of Liû-hsiâ was wanting in self-respect. The superior man will not manifest either narrow-mindedness, or the want of self-respect.'
公孫丑下 Book II, Part II: Kung-sun Ch'au
[4.1]
孟子曰：「天時不如地利，地利不如人和。
「三里之城，七里之郭，環而攻之而不勝夫環而攻之，必有德天時者矣然而不;;勝者，是天時不如地利也。
「城非不高也，池非不深也，兵革非不堅利也，米粟非不多也委而去之，是地利;不如人和也。
「故曰：域民不以封疆之界。固國不以山谿之險，威天下不以兵革之利得道者多;助，失道者寡助寡助之至，親戚畔之多助之至，天下順之;;。
「以天下之所順，攻親戚之所畔：故君子有不戰，戰必勝矣。」
1. Mencius said, 'Opportunities of time vouchsafed by Heaven are not equal to advantages of situation afforded by the Earth, and advantages of situation afforded by the Earth are not equal to the union arising from the accord of Men.
2. 'There is a city, with an inner wall of three lî in circumference, and an outer wall of seven.-- The enemy surround and attack it, but they are not able to take it. Now, to surround and attack it, there must have been vouchsafed to them by Heaven the opportunity of time, and in such case their not taking it is because opportunities of time vouchsafed by Heaven are not equal to advantages of situation afforded by the Earth.
3. 'There is a city, whose walls are distinguished for their height, and whose moats are distinguished for their depth, where the arms of its defenders, offensive and defensive, are distinguished for their strength and sharpness, and the stores of rice and other grain are very large. Yet it is obliged to be given up and abandoned. This is because advantages of situation afforded by the Earth are not equal to the union arising from the accord of Men.
4. 'In accordance with these principles it is said, "A people is bounded in, not by the limits of dykes and borders; a State is secured, not by the strengths of mountains and rivers; the kingdom is overawed, not by the sharpness and strength of arms." He who finds the proper course has many to assist him. He who loses the proper course has few to assist him. When this,-- the being assisted by few,-- reaches its extreme point, his own relations revolt from the prince. When the being assisted by many reaches its highest point, the whole kingdom becomes obedient to the prince.
5. 'When one to whom the whole kingdom is prepared to be obedient, attacks those from whom their own relations revolt, what must be the result? Therefore, the true ruler will prefer not to fight; but if he do fight, he must overcome.'
[4.2]
「孟子將朝王。王使人來曰：「寡人如就見者也—有寒疾，不可以風朝將視朝，;不識可使寡人得見乎？」對曰：「不幸而有疾，不能造朝。」
明日，出弔於東郭氏。公孫丑曰：「昔者辭以病，今日弔：或者不可乎？」曰：「昔者疾，今日愈：如之何不弔？」
王使人問疾，醫來。孟仲子對曰：「昔者有王命，有采薪之憂，不能造朝。今病小愈，趨造於朝，我不識能至否乎？」使數人要於路，曰：「請必無歸而造於朝。」
不得已而之景丑氏宿焉。景子曰：「內則父子，外則君臣，人之大倫也。父子主恩，君臣主敬丑見王之敬子也，未見所以敬王 也;。」曰：「惡，是何言也！齊人無以仁義與王言者，豈以仁義爲不美也？其心曰：『是何足與言仁義也。』云爾，則不敬莫大乎是。我非堯舜之道，不敢以陳於 王前。故齊人莫如我敬王也。」
景子曰：「否，非此之謂也。禮曰：『父召無諾，君命召不矣駕。』固將朝也，聞王命而遂不果，宜與夫禮若不相似然。」
曰：「豈謂是與？曾子曰：『普楚之富，不可及也彼以其富，我以吾仁彼以其;;爵，我以吾義吾何慊乎哉！;』夫豈不義而曾子言之，是或一道也。天下有達尊三：爵一，齒一，德一。朝廷莫如爵，鄉黨莫如齒，輔世長民莫如德。惡得有其一，以慢其二哉！
「故將大有爲之君，必有不召之臣欲有謀焉，則就之;。 其尊德樂道，不如是，不足與有爲也。
「故湯之於依尹，學焉而後臣之故不勞而王;。桓公之於管仲，學焉而後臣之故;不勞而霸。
「今天下地醜德齊，莫能相尚無他，好臣所教，而不好臣其所受教;。
「湯之於伊尹，桓公之於管仲，則不敢召。管仲且猶不可召，而況不爲管仲者乎！」
1. As Mencius was about to go to court to see the king, the king sent a person to him with this message,-- 'I was wishing to come and see you. But I have got a cold, and may not expose myself to the wind. In the morning I will hold my court. I do not know whether you will give me the opportunity of seeing you then.' Mencius replied, 'Unfortunately, I am unwell, and not able to go to the court.'
2. Next day, he went out to pay a visit of condolence to some one of the Tung-kwoh family, when Kung-sun Ch'âu said to him, 'Yesterday, you declined going to the court on the ground of being unwell, and to-day you are going to pay a visit of condolence. May this not be regarded as improper?' 'Yesterday,' said Mencius, 'I was unwell; to-day, I am better:-- why should I not pay this visit?'
3. In the mean time, the king sent a messenger to inquire about his sickness, and also a physician. Mang Chung replied to them, 'Yesterday, when the king's order came, he was feeling a little unwell, and could not go to the court. To-day he was a little better, and hastened to go to court. I do not know whether he can have reached it by this time or not.' Having said this, he sent several men to look for Mencius on the way, and say to him, 'I beg that, before you return home, you will go to the court.'
4. On this, Mencius felt himself compelled to go to Ching Ch'âu's, and there stop the night. Mr. Ching said to him, 'In the family, there is the relation of father and son; abroad, there is the relation of prince and minister. These are the two great relations among men. Between father and son the ruling principle is kindness. Between prince and minister the ruling principle is respect. I have seen the respect of the king to you, Sir, but I have not seen in what way you show respect to him.' Mencius replied, 'Oh! what words are these? Among the people of Ch'î there is no one who speaks to the king about benevolence and righteousness. Are they thus silent because they do not think that benevolence and righteousness are admirable? No, but in their hearts they say, "This man is not fit to be spoken with about benevolence and righteousness." Thus they manifest a disrespect than which there can be none greater. I do not dare to set forth before the king any but the ways of Yâo and Shun. There is therefore no man of Ch'î who respects the king so much as I do.'
5. Mr. Ching said, 'Not so. That was not what I meant. In the Book of Rites it is said, "When a father calls, the answer must be without a moment's hesitation. When the prince's order calls, the carriage must not be waited for." You were certainly going to the court, but when you heard the king's order, then you did not carry your purpose out. This does seem as if it were not in accordance with that rule of propriety.'
6. Mencius answered him, 'How can you give that meaning to my conduct? The philosopher Tsang said, "The wealth of Tsin and Ch'û cannot be equalled. Let their rulers have their wealth:-- I have my benevolence. Let them have their nobility:-- I have my righteousness. Wherein should I be dissatisfied as inferior to them?" Now shall we say that these sentiments are not right? Seeing that the philosopher Tsang spoke them, there is in them, I apprehend, a real principle.-- In the kingdom there are three things universally acknowledged to be honourable. Nobility is one of them; age is one of them; virtue is one of them. In courts, nobility holds the first place of the three; in villages, age holds the first place; and for helping one's generation and presiding over the people, the other two are not equal to virtue. How can the possession of only one of these be presumed on to despise one who possesses the other two?
7. 'Therefore a prince who is to accomplish great deeds will certainly have ministers whom he does not call to go to him. When he wishes to consult with them, he goes to them. The prince who does not honour the virtuous, and delight in their ways of doing, to this extent, is not worth having to do with.
8. 'Accordingly, there was the behaviour of T'ang to Î Yin:-- he first learned of him, and then employed him as his minister; and so without difficulty he became sovereign. There was the behaviour of the duke Hwan to Kwan Chung:-- he first learned of him, and then employed him as his minister; and so without difficulty he became chief of all the princes.
9. 'Now throughout the kingdom, the territories of the princes are of equal extent, and in their achievements they are on a level. Not one of them is able to exceed the others. This is from no other reason, but that they love to make ministers of those whom they teach, and do not love to make ministers of those by whom they might be taught.
10. 'So did T'ang behave to Î Yin, and the duke Hwan to Kwan Chung, that they would not venture to call them to go to them. If Kwan Chung might not be called to him by his prince, how much less may he be called, who would not play the part of Kwan Chung!'
[4.3]
陳臻問曰：「前日於齊，王餽兼金一百而不受於宋，餽七十鎰而受於薜，餽五;;十鎰而受。前日之不受是，則今日之受非也。今日之受是，則前日之不受非也。夫子必居一於此矣。」
孟子曰：「皆是也。
「當在宋也，豫將有遠行，行者必以贐辭曰：;『餽贐，』豫何爲不受？
「當在薜也。豫有戒心辭曰：;『聞戒，故爲兵餽之。』豫何爲不受？
「若於齊，則未有處也無處而餽之，是貨之也焉有君子而可以貨取乎？;;」
1. Ch'an Tsin asked Mencius, saying, 'Formerly, when you were in Ch'î, the king sent you a present Of 2,400 taels of fine silver, and you refused to accept it. When you were in Sung, 1,680 taels were sent to you, which you accepted; and when you were in Hsieh, 1,200 taels were sent, which you likewise accepted. If your declining to accept the gift in the first case was right, your accepting it in the latter cases was wrong. If your accepting it in the latter cases was right, your declining to do so in the first case was wrong. You must accept, Master, one of these alternatives.'
2. Mencius said, 'I did right in all the cases.
3. 'When I was in Sung, I was about to take a long journey. Travellers must be provided with what is necessary for their expenses. The prince's message was, 'A present against travelling-expenses." Why should I have declined the gift?
4. 'When I was in Hsieh, I was apprehensive for my safety, and taking measures for my protection. The message was, "I have heard that you are taking measures to protect yourself, and send this to help you in procuring arms." Why should I have declined the gift?
5. 'But when I was in Ch'i, I had no occasion for money. To send a man a gift when he has no occasion for it, is to bribe him. How is it possible that a superior man should be taken with a bribe?'
[4.4]
孟子之平陸，謂其大夫曰：「子之持戟之士，一日而三失伍，則去之否乎？」曰：「不待三。」
「然則子之失伍也亦多矣。凶年饑歲，子之民，老羸轉於溝壑，壯者散而之四方者，幾千人矣。」曰：「此非距心之所得爲也。」
曰：「今有受人之牛羊而爲之牧之者，則必爲之求牧與芻矣。求牧與芻而不得，則反諸其入乎？抑亦立而視其死與？」曰：「此則距心之罪也。」
他日，見於王，曰：「王之爲都者，臣知五人焉。知其罪者，惟孔距心。」爲王誦之。王曰：「此則寡人之罪也。」
1. Mencius having gone to P'ing-lû, addressed the governor of it, saying, 'If one of your spearmen should lose his place in the ranks three times in one day, would you, Sir, put him to death or not?' 'I would not wait for three times to do so,' was the reply.
2. Mencius said, 'Well then, you, Sir, have likewise lost your place in the ranks many times. In bad calamitous years, and years of famine, the old and feeble of your people, who have been found lying in the ditches and water-channels, and the able-bodied, who have been scattered about to the four quarters, have amounted to several thousand.' The governor replied, 'That is a state of things in which it does not belong to me Chü-hsin to act.'
3. 'Here,' said Mencius, 'is a man who receives charge of the cattle and sheep of another, and undertakes to feed them for him;-- of course he must search for pasture-ground and grass for them. If, after searching for those, he cannot find them, will he return his charge to the owner? or will he stand by and see them die?' 'Herein,' said the officer, 'I am guilty.'
4. Another day, Mencius had an audience of the king, and said to him, 'Of the governors of your Majesty's cities I am acquainted with five, but the only one of them who knows his faults is K'ung Chü-hsin.' He then repeated the conversation to the king, who said, 'In this matter, I am the guilty one.'
[4.5]
孟子謂蚔鼃曰：「子之辭靈丘而請士師，似也，爲其可以言也今旣數月以，;未可以言與？」
蚔鼃諫於王而不用，致爲臣而去。
齊人曰：「所以爲蚔鼃則善矣所以自爲，則吾不知也;。」
公都子以吿。
曰：「吾聞之也：有官守者，不得其職則去有言責者，不得其言則去;。我無官守，我無言責也則吾進退，豈不綽綽然有餘裕哉！;」
1. Mencius said to Ch'î Wâ, 'There seemed to be reason in your declining the governorship of Ling-ch'iû, and requesting to be appointed chief criminal judge, because the latter office would afford you the opportunity of speaking your views. Now several months have elapsed, and have you yet found nothing of which you might speak?'
2. On this, Ch'î Wâ remonstrated on some matter with the king, and, his counsel not being taken, resigned his office and went away.
3. The people of Ch'î said, 'In the course which he marked out for Ch'î Wâ he did well, but we do not know as to the course which he pursues for himself.'
4. His disciple Kung-tû told him these remarks.
5. Mencius said, 'I have heard that he who is in charge of an office, when he is prevented from fulfilling its duties, ought to take his departure, and that he on whom is the responsibility of giving his opinion, when he finds his words unattended to, ought to do the same. But I am in charge of no office; on me devolves no duty of speaking out my opinion:-- may not I therefore act freely and without any constraint, either in going forward or in retiring?'
[4.6]
孟子卿於齊，出弔於滕，王使蓋大夫王驩爲輔行。王驩朝暮見，反齊滕之路，未嘗與之言行事也。
公孫丑曰：「齊卿之位，不爲小矣齊滕之路，不爲近矣，反之而未嘗與言行事，;何也？」曰：「夫旣或治之，豫何言哉？」
1. Mencius, occupying the position of a high dignitary in Ch'î, went on a mission of condolence to T'ang. The king also sent Wang Hwan, the governor of Kâ, as assistant-commissioner. Wang Hwan, morning and evening, waited upon Mencius, who, during all the way to T'ang and back, never spoke to him about the business of their mission.
2. Kung-sun Ch'âu. said to Mencius, 'The position of a high dignitary of Ch'î is not a small one; the road from Ch'î to T'ang is not short. How was it that during all the way there and back, you never spoke to Hwan about the matters of your mission?' Mencius replied, 'There were the proper officers who attended to them. What occasion had I to speak to him about them?'
[4.7]
孟子自齊葬於魯，反於齊，止於贏，充虞請曰：「前日不知虞之不肖使虞敦匠;事。嚴，虞不敢請今願竊有請也，木若以美然;。」
曰：「古者棺槨無度，中古棺七寸，槨稱之自天子達於庶人非直爲觀美也，然;;後盡於人心。
「不得，不可以爲悅，無財，不可以爲悅得之爲有財，古之人皆用之，吾何爲獨;不然？
「且比化者，無使土親膚，於人心獨無恔乎？
「吾聞之也：君子不以天下儉其親。」
1. Mencius went from Ch'î to Lû to bury his mother. On his return to Ch'î, he stopped at Ying, where Ch'ung Yü begged to put a question to him, and said, 'Formerly, in ignorance of my incompetency, you employed me to superintend the making of the coffin. As you were then pressed by the urgency of the business, I did not venture to put any question to you. Now, however, I wish to take the liberty to submit the matter. The wood of the coffin, it appeared to me, was too good.'
2. Mencius replied, 'Anciently, there was no rule for the size of either the inner or the outer coffin. In middle antiquity, the inner coffin was made seven inches thick, and the outer one the same. This was done by all, from the sovereign to the common people, and not simply for the beauty of the appearance, but because they thus satisfied the natural feelings of their hearts.
3. 'If prevented by statutory regulations from making their coffins in this way, men cannot have the feeling of pleasure. If they have not the money to make them in this way, they cannot have the feeling of pleasure. When they were not prevented, and had the money, the ancients all used this style. Why should I alone not do so?
4. 'And moreover, is there no satisfaction to the natural feelings of a man, in preventing the earth from getting near to the bodies of his dead?
5. 'I have heard that the superior man will not for all the world be niggardly to his parents.'
[4.8]
沈同以其私問曰：「燕可伐與。」孟子曰：「可。子噲不得與人燕，子之不得受燕於子噲有仕於此，而子悅之，不吿於王，而私與之吾子之祿爵夫士也，亦無王;;命而私受之於子：則可乎？何以異於是！」
齊人伐燕。或問曰：「勸其伐燕，有諸？」曰：「未也。沈同問：『燕可伐與？』吾應之曰：『可。』彼然而伐之也。彼如 曰：『孰可以伐之？』則將應之曰：『爲天吏則可以伐之。』今有殺人者，或問之曰：『人可殺與？』則將應之曰：『可。』彼如曰：『孰可以殺之？』則將應之 曰：『爲士師則可以殺之。』今以燕伐燕，何爲勸之哉！」
1. Shan T'ung, on his own impulse, asked Mencius, saying, 'May Yen be smitten?' Mencius replied, 'It may. Tsze-k'wâi had no right to give Yen to another man, and Tsze-chih had no right to receive Yen from Tsze-k'wâi. Suppose there were an officer here, with whom you, Sir, were pleased, and that, without informing the king, you were privately to give to him your salary and rank; and suppose that this officer, also without the king's orders, were privately to receive them from you-- would such a transaction be allowable? And where is the difference between the case of Yen and this?'
2. The people of Ch'î smote Yen. Some one asked Mencius, saying, 'Is it really the case that you advised Ch'î to smite Yen?' He replied, 'No. Shan T'ung asked me whether Yen might be smitten, and I answered him, "It may." They accordingly went and smote it. If he had asked me-- "Who may smite it?" I would have answered him, "He who is the minister of Heaven may smite it." Suppose the case of a murderer, and that one asks me-- "May this man be put to death?" I will answer him-- "He may." If he ask me-- "Who may put him to death?" I will answer him, "The chief criminal judge may put him to death." But now with one Yen to smite another Yen:-- how should I have advised this?'
[4.9]
燕人畔。王曰：「吾甚慚於孟子。」
陳賈曰：「王無患焉。王自以爲與周公，孰仁且智？」王曰：「惡，是何言也！」曰：「周公使管叔監殷，管叔以殷畔。知而使之，是不仁也不知而使之，是不智;也。仁智，周公未之盡也而況於王乎？賈請見而解之;。」
見孟子，問曰：「周公，何人也？」曰：「古聖人也。」曰：「使管叔監殷，管叔以殷畔也：有諸？」曰：「然。」曰：「周公知其將畔而使之與？」曰：「不知也。」「然則聖人且有過與？」曰：「周公弟也，管叔兄也周公之過，不亦宜乎？;
「且古之君子，過則改之，今之君子，過則順之。古之君子，其過也，如日月之食，民皆見之及其更也，民皆仰之;。今之君子，豈徒順之，又從爲之辭。」
1. The people of Yen having rebelled, the king of Ch'î said, 'I feel very much ashamed when I think of Mencius.'
2. Ch'an Chiâ said to him, 'Let not your Majesty be grieved. Whether does your Majesty consider yourself or Châu-kung the more benevolent and wise?' The king replied, 'Oh! what words are those?' 'The duke of Châu,' said Chiâ, 'appointed Kwan-shû to oversee the heir of Yin, but Kwan-shû with the power of the Yin State rebelled. If knowing that this would happen he appointed Kwan-shû, he was deficient in benevolence. If he appointed him, not knowing that it would happen, he was deficient in knowledge. If the duke of Châu was not completely benevolent and wise, how much less can your Majesty be expected to be so! I beg to go and see Mencius, and relieve your Majesty from that feeling.'
3. Ch'an Chiâ accordingly saw Mencius, and asked him, saying, 'What kind of man was the duke of Châu?' 'An ancient sage,' was the reply. 'Is it the fact, that he appointed Kwan-shû to oversee the heir of Yin, and that Kwan-shû with the State of Yin rebelled?' 'It is.' 'Did the duke of Châu. know that he would rebel, and purposely appoint him to that office?' Mencius said, 'He did not know.' 'Then, though a sage, he still fell into error?' 'The duke of Châu,' answered Mencius, 'was the younger brother. Kwan-shû was his elder brother. Was not the error of Châu-kung in accordance with what is right?
4. 'Moreover, when the superior men of old had errors, they reformed them. The superior men of the present time, when they have errors, persist in them. The errors of the superior men of old were like eclipses of the sun and moon. All the people witnessed them, and when they had reformed them, all the people looked up to them with their former admiration. But do the superior men of the present day only persist in their errors? They go on to apologize for them likewise.'
[4.10]
孟子致爲臣而歸。
王就見孟子曰：「前日願見而不可得，得侍，同朝甚喜。今又棄寡人而歸，不識可以繼此而得見乎？」對曰：「不敢請耳，固所願也。」
他日，王謂時子曰：「我欲中國而授孟子室，養弟子以萬鐘，使諸大夫國人皆有所矜式。子盍爲我言之。」
時子因陳子而以吿孟子，陳子以時子之言吿孟子。
孟子曰：「然。夫時子惡知其不可也？如使豫欲富，辭十萬而受萬，是爲欲富乎？
「季孫曰：『異哉子叔疑！使己爲政，不用則亦已矣，又使其子弟爲卿。人亦孰不欲富貴？而獨於富貴之中，有私龍斷焉。』
「古之爲市者，以其所有易其所無者，有司者治之耳。有賤丈夫焉，必求龍斷而登之，以左右望而罔市利。人皆以爲賤，故從而征之，征商自此賤丈夫始矣。」
1. Mencius gave up his office, and made arrangements for returning to his native State.
2. The king came to visit him, and said, 'Formerly, I wished to see you, but in vain. Then, I got the opportunity of being by your side, and all my court joyed exceedingly along with me. Now again you abandon me, and are returning home. I do not know if hereafter I may expect to have another opportunity of seeing you.' Mencius replied, 'I dare not request permission to visit you at any particular time, but, indeed, it is what I desire.'
3. Another day, the king said to the officer Shih, 'I wish to give Mencius a house, somewhere in the middle of the kingdom, and to support his disciples with an allowance of 10,000 chung, that all the officers and the people may have such an example to reverence and imitate. Had you not better tell him this for me?'
4. Shih took advantage to convey this message by means of the disciple Ch'an, who reported his words to Mencius.
5. Mencius said, 'Yes; but how should the officer Shih know that the thing could not be? Suppose that I wanted to be rich, having formerly declined 100,000 chung, would my now accepting 10,000 be the conduct of one desiring riches?
6. 'Chî-sun said, "A strange man was Tsze-shû Î. He pushed himself into the service of government. His prince declining to employ him, he had to retire indeed, but he again schemed that his son or younger brother should be made a high officer. Who indeed is there of men but wishes for riches and honour? But he only, among the seekers of these, tried to monopolize the conspicuous mound.
7. '"Of old time, the market-dealers exchanged the articles which they had for others which they had not, and simply had certain officers to keep order among them. It happened that there was a mean fellow, who made it a point to look out for a conspicuous mound, and get up upon it. Thence he looked right and left, to catch in his net the whole gain of the market. The people all thought his conduct mean, and therefore they proceeded to lay a tax upon his wares. The taxing of traders took its rise from this mean fellow."'
[4.11]
孟子去齊，宿於晝。
有欲爲王留行者，坐而言不應，隱几而臥;。
客不悅曰：「弟子齊宿而後敢言，夫子臥而不聽，請勿復敢見矣。」曰：「坐。我明語子。昔者魯繆公無人乎子思之側，則不能安子思泄柳申詳，無人乎繆公之;側，則不能安其身。
「子爲長者慮，而不及子思子絕長者乎？長者絕子乎？;」
1. Mencius, having taken his leave of Ch'î, was passing the night in Châu.
2. A person who wished to detain him on behalf of the king, came and sat down, and began to speak to him. Mencius gave him no answer, but leant upon his stool and slept.
3. The visitor was displeased, and said, 'I passed the night in careful vigil, before I would venture to speak to you, and you, Master, sleep and do not listen to me. Allow me to request that I may not again presume to see you.' Mencius replied, 'Sit down, and I will explain the case clearly to you. Formerly, if the duke Mû had not kept a person by the side of Tsze-sze, he could not have induced Tsze-sze to remain with him. If Hsieh Liû and Shan Hsiang had not had a remembrancer by the side of the duke Mû, he would not have been able to make them feel at home and remain with him.
4. 'You anxiously form plans with reference to me, but you do not treat me as Tsze-sze was treated. Is it you, Sir, who cut me? Or is it I who cut you?
[4.12]
孟子去齊，尹士語人曰：「不識王之不可以爲湯武，則是不明也識其不可，然且;至，則是干澤也千里而見王，不遇故去，三宿而後出晝，是何濡滯也！士則茲不;悅。」
高子以吿。
曰：「夫尹士惡知豫哉！千里而見王，是豫所欲也不遇故去，豈豫所欲哉！豫不;得已也。
「豫三宿而出晝，於豫心猶以爲速。王庶幾改之王如改諸則必反豫;。
「夫出晝而王不豫追也，豫然後浩然有歸志。豫雖然，豈舍王哉！王由足用爲善;王如用豫，則豈徒齊民安，天下之民擧安。王庶幾改之，豫日望之。
「豫豈若是小丈夫然哉！諫於其君而不受，則怒，悻悻然見於其面，去則窮日之力而後宿哉！」
尹士聞之曰：「士誠小人也。」
1. When Mencius had left Ch'î, Yin Shih spoke about him to others, saying, 'If he did not know that the king could not be made a T'ang or a Wû, that showed his want of intelligence. If he knew that he could not be made such, and came notwithstanding, that shows he was seeking his own benefit. He came a thousand lî to wait on the king; because he did not find in him a ruler to suit him, he took his leave, but how dilatory and lingering was his departure, stopping three nights before he quitted Châu! I am dissatisfied on account of this.'
2. The disciple Kâo informed Mencius of these remarks.
3. Mencius said, 'How should Yin Shih know me! When I came a thousand lî to wait on the king, it was what I desired to do. When I went away because I did not find in him a ruler to suit me, was that what I desired to do? I felt myself constrained to do it.
4. 'When I stopped three nights before I quitted Châu, in my own mind I still considered my departure speedy. I was hoping that the king might change. If the king had changed, he would certainly have recalled me.
5. 'When I quitted Châu, and the king had not sent after me, then, and not till then, was my mind resolutely bent on returning to Tsâu. But, notwithstanding that, how can it be said that I give up the king? The king, after all, is one who may be made to do what is good. If he were to use me, would it be for the happiness of the people of Ch'î only ? It would be for the happiness of the people of the whole kingdom. I am hoping that the king will change. I am daily hoping for this.
6. 'Am I like one of your little-minded people? They will remonstrate with their prince, and on their remonstrance not being accepted, they get angry; and, with their passion displayed in their countenance, they take their leave, and travel with all their strength for a whole day, before they will stop for the night.'
7. When Yin Shih heard this explanation, he said, 'I am indeed a small man.'
[4.13]
孟子去齊。充虞路問曰：「夫子若有不豫色然。前日虞聞諸夫子曰：『君子不怨天，不尤人。』」
曰：「彼一時，此一時也。
「五百年必有王者興，其間必有名世者。
「由周而來，七百有餘歲矣。以其數則過矣以其時考之，則可矣;。
「夫天未欲平治天下也如欲平治天下，當今之世，舍我其誰也？吾何爲不豫哉！;」
1. When Mencius left Ch'î, Ch'ung Yü questioned him upon the way, saying, 'Master, you look like one who carries an air of dissatisfaction in his countenance. But formerly I heard you say-- "The superior man does not murmur against Heaven, nor grudge against men."'
2. Mencius said, 'That was one time, and this is another.
3. 'It is a rule that a true royal sovereign should arise in the course of five hundred years, and that during that time there should be men illustrious in their generation.
4. 'From the commencement of the Châu dynasty till now, more than seven hundred years have elapsed. Judging numerically, the date is past. Examining the character of the present time, we might expect the rise of such individuals in it.
5. 'But Heaven does not yet wish that the kingdom should enjoy tranquillity and good order. If it wished this, who is there besides me to bring it about? How should I be otherwise than dissatisfied?'
[4.14]
孟子去齊，居休。公孫丑問曰：「仕而不受祿，古之道乎？」
曰：「非也。於崇吾得見王，退而有去志不欲變，故不受也;。
「繼而有師命，不可以請，久於齊，非我志也。」
1. When Mencius left Ch'î, he dwelt in Hsiû. There Kung-sun Ch'âu asked him, saying, 'Was it the way of the ancients to hold office without receiving salary?'
2. Mencius replied, 'No; when I first saw the king in Ch'ung, it was my intention, on retiring from the interview, to go away. Because I did not wish to change this intention, I declined to receive any salary.
3. 'Immediately after, there came orders for the collection of troops, when it would have been improper for me to beg permission to leave. But to remain so long in Ch'î was not my purpose.'
滕文公上 Book III, Part I: T'ang Wan Kung
[5.1]
滕文公爲世子，將之楚，過宋而見孟子。
孟子道性善，言必稱堯、舜。
世子自楚反，復見孟子。孟子曰：「世子疑吾言乎？夫道一而已矣！
「成覸謂齊景公曰：『彼丈夫也，我丈夫也，吾何畏彼哉！』顏淵曰：『舜何人也，豫何人也，有爲者亦若是！』公明儀曰：『文王我師也，周公豈欺我哉！』
「今滕絕長補短，將五十里也，猶可以爲善國。書曰：『若藥不暝眩，厥疾不瘳。』」
1. When the prince, afterwards duke Wan of T'ang, had to go to Ch'û, he went by way of Sung, and visited Mencius.
2. Mencius discoursed to him how the nature of man is good, and when speaking, always made laudatory reference to Yâo and Shun.
3. When the prince was returning from Ch'û, he again visited Mencius. Mencius said to him, 'Prince, do you doubt my words? The path is one, and only one.
4. 'Ch'ang Chi'en said to duke King of Ch'î, "They were men. I am a man. Why should I stand in awe of them?" Yen Yüan said, "What kind of man was Shun? What kind of man am I? He who exerts himself will also become such as he was." Kung-Ming Î said, "King Wan is my teacher. How should the duke of Châu deceive me by those words?"
5. 'Now, T'ang, taking its length with its breadth, will amount, I suppose, to fifty lî. It is small, but still sufficient to make a good State. It is said in the Book of History, "If medicine do not raise a commotion in the patient, his disease will not be cured by it."'
[5.2]
滕定公薨。世子謂然友曰：「昔者孟子嘗與我言於宋，於心終不忘。今也不幸至於大故，吾欲使子問於孟子，然後行事。」
然友之鄒，問於孟子。孟子曰：「不亦善乎！親喪，固所自盡也。曾子曰：『生，事之以禮死，葬之以禮，祭之以禮：可謂孝矣;。』諸侯之禮，吾未之學也。雖然，吾嘗聞之矣：三年之喪，齊疏之服，飦粥之食，自天子達於庶人，三代共之。」
然友反命，定爲三年之喪。父兄百官皆不欲，曰：「吾宗國魯先君莫之行，吾先君亦莫之行也。至於子之身而反之，不可。且志曰：『喪祭從先祖。』曰：『吾有所受之也。』」
謂然友曰：「吾他日未嘗學問，好馳馬試劍。今也父兄百官不我足也，恐其不能盡於大事。子爲我問孟子。」然友復之鄒，問 孟子。孟子曰：「然。不可以他求者也。孔子曰：『君薨，聽於冢宰歠粥面深墨，卽位而哭百官有司，莫敢不哀，;;先之也。上有好者，下必有甚焉者矣。君子之 德風也，小人之德草也草尚之風必;偃。』是在世子。」
然友反命。世子曰：「然。是誠在我。」五月居廬未有命戒，百官族人，可謂曰;知。及至葬，四方來觀之，顏色之戚，哭泣之哀弔者大悅;。
1. When the duke Ting of T'ang died, the prince said to Yen Yû, 'Formerly, Mencius spoke with me in Sung, and in my mind I have never forgotten his words. Now, alas! this great duty to my father devolves upon me; I wish to send you to ask the advice of Mencius, and then to proceed to its various services'
2. Zan Yû accordingly proceeded to Tsâu, and consulted Mencius. Mencius said, 'Is this not good? In discharging the funeral duties to parents, men indeed feel constrained to do their utmost. The philosopher Tsang said, "When parents are alive, they should be served according to propriety; when they are dead, they should be buried according to propriety; and they should be sacrificed to according to propriety:-- this may be called filial piety." The ceremonies to be observed by the princes I have not learned, but I have heard these points:-- that the three years' mourning, the garment of coarse cloth with its lower edge even, and the eating of congee, were equally prescribed by the three dynasties, and binding on all, from the sovereign to the mass of the people.'
3. Zan Yû reported the execution of his commission, and the prince determined that the three years' mourning should be observed. His aged relatives, and the body of the officers, did not wish that it should be so, and said, 'The former princes of Lû, that kingdom which we honour, have, none of them, observed this practice, neither have any of our own former princes observed it. For you to act contrary to their example is not proper. Moreover, the History says,-- "In the observances of mourning and sacrifice, ancestors are to be followed," meaning that they received those things from a proper source to hand them down.'
4. The prince said again to Zan Yû, 'Hitherto, I have not given myself to the pursuit of learning, but have found my pleasure in horsemanship and sword-exercise, and now I don't come up to the wishes of my aged relatives and the officers. I am afraid I may not be able to discharge my duty in the great business that I have entered on; do you again consult Mencius for me.' On this, Zan Yû went again to Tsâu, and consulted Mencius. Mencius said, 'It is so, but he may not seek a remedy in others, but only in himself. Confucius said, "When a prince dies, his successor entrusts the administration to the prime minister. He sips the congee. His face is of a deep black. He approaches the place of mourning, and weeps. Of all the officers and inferior ministers there is not one who will presume not to join in the lamentation, he setting them this example. What the superior loves, his inferiors will be found to love exceedingly. The relation between superiors and inferiors is like that between the wind and grass. The grass must bend when the wind blows upon it." The business depends on the prince.'
5. Zan Yû returned with this answer to his commission, and the prince said, 'It is so. The matter does indeed depend on me.' So for five months he dwelt in the shed, without issuing an order or a caution. All the officers and his relatives said, 'He may be said to understand the ceremonies.' When the time of interment arrived, they came from all quarters of the State to witness it. Those who had come from other States to condole with him, were greatly pleased with the deep dejection of his countenance and the mournfulness of his wailing and weeping.
[5.3]
滕文公問「爲國。」
孟子曰：「民事不可緩也。詩云：『晝爾于茅，宵爾索綯亟其乘屋，其始播百;穀。』
「民之爲道也：有恆產者有恆心，無恆產者無恆心茍無恆心，放辟邪侈，無不爲;已。及陷乎罪，然後從而刑之，是罔民也焉有仁人在位，罔民而可爲也！;
「是故，賢君必恭儉，禮下，取於民有制。
「陽虎曰：『爲富不仁矣，爲仁不富矣。』
「夏后氏五十而貢，殷人七十而助，周人百畝而徹：其實皆什一也。徹者徹也，;助者，藉也。
「龍子曰：『治地莫善於助，莫不善於貢。』貢者校數歲之中爲常。樂歲粒米狼戾，多取之而不爲虐，則寡取之凶年糞其田而不足，則必取盈焉;。爲民父母，使民盻盻然，將終歲勤勤，不得以養其父母，又稱貸而益之，使老稚轉乎溝壑：惡在其爲民父母也！
「夫世祿，滕固行之矣。
「詩云：『雨我公田，遂及我私。』惟助爲有公田。由此觀之，雖周亦助也。
「設爲庠序學校以教之庠者養也，校者教也，序者射也夏曰校，殷曰序，周曰;;庠，學則三代共之：皆所以明人倫也。人倫明於上，小民親於下。
「有王者起，必來取法，是爲王者師也。
「詩云：『周雖舊邦，其命維新。』文王之謂也。子力行之，亦以新子之國。」
使畢戰問「井地。」孟子曰：「子之君，將行仁政選擇而使子，子必勉之;。夫仁政必自經界始經界不正，井地不均，穀祿不平;。是故，暴君汙吏，必慢其經界。經界旣正，分田制祿，可坐而定也。
「夫滕，壤地褊小：將爲君子焉，將爲野人焉無君子莫治野人，無野人莫養君子;。
「請野九一而助，國中什一使自賦。
「卿以下，必有圭田圭田五十畝;。
「餘夫二十五畝。
「死徒無出鄉，鄉田同井，出入相友，守望相助，疾病相扶持則百姓親睦;。
「方里而井，井九百畝其中爲公田，八家皆私百畝，同養公田;。公事畢，然後敢治私事所以別野人也;。
「此其大略也若夫潤澤之，則在君與子矣;。」
1. The duke Wan of T'ang asked Mencius about the proper way of governing a kingdom.
2. Mencius said, 'The business of the people may not be remissly attended to. It is said in the Book of Poetry,
"In the day-light go and gather the grass,
And at night twist your ropes;
Then get up quickly on the roofs;--
Soon must we begin sowing again the grain."
3. 'The way of the people is this:-- If they have a certain livelihood, they will have a fixed heart; if they have not a certain livelihood, they have not a fixed heart. If they have not a fixed heart, there is nothing which they will not do in the way of self-abandonment, of moral deflection, of depravity, and of wild license. When they have thus been involved in crime, to follow them up and punish them:-- this is to entrap the people. How can such a thing as entrapping the people be done under the rule of a benevolent man?
4. 'Therefore, a ruler who is endowed with talents and virtue will be gravely complaisant and economical, showing a respectful politeness to his ministers, and taking from the people only in accordance with regulated limits.
5. 'Yang Hû said, "He who seeks to be rich will not be benevolent. He who wishes to be benevolent will not be rich."
6. 'The sovereign of the Hsiâ dynasty enacted the fifty mâu allotment, and the payment of a tax. The founder of the Yin enacted the seventy mâu allotment, and the system of mutual aid. The founder of the Châu enacted the hundred mâu allotment, and the share system. In reality, what was paid in all these was a tithe. The share system means mutual division. The aid system means mutual dependence.
7. 'Lung said, "For regulating the lands, there is no better system than that of mutual aid, and none which is not better than that of taxing. By the tax system, the regular amount was fixed by taking the average of several years. In good years, when the grain lies about in abundance, much might be taken without its being oppressive, and the actual exaction would be small. But in bad years, the produce being not sufficient to repay the manuring of the fields, this system still requires the taking of the full amount. When the parent of the people causes the people to wear looks of distress, and, after the whole year's toil, yet not to be able to nourish their parents, so that they proceed to borrowing to increase their means, till the old people and children are found lying in the ditches and water-channels:-- where, in such a case, is his parental relation to the people?"
8. 'As to the system of hereditary salaries, that is already observed in T'ang.
9. 'It is said in the Book of Poetry,
"May the rain come down on our public field, And then upon our private fields!"
--It is only in the system of mutual aid that there is a public field, and from this passage we perceive that even in the Châu dynasty this system has been recognised.
10. 'Establish hsiang, hsü, hsio, and hsiâo,-- all those educational institutions,-- for the instruction of the people. The name hsiang indicates nourishing as its object; hsiâo, indicates teaching; and hsü indicates archery. By the Hsiâ dynasty the name hsiâo was used; by the Yin, that of hsü; and by the Châu, that of hsiang. As to the hsio, they belonged to the three dynasties, and by that name. The object of them all is to illustrate the human relations. When those are thus illustrated by superiors, kindly feeling will prevail among the inferior people below.
11. 'Should a real sovereign arise, he will certainly come and take an example from you; and thus you will be the teacher of the true sovereign.
12. 'It is said in the Book of Poetry,
Although Châu was an old country,
It received a new destiny."
--That is said with reference to king Wan. Do you practise those things with vigour, and you also will by them make new your kingdom.'
13. The duke afterwards sent Pî Chan to consult Mencius about the nine-squares system of dividing the land. Mencius said to him, 'Since your prince, wishing to put in practice a benevolent government, has made choice of you and put you into this employment, you must exert yourself to the utmost. Now, the first thing towards a benevolent government must be to lay down the boundaries. If the boundaries be not defined correctly, the division of the land into squares will not be equal, and the produce available for salaries will not be evenly distributed. On this account, oppressive rulers and impure ministers are sure to neglect this defining of the boundaries. When the boundaries have been defined correctly, the division of the fields and the regulation of allowances may be determined by you, sitting at your ease.
14. 'Although the territory of T'Ang is narrow and small, yet there must be in it men of a superior grade, and there must be in it country-men. If there were not men of a superior grade, there would be none to rule the country-men. If there were not country-men, there would be none to support the men of superior grade.
15. 'I would ask you, in the remoter districts, observing the nine-squares division, to reserve one division to be cultivated on the system of mutual aid, and in the more central parts of the kingdom, to make the people pay for themselves a tenth part of their produce.
16. 'From the highest officers down to the lowest, each one must have his holy field, consisting of fifty mâu.
17. 'Let the supernumerary males have their twenty-five mâu.
18. 'On occasions of death, or removal from one dwelling to another, there will be no quitting the district. In the fields of a district, those who belong to the same nine squares render all friendly offices to one another in their going out and coming in, aid one another in keeping watch and ward, and sustain one another in sickness. Thus the people are brought to live in affection and harmony.
19. 'A square lî covers nine squares of land, which nine squares contain nine hundred mâu. The central square is the public field, and eight families, each having its private hundred mâu, cultivate in common the public field. And not till the public work is finished, may they presume to attend to their private affairs. This is the way by which the country-men are distinguished from those of a superior grade.
20. 'Those are the great outlines of the system. Happily to modify and adapt it depends on the prince and you.'
[5.4]
有爲神農之言者許行，自楚之滕，踵門而吿文公曰：「遠方之人，聞君行仁政，願受一廛而爲氓。」文公與之處。其徒數十人，皆衣褐，捆屨織席以爲食。
陳良之徒陳相，與其弟辛，負耒耜而自宋之滕，曰：「聞君行聖人之政，是亦聖人也，願爲聖人氓。」
陳相見許行而大悅，盡棄其學而學焉。陳相見孟子，道許行之言曰：「滕君，則誠賢君也。雖然，未聞道也。賢者與民並耕而食，饔飧而治。今也滕有食廩府庫，則是厲民而以自養也。惡得賢！」
孟子曰：「許子必種粟而後食乎？」曰：「然。」「許子必織布而後衣乎？」曰：「否，許子衣褐。」「許子冠乎？」曰： 「冠。」曰：「奚冠？」曰：「冠素。」曰：「自織之與？」曰：「否，以粟易之。」曰：「許子奚爲不自織？」曰：「害於耕。」曰：「許子以釜甑爨，以鐵耕 乎？」曰：「然。」「自爲之與？」曰：「否，以粟易之。」
「以粟易械器者，不爲厲陶冶陶冶亦以其械器易粟者，豈爲厲農夫哉！且許子何;不爲陶冶，舍皆取諸其宮中而用之何爲紛紛然與百工交易，何許子之不憚煩！;」曰：「百工之事，固不可耕且爲也。」
「然則治天下獨可耕且爲與？有大人之事，有小人之事。且一人之身，而百工之所爲備。如必自爲而後用之，是率天下而路也！故曰：或勞心，或勞力勞心者治;人，勞力者治於人治於人者食人，治人者食於人，天下之通義也;。
「當堯之時，天下猶未平洪水橫流，氾濫於天下草木暢茂，禽獸繁殖，五穀不;;登禽獸偪人，獸蹄鳥跡之道，交於中國;。 堯獨憂之，擧舜而敷治焉。舜使益掌火，益烈山澤而焚之，禽獸逃匿。禹疏九河，瀹濟、漯，而注諸海決汝;、漢，排淮、泗，而注之江。然後中國可得而食也。當 是時也，禹八年於外，三過其門而不入雖欲耕，得乎？;
后稷教民稼穡，樹藝五穀，五穀熟而民人育。人之有道也飽食煖衣，逸居而無;教，則近於禽獸聖人有憂之，使契爲司徒，教 以人倫：父子有親，君臣有義，夫;婦有別，長幼有序，朋友有信。放勳曰：『勞之來之，匡之直之，輔之翼之，使自得之，又從而振德之。』聖人之憂民如此，而 暇耕乎？
「堯以不得舜爲己憂，舜以不得禹、臮陶爲己憂。夫以百畝之不易爲己憂者，農夫也。
「分人以財謂之惠，教人以善，謂之忠，爲天下得人者謂之仁。是故，以天下與人易，爲天下得人難。
「孔子曰：『大哉堯之爲君，惟天爲大，惟堯則之，蕩蕩乎民無能名焉。君哉舜也，巍巍乎有天下而不與焉。』堯、舜之治天下，豈無所用其心哉，亦不用於耕耳。
「吾聞用夏變夷者，未聞變於夷者也。陳良、楚產也悅周公;、仲尼之道，北學於中國北方之學者，未能或之先也：彼所謂豪傑之士也;。子之兄弟，事之數十年;師死，而遂位倍之。
「昔者孔子沒，三年之外，門人治任將歸：入揖於子貢，相嚮而哭，皆失聲，然後歸。子貢反，築室於場獨居三年，然後歸;。他日，子夏、子張、子游，以有若似聖人，欲以所事孔子事之，彊曾子。曾子曰：『不可。江、漢以濯之，秋陽以暴之，皜皜乎不可尚已！』
「今也南蠻鴃舌之人，非先王之道子倍子之師而學之，亦異於曾子矣;。
「吾聞出於幽谷，遷于喬木者未聞下喬木而入於幽谷者;。
「魯頌曰：『戌狄是膺荊、舒是懲。』周公方且膺之子是之學，亦爲不善變矣;。」
「從許子之道，則市賈不貳，國中無僞雖使五尺之童適市莫之或欺布帛長;;短同，則賈相若麻縷絲絮輕重同，則賈相若五穀多寡同，則賈相若屨大小;;;同，則賈相若。」
曰：「夫物之不齊，物之情也。或相倍蓰，或相什伯，或相千萬。子比而同之。是亂天下也。巨屨小屨同賈，人豈爲之哉！從許子之道，相率而爲僞者也，惡能治國家。」
1. There came from Ch'û to T'ang one Hsü Hsing, who gave out that he acted according to the words of Shan-nang. Coming right to his gate, he addressed the duke Wan, saying, 'A man of a distant region, I have heard that you, Prince, are practising a benevolent government, and I wish to receive a site for a house, and to become one of your people.' The duke Wan gave him a dwelling-place. His disciples, amounting to several tens, all wore clothes of haircloth, and made sandals of hemp and wove mats for a living.
2. At the same time, Ch'an Hsiang, a disciple of Ch'an Liang, and his younger brother, Hsin, with their plough-handles and shares on their backs, came from Sung to T'ang, saying, 'We have heard that you, Prince, are putting into practice the government of the ancient sages, showing that you are likewise a sage. We wish to become the subjects of a sage.'
3. When Ch'an Hsiang saw Hsü Hsing, he was greatly pleased with him, and, abandoning entirely whatever he had learned, became his disciple. Having an interview with Mencius, he related to him with approbation the words of Hsü Hsing to the following effect:-- 'The prince of T'ang is indeed a worthy prince. He has not yet heard, however, the real doctrines of antiquity. Now, wise and able princes should cultivate the ground equally and along with their people, and eat the fruit of their labour. They should prepare their own meals, morning and evening, while at the same time they carry on their government. But now, the prince of T'ang has his granaries, treasuries, and arsenals, which is an oppressing of the people to nourish himself. How can he be deemed a real worthy prince?'
4. Mencius said,'I suppose that Hsü Hsing sows grain and eats the produce. Is it not so?' 'It is so,' was the answer. 'I suppose also he weaves cloth, and wears his own manufacture. Is it not so?' 'No. Hsü wears clothes of haircloth.' 'Does he wear a cap?' 'He wears a cap.' 'What kind of cap?' 'A plain cap.' 'Is it woven by himself?' 'No. He gets it in exchange for grain.' 'Why does Hsü not weave it himself?' 'That would injure his husbandry.' 'Does Hsü cook his food in boilers and earthenware pans, and does he plough with an iron share?' 'Yes.' 'Does he make those articles himself?' 'No. He gets them in exchange for grain.'
5. Mencius then said, 'The getting those various articles in exchange for grain, is not oppressive to the potter and the founder, and the potter and the founder in their turn, in exchanging their various articles for grain, are not oppressive to the husbandman. How should such a thing be supposed? And moreover, why does not Hsü act the potter and founder, supplying himself with the articles which he uses solely from his own establishment? Why does he go confusedly dealing and exchanging with the handicraftsmen? Why does he not spare himself so much trouble?' Ch'an Hsiang replied, 'The business of the handicraftsman can by no means be carried on along with the business of husbandry.'
6. Mencius resumed, 'Then, is it the government of the kingdom which alone can be carried on along with the practice of husbandry? Great men have their proper business, and little men have their proper business. Moreover, in the case of any single individual, whatever articles he can require are ready to his hand, being produced by the various handicraftsmen:-- if he must first make them for his own use, this way of doing would keep all the people running about upon the roads. Hence, there is the saying, "Some labour with their minds, and some labour with their strength. Those who labour with their minds govern others; those who labour with their strength are governed by others. Those who are governed by others support them; those who govern others are supported by them." This is a principle universally recognised.
7. 'In the time of Yâo, when the world had not yet been perfectly reduced to order, the vast waters, flowing out of their channels, made a universal inundation. Vegetation was luxuriant, and birds and beasts swarmed. The various kinds of grain could not be grown. The birds and beasts pressed upon men. The paths marked by the feet of beasts and prints of birds crossed one another throughout the Middle Kingdom. To Yâo alone this caused anxious sorrow. He raised Shun to office, and measures to regulate the disorder were set forth. Shun committed to Yî the direction of the fire to be employed, and Yî set fire to, and consumed, the forests and vegetation on the mountains and in the marshes, so that the birds and beasts fled away to hide themselves. Yü separated the nine streams, cleared the courses of the Tsî and T'â, and led them all to the sea. He opened a vent also for the Zû and Han, and regulated the course of the Hwâ'i and Sze, so that they all flowed into the Chiang. When this was done, it became possible for the people of the Middle Kingdom to cultivate the ground and get food for themselves. During that time, Yü was eight years away from his home, and though he thrice passed the door of it, he did not enter. Although he had wished to cultivate the ground, could he have done so?'
8. 'The Minister of Agriculture taught the people to sow and reap, cultivating the five kinds of grain. When the five kinds of grain were brought to maturity, the people all obtained a subsistence. But men possess a moral nature; and if they are well fed, warmly clad, and comfortably lodged, without being taught at the same time, they become almost like the beasts. This was a subject of anxious solicitude to the sage Shun, and he appointed Hsieh to be the Minister of Instruction, to teach the relations of humanity:-- how, between father and son, there should be affection; between sovereign and minister, righteousness; between husband and wife, attention to their separate functions; between old and young, a proper order; and between friends, fidelity. The high meritorious sovereign said to him, "Encourage them; lead them on; rectify them; straighten them; help them; give them wings:-- thus causing them to become possessors of themselves. Then follow this up by stimulating them, and conferring benefits on them." When the sages were exercising their solicitude for the people in this way, had they leisure to cultivate the ground?
9. 'What Yâo felt giving him anxiety was the not getting Shun. What Shun felt giving him anxiety was the not getting Yü and Kâo Yâo. But he whose anxiety is about his hundred mâu not being properly cultivated, is a mere husbandman.
10. 'The imparting by a man to others of his wealth, is called "kindness." The teaching others what is good, is called "the exercise of fidelity." The finding a man who shall benefit the kingdom, is called "benevolence." Hence to give the throne to another man would be easy; to find a man who shall benefit the kingdom is difficult.
11. 'Confucius said, "Great indeed was Yâo as a sovereign. It is only Heaven that is great, and only Yâo corresponded to it. How vast was his virtue! The people could find no name for it. Princely indeed was Shun! How majestic was he, having possession of the kingdom, and yet seeming as if it were nothing to him!" In their governing the kingdom, were there no subjects on which Yâo and Shun employed their minds? There were subjects, only they did not employ their minds on the cultivation of the ground.
12. 'I have heard of men using the doctrines of our great land to change barbarians, but I have never yet heard of any being changed by barbarians. Ch'an Liang was a native of Ch'û. Pleased with the doctrines of Châu-kung and Chung-nE, he came northwards to the Middle Kingdom and studied them. Among the scholars of the northern regions, there was perhaps no one who excelled him. He was what you call a scholar of high and distinguished qualities. You and your brother followed him some tens of years, and when your master died, you forthwith turned away from him.
13. 'Formerly, when Confucius died, after three vears had elapsed, his disciples collected their baggage, and prepared to return to their several homes. But on entering to take their leave of Tsze-kung, as they looked towards one another, they wailed, till they all lost their voices. After this they returned to their homes, but Tsze-kung went back, and built a house for himself on the altar-ground, where he lived alone other three years, before he returned home. On another occasion, Tsze-hsiâ, Tsze-chang, and Tsze-yû, thinking that Yû Zo resembled the sage, wished to render to him the same observances which they had rendered to Confucius. They tried to force the disciple Tsang to join with them, but he said, "This may not be done. What has been washed in the waters of the Chiang and Han, and bleached in the autumn sun:-- how glistening is it! Nothing can be added to it."
14. 'Now here is this shrike-tongued barbarian of the south, whose doctrines are not those of the ancient kings. You turn away from your master and become his disciple. Your conduct is different indeed from that of the philosopher Tsang.
15. 'I have heard of birds leaving dark valleys to remove to lofty trees, but I have not heard of their descending from lofty trees to enter into dark valleys.
16. 'In the Praise-songs of Lû it is said,
"He smote the barbarians of the west and the north,
He punished Ching and Shû."
--Thus Châu-kung would be sure to smite them, and you become their disciple again; it appears that your change is not good.'
17. Ch'an Hsiang said, 'If Hsü's doctrines were followed, then there would not be two prices in the market, nor any deceit in the kingdom. If a boy of five cubits were sent to the market, no one would impose on him; linen and silk of the same length would be of the same price. So it would be with bundles of hemp and silk, being of the same weight; with the different kinds of grain, being the same in quantity; and with shoes which were of the same size.'
18. Mencius replied, 'It is the nature of things to be of unequal quality. Some are twice, some five times, some ten times, some a hundred times, some a thousand times, some ten thousand times as valuable as others. If you reduce them all to the same standard, that must throw the kingdom into confusion. If large shoes and small shoes were of the same price, who would make them? For people to follow the doctrines of Hsü, would be for them to lead one another on to practise deceit. How can they avail for the government of a State?'
[5.5]
墨者夷之，因徐辟而求見孟子。孟子曰：「吾固願見，今吾尚病病愈，我且往;見，夷子不來。」
他日，又求見孟子。孟子曰：「吾今則可以見矣。不直，則道不見，我且直之。吾聞夷子墨者墨之治喪也，以薄爲其道也夷子思以易天下，豈以爲非是而不貴;;也？然而夷子葬其親厚，則是以所賤事親也！」
徐子以吿夷子。夷子曰：「儒者之道，古之人若保赤子，此言何謂也？之則以爲愛無差等，施由親始。」徐子以吿孟子，孟子曰：「夫夷子信以爲人之親其兄之子，爲若親其鄰之赤子乎？彼有取爾也。赤子匍匐將入井，非赤子之罪也。且天之生物也，使之一本而夷子二本故也;。
「蓋上世嘗有不葬其親者：其親死，則擧而委之於壑。他日過之，狐狸食之，蠅蚋姑嘬之。其顙有泚，睨而不視。夫泚也，非爲人泚，中心達於面目。蓋歸，反虆梩而掩之。掩之誠是也，則孝子仁人之掩其親，亦必有道矣。」
徐子以吿夷子。夷子憮然爲間，曰：「命之矣！」
1. The Mohist, Î Chih, sought, through Hsü Pî, to see Mencius. Mencius said, 'I indeed wish to see him, but at present I am still unwell. When I am better, I will myself go and see him. He need not come here again.'
2. Next day, Î Chih again sought to see Mencius. Mencius said, 'To-day I am able to see him. But if I do not correct his errors, the true principles will not be fully evident. Let me first correct him. I have heard that this Î is a Mohist. Now Mo considers that in the regulation of funeral matters a spare simplicity should be the rule. Î thinks with Mo's doctrines to change the customs of the kingdom;-- how does he regard them as if they were wrong, and not honour them? Notwithstanding his views, Î buried his parents in a sumptuous manner, and so he served them in the way which his doctrines discountenance.'
3. The disciple Hsü informed Î of these remarks. Î said, 'Even according to the principles of the learned, we find that the ancients acted towards the people "as if they were watching over an infant." What does this expression mean? To me it sounds that we are to love all without difference of degree; but the manifestation of love must begin with our parents.' Hsü reported this reply to Mencius, who said, 'Now, does Î really think that a man's affection for the child of his brother is merely like his affection for the infant of a neighbour? What is to be approved in that expression is simply this:-- that if an infant crawling about is likely to fall into a well, it is no crime in the infant. Moreover, Heaven gives birth to creatures in such a way that they have one root, and Î makes them to have two roots. This is the cause of his error.
4. 'And, in the most ancient times, there were some who did not inter their parents. When their parents died, they took them up and threw them into some water-channel. Afterwards, when passing by them, they saw foxes and wild-cats devouring them, and flies and gnats biting at them. The perspiration started out upon their foreheads, and they looked away, unable to bear the sight. It was not on account of other people that this perspiration flowed. The emotions of their hearts affected their faces and eyes, and instantly they went home, and came back with baskets and spades and covered the bodies. If the covering them thus was indeed right, you may see that the filial son and virtuous man, in interring in a handsome manner their parents, act according to a proper rule.'
5. The disciple Hsü informed Î of what Mencius had said. Î was thoughtful for a short time, and then said, 'He has instructed me.'
滕文工下 Book III, Part II: T'ang Wan Kung
[6.1]
陳代曰：「不見諸侯，宜若小然。今一見之，大則以王，小則以霸。且志曰：『枉尺而直尋，』宜若可爲也。」
孟子曰：「昔齊景公田，招虞人以旌，不至，將殺之。『志士不忘在溝壑，勇士不忘喪其元。』孔子奚取焉？取非其招不往也。如不待其招而往，何哉！
「且夫枉尺而直尋者，以利言也。如以利，則枉尋直尺而利，亦可爲與？
「昔者趙簡子，使王良與嬖奚乘，終日而不獲一禽。嬖奚反命曰：『天下之賤工也。』或以吿王良。良曰：『請復之。』彊而 後可。一朝而獲十禽。嬖奚反命曰：『天下之良工也。』簡子曰：『我使掌與女乘。』謂王良，良不可，曰：『吾爲之範我馳驅，終日不獲一爲之詭遇，一朝而獲 十;。詩云：「不失其馳，舍矢如破。」我不貫與小人乘，請辭。』
「御者且羞與射者比比而得禽獸，雖若丘陵，弗爲也;。如枉道而從彼，何也！且子過矣：枉己者未有能直人者也。」
1. Ch'an Tâi said to Mencius, 'In not going to wait upon any of the princes, you seem to me to be standing on a small point. If now you were once to wait upon them, the result might be so great that you would make one of them sovereign, or, if smaller, that you would make one of them chief of all the other princes. Moreover, the History says, "By bending only one cubit, you make eight cubits straight." It appears to me like a thing which might be done.'
2. Mencius said, 'Formerly, the duke Ching of Ch'î, once when he was hunting, called his forester to him by a flag. The forester would not come, and the duke was going to kill him. With reference to this incident, Confucius said, "The determined officer never forgets that his end may be in a ditch or a stream; the brave officer never forgets that he may lose his head." What was it in the forester that Confucius thus approved? He approved his not going to the duke, when summoned by the article which was not appropriate to him. If one go to see the princes without waiting to be invited, what can be thought of him?
3. 'Moreover, that sentence, "By bending only one cubit, you make eight cubits straight," is spoken with reference to the gain that may be got. If gain be the object, then, if it can be got by bending eight cubits to make one cubit straight, may we likewise do that?
4. 'Formerly, the officer Châo Chien made Wang Liang act as charioteer for his favourite Hsî, when, in the course of a whole day, they did not get a single bird. The favourite Hsî reported this result, saying, "He is the poorest charioteer in the world." Some one told this to Wang Liang, who said, "I beg leave to try again." By dint of pressing, this was accorded to him, when in one morning they got ten birds. The favourite, reporting this result, said, "He is the best charioteer in the world." Chien said, "I will make him always drive your chariot for you." When he told Wang Liang so, however, Liang refused, saying, "I drove for him, strictly observing the proper rules for driving, and in the whole day he did not get one bird. I drove for him so as deceitfully to intercept the birds, and in one morning he got ten. It is said in the Book of Poetry,
'There is no failure in the management of their horses;
The arrows are discharged surely, like the blows of an axe.'
--I am not accustomed to drive for a mean man. I beg leave to decline the office."
5. 'Thus this charioteer even was ashamed to bend improperly to the will of such an archer. Though, by bending to it, they would have caught birds and animals sufficient to form a hill, he would not do so. If I were to bend my principles and follow those princes, of what kind would my conduct be? And you are wrong. Never has a man who has bent himself been able to make others straight.'
[6.2]
景春曰：「公孫衍、張儀，豈不誠大丈夫哉！一怒而諸侯懼，安居而天下熄。」
孟子曰：「是焉得爲大丈夫乎！子未學禮乎？丈夫之冠也，父命之女子之嫁也，;
母命之。往送之門，戒之曰：『往之女家，必敬必戒，無違夫子。』以順爲正者，妾婦之道也。
「居天下之廣居，立天下之正位，行天下之大道得志與民由之，不得志獨行其;道富貴不能淫，貧賤不能移，威武不能屈：此之謂大丈夫;。」
1. Ching Ch'un said to Mencius, 'Are not Kung-sun Yen and Chang Î really great men? Let them once be angry, and all the princes are afraid. Let them live quietly, and the flames of trouble are extinguished throughout the kingdom.'
2. Mencius said, 'How can such men be great men? Have you not read the Ritual Usages?-- "At the capping of a young man, his father admonishes him. At the marrying away of a young woman, her mother admonishes her, accompanying her to the door on her leaving, and cautioning her with these words, 'You are going to your home. You must be respectful; you must be careful. Do not disobey your husband.'" Thus, to look upon compliance as their correct course is the rule for women.
3. 'To dwell in the wide house of the world, to stand in the correct seat of the world, and to walk in the great path of the world; when he obtains his desire for office, to practise his principles for the good of the people; and when that desire is disappointed, to practise them alone; to be above the power of riches and honours to make dissipated, of poverty and mean condition to make swerve from principle, and of power and force to make bend:-- these characteristics constitute the great man.'
[6.3]
周霄問曰：「古之君子仕乎？」孟子曰：「仕。傳曰：『孔子三月無君則皇皇如也。出疆必載質。』公明儀曰：『古之人三月無君則弔。』」
「三月無君則弔，不以急乎？」
曰：「士之失位也，猶諸侯之失國家也，禮曰：『諸侯耕助以供粢盛，夫人蠶繅以爲衣服。』犧牲不成，粢盛不潔，衣服不備，不敢以祭。『惟士無田，則亦不祭。』牲殺、器血、衣服不備，不敢以祭，則不敢以宴亦不足弔乎？;」
「出疆必載質，何也？」
曰：「士之仕也，猶農夫之耕也農夫豈爲出疆舍其耒耜哉！;」
曰：「晉國亦仕國也，未嘗聞仕如此其急仕如此其急也，君子之難仕，何也？;」曰：「丈夫生而願爲之有室，女子生而願爲 之有家父母之心，人皆有之不待父;;母之命，媒妁之言，鑽穴隙相窺，踰牆相從，則父母國人皆賤之。古之人未嘗不欲仕也，又惡不由其道不由其道而往者，與鑽 穴隙之類也;。」
1. Châu Hsiâo asked Mencius, saying, 'Did superior men of old time take office?' Mencius replied, 'They did. The Record says, "If Confucius was three months without being employed by some ruler, he looked anxious and unhappy. When he passed from the boundary of a State, he was sure to carry with him his proper gift of introduction." Kung-ming Î said, "Among the ancients, if an officer was three months unemployed by a ruler, he was condoled with."'
2. Hsiâo said, 'Did not this condoling, on being three months unemployed by a ruler, show a too great urgency?'
3. Mencius answered, 'The loss of his place to an officer is like the loss of his State to a prince. It is said in the Book of Rites, "A prince ploughs himself, and is assisted by the people, to supply the millet for sacrifice. His wife keeps silkworms, and unwinds their cocoons, to make the garments for sacrifice." If the victims be not perfect, the millet not pure, and the dress not complete, he does not presume to sacrifice. "And the scholar who, out of office, has no holy field, in the same way, does not sacrifice. The victims for slaughter, the vessels, and the garments, not being all complete, he does not presume to sacrifice, and then neither may he dare to feel happy." Is there not here sufficient ground also for condolence?'
4. Hsiâo again asked, 'What was the meaning of Confucius's always carrying his proper gift of introduction with him, when he passed over the boundaries of the State where he had been?'
5. 'An officer's being in office,' was the reply, 'is like the ploughing of a husbandman. Does a husbandman part with his plough, because he goes from one State to another?'
6. Hsiâo pursued, 'The kingdom of Tsin is one, as well as others, of official employments, but I have not heard of anyone being thus earnest about being in office. If there should be this urge why does a superior man make any difficulty about taking it?' Mencius answered, 'When a son is born, what is desired for him is that he may have a wife; when a daughter is born, what is desired for her is that she may have a husband. This feeling of the parents is possessed by all men. If the young people, without waiting for the orders of their parents, and the arrangements of the go-betweens, shall bore holes to steal a sight of each other, or get over the wall to be with each other, then their parents and all other people will despise them. The ancients did indeed always desire to be in office, but they also hated being so by any improper way. To seek office by an improper way is of a class with young people's boring holes.'
[6.4]
彭更問曰：「後車數十承，從者數百人，以傳食於諸侯，不以泰乎？」孟子曰：「非其道，則一簞食不可受於人如其道，則舜受堯之天下，不以爲泰;—子以爲泰乎？」
曰：「否，士無事而食，不可也。」
曰：「子不通功易事，以羡補不足，則農有餘粟，女有餘布子如通之，則梓匠輪;輿，皆得食於子。於此有人焉：入則孝，出則悌守先王之道，以待後之學者而;;不得食於子。子何尊梓匠輪輿而輕仁義者哉！」
曰：「梓匠輪輿，其志將以求食也。君子之爲道也，其志亦將以求食與？」曰：「子何以其志爲哉！其有功於子，可食而食之矣。且子食志乎？食功乎？」曰：「食志。」
曰：「有人於此，毀瓦畫墁，其志將以求食也，則子食之乎？」曰：「否。」曰：「然則子非食志也，食功也。」
1. P'ang Kang asked Mencius, saying, 'Is it not an extravagant procedure to go from one prince to another and live upon them, followed by several tens of carriages, and attended by several hundred men?' Mencius replied, 'If there be not a proper ground for taking it, a single bamboo-cup of rice may not be received from a man. If there be such a proper ground, then Shun's receiving the kingdom from Yâo is not to be considered excessive. Do you think it was excessive?'
2. Kang said, 'No. But for a scholar performing no service to receive his support notwithstanding is improper.'
3. Mencius answered, 'If you do not have an intercommunication of the productions of labour, and an interchange of men's services, so that one from his overplus may supply the deficiency of another, then husbandmen will have a superfluity of grain, and women will have a superfluity of cloth. If you have such an interchange, carpenters and carriage-wrights may all get their food from you. Here now is a man, who, at home, is filial, and abroad, respectful to his elders; who watches over the principles of the ancient kings, awaiting the rise of future learners:-- and yet you will refuse to support him. How is it that you give honour to the carpenter and carriage-wright, and slight him who practises benevolence and righteousness?'
4. P'ang Kang said, 'The aim of the carpenter and carriagewright is by their trades to seek for a living. Is it also the aim of the superior man in his practice of principles thereby to seek for a living?' 'What have you to do,' returned Mencius, 'with his purpose? He is of service to you. He deserves to be supported, and should be supported. And let me ask,-- Do you remunerate a man's intention, or do you remunerate his service.' To this Kang replied, 'I remunerate his intention.'
5. Mencius said, 'There is a man here, who breaks your tiles, and draws unsightly figures on your walls;-- his purpose may be thereby to seek for his living, but will you indeed remunerate him?' 'No,' said Kang; and Mencius then concluded, 'That being the case, it is not the purpose which you remunerate, but the work done.'
[6.5]
萬章問曰：「宋，小國也，今將行王政齊;、楚惡而伐之，則如之何？」
孟子曰：「湯居亳，與葛爲鄰。葛伯放而不祀，湯使人問之曰：『何爲不祀？』曰：『無以供犧牲也。』湯使遺之牛羊，葛伯 食之，又不以祀。湯又使人問之曰：『何爲不祀？』曰：『無以供粢盛也。』湯使亳衆往爲之耕，老弱饋食葛伯率其;民要其有酒食黍稻者奪之，不授者殺之有童子 以黍肉餉;。殺而奪之。書曰：『葛伯仇餉。』此之謂也。
「爲其殺是童子而征之四海之內，皆曰：;『非富天下也，爲匹夫匹婦復讎也。』
「湯始征，自葛載十一征而無敵於天下;。東面而征，四夷怨，南面而征，北狄怨，曰：『奚爲後我？』民之望之，若大早之望雨也歸市者弗止，芸者不變誅;;其君，弔其民，如時雨降，民大悅。書曰：『徯我后，后來其無罰。』
「『有攸不爲臣，東征，綏厥士女，匪厥玄黃，紹我周王見休，惟臣附於大邑周。』其君子實玄黃於匪以迎其君子，其小人簞食壺漿以迎其小人。救民於水火之中，取其殘而已矣。
「太誓曰：『我武惟揚，侵于之疆，則取于殘，殺伐用張，于湯有光。』
「不行王政云爾，茍行王政，四海之內，皆擧首而望之，欲以爲君齊;、楚雖大，何畏焉。」
1. Wan Chang asked Mencius, saying, 'Sung is a small State. Its ruler is now setting about to practise the true royal government, and Ch'î and Ch'û hate and attack him. What in this case is to be done?'
2. Mencius replied, 'When T'ang dwelt in Po, he adjoined to the State of Ko, the chief of which was living in a dissolute state and neglecting his proper sacrifices. T'ang sent messengers to inquire why he did not sacrifice. He replied, "I have no means of supplying the necessary victims." On this, T'ang caused oxen and sheep to be sent to him, but he ate them, and still continued not to sacrifice. T'ang again sent messengers to ask him the same question as before, when he replied, "I have no means of obtaining the necessary millet." On this, T'ang sent the mass of the people of Po to go and till the ground for him, while the old and feeble carried their food to them. The chief of Ko led his people to intercept those who were thus charged with wine, cooked rice, millet, and paddy, and took their stores from them, while they killed those who refused to give them up. There was a boy who had some millet and flesh for the labourers, who was thus slain and robbed. What is said in the Book of History, "The chief of Ko behaved as an enemy to the provision-carriers," has reference to this.
3. 'Because of his murder of this boy, T'ang proceeded to punish him. All within the four seas said, "It is not because he desires the riches of the kingdom, but to avenge a common man and woman."
4. 'When T'ang began his work of executing justice, he commenced with Ko, and though he made eleven punitive expeditions, he had not an enemy in the kingdom. When he pursued his work in the east, the rude tribes in the west murmured. So did those on the north, when he was engaged in the south. Their cry was-- "Why does he make us last." Thus, the people's longing for him was like their longing for rain in a time of great drought. The frequenters of the markets stopped not. Those engaged in weeding in the fields made no change in their operations. While he punished their rulers, he consoled the people. His progress was like the falling of opportune rain, and the people were delighted. It is said in the Book of History, "We have waited for our prince. When our prince comes, we may escape from the punishments under which we suffer."
5. 'There being some who would not become the subjects of Châu, king Wû proceeded to punish them on the east. He gave tranquillity to their people, who welcomed him with baskets full of their black and yellow silks, saying-- "From henceforth we shall serve the sovereign of our dynasty of Châu, that we may be made happy by him." So they joined themselves, as subjects, to the great city of Châu. Thus, the men of station of Shang took baskets full of black and yellow silks to meet the men of station of Châu, and the lower classes of the one met those of the other with baskets of rice and vessels of congee. Wû saved the people from the midst of fire and water, seizing only their oppressors, and destroying them.'
6. 'In the Great Declaration it is said, "My power shall be put forth, and, invading the territories of Shang, I will seize the oppressor. I will put him to death to punish him:-- so shall the greatness of my work appear, more glorious than that of T'ang."
7. 'Sung is not, as you say, practising true royal government, and so forth. If it were practising royal government, all within the four seas would be lifting up their heads, and looking for its prince, wishing to have him for their sovereign. Great as Ch'î and Ch'û are, what would there be to fear from them?'
[6.6]
孟子謂戴不勝曰：「子欲子之王之善與？我明吿子。有楚大夫於此，欲其子之齊語也則使齊人傳諸？使楚人傳諸？;」曰：「使齊人傳之。」曰：「一齊人傳之，衆楚人咻之雖日撻而求其齊也，不可得矣;。引而置之莊嶽之間，數年雖日撻而求;其楚，亦不可得矣。
「子謂薛居州，善士也，使之居於王所。在於王所者，長幼卑尊，皆薛居州也，王誰與爲不善？在王所者，長幼卑尊，皆非薛居州也，王誰與爲善？一薛居州，獨如宋王何？」
1. Mencius said to Tâi Pû-shang, 'I see that you are desiring your king to be virtuous, and will plainly tell you how he may be made so. Suppose that there is a great officer of Ch'û here, who wishes his son to learn the speech of Ch'î. Will he in that case employ a man of Ch'î as his tutor, or a man of Ch'û?' 'He will employ a man of Ch'î to teach him,' said Pû-shang. Mencius went on, 'If but one man of Ch'î be teaching him, and there be a multitude of men of Ch'û continually shouting out about him, although his father beat him every day, wishing him to learn the speech of Ch'î, it will be impossible for him to do so. But in the same way, if he were to be taken and placed for several years in Chwang or Yo, though his father should beat him, wishing him to speak the language of Ch'û, it would be impossible for him to do so.
2. 'You supposed that Hsieh Chü-châu was a scholar of virtue, and you have got him placed in attendance on the king. Suppose that all in attendance on the king, old and young, high and low, were Hsieh Chü-châus, whom would the king have to do evil with? And suppose that all in attendance on the king, old and young, high and low, are not Hsieh Chü-châus, whom will the king gave to do good with? What can one Hsieh Chü-châu do alone for the king of Sung?'
[6.7]
公孫丑問曰：「不見諸侯，何義？」孟子曰：「古者不爲臣不見。
「段干木踰垣而辟之，泄柳閉門而不內，是街已甚迫，斯可以見矣;。
「陽貨欲見孔子而惡無禮大夫有賜於士，不得受於其家，則往拜其門陽貨矙孔;;子之亡也，而饋孔子蒸豚孔子亦矙其亡也，而往拜之當是時，陽貨先，豈得不;;見！
「曾子曰：『脅肩諂笑，病于夏畦。』子路曰：『未同而言，觀其色赧赧然，非由之所之也。』由是觀之，則君子之所養，可之已矣。」
1. Kung-sun Châu asked Mencius, saying, 'What is the point of righteousness involved in your not going to see the princes?' Mencius replied, 'Among the ancients, if one had not een a minister in a State, he did not go to see the sovereign.
2. 'Twan Kan-mû leaped over his wall to avoid the prince. Hsieh Liû shut his door, and would not admit the prince. These two, however, carried their scrupulosity to excess. When a prince is urgent, it is not improper to see him.
3. 'Yang Ho wished to get Confucius to go to see him, but disliked doing so by any want of propriety. As it is the rule, therefore, that when a great officer sends a gift to a scholar, if the latter be not at home to receive it, he must go to the officer's to pay his respects, Yang Ho watched when Confucius was out, and sent him a roasted pig. Confucius, in his turn, watched when Ho was out, and went to pay his respects to him. At that time, Yang Ho had taken the initiative;-- how could Confucius decline going to see him?
4. 'Tsang-tsze said, "They who shrug up their shoulders, and laugh in a flattering way, toil harder than the summer labourer in the fields." Tsze-lû said, "There are those who talk with people with whom they have no great community of feeling. If you look at their countenances, they are full of blushes. I do not desire to know such persons." By considering these remarks, the spirit which the superior man nourishes may be known.'
[6.8]
戴盈之曰：「什一，去關市之征，今茲未能請輕之，以待來年然後已，何如？;」
孟子曰：「今有人日攘其鄰之雞者，或吿之曰：『是非君子之道。』曰：『請損之，月攘一雞，以待來年然後已。』
「如知其非義，斯速已矣，何待來年！」
1. Tâi Ying-chih said to Mencius, 'I am not able at present and immediately to do with the levying of a tithe only, and abolishing the duties charged at the passes and in the markets. With your leave I will lighten, however, both the tax and the duties, until next year, and will then make an end of them. What do you think of such a course?'
2. Mencius said, 'Here is a man, who every day appropriates some of his neighbour's strayed fowls. Some one says to him, "Such is not the way of a good man;" and he replies, "With your leave I will diminish my appropriations, and will take only one fowl a month, until next year, when I will make an end of the practice."
3. 'If you know that the thing is unrighteous, then use all despatch in putting an end to it:-- why wait till next year?'
[6.9]
公都子曰：「外人皆稱夫子好辯，敢問何也？」孟子曰：「豫豈好辯哉？豫不得已也。
「天下之生久矣一治一亂;。
「當堯之時，水逆行，氾濫於中國蛇龍居之，民無所定下者爲巢，上者爲營;;窟。書曰：『洚水警余。』洚水者，洪水也。
「使禹治之。禹掘地而注之海，驅蛇龍而放之菹水由地中行，江;、淮、河、漢是也。險阻旣遠，鳥獸之害人者消然後人得平土而居之;。
「堯、舜旣沒，聖人之道衰，暴君代作壞宮室以爲汙池，民無所安息棄田以爲;;園囿，使民不得衣食邪說暴行又作園囿汙池，沛澤多而禽獸至;;。及紂之身，天下又大亂。
「周公相武王，誅紂伐奄三年討其君，驅飛廉於海隅而戮之滅國者五十，區虎;;豹犀象而遠之：天下大悅。書曰：『丕顯哉文王謨，丕承哉武王烈佑啟我後人，;咸以正無缺。』
「世衰道微，邪說暴行有作臣弒其君者有之，子弒其父者有之;。
「孔子懼，作春秋，春秋，天子之事也。是故，孔子曰：『知我者其惟春秋乎！罪我者其惟春秋乎！』
「聖王不作，諸侯放恣。處士橫議，楊朱、墨翟之言盈天下天下之言，不歸楊則;歸墨。楊氏爲我，是無君也墨氏兼愛，是無 父也無父無君，是禽獸也;;。公明儀曰：『庖有肥肉，廐有肥馬民有飢色，野有餓莩：此率獸而食人也;。』楊、墨之道不息，孔子之道不著：是邪說誣民，充塞 仁義也。仁義充塞，則率獸食人，人將相食。
「五爲此懼。閑先聖之道，距楊、墨放淫辭，邪說者不得作;。作於其心，害於其事作於其事，害於其政;。聖人復起，不易吾言矣。
「昔者禹抑洪水，而天下平周公兼夷狄，驅猛獸，而百姓寧孔子成春秋，而亂;;臣賊子懼。
「詩云：『戌狄是膺，荊、舒是懲，則莫我敢承。』無父無君，是周公所膺也。
「我亦欲正人心，息邪說，距詖行，放淫辭，以承三聖者。豈好辯哉！豫不得已也。
「能言距楊、墨者，聖人之徒也。」
1. The disciple Kung-tû said to Mencius, 'Master, the people beyond our school all speak of you as being fond of disputing. I venture to ask whether it be so.' Mencius replied, 'Indeed, I am not fond of disputing, but I am compelled to do it.
2. 'A long time has elapsed since this world of men received its being, and there has been along its history now a period of good order, and now a period of confusion.
3. 'In the time of Yâo, the waters, flowing out of their channels, inundated the Middle Kingdom. Snakes and dragons occupied it, and the people had no place where they could settle themselves. In the low grounds they made nests for themselves on the trees or raised platforms, and in the high grounds they made caves. It is said in the Book of History, "The waters in their wild course warned me." Those "waters in their wild course" were the waters of the great inundation.
4. 'Shun employed Yü to reduce the waters to order. Yü dug open their obstructed channels, and conducted them to the sea. He drove away the snakes and dragons, and forced them into the grassy marshes. On this, the waters pursued their course through the country, even the waters of the Chiang, the Hwâi, the Ho, and the Han, and the dangers and obstructions which they had occasioned were removed. The birds and beasts which had injured the people also disappeared, and after this men found the plains available for them, and occupied them.
5. 'After the death of Yâo and Shun, the principles that mark sages fell into decay. Oppressive sovereigns arose one after another, who pulled down houses to make ponds and lakes, so that the people knew not where they could rest in quiet; they threw fields out of cultivation to form gardens and parks, so that the people could not get clothes and food. Afterwards, corrupt speakings and oppressive deeds became more rife; gardens and parks, ponds and lakes, thickets and marshes became more numerous, and birds and beasts swarmed. By the time of the tyrant Châu, the kingdom was again in a state of great confusion.
6. 'Châu-kung assisted king Wû, and destroyed Châu. He smote Yen, and after three years put its sovereign to death. He drove Fei-lien to a corner by the sea, and slew him. The States which he extinguished amounted to fifty. He drove far away also the tigers, leopards, rhinoceroses, and elephants;-- and all the people was greatly delighted. It is said in the Book of History, "Great and splendid were the plans of king Wan! Greatly were they carried out by the energy of king Wû! They are for the assistance and instruction of us who are of an after day. They are all in principle correct, and deficient in nothing."
7. 'Again the world fell into decay, and principles faded away. Perverse speakings and oppressive deeds waxed rife again. There were instances of ministers who murdered their sovereigns, and of sons who murdered their fathers.
8. 'Confucius was afraid, and made the "Spring and Autumn." What the "Spring and Autumn" contains are matters proper to the sovereign. On this account Confucius said, "Yes! It is the Spring and Autumn which will make men know me, and it is the Spring and Autumn which will make men condemn me."
9. 'Once more, sage sovereigns cease to arise, and the princes of the States give the reins to their lusts. Unemployed scholars indulge in unreasonable discussions. The words of Yang Chû and Mo Tî fill the country. If you listen to people's discourses throughout it, you will find that they have adopted the views either of Yang or of Mo. Now, Yang's principle is-- "each one for himself," which does not acknowledge the claims of the sovereign. Mo's principle is-- "to love all equally," which does not acknowledge the peculiar affection due to a father. But to acknowledge neither king nor father is to be in the state of a beast. Kung-ming Î said, "In their kitchens, there is fat meat. In their stables, there are fat horses. But their people have the look of hunger, and on the wilds there are those who have died of famine. This is leading on beasts to devour men." If the principles of Yang and Mo be not stopped, and the principles of Confucius not set forth, then those perverse speakings will delude the people, and stop up the path of benevolence and righteousness. When benevolence and righteousness are stopped up, beasts will be led on to devour men, and men will devour one another.
10. 'I am alarmed by these things, and address myself to the defence of the doctrines of the former sages, and to oppose Yang and Mo. I drive away their licentious expressions, so that such perverse speakers may not be able to show themselves. Their delusions spring up in men's minds, and do injury to their practice of affairs. Shown in their practice of affairs, they are pernicious to their government. When sages shall rise up again, they will not change my words.
11. 'In former times, Yü repressed the vast waters of the inundation, and the country was reduced to order. Châu-kung's achievements extended even to the barbarous tribes of the east and north, and he drove away all ferocious animals, and the people enjoyed repose. Confucius completed the "Spring and Autumn," and rebellious ministers and villainous sons were struck with terror.
12. 'It is said in the Book of Poetry,
"He smote the barbarians of the west and the north;
He punished Ching and Shû
And no one dared to resist us."
--These father-deniers and king-deniers would have been smitten by Châu-kung.
13. 'I also wish to rectify men's hearts, and to put an end to those perverse doctrines, to oppose their one-sided actions and banish away their licentious expressions;-- and thus to carry on the work of the three sages. Do I do so because I am fond of disputing? I am compelled to do it.
14. 'Whoever is able to oppose Yang and Mo is a disciple of the sages.'
[6.10]
匡章曰：「陳仲子，豈不誠廉士哉！居於陵、三日不食，耳無聞，目無見也井上;有李，螬食實者過半矣，匍匐往將食之，三咽，然後耳有聞，目有見。」
孟子曰：「於齊國之士，吾必以仲子爲巨擘焉。雖然，仲子惡能廉充仲子之操，;則蚓而後可者也。
「夫蚓，上食槁壤，下飮黃泉。仲子所居之室，伯夷之所築與？抑亦盜跖之所築與？所食之粟，伯夷之所樹與？抑亦盜跖之所樹與？是未可知也。」
曰：「是何傷哉！彼身織屨，妻辟纑，以易之也。」
曰：「仲子，齊之世家也。兄載，蓋祿萬鍾，以兄之祿爲不義之祿而不食也，以兄之室爲不義之室而不居也辟兄離母，處於於陵;。他日歸，則有饋其兄生鵝者。己頻顣曰：『惡用是鶃鶃者爲哉！』他日，其母殺是鵝也，與之食之，其兄自外至，曰：『是鶃鶃之肉也！』出而哇之。
「以母則不食。以妻則食之，以兄之室則弗居，以於陵則居之：是尚爲能充其類也乎？若仲子者，蚓而後充其操者也！」
1. K'wang Chang said to Mencius, 'Is not Ch'an Chung a man of true self-denying purity? He was living in Wû-ling, and for three days was without food, till he could neither hear nor see. Over a well there grew a plum-tree, the fruit of which had been more than half eaten by worms. He crawled to it, and tried to eat some of the fruit, when, after swallowing three mouthfuls, he recovered his sight and hearing.'
2. Mencius replied, 'Among the scholars of Ch'î, I must regard Chung as the thumb among the fingers. But still, where is the self-denying purity he pretends to? To carry out the principles which he holds, one must become an earthworm, for so only can it be done.
3. 'Now, an earthworm eats the dry mould above, and drinks the yellow spring below. Was the house in which Chung dwells built by a Po-î? or was it built by a robber like Chih? Was the millet which he eats planted by a Po-î? or was it planted by a robber like Chih? These are things which cannot be known.'
4. 'But,' said Chang, 'what does that matter? He himself weaves sandals of hemp, and his wife twists and dresses threads of hemp to sell or exchange them.'
5. Mencius rejoined, 'Chung belongs to an ancient and noble family of Ch'î. His elder brother Tâi received from Kâ a revenue of 10,000 chung, but he considered his brother's emolument to be unrighteous, and would not eat of it, and in the same way he considered his brother's house to be unrighteous, and would not dwell in it. Avoiding his brother and leaving his mother, he went and dwelt in Wû-ling. One day afterwards, he returned to their house, when it happened that some one sent his brother a present of a live goose. He, knitting his eyebrows, said, "What are you going to use that cackling thing for?" By-and-by his mother killed the goose, and gave him some of it to eat. Just then his brother came into the house, and said, "It is the flesh of that cackling thing," upon which he went out and vomited it.
6. 'Thus, what his mother gave him he would not eat, but what his wife gives him he eats. He will not dwell in his brother's house, but he dwells in Wû-ling. How can he in such circumstances complete the style of life which he professes? With such principles as Chung holds, a man must be an earthworm, and then he can carry them out.'
離婁上 Book IV, Part I: Li Lau
[7.1]
孟子曰：「離婁之明，公輸子之巧，不以規矩，不能成方圓師曠之聰，不以六;律，不能正五音堯;、舜之道，不以仁政，不能平治天下。
「今有仁心仁聞，而民不被其澤，不可法於後世者，不行先王之道也。
「故曰：徒善不足以爲政。徒法不能以自行。
「詩云：『不愆不忘，率由舊章。』遵先王之法而過者，未之有也。
「聖人旣竭目力焉，繼之以規矩準繩以爲方員平直，不可勝用也;。旣竭耳力焉，繼之以六律，正五音，不可勝用也。旣竭心思焉，繼之以不忍人之政而仁覆天下;矣。
「故曰：爲高必因丘陵，爲下必因川澤。爲政不因先王之道，可謂智乎？
「是以惟仁者，宜在高位，不仁而在高位，是播其惡於衆也。
「上無道揆也，下無法守也朝不信道，工不信度君子犯義，小人犯刑：國之所;;存者，幸也。
「故曰：城郭不完，兵甲不多，非國之災也田野不辟，貨財不聚，非國之害也;;上無禮，下無學，賊民興，喪無日矣。
「詩云：『天之方蹶，無然泄泄。』
「泄泄、猶沓沓也。
「事君無義，進退無禮，言則非先王之道者，猶沓沓也。
「故曰：靑難於君謂之恭，陳善閉邪謂之敬，吾君不能謂之賊。」
1. Mencius said, 'The power of vision of Lî Lâu, and skill of hand of Kung-shû, without the compass and square, could not form squares and circles. The acute ear of the music-master K'wang, without the pitch-tubes, could not determine correctly the five notes. The principles of Yâo and Shun, without a benevolent government, could not secure the tranquil order of the kingdom.
2. 'There are now princes who have benevolent hearts and a reputation for benevolence, while yet the people do not receive any benefits from them, nor will they leave any example to future ages;-- all because they do not put into practice the ways of the ancient kings.
3. 'Hence we have the saying:-- "Virtue alone is not sufficient for the exercise of government; laws alone cannot carry themselves into practice."
4. It is said in the Book of Poetry,
"Without transgression, without forgetfulness,
Following the ancient statutes."
--Never has any one fallen into error, who followed the laws of the ancient kings.
5. 'When the sages had used the vigour of their eyes, they called in to their aid the compass, the square, the level, and the line, to make things square, round, level, and straight:-- the use of the instruments is inexhaustible. When they had used their power of hearing to the utmost, they called in the pitch-tubes to their aid to determine the five notes:-- the use of those tubes is inexhaustible. When they had exerted to the utmost the thoughts of their hearts, they called in to their aid a government that could not endure to witness the sufferings of men:-- and their benevolence overspread the kingdom.
6. 'Hence we have the saying:-- "To raise a thing high, we must begin from the top of a mound or a hill; to dig to a great depth, we must commence in the low ground of a stream or a marsh." Can he be pronounced wise, who, in the exercise of government, does not proceed according to the ways of the former kings?
7. 'Therefore only the benevolent ought to be in high stations. When a man destitute of benevolence is in a high station, he thereby disseminates his wickedness among all below him.
8. 'When the prince has no principles by which he examines his administration, and his ministers have no laws by which they keep themselves in the discharge of their duties, then in the court obedience is not paid to principle, and in the office obedience is not paid to rule. Superiors violate the laws of righteousness, and inferiors violate the penal laws. It is only by a fortunate chance that a State in such a case is preserved.
9. 'Therefore it is said, "It is not the exterior and interior walls being incomplete, and the supply of weapons offensive and defensive not being large, which constitutes the calamity of a kingdom. It is not the cultivable area not being extended, and stores and wealth not being accumulated, which occasions the ruin of a State." When superiors do not observe the rules of propriety, and inferiors do not learn, then seditious people spring up, and that State will perish in no time.
10. 'It is said in the Book of Poetry,
"When such an overthrow of Châu is being produced by Heaven,
Be not ye so much at your ease!"
11. '" At your ease;"-- that is, dilatory.
12. 'And so dilatory may those officers be deemed, who serve their prince without righteousness, who take office and retire from it without regard to propriety, and who in their words disown the ways of the ancient kings.
13. 'Therefore it is said, "To urge one's sovereign to difficult achievements may be called showing respect for him. To set before him what is good and repress his perversities may be called showing reverence for him. He who does not do these things, saying to himself,-- My sovereign is incompetent to this, may be said to play the thief with him."'
[7.2]
孟子曰：「規矩，方員之至也聖人，人倫之至也;。
「欲爲君盡君道，欲爲臣盡臣道：二者皆法堯、舜而已矣。不以舜之所以事堯事君，不敬其君者也，不以堯之所以治民治民，賊其民者也。
「孔子曰：『道二：仁與不仁而已矣。』
「暴其民甚，則身弒國亡不甚，則身危國削;。名之曰『幽厲，』雖孝子慈孫，百世不能改也。
「詩云：『殷鑒不遠，在夏后之世。』此之謂也。」
1. Mencius said, 'The compass and square produce perfect circles and squares. By the sages, the human relations are perfectly exhibited.
2. 'He who as a sovereign would perfectly discharge the duties of a sovereign, and he who as a minister would perfectly discharge the duties of a minister, have only to imitate-- the one Yâo, and the other Shun. He who does not serve his sovereign as Shun served Yâo, does not respect his sovereign; and he who does not rule his people as Yâo ruled his, injures his people.
3. 'Confucius said, "There are but two courses, which can be pursued, that of virtue and its opposite."
4. 'A ruler who carries the oppression of his people to the highest pitch, will himself be slain, and his kingdom will perish. If one stop short of the highest pitch, his life will notwithstanding be in danger, and his kingdom will be weakened. He will be styled "The Dark," or "The Cruel," and though he may have filial sons and affectionate grandsons, they will not be able in a hundred generations to change the designation.
5. 'This is what is intended in the words of the Book of Poetry,
"The beacon of Yin is not remote,
It is in the time of the (last) sovereign of Hsiâ."'
[7.3]
孟子曰：「三代之得天下也以仁，其失天下也以不仁。
「國之所以廢興存亡者亦然。
「天子不仁，不保四海諸侯不仁，不保社稷卿大夫不仁，不保完廟士庶人不;;;仁，不保四體。
「今惡死亡而樂不仁，是猶惡醉而強酒。」
1. Mencius said, 'It was by benevolence that the three dynasties gained the throne, and by not being benevolent that they lost it.
2. 'It is by the same means that the decaying and flourishing, the preservation and perishing, of States are determined.
3. 'If the sovereign be not benevolent, be cannot preserve the throne from passing from him. If the Head of a State be not benevolent, he cannot preserve his rule. If a high noble or great officer be not benevolent, he cannot preserve his ancestral temple. If a scholar or common man be not benevolent, be cannot preserve his four limbs.
4. 'Now they hate death and ruin, and yet delight in being not benevolent;-- this is like hating to be drunk, and yet being strong to drink wine!
[7.4]
孟子曰：「愛人不親反其仁，治人不治反其智，禮人不答反其敬。
「行有不得者，皆反求諸己其身正，而天下歸之;。
「詩云：『永言配命，自求多福。』」
1. Mencius said, 'If a man love others, and no responsive attachment is shown to him, let him turn inwards and examine his own benevolence. If he is trying to rule others, and his government is unsuccessful, let him turn inwards and examine his wisdom. If he treats others politely, and they do not return his politeness, let him turn inwards and examine his own feeling of respect.
2. 'When we do not, by what we do, realise what we desire, we must turn inwards, and examine ourselves in every point. When a man's person is correct, the whole kingdom will turn to him with recognition and submission.
3. 'It is said in the Book of Poetry,
"Be always studious to be in harmony with the ordinances of God,
And you will obtain much happiness."'
[7.5]
孟子曰：「人有恆言，皆曰：『天下國家。』天下之本在國，國之本在家，家之本在身。」
Mencius said, 'People have this common saying,-- "The kingdom, the State, the family." The root of the kingdom is in the State. The root of the State is in the family. The root of the family is in the person of its Head.'
[7.6]
孟子曰：「爲政不難，不得罪於巨室巨室之所慕，一國慕之一國之所慕，天下;;慕之。 故沛然德教溢乎四海。」
Mencius said, 'The administration of government is not difficult;-- it lies in not offending the great families. He whom the great families affect, will be affected by the whole State; and he whom any one State affects, will be affected by the whole kingdom. When this is the case, such an one's virtue and teachings will spread over all within the four seas like the rush of water.'
[7.7]
孟子曰：「天下有道，小德役大德，小賢役大賢天下無道，小役大，弱役強;。斯二者天也，順天者存，逆天者亡。
「齊景公曰：『旣不能令，又不受命，是絕物也。』涕出而女於吳。
「今也小國師大國，而恥受命焉是猶弟子而恥受命於先師也;。
「如恥之，莫若師文王師文王，大國五年，小國七年，必爲政於天下矣;。
「詩云：『商之孫子，其麗不億上帝旣命，侯于周服侯服于周，天命靡常殷;;;士膚敏，祼將于京。』孔子曰：『仁不可爲衆也。』夫國君好仁，天下無敵。
「今也欲無敵於天下而不以仁。是猶執熱而不以濯也。詩云：『誰能執熱，逝不以濯。』」
1. Mencius said, 'When right government prevails in the kingdom, princes of little virtue are submissive to those of great, and those of little worth to those of great. When bad government prevails in the kingdom, princes of small power are submissive to those of great, and the weak to the strong. Both these cases are the rule of Heaven. They who accord with Heaven are preserved, and they who rebel against Heaven perish.
2. 'The duke Ching of Ch'î said, "Not to be able to command others, and at the same time to refuse to receive their commands, is to cut one's self off from all intercourse with others." His tears flowed forth while he gave his daughter to be married to the prince of Wû.
3. 'Now the small States imitate the large, and yet are ashamed to receive their commands. This is like a scholar's being ashamed to receive the commands of his master.
4. 'For a plince who is ashamed of this, the best plan is to imitate king Wan. Let one imitate king Wan, and in five years, if his State be large, or in seven years, if it be small, he will be sure to give laws to the kingdom.
5. 'It is said in the Book of Poetry,
"The descendants of the sovereigns of the Shang dynasty,
Are in number more than hundreds of thousands,
But, God having passed His decree,
They are all submissive to Châu.
They are submissive to Châu,
Because the decree of Heaven is not unchanging.
The officers of Yin, admirable and alert,
Pour out the libations, and assist in the capital of Châu."
--Confucius said, "As against so benevolent a sovereign, they could not be deemed a multitude." Thus, if the prince of a state love benevolence, he will have no opponent in all the kingdom.
6. 'Now they wish to have no opponent in all the kingdom, but they do not seek to attain this by being benevolent. This is like a man laying hold of a heated substance, and not having first dipped it in water. It is said in the Book of Poetry,
"Who can take up a heated substance,
Without first dipping it (in water)?"'
[7.8]
孟子曰：「不仁者可與言哉？安其危而利其菑，樂其所以亡者。不仁而可與言，則何亡國敗家之有！
「有孺子歌曰：『滄浪之水淸兮，可以濯我纓滄浪之水濁兮，可以濯我足;。』
「孔子曰：『小子聽之：淸斯濯纓濁斯濯足矣;。自取之也。』
「夫人必自侮，然後人侮之家必自毀，而後人毀之國必自伐，而後人伐之;;。
「太甲曰：『天作孽，猶可違自作孽，不可活;。』 此之謂也。」
1. Mencius said, 'How is it possible to speak with those princes who are not benevolent ? Their perils they count safety, their calamities they count profitable, and they have pleasure in the things by which they perish. If it were possible to talk with them who so violate benevolence, how could we have such destruction of States and ruin of Families?
2. 'There was a boy singing,
"When the water of the Ts'ang-lang is clear,
It does to wash the strings of my cap;
When the water of the Ts'ang-lang is muddy,
It does to wash my feet."
3. 'Confucius said, "Hear what he sings, my children. When clear, then he will wash his cap-strings; and when muddy, he will wash his feet with it. This different application is brought by the water on itself."
4. 'A man must first despise himself, and then others will despise him. A family must first destroy itself, and then others will destroy it. A State must first smite itself, and then others will smite it.
5. 'This is illustrated in the passage of the T'âi Chiâ, "When Heaven sends down calamities, it is still possible to escape them. When we occasion the calamities ourselves, it is not possible any longer to live."'
[7.9]
孟子曰：「桀、紂之失天下也，失其民也，失其民者，失其心也。得天下有道：得其民，斯得天下矣。得其民有道：得其心，斯得民矣。得其心有道：所欲與之聚之，所惡勿施爾也。
「民之歸仁也，猶水之就下，獸之走壙也。
「故爲淵敺魚者，獺也，爲叢敺爵者，鸇也爲湯;、武敺民者，桀與紂也。
「今天下之君有好仁者，則諸侯皆爲之敺矣。雖欲無王，不可得已。
「今之欲王者，猶七年之病求三年之艾也。茍爲不畜，終身不得茍不志於仁，終;身憂辱，以陷於死亡。
「詩云：『其何能淑？載胥及溺。』此之謂也。」
1. Mencius said, 'Chieh and Châu's losing the throne, arose from their losing the people, and to lose the people means to lose their hearts. There is a way to get the kingdom:-- get the people, and the kingdom is got. There is a way to get the people:-- get their hearts, and the people are got. There is a way to get their hearts:-- it is simply to collect for them what they like, and not to lay on them what they dislike.
2. 'The people turn to a benevolent rule as water flows downwards, and as wild beasts fly to the wilderness.
3. 'Accordingly, as the otter aids the deep waters, driving the fish into them, and the hawk aids the thickets, driving the little birds to them, so Chieh and Châu aided T'ang and Wû, driving the people to them.
4. 'If among the present rulers of the kingdom, there were one who loved benevolence, all the other princes would aid him, by driving the people to him. Although he wished not to become sovereign, he could not avoid becoming so.
5. 'The case of one of the present princes wishing to become sovereign is like the having to seek for mugwort three years old, to cure a seven years' sickness. If it have not been kept in store, the patient may all his life not get it. If the princes do not set their wills on benevolence, all their days will be in sorrow and disgrace, and they will be involved in death and ruin.
6. 'This is illustrated by what is said in the Book of Poetry,
"How otherwise can you improve the kingdom?
You will only with it go to ruin."'
[7.10]
孟子曰：「自暴者不可與有言也，自棄者不可與有爲也。言非禮義，謂之自暴也;吾身不能居仁由義，謂之自棄也。
「仁，人之安宅也義，人之正路也;。
「曠安宅而弗居，舍正路而不由：哀哉！」
1. Mencius said, 'With those who do violence to themselves, it is impossible to speak. With those who throw themselves away, it is impossible to do anything. To disown in his conversation propriety and righteousness, is what we mean by doing violence to one's self. To say-- "I am not able to dwell in benevolence or pursue the path of righteousness," is what we mean by throwing one's self away.
2. 'Benevolence is the tranquil habitation of man, and righteousness is his straight path.
3. 'Alas for them, who leave the tranquil dwelling empty and do not reside in it, and who abandon the right path and do not pursue it?'
[7.11]
孟子曰：「道在爾而求諸遠，事在易而求諸難。人人親其親，長其長，而天下平。」
Mencius said, 'The path of duty lies in what is near, and men seek for it in what is remote. The work of duty lies in what is easy, and men seek for it in what is difficult. If each man would love his parents and show the due respect to his elders, the whole land would enjoy tranquillity.'
[7.12]
孟子曰：「居下位而不獲於上，民不可得而治也。獲於上有道：不信於友，弗獲於上矣。信於友有道：事親弗悅，弗信於友矣。悅親有道：反身不誠，不悅於親矣。誠身有道：不明乎善，不誠其身矣。
「是故，誠者，天之道也思誠者，人之道也;。
「至誠而不動者，未之有也不誠，未有能動者也;。」
1. Mencius said, 'When those occupying inferior situations do not obtain the confidence of the sovereign, they cannot succeed in governing the people. There is a way to obtain the confidence of the sovereign:-- if one is not trusted by his friends, he will not obtain the confidence of his sovereign. There is a way of being trusted by one's friends:-- if one do not serve his parents so as to make them pleased, he will not be trusted by his friends. There is a way to make one's parents pleased:-- if one, on turning his thoughts inwards, finds a want of sincerity, he will not give pleasure to his parents. There is a way to the attainment of sincerity in one's self:-- if a man do not understand what is good, he will not attain sincerity in himself.
2. 'Therefore, sincerity is the way of Heaven. To think how to be sincere is the way of man.
3. Never has there been one possessed of complete sincerity, who did not move others. Never has there been one who had not sincerity who was able to move others.'
[7.13]
孟子曰：「伯夷辟紂，居北海之濱，聞文王作興，曰：『盍歸乎來！吾聞西伯善養老者。』太公辟紂，居東海之濱聞文王作興，曰：;『盍歸乎來！吾聞西伯善養老者。』
「二老者，天下之大老也，而歸之：是天下之父歸之也天下之父歸之，其子焉往？;
「諸侯有行文王之政者，七年之內，必爲政於天下矣。」
1. Mencius said, 'Po-Î, that he might avoid Châ'u, was dwelling on the coast of the northern sea. When he heard of the rise of king Wan, he roused himself, and said, "Why should I not go and follow him? I have heard that the chief of the West knows well how to nourish the old." T'âi-kung, that he might avoid Châu, was dwelling on the coast of the eastern sea. When he heard of the rise of king Wan, he roused himself, and said, "Why should I not go and follow him? I have heard that the chief of the West knows well how to nourish the old."
2. 'Those two old men were the greatest old men of the kingdom. When they came to follow king Wan, it was the fathers of the kingdom coming to follow him. When the fathers of the kingdom joined him, how could the sons go to any other?
3. 'Were any of the princes to practise the government of king Wan, within seven years he would be sure to be giving laws to the kingdom.'
[7.14]
孟子曰：「求也爲李氏宰，無能改於其德，而賦粟倍他日。孔子曰：『求，非我徒也，小子鳴鼓而攻之，可也。』
「由此觀之，君不行仁政而富之，皆棄於孔子者也。況於爲之強戰！爭地以戰，殺人盈野爭城以戰，殺人盈城：此所謂率土地而食人肉，罪不容於死！;
「故善戰者服上刑，連諸侯者次之，辟草萊任土地者次之。」
1. Mencius said, 'Ch'iû acted as chief officer to the head of the Chî family, whose evil ways he was unable to change, while he exacted from the people double the grain formerly paid. Confucius said, "He is no disciple of mine. Little children, beat the drum and assail him."
2. 'Looking at the subject from this case, we perceive that when a prince was not practising benevolent government, all his ministers who enriched him were rejected by Confucius:-- how much more would he have rejected those who are vehement to fight for their prince! When contentions about territory are the ground on which they fight, they slaughter men till the fields are filled with them. When some struggle for a city is the ground on which they fight, they slaughter men till the city is filled with them. This is what is called "leading on the land to devour human flesh." Death is not enough for such a crime.
3. 'Therefore, those who are skilful to fight should suffer the highest punishment. Next to them should be punished those who unite some princes in leagues against others; and next to them, those who take in grassy commons, imposing the cultivation of the ground on the people.'
[7.15]
孟子曰：「存乎人者，莫良於眸子。眸子不能掩其惡。胸中正，則眸子瞭焉胸中;不正，則眸子眊焉。
「聽其言也，觀其眸子：人焉廋哉！」
1. Mencius said, 'Of all the parts of a man's body there is none more excellent than the pupil of the eye. The pupil cannot be used to hide a man's wickedness. If within the breast all be correct, the pupil is bright. If within the breast all be not correct, the pupil is dull.
2. 'Listen to a man's words and look at the pupil of his eye. How can a man conceal his character?'
[7.16]
孟子曰：「恭者不侮人，儉者不奪人。侮奪人之君，惟恐不順焉，惡得爲恭儉！恭儉豈可以聲音笑貌爲哉！」
Mencius said, 'The respectful do not despise others. The economical do not plunder others. The prince who treats men with despite and plunders them, is only afraid that they may not prove obedient to him:-- how can he be regarded as respectful or economical? How can respectfulness and economy be made out of tones of the voice, and a smiling manner?'
[7.17]
淳于髠曰：「男女授受不親，禮與？」孟子曰：「禮也。」曰：「嫂溺則援之以手乎？」曰：「嫂溺不援，是豺狼也。男女授受不親，禮也嫂溺援之以手者，;權也。」
曰：「今天下溺矣，夫子之不援，何也？」
曰：「天下溺，援之以道，嫂溺，援之以手—子欲手援天下乎？」
1. Shun-yü K'wan said, 'Is it the rule that males and females shall not allow their hands to touch in giving or receiving anything?' Mencius replied, 'It is the rule.' K'wan asked, 'If a man's sister-in-law be drowning, shall he rescue her with his hand?' Mencius said, 'He who would not so rescue the drowning woman is a wolf. For males and females not to allow their hands to touch in giving and receiving is the general rule; when a sister-in-law is drowning, to rescue her with the hand is a peculiar exigency.'
2. K'wan said, 'The whole kingdom is drowning. How strange it is that you will not rescue it!'
3. Mencius answered, 'A drowning kingdom must be rescued with right principles, as a drowning sister-in-law has to be rescued with the hand. Do you wish me to rescue the kingdom with my hand?'
[7.18]
公孫丑曰：「君子之不教子，何也？」
孟子曰：「勢不行也。教者必以正以正不行，繼之以怒，繼之以怒，則反夷矣;。『夫子教我以正，夫子未出於正也。』則是父子相夷也父子相夷，則惡矣;。
「古者易子而教之。
「父子之間不靑善，靑善則離，離則不祥莫大焉。」
1. Kung-sun Ch'âu said, 'Why is it that the superior man does not himself teach his son?'
2. Mencius replied, 'The circumstances of the case forbid its being done. The teacher must inculcate what is correct. When he inculcates what is correct, and his lessons are not practised, he follows them up with being angry. When he follows them up with being angry, then, contrary to what should be, he is offended with his son. At the same time, the pupil says, 'My master inculcates on me what is correct, and he himself does not proceed in a correct path." The result of this is, that father and son are offended with each other. When father and son come to be offended with each other, the case is evil.
3. 'The ancients exchanged sons, and one taught the son of another.
4. 'Between father and son, there should be no reproving admonitions to what is good. Such reproofs lead to alienation, and than alienation there is nothing more inauspicious.'
[7.19]
孟子曰：「事孰爲大？事親爲大。守孰爲大？守身爲大。不失其身而能事其親者，吾聞之矣。失其身而能事其親者，吾未之聞也。
「孰不爲事？事親，事之本也。孰不爲守？守身，守之本也。
曾子養曾晳，必有酒肉將徹，必請所與問;;『有餘？』必曰『有。』曾晳死，曾元養曾子，必有酒肉將徹，必請所與問;;『有餘？』曰：『亡矣。』將以復進也。此所謂養口體者也。若曾子，則可謂養志也。
「事親若曾子者，可也。」
1. Mencius said, 'Of services, which is the greatest? The service of parents is the greatest. Of charges, which is the greatest ? The charge of one's self is the greatest. That those who do not fail to keep themselves are able to serve their parents is what I have heard. But I have never heard of any, who, having failed to keep themselves, were able notwithstanding to serve their parents.
2. 'There are many services, but the service of parents is the root of all others. There are many charges, but the charge of one's self is the root of all others.
3. 'The philosopher Tsang, in nourishing Tsang Hsî, was always sure to have wine and flesh provided. And when they were being removed, he would ask respectfully to whom he should give what was left. If his father asked whether there was anything left, he was sure to say, "There is." After the death of Tsing Hsî, when Tsang Yüan came to nourish Tsing-tsze, he was always sure to have wine and flesh provided. But when the things were being removed, he did not ask to whom he should give what was left, and if his father asked whether there was anything left, he would answer "No;"-- intending to bring them in again. This was what is called-- "nourishing the mouth and body." We may call Tsang-tsze's practice-- "nourishing the will."
4. 'To serve one's parents as Tsang-tsze served his, may be accepted as flial piety.'
[7.20]
孟子曰：「人不足與適也，政不足間也。惟大人爲能格君心之非君仁莫不仁，君;義莫不義，君正莫不正一正君而國定矣;。」
Mencius said, 'It is not enough to remonstrate with a sovereign on account of the mal-employment of ministers, nor to blame errors of government. It is only the great man who can rectify what is wrong in the sovereign's mind. Let the prince be benevolent, and all his acts will be benevolent. Let the prince be righteous, and all his acts will be righteous. Let the prince be correct, and everything will be correct. Once rectify the ruler, and the kingdom will be firmly settled.'
[7.21]
孟子曰：「有不虞之譽，有求全之毀。」
Mencius said, 'There are cases of praise which could not be expected, and of reproach when the parties have been seeking to be perfect.'
[7.22]
孟子曰：「人之易其言也，無靑耳矣。」
Mencius said, 'Men's being ready with their tongues arises simply from their not having been reproved.'
[7.23]
孟子曰：「人之患，在好爲人師。」
Mencius said, 'The evil of men is that they like to be teachers of others.'
[7.24]
樂正子從於子敖之齊。
樂正子見孟子。孟子曰：「子亦來見我乎？」曰：「先生何爲出此言也？」曰：「子來幾日矣？」曰：「昔者。」曰：「昔者—則我出此言也，不亦宜乎？」曰：「舍館未定。」曰：「子聞之也舍館定，然後求見長者乎？」
曰：「克有罪。」
1. The disciple Yo-chang went in the train of Tsze-âo to Ch'î.
2. He came to see Mencius, who said to him, 'Are you also come to see me?' Yo-chang replied, 'Master, why do you speak such words?' 'How many days have you been here?' asked Mencius. 'I came yesterday.' 'Yesterday! Is it not with reason then that I thus speak?' 'My lodging-house was not arranged.' 'Have you heard that a scholar's lodging-house must be arranged before he visit his elder?'
3. Yo-chang said, 'I have done wrong.'
[7.25]
孟子謂樂正子曰：「子之從於子敖來，徒餔啜也。我不意子學古之道，而以餔啜也。」
Mencius, addressing the disciple Yo-chang, said to him, 'Your coming here in the train of Tsze-âo was only because of the food and the drink. I could not have thought that you, having learned the doctrine of the ancients, would have acted with a view to eating and drinking.'
[7.26]
孟子曰：「不孝有三，無後爲大。
「舜不吿而娶，爲無後也。君子以爲猶吿也。」
1. Mencius said, 'There are three things which are unfilial, and to have no posterity is the greatest of them.
2. 'Shun married without informing his parents because of this,-- lest he should have no posterity. Superior men consider that his doing so was the same as if he had informed them.'
[7.27]
孟子曰：「仁之實，事親是也。義之實，從兄是也。
「智之實，知斯二者弗去是也。禮之實，節文斯二者是也。樂斯二者，樂則生矣;生則惡可已也惡可已，則不知足之蹈之，手之舞之;。 」
1. Mencius said, 'The richest fruit of benevolence is this,-- the service of one's parents. The richest fruit of righteousness is this,-- the obeying one's elder brothers.
2. 'The richest fruit of wisdom is this,-- the knowing those two things, and not departing from them. The richest fruit of propriety is this,-- the ordering and adorning those two things. The richest fruit of music is this,-- the rejoicing in those two things. When they are rejoiced in, they grow. Growing, how can they be repressed? When they come to this state that they cannot be repressed, then unconsciously the feet begin to dance and the hands to move.'
[7.28]
孟子曰：「天下大悅而將歸己，視天下悅而歸己，猶草芥也，惟舜爲然。不得乎親，不可以爲人不順乎親，不可以爲子;。
「舜盡事親之道而瞽瞍厎豫瞽瞍厎豫而天下化，瞽瞍厎豫而天下之爲父子者定：;此之謂大孝。」
1. Mencius said, 'Suppose the case of the whole kingdom turning in great delight to an individual to submit to him.-- To regard the whole kingdom thus turning to him in great delight but as a bundle of grass;-- only Shun was capable of this. He considered that if one could not get the hearts of his parents he could not be considered a man, and that if he could not get to an entire accord with his parents, he could not be considered a son.
2. 'By Shun's completely fulfilling everything by which a parent could be served, Kû-sâu was brought to find delight in what was good. When Kû-sâu was brought to find that delight, the whole kingdom was transformed. When Kû-sâu was brought to find that delight, all fathers and sons in the kingdom were established in their respective duties. This is called great filial piety.'