Gongsun Chou, Part Two
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，必有得天時者矣；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。」
Mencius said: "The time of Heaven is not as good as the advantages of terrain, and the advantages of terrain are not as good as harmony among people. A city of three li and an outer wall of seven li, surrounded and attacked, cannot be taken. To surround and attack it, there must be a time that Heaven's season favors; yet not winning means that the time of Heaven is not as good as the advantages of terrain. It is not that the city walls are not high, the moats are not deep, the weapons and armor are not strong and sharp, or the grain is not plentiful; yet the defenders abandon the city and leave; this means the advantages of terrain are not as good as harmony among people. So it is said: to confine the people does not depend on the limits of borders, to secure a state does not depend on the dangers of mountains and streams, to awe the world does not depend on the sharpness of arms and armor. One who has the Way has many supporters, and one who loses the Way has few supporters. When supporters are so few as to be at the extreme, even relatives turn against him; when supporters are so many as to be at the extreme, the whole world follows him. Using what the whole world follows to attack one whom relatives have turned against, the gentleman would sooner not fight; if he fights, he must win.""
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。」
Mencius was about to have an audience with King Xuan, and the king sent someone to say: "I should have come to see you myself, but I have a cold and cannot go out in the wind. Tomorrow I will hold court; I do not know whether I may be allowed to see you?" Mencius replied: "Unfortunately I am ill and cannot go to court.""
明日，出吊於東郭氏，公孫丑曰：「昔者辭以病，今日吊，或者不可乎！」曰：「昔者疾，今日愈，如之何不弔？」
The next day, Mencius went out to pay a condolence call at the house of Dongguo, and Gongsun Chou said: "Yesterday you declined on grounds of illness, and today you go to a condolence call; perhaps that is not right!" Mencius said: "Yesterday I was ill, today I am better; why should I not go to pay condolences?""
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！」
The king sent someone to ask after his illness, and a doctor also came. Meng Zhongzi replied: "Yesterday there was the king's command, and he had the worry of gathering firewood (a polite expression for illness), and could not go to court. Now that he is a little better, he is hurrying to court; I do not know whether he will arrive?" Then he sent several people to intercept him on the road, saying: "Please do not go home, but go to court!""
不得已而之景醜氏宿焉。景子曰：「內則父子，外則君臣，人之大倫也。父子主恩，君臣主敬。醜見王之敬子也，未見所以敬王也。」
Mencius, having no choice, went to spend the night at the house of Jing Chou. Jingzi said: "Within the family there is father and son, outside there is ruler and subject; these are the great human relationships. Between father and son kindness is the main thing; between ruler and subject respect is the main thing. I have seen the king respect you, but I have not seen you show respect to the king.""
曰：「惡！是何言也！齊人無以仁義與王言者，豈以仁義為不美也？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。」
Mencius said: "Ah! What kind of talk is that! None of the people of Qi speak to the king of humaneness and righteousness; do they think humaneness and righteousness are not fine? They only say in their hearts, 'How is he worth speaking to of humaneness and righteousness?' No disrespect is greater than that. If it is not the way of Yao and Shun, I dare not set it before the king, so none of the people of Qi respect the king as I do.""
景子曰：「否，非此之謂也。禮曰：『父召，無諾；君命召，不俟駕。』固將朝也，聞王命而遂不果，宜與夫禮若不相似然。」
Jingzi said: "No, that is not what I mean. The rites say: 'When your father calls, go without waiting to answer 'yes'; when the ruler's command summons you, go without waiting for the carriage to be harnessed.' You were originally about to have an audience, but on hearing the king's command did not go in the end; this seems not to match those rites.""
曰：「豈謂是與？曾子曰：『晉楚之富，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？故將大有為之君，必有所不召之臣。欲有謀焉，則就之。其尊德樂道，不如是不足與有為也。故湯之於伊尹，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，好臣其所教，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，而況不為管仲者乎？」
Mencius said: "Is that what you mean? Zengzi said: 'The wealth of Jin and Chu cannot be matched. They have their wealth, and I have my humaneness; they have their rank, and I have my righteousness; what do I lack?' Would Zengzi have said this if it were not in accord with righteousness? Perhaps it is a kind of principle. In the world there are three things universally honored: rank is one, age is one, virtue is one. At court nothing equals rank, in the village nothing equals age, and in assisting the age and nurturing the people nothing equals virtue. How can one have one of these and slight the other two? So a ruler who is to accomplish great things must have ministers he does not summon. If he wishes to consult them, he goes to see them. He honors virtue and delights in the Way, and without this he is not fit to accomplish anything. So Tang with Yi Yin first learned from him and then made him a minister, and so he became king without effort; Duke Huan with Guan Zhong first learned from him and then made him a minister, and so became hegemon without effort. Now the territories of the world are alike and the virtue of rulers is equal, and none can surpass the other. There is no other reason than that they like to make ministers of those they can teach, and do not like to make ministers of those from whom they would be taught. Tang toward Yi Yin and Duke Huan toward Guan Zhong would not dare summon them. If Guan Zhong could not be summoned, how much less one who does not wish to be a Guan Zhong?""
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；於薛，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。」
Chen Zhen asked: "Some days ago at Qi, the king gave you a hundred yi of fine gold and you did not accept it; at Song, he gave seventy yi and you accepted it; at Xue, he gave fifty yi and you accepted it. If not accepting earlier was right, then accepting today is wrong; if accepting today is right, then not accepting earlier was wrong. You, Master, must be in the wrong in one of them.""
孟子曰：「皆是也。當在宋也，予將有遠行。行者必以贐，辭曰：『餽贐。』予何為不受？當在薛也，予有戒心。辭曰：『聞戒。』故為兵餽之，予何為不受？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？」
Mencius said: "Both were right. When I was at Song, I was about to make a long journey. For one setting out on a journey there is certainly a gift of traveling expenses, and the wording was: 'A gift of traveling expenses.' Why should I not accept it? When I was at Xue, I had a mind to guard against danger. The wording was: 'I hear you are on guard.' So the gift was for arms; why should I not accept it? As for at Qi, there was no such ground. To give a gift without grounds is to buy with goods. How can a gentleman be bought with goods?""
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？」
Mencius went to Pinglu. He said to the grandee there: "If your halberd-bearing soldier leaves his post three times in a day, will you dismiss him?""
曰：「不待三。」
The grandee said: "I would not wait for three times.""
「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。」
(Mencius said:) "Then you too have left your post often. In the years of famine and hunger, your people, the old and weak, died by turns in the ditches, and the able-bodied scattered in all directions, nearly a thousand.""
曰：「此非距心之所得為也。」
The grandee said: "This is not something Juxin can decide.""
曰：「今有受人之牛羊而為之牧之者，則必為之求牧與芻矣。求牧與芻而不得，則反諸其人乎？抑亦立而視其死與？」
Mencius said: "Now suppose someone takes another's cattle and sheep to tend them for him; he would surely seek pasture and fodder for them. If he sought pasture and fodder and could not get them, would he return the cattle and sheep to that person? Or would he stand and watch them die?""
曰：「此則距心之罪也。」
The grandee said: "That is Juxin's fault.""
他日，見於王曰：「王之為都者，臣知五人焉。知其罪者，惟孔距心。為王誦之。」王曰：「此則寡人之罪也。」
Later, on another day, Mencius was received by King Xuan and said: "Of the king's governors of cities, your servant knows five. The only one who knows his own fault is Kong Juxin." Then he repeated the matter to the king. King Xuan said: "This is my fault.""
孟子謂蚔鼃曰：「子之辭靈丘而請士師，似也，為其可以言也。今既數月矣，未可以言與？」
Mencius said to Chi Wa: "You resigned from Lingqiu and asked to be a judge, which seems right, because it gives you opportunity to speak. Now it has been several months; is it still not possible to speak?""
蚔鼃諫於王而不用，致為臣而去。齊人曰：「所以為蚔鼃，則善矣；所以自為，則吾不知也。」
Chi Wa remonstrated with the king and was not used, so he gave up his post and left. The people of Qi said: "His planning for Chi Wa was good; as for his planning for himself, we do not know.""
公都子以告。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？」
Gongduzi told this to Mencius. Mencius said: "I have heard: one who has an official post leaves if he cannot carry out his duties; one who has the duty to speak leaves if he cannot speak. I have no official post and no duty to speak, so are my advancing and withdrawing not free and with room to spare?""
孟子為卿於齊，出吊於滕，王使蓋大夫王驩為輔行。王驩朝暮見，反齊滕之路，未嘗與之言行事也。
When Mencius was a minister in Qi, he went to Teng as an envoy for a condolence visit, and the king sent Wang Huan, grandee of Gai, as his deputy. Wang Huan met him morning and evening, and on the roads going and returning between Qi and Teng, Mencius never spoke to him about the mission."
公孫丑曰：「齊卿之位，不為小矣；齊滕之路，不為近矣。反之而未嘗與言行事，何也？」
Gongsun Chou said: "The position of a minister of Qi is not small; the road between Qi and Teng is not near. Going and returning, you never spoke to him about the mission; why?""
曰：「夫既或治之，予何言哉？」
Mencius said: "Someone was already handling it; what more should I say?""
孟子自齊葬於魯，反於齊，止於嬴。
Mencius went from Qi to Lu for a burial, and on returning to Qi, he stopped at Ying."
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。」
Chong Yu asked: "Some days ago, not knowing that I was unworthy, you had me oversee the craftsmen's work. The matter was urgent and I did not dare ask. Now I would like to ask privately: the coffin seems too fine.""
曰：「古者棺槨無度，中古棺七寸，槨稱之。自天子達於庶人。非直為觀美也，然後盡於人心。不得，不可以為悅；無財，不可以為悅。得之為有財，古之人皆用之，吾何為獨不然？且比化者，無使土親膚，於人心獨無恔乎？吾聞之君子：不以天下儉其親。」
Mencius said: "In ancient times there was no fixed measure for coffins and outer coffins; in the middle ancient period the coffin was seven inches thick, and the outer coffin matched it. From the Son of Heaven down to the common people. It was not merely for appearance, but only thus was the human heart fulfilled. If one cannot get (fine wood), one cannot satisfy the heart; if one has no money, one cannot satisfy the heart. If one can get it and has the money, the ancients all used it; why should I alone not? Moreover, for the sake of the dead, not letting earth touch their flesh, is that not a comfort to the human heart? I have heard that the gentleman does not economize on his parents for the sake of the world.""
沈同以其私問曰：「燕可伐與？」
Shen Tong asked in a private capacity: "Can Yan be attacked?""
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，不告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？」
Mencius said: "It can. Zi Kuai should not have given Yan to another, and Zi Zhi should not have received Yan from Zi Kuai. Suppose there is an official here whom you like, and without telling the king you privately give him your salary and rank; and that man, without the king's command, privately receives it from you; would that be acceptable? How is this different?""
齊人伐燕。或問曰：「勸齊伐燕，有諸？」
The people of Qi attacked Yan. Someone asked: "Did you urge Qi to attack Yan; is there such a thing?""
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：『為天吏，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：『為士師，則可以殺之。』今以燕伐燕，何為勸之哉？」
Mencius said: "No. Shen Tong asked, 'Can Yan be attacked?' I answered, 'It can,' and he went and attacked it. If he had asked, 'Who can attack it?' I would have answered: 'Only an officer of Heaven can attack it.' Suppose there is a murderer, and someone asks, 'Can this man be killed?' I would answer, 'He can.' If he asked, 'Who can kill him?' I would answer: 'Only a judge can kill him.' Now for one Yan to attack another Yan, why would I urge him?""
燕人畔。王曰：「吾甚慚於孟子。」
The people of Yan rebelled. King Xuan said: "I am deeply ashamed before Mencius.""
陳賈曰：「王無患焉。王自以為與周公，孰仁且智？」
Chen Jia said: "The king need not worry. Which does the king consider himself more humane and wise, the Duke of Zhou or yourself?""
王曰：「惡！是何言也？」
King Xuan said: "Ah! What kind of talk is that?""
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。」
Chen Jia said: "The Duke of Zhou sent Guan Shu to oversee Yin, and Guan Shu took Yin and rebelled. If he knew and still sent him, that was inhumane; if he did not know and sent him, that was unwise. In humaneness and wisdom the Duke of Zhou was not perfect, let alone the king? Jia asks to go see Mencius and explain.""
見孟子，問曰：「周公何人也？」
Chen Jia saw Mencius and asked: "What kind of man was the Duke of Zhou?""
曰：「古聖人也。」
Mencius said: "A sage of old.""
曰：「使管叔監殷，管叔以殷畔也，有諸？」
Chen Jia said: "He sent Guan Shu to oversee Yin, and Guan Shu took Yin and rebelled; is that so?""
曰：「然。」
Mencius said: "Yes.""
曰：「周公知其將畔而使之與？」
Chen Jia said: "Did the Duke of Zhou know he would rebel and still send him?""
曰：「不知也。」
Mencius said: "He did not know.""
「然則聖人且有過與？」
(Chen Jia asked:) "Then even a sage has faults?""
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，又從為之辭。」
Mencius said: "The Duke of Zhou was the younger brother; Guan Shu was the elder. Was not the Duke of Zhou's fault only natural? Moreover, gentlemen of old corrected their faults when they had them; gentlemen of today follow along with theirs. The faults of the gentlemen of old were like eclipses of the sun and moon, which all the people saw; when they corrected them, all the people looked up to them. Gentlemen today not only follow along, but even go on to defend them.""
孟子致為臣而歸。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。」
Mencius gave up his post and was about to go home. King Xuan came to see Mencius and said: "Formerly I wished to see you but could not; having been able to attend you, I was very glad to share the court. Now you again abandon me and go home; I do not know whether this can continue so that I may see you?" Mencius replied: "I dare not ask for it, but it was indeed what I wished.""
他日，王謂時子曰：「我欲中國而授孟子室，養弟子以萬鍾，使諸大夫國人皆有所矜式。子盍為我言之？」
Later, on another day, the king said to Shizi: "I wish to give Mencius a house in the capital and support his disciples with ten thousand zhong, so that the grandees and the people may all respect and imitate him. Why do you not speak to him for me?""
時子因陳子而以告孟子，陳子以時子之言告孟子。孟子曰：「然。夫時子惡知其不可也？如使予欲富，辭十萬而受萬，是為欲富乎？季孫曰：『異哉子叔疑！使己為政，不用，則亦已矣，又使其子弟為卿。人亦孰不欲富貴？而獨於富貴之中，有私龍斷焉。』古之為市也，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。人皆以為賤，故從而徵之。徵商，自此賤丈夫始矣。
Shizi told this to Mencius through Chenzi, and Chenzi told Mencius what Shizi said. Mencius said: "So it is. How would Shizi know that this is not acceptable? If I coveted wealth, and declined a hundred thousand to accept ten thousand, would that be coveting wealth? Jisun said: 'How strange Zishu Yi is! He had himself in government, and when not used, that was that, but then he had his sons and younger brothers made ministers. Who does not want wealth and rank? Yet among wealth and rank he alone has a private monopoly.' In ancient times markets were for exchanging what one had for what one lacked, and the officials merely regulated them. There was a base fellow who surely sought a high ridge to climb up, looking left and right to net all the market's profit. People thought him base, and so they taxed him in turn. Taxing merchants began with this base fellow.""
孟子去齊，宿於晝。
Mencius left Qi and stayed at Zhou."
有欲為王留行者，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。」
There was a man who wished to detain him on the king's behalf, and sat and spoke. Mencius did not answer, and leaned on his armrest and slept. The guest was displeased and said: "I fasted overnight before daring to speak, and the Master sleeps and does not listen; please let me not dare to see you again.""
曰：「坐！我明語子。昔者魯繆公無人乎子思之側，則不能安子思；洩柳、申詳，無人乎繆公之側，則不能安其身。子為長者慮，而不及子思，子絕長者乎？長者絕子乎？」
Mencius said: "Sit down! I will tell you plainly. Formerly Duke Mu of Lu, with no one at Zisi's side, could not keep Zisi at ease; Xie Liu and Shen Xiang, with no one at Duke Mu's side, could not keep themselves at ease. If you plan for an elder worse than you plan for Zisi, is it you who reject the elder, or the elder who rejects you?""
孟子去齊。尹士語人曰：「不識王之不可以為湯武，則是不明也；識其不可，然且至，則是幹澤也。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。」
Mencius left Qi. Yin Shi said to someone: "If he did not know that the king could not become a Tang or a Wu, that would be unclear-sightedness; if he knew he could not and still came, that is seeking favor. He came a thousand li to see the king, and leaving because he was not met, he stayed three nights before leaving Zhou; how slow was that? I, Shi, am displeased by this.""
高子以告。曰：「夫尹士惡知予哉？千里而見王，是予所欲也；不遇故去，豈予所欲哉？予不得已也。予三宿而出晝，於予心猶以為速。王庶幾改之。王如改諸，則必反予。夫出晝而王不予追也，予然後浩然有歸志。予雖然，豈舍王哉？王由足用為善。王如用予，則豈徒齊民安，天下之民舉安。王庶幾改之，予日望之。予豈若是小丈夫然哉？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？」
Gaozi told this to Mencius. Mencius said: "How would Yin Shi know me? To come a thousand li to see the king was what I wished; to leave because I was not met, was that what I wanted? I had no choice. I stayed three nights before leaving Zhou, and in my heart I still thought it quick. The king might change. If the king changed, he would surely recall me. After leaving Zhou, the king did not pursue me, and only then did I have a great desire to go home. Though I did so, how could I abandon the king? The king is still fit to do good. If the king used me, not only would the people of Qi be at peace, but the people of the whole world. The king might change, and I look forward to it day by day. Am I like that kind of petty man? Remonstrating with his ruler and not being accepted, he gets angry, his face flaring with indignation. When leaving, does he use up a whole day's strength before lodging?""
尹士聞之曰：「士誠小人也。」
Yin Shi heard this and said: "I am truly a petty man.""
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。』」
Mencius left Qi. Chong Yu asked on the road: "The Master seems to have an unhappy look. Some days ago I heard the Master say: 'The gentleman does not blame Heaven or resent people.'""
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，捨我其誰也？吾何為不豫哉？」
Mencius said: "That was one time, and this is another. Every five hundred years a true king must arise, and in between there must be one famous in his age. Since Zhou, it has been more than seven hundred years. By the count of years it has passed; by examining the circumstances it is possible. Heaven has not yet wished to bring peace to the world; if it did wish to bring peace to the world, in the present age, who is there besides me? Why should I be unhappy?""
孟子去齊，居休。
Mencius left Qi and stayed at Xiu."
公孫丑問曰：「仕而不受祿，古之道乎？」
Gongsun Chou asked: "To hold office and not accept salary, is that the way of the ancients?""
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。」
Mencius said: "No. At Chong, I was able to see the king. After withdrawing, I had the intention of leaving and did not wish to change it, so I did not accept. Then there was an order for military service, and I could not ask for leave. To stay long in Qi was not my intention.""