Duke Wen of Teng, Part One

滕文公為世子，將之楚，過宋而見孟子。孟子道性善，言必稱堯舜。

When Duke Wen of Teng was crown prince, he was about to go to Chu and passed through Song to see Mencius. Mencius spoke of the goodness of human nature (that human nature tends toward good), and in speaking always cited Yao and Shun."

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？予何人也？有為者亦若是。』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，猶可以為善國。《書》曰：『若藥不瞑眩，厥疾不瘳。』」

The crown prince returned from Chu and again saw Mencius. Mencius said: "Does the crown prince doubt my words? The Way is only one. Cheng Jian said to Duke Jing of Qi: 'He is a man, and I am a man; why should I fear him?' Yan Yuan said: 'Who was Shun? Who am I? One who acts can be like that.' Gongming Yi said: 'King Wen is my teacher; would the Duke of Zhou deceive me?' Now Teng, cutting off the long to patch the short, is nearly fifty li, and can still be made into a good state. The Book of Documents says: 'If the medicine does not make one dizzy and blur the sight, the illness will not be cured.'""

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。」

Duke Ding of Teng died. The crown prince said to Ran You: "Formerly Mencius once spoke with me in Song, and I have never forgotten it in my heart. Now, unfortunately, the great mourning has come, and I want you to go and ask Mencius, and then I will handle the matter.""

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。」

Ran You went to Zou to ask Mencius. Mencius said: "Is that not good! Mourning for one's parents is indeed where one exerts one's own heart. Zengzi said: 'When they are alive, serve them according to ritual; when they are dead, bury them according to ritual and sacrifice to them according to ritual; this can be called filial.' The rites of the feudal lords I have not studied; even so, I have heard of them. The three-year mourning, the coarse hemmed mourning garments, the diet of gruel, from the Son of Heaven down to the common people, was shared by the Three Dynasties.""

然友反命，定為三年之喪。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，子為我問孟子。」

Ran You returned to report, and the three-year mourning was fixed. The elders and all the officials were unwilling, and said: "Our ancestral state of Lu's former rulers did not practice this, and our own former rulers did not practice it either; to reverse it in your time is not acceptable. Moreover, the records say: 'Mourning and sacrifice follow the ancestors.'" The crown prince said: "I have something I received." He said to Ran You again: "In the past I did not study, and liked riding horses and testing swords. Now the elders and officials do not think I am sufficient, and I fear I cannot carry out this great affair; ask Mencius for me.""

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。即位而哭，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。」

Ran You went again to Zou to ask Mencius. Mencius said: "So it is. This cannot be sought from others. Confucius said: 'When the ruler dies, the heir listens to the prime minister. He drinks gruel, and his face is deep dark. When he takes his seat and weeps, none among the hundred officials dares not be sad, because the ruler himself has done so first.' When those above have a liking for something, those below will surely like it even more. 'The virtue of the gentleman is the wind; the virtue of the petty person is the grass. When the wind passes over the grass, it must bend.' This depends on the crown prince.""

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。

Ran You returned to report. The crown prince said: "So it is. This truly depends on me." For five months he lived in the mourning hut, and did not issue orders or warnings. The officials and clansmen could be said to have understood. When the time came for burial, people came from the four quarters to watch, and the sorrow in his face and the grief of his weeping greatly won over those who came to mourn."

滕文公問為國。孟子曰：「民事不可緩也。《詩》云：『晝爾於茅，宵爾索綯；亟其乘屋，其始播百穀。』民之為道也，有恆產者有恆心，無恆產者無恆心。苟無恆心，放辟邪侈，無不為已。及陷乎罪，然後從而刑之，是罔民也。焉有仁人在位，罔民而可為也？是故賢君必恭儉禮下，取於民有制。陽虎曰：『為富不仁矣，為仁不富矣。』

Duke Wen of Teng asked how to govern the state. Mencius said: "The people's affairs cannot be put off. The Book of Odes (Odes of Bin, 'The Seventh Month') says: 'By day go cut the thatch, at night twist the rope; hurry up onto the roof to repair it, and begin sowing the hundred grains.' The way of the people is that only those with constant property have a constant heart, and those without constant property have no constant heart. If they have no constant heart, there is nothing they will not do in dissipation, depravity and wrongdoing. When they have fallen into crime and then one follows with punishments, this is trapping the people. How can there be a humane person in office who can trap the people? So a worthy ruler is respectful and thrifty, treats those below with courtesy, and takes from the people according to a system. Yang Hu said: 'One who seeks wealth is not humane, and one who seeks humaneness is not wealthy.'"

「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。貢者校數歲之中以為常。樂歲，粒米狼戾，多取之而不為虐，則寡取之；凶年，糞其田而不足，則必取盈焉。為民父母，使民盻盻然，將終歲勤動，不得以養其父母，又稱貸而益之。使老稚轉乎溝壑，惡在其為民父母也？』夫世祿，滕固行之矣。《詩》云：『雨我公田，遂及我私。』惟助為有公田。由此觀之，雖周亦助也。

(Mencius continued:) "The Xia dynasty gave fifty mu per household and levied tribute; the Yin gave seventy mu and used the mutual-aid system; the Zhou gave a hundred mu and used the common-share system; in fact all took one tenth. 'Common share' means 'through,' and 'mutual aid' means borrowing the people's strength. Longzi said: 'In governing land, nothing is better than mutual aid and nothing is worse than tribute. Tribute compares the harvests of several years and takes the average as a fixed figure. In a good year, the grain is scattered about, and taking much would not be cruel, yet little is taken; in a bad year, even with manure the fields do not yield enough, yet the full amount must be taken. To be a parent of the people, and make the people glare resentfully, working hard the whole year and unable to support their parents, and then having to borrow to make up the shortfall, so that the old and young die by turns in the ditches, how can one still be called the parent of the people?' As for hereditary salaries, Teng has already practiced them. The Book of Odes (Lesser Odes, 'The Great Field') says: 'May the rain fall on our public field, and then on our private fields.' Only under mutual aid is there a public field. From this we see that even Zhou used mutual aid."

「設為庠序學校以教之：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，是為王者師也。《詩》雲『周雖舊邦，其命惟新』，文王之謂也。子力行之，亦以新子之國。」

(Mencius continued:) "Set up xiang and xu schools to teach and transform the people: xiang means nurturing, xiao means teaching, and xu means archery. The Xia called it xiao, the Yin called it xu, the Zhou called it xiang; as for learning, the Three Dynasties all had it, and all used it to make clear the human relationships. When the human relationships are made clear above, the common people are close and harmonious below. If a true king arises, he will surely come to take this as a model, and thus become the teacher of kings. The Book of Odes (Greater Odes, 'King Wen') says 'Though Zhou is an old state, its mandate is new,' which speaks of King Wen. If you work at practicing it, you too can use it to renew your state.""

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，井地不鈞，谷祿不平。是故暴君汙吏必慢其經界。經界既正，分田制祿可坐而定也。夫滕壤地褊小，將為君子焉，將為野人焉。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。死徙無出鄉，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，其中為公田。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。」

The Duke sent Bi Zhan to ask about the well-field system. Mencius said: "Your lord is about to practice humane government, and has chosen and sent you; you must exert yourself! Humane government must begin with land boundaries. If the boundaries are not straight, the well-fields are not equal, and grain stipends are not fair. So tyrants and corrupt officials are sure to neglect the boundaries. Once the boundaries are straight, dividing the fields and setting the stipends can be settled while sitting. Teng's land is narrow and small, yet there will be gentlemen and there will be rustic people. Without gentlemen no one will govern the rustic people, and without rustic people no one will feed the gentlemen. Please in the countryside use the nine-to-one mutual-aid system, and in the capital take one tenth and let them pay it themselves. Ministers and below must have a gui-field of fifty mu. The remaining able-bodied males get twenty-five mu. Neither death nor moving takes anyone out of the village, and fields in the village are of the same well. In going out and coming in they befriend each other, in keeping watch they help each other, in illness they support each other, and so the people become close and harmonious. A square li makes one well, one well is nine hundred mu, with the public field in the middle. The eight families each privately own a hundred mu and together cultivate the public field. Only when the public work is finished do they dare to manage private affairs; this is how rustics are distinguished. This is the outline. As for the refinement, it rests with your lord and you.""

有為神農之言者許行，自楚之滕，踵門而告文公曰：「遠方之人聞君行仁政，願受一廛而為氓。」文公與之處，其徒數十人，皆衣褐，捆屨、織蓆以為食。

Xu Xing, who followed the teachings of Shennong, came from Chu to Teng, and walking to the gate told Duke Wen: "A man from far away has heard that you practice humane government, and wishes to receive a dwelling and be your subject." The Duke gave him a dwelling, and his disciples, several tens, all wore coarse hemp cloth and made their living by weaving sandals and mats."

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，願為聖人氓。」陳相見許行而大悅，盡棄其學而學焉。

Chen Xiang, a disciple of Chen Liang, and his younger brother Xin, carrying plows on their backs, came from Song to Teng, and said: "We have heard that you practice the government of the sages; this too is a sage, and we wish to be the subjects of a sage." Chen Xiang, on seeing Xu Xing, was greatly pleased and completely abandoned his former learning to study this."

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。今也滕有倉廩府庫，則是厲民而以自養也，惡得賢？」

Chen Xiang saw Mencius and repeated Xu Xing's words, saying: "The ruler of Teng is indeed a worthy ruler; even so, he has not yet heard the Way. A worthy ruler should plow and eat together with the people, and cook his own meals and govern. Now Teng has granaries and treasuries, which means he is oppressing the people to feed himself; how can he be called worthy?""

孟子曰：「許子必種粟而後食乎？」曰：「然。」

Mencius said: "Does Master Xu surely plant his own grain before eating?" Chen Xiang said: "Yes.""

「許子必織布而後衣乎？」曰：「否。許子衣褐。」

(Mencius asked:) "Does Master Xu surely weave his own cloth before wearing it?" Chen Xiang said: "No. Master Xu wears coarse hemp.""

「許子冠乎？」曰：「冠。」

(Mencius asked:) "Does Master Xu wear a cap?" Chen Xiang said: "Yes.""

曰：「奚冠？」曰：「冠素。」

Mencius said: "What kind of cap?" Chen Xiang said: "A plain silk one.""

曰：「自織之與？」曰：「否。以粟易之。」

Mencius said: "Does he weave it himself?" Chen Xiang said: "No. He exchanges grain for it.""

曰：「許子奚為不自織？」曰：「害於耕。」

Mencius said: "Why does Master Xu not weave it himself?" Chen Xiang said: "It would interfere with farming.""

曰：「許子以釜甑爨，以鐵耕乎？」曰：「然。」

Mencius said: "Does Master Xu cook with pots and steamers and plow with iron tools?" Chen Xiang said: "Yes.""

「自為之與？」曰：「否。以粟易之。」

(Mencius asked:) "Does he make them himself?" Chen Xiang said: "No. He exchanges grain for them.""

「以粟易械器者，不為厲陶冶；陶冶亦以其械器易粟者，豈為厲農夫哉？且許子何不為陶冶。舍皆取諸其宮中而用之？何為紛紛然與百工交易？何許子之不憚煩？」曰：「百工之事，固不可耕且為也。」

(Mencius said:) "One who exchanges grain for tools is not oppressing potters and smiths; and potters and smiths who exchange their tools for grain, are they oppressing farmers? Moreover, why does Master Xu not be a potter and smith, and take everything from his own house for use? Why does he bustle about trading with the hundred craftsmen? How is Master Xu so unafraid of trouble?" Chen Xiang said: "The work of the hundred craftsmen cannot be done together with farming.""

「然則治天下獨可耕且為與？有大人之事，有小人之事。且一人之身，而百工之所為備。如必自為而後用之，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。

(Mencius said:) "Then can governing the world alone be done together with farming? There is the work of great persons, and there is the work of petty persons. Moreover, in the body of a single person, what the hundred craftsmen make must all be provided. If one must make everything oneself and only then use it, this leads the world to run about on the roads. So it is said: some labor with their minds, and some labor with their strength; those who labor with their minds govern others, and those who labor with their strength are governed by others; those who are governed by others feed others, and those who govern others are fed by others: this is the universal principle of the world."

「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，舉舜而敷治焉。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，使契為司徒，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？

(Mencius continued:) "In the time of Yao, the world was not yet at peace; floodwaters ran across the land and overflowed throughout the world. Grass and trees grew lush, birds and beasts multiplied, the five grains did not ripen, and the birds and beasts pressed in on people. The paths of beast hoofs and bird tracks crisscrossed the Central States. Yao alone was anxious about it, and raised up Shun to set out and manage the work. Shun had Yi take charge of fire, and Yi set the mountains and marshes ablaze, and the birds and beasts fled and hid. Yu dredged the Nine Rivers, cleared the Ji and Ta and led them into the sea; he opened the Ru and Han, drained the Huai and Si and led them into the Yangtze, and only then could the Central States get food. At that time, Yu was away eight years and passed his own door three times without entering; even if he had wanted to farm, could he have? Hou Ji taught the people farming, planting the five grains, and when the five grains ripened the people were nourished. The way of human beings is that when they are fed, warmly clothed and comfortably housed but have no teaching, they come close to birds and beasts. The sage was anxious about this too, and made Xie the Minister of Education to teach human relations: between father and son there is affection, between ruler and minister there is righteousness, between husband and wife there is distinction, between old and young there is order, and between friends there is good faith. Fang Xun said: 'Comfort them, call them in, set them right and make them upright, help them and shelter them, let them find it for themselves, and then follow up by rousing them and bestowing virtue.' The sages were so anxious for the people; did they have leisure to farm?

「堯以不得舜為己憂，舜以不得禹、皋陶為己憂。夫以百畝之不易為己憂者，農夫也。分人以財謂之惠，教人以善謂之忠，為天下得人者謂之仁。是故以天下與人易，為天下得人難。孔子曰：『大哉堯之為君！惟天為大，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。

(Mencius continued:) "Yao took not getting a Shun as his own worry, and Shun took not getting a Yu and a Gao Yao as his own worry. One who takes it as his own worry that his hundred mu are not well tilled is a farmer. To share one's wealth with others is called kindness, to teach others the good is called loyalty, and to find the right men for the world is called benevolence. So giving the world to someone is easy, but finding the right man for the world is hard. Confucius said: 'Great was Yao as a ruler! Only Heaven is great, and only Yao took it as his model; so vast, the people could find no words for it! A true ruler was Shun! So lofty, he held the world as if he took no part in it!' In governing the world, Yao and Shun, did they not use their minds? They just did not use them on farming."

「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，師死而遂倍之。昔者孔子沒，三年之外，門人治任將歸，入揖於子貢，相向而哭，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。吾聞出於幽谷遷於喬木者，末聞下喬木而入於幽谷者。《魯頌》曰：『戎狄是膺，荊舒是懲。』周公方且膺之，子是之學，亦為不善變矣。」

(Mencius continued:) "I have heard of using the Xia to change the Yi, but I have not heard of being changed by the Yi. Chen Liang was a man born in Chu. He delighted in the Way of the Duke of Zhou and Zhongni, and went north to study in the Central States. Among the scholars of the north, none could surpass him. He is what is called a man of outstanding stature. You brothers served him for dozens of years, and when your teacher died, you turned against him. In the past, when Confucius died, after three years the disciples packed their bags and were about to go home; they went in and bowed to Zigong, faced each other and wept until their voices were lost, and then went back. Zigong returned and built a hut at the grave site, and lived alone there for three more years, and then went back. Later, on another day, Zixia, Zizhang and Ziyou, because You Ruo resembled the sage, wished to serve him with the rites with which they had served Confucius, and pressed Zengzi. Zengzi said: 'It cannot be done. It is as if washed in the waters of the Yangtze and the Han, and bleached in the autumn sun, so white that nothing can be added.' Now this southern barbarian with a shrike's twittering speech denies the Way of the former kings, and you turn against your teacher to study with him, and you differ from Zengzi too. I have heard of coming out of a dark valley to move to a tall tree, but I have not heard of descending from a tall tree to enter a dark valley. The Odes, in the Lu hymn Bi Gong, say: 'The Rong and Di were struck, the Jing and Shu were chastised.' The Duke of Zhou still struck them, and you go to study from such a man; you are not good at changing either."

「從許子之道，則市賈不貳，國中無偽。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，人豈為之哉？從許子之道，相率而為偽者也，惡能治國家？」

(Chen Xiang said:) "If one follows Master Xu's way, then market prices will not be two, and there will be no deceit in the state. Even if a five-foot child goes to the market, no one will cheat him. If lengths of cloth and silk are the same, the prices will be close; if hemp, thread and floss are the same in weight, the prices will be close; if the five grains are the same in quantity, the prices will be close; if shoes are the same in size, the prices will be close." Mencius said: "That things are unequal is the nature of things; some differ by double or fivefold, some by tenfold or a hundredfold, some by a thousandfold or ten thousandfold. If you make them all the same and uniform, you throw the world into confusion. If large and small shoes sell at the same price, would anyone still make the large ones? To follow Master Xu's way is to lead one another into deceit; how could it govern a state?"

墨者夷之，因徐闢而求見孟子。孟子曰：「吾固願見，今吾尚病，病癒，我且往見，夷子不來！」

Yi Zhi, a Mohist, sought to see Mencius through Xu Bi. Mencius said: "I would have been willing to see him, but I am still ill; when I am well I will go to see him, so Master Yi need not come!"

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，以薄為其道也。夷子思以易天下，豈以為非是而不貴也？然而夷子葬其親厚，則是以所賤事親也。」

Another day he again asked to see Mencius. Mencius said: "I can see him now. If I am not straightforward, the Way will not show itself; I will speak plainly. I have heard that Master Yi is a Mohist. The Mohists handle funerals by taking thin burial as the way. Master Yi wishes to change the world by this; does he think that otherwise it would not be valuable? Yet Master Yi buried his own parents lavishly, so he serves his parents with what he himself despises."

徐子以告夷子。夷子曰：「儒者之道，古之人『若保赤子』，此言何謂也？之則以為愛無差等，施由親始。」

Xu Zi told this to Master Yi. Master Yi said: "The Way of the Confucians says that the ancients 'treated people as if protecting an infant'; what does that mean? I take it to mean that love has no gradations, but is carried out beginning with one's own kin."

徐子以告孟子。孟子曰：「夫夷子，信以為人之親其兄之子為若親其鄰之赤子乎？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，則舉而委之於壑。他日過之，狐狸食之，蠅蚋姑嘬之。其顙有泚，睨而不視。夫泚也，非為人泚，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。」

Xu Zi told this to Mencius. Mencius said: "Master Yi, does he truly think that a person loves his elder brother's son as he loves a neighbor's infant? That saying has a particular point. When an infant crawls and is about to fall into a well, it is not the infant's fault. Moreover, Heaven gives birth to things so that each has a single root, but Master Yi has two roots. Perhaps in an earlier age there were people who did not bury their parents. When their parents died, they carried them off and threw them in a ditch. Later, passing by, they saw foxes eating the bodies and flies and gnats biting them. Sweat broke out on their foreheads, and they looked away and did not dare look straight. That sweat was not shed for others; it was the inner heart showing through the face. Probably they went home to fetch baskets and spades and covered the bodies. If covering them was truly right, then there must also be reason in the filial son and benevolent man burying his parents."

徐子以告夷子。夷子憮然為閒曰：「命之矣。」

Xu Zi told this to Master Yi. Master Yi was silent and dazed for a while and then said: "He has taught me."

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』，宜若可為也。」

Chen Dai said: "Not going to see the feudal lords seems too petty; if you see them now, at best you could make one of them king, and at least a hegemon. Moreover, the records say: 'Bend one foot to straighten eight feet,' and this seems doable."

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，亦可為與？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。』或以告王良。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：『吾為之範我馳驅，終日不獲一；為之詭遇，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，弗為也。如枉道而從彼，何也？且子過矣，枉己者，未有能直人者也。」

Mencius said: "In the past, Duke Jing of Qi was hunting and summoned the gamekeeper with a banner; the gamekeeper did not come, and the duke was about to kill him. A man of resolve does not forget that he may end up in a ditch, and a brave man does not forget that he may lose his head. What did Confucius approve of in him? He approved of his not going when summoned in the wrong way. If one goes without waiting to be summoned, what is that? Moreover, bending one foot to straighten eight feet is said in terms of profit. If it is in terms of profit, then bending eight feet to straighten one foot for profit would also be acceptable? In the past, Zhao Jianzi had Wang Liang drive a chariot for his favorite, Xi, and in a whole day they did not get a single bird. Xi returned and reported: 'The worst charioteer in the world.' Someone told Wang Liang. Liang said: 'Please let me try again.' After pressing him, he agreed, and in a single morning they got ten birds. Xi returned and reported: 'The best charioteer in the world.' Jianzi said: 'I will have him drive only for you.' He told Wang Liang. Liang refused, and said: 'I drove for him according to the rules and in a whole day did not get one; I drove for him by deceitful means to suit him and in a morning got ten. The Odes, in Chegong of the Lesser Odes, say: "They do not lose the rule of the gallop, and when the arrow is released it is as if it breaks through." I am not accustomed to driving for a petty man; I ask to decline.' Even a charioteer is ashamed to be bound up with an archer in this way. To bind oneself up and get birds and beasts, even if as many as hills and mounds, I would not do it. If one bends the Way to follow those people, what is that? Moreover, you are wrong; one who bends himself has never been able to straighten others."

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。」

Jing Chun said: "Are Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi not truly great men? When they are angry the feudal lords fear, and when they live quietly the flames of war in the world die down."

孟子曰：「是焉得為大丈夫乎？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！』以順為正者，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。」

Mencius said: "How can these be called great men? Have you not studied ritual? When a young man is capped, his father instructs him; when a young woman is married, her mother instructs her, sees her off at the door, and warns her: 'When you go to your husband's family, you must be respectful, you must be careful, and do not disobey your husband!' To take obedience as right is the way of a concubine or wife. A great man dwells in the widest dwelling in the world (benevolence), stands in the most correct place in the world (ritual), and walks the greatest road in the world (righteousness). If he attains his aim, he goes along with the people; if he does not, he practices his Way alone. Wealth and rank cannot corrupt him, poverty and low station cannot move him, and power and force cannot bend him. This is what is called a great man."

周霄問曰：「古之君子仕乎？」

Zhou Xiao asked: "Did gentlemen of old take office?"

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：『古之人三月無君則吊。』」

Mencius said: "They did. The record says: 'When Confucius was three months without a ruler, he was anxious, and when he left a state he always carried a gift for audience.' Gongming Yi said: 'The ancients, when three months without a ruler, would go to offer condolence.'"

「三月無君則吊，不以急乎？」

(Zhou Xiao asked:) "To offer condolence when three months without a ruler, is that not too hasty?"

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，以為衣服。犧牲不成，粢盛不潔，衣服不備，不敢以祭。惟士無田，則亦不祭。』牲殺器皿衣服不備，不敢以祭，則不敢以宴，亦不足吊乎？」

Mencius said: "For a scholar to lose his position is like a feudal lord losing his state. The Rites say: 'A feudal lord personally plows to help provide sacrificial grain; his wife raises silkworms and reels silk to make sacrificial garments. If the animals are not fat, the grain not clean, or the garments not complete, they dare not sacrifice. Only a scholar without land likewise does not sacrifice.' If the animals, vessels and garments are not complete, they dare not sacrifice, and then they dare not feast either; is that not worth offering condolence for?"

「出疆必載質，何也？」

(Zhou Xiao asked:) "He always carried a gift when leaving the state; why?"

曰：「士之仕也，猶農夫之耕也，農夫豈為出疆舍其耒耜哉？」

Mencius said: "A scholar's taking office is like a farmer's plowing; would a farmer put down his plow because he leaves the state?"

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？」

Zhou Xiao said: "The state of Jin is also a state where one can take office, yet I have never heard of anyone so anxious for office. If one is so anxious for office, why is it hard for a gentleman to take office?"

曰：「丈夫生而願為之有室，女子生而願為之有家。父母之心，人皆有之。不待父母之命、媒妁之言，鑽穴隙相窺，逾牆相從，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。」

Mencius said: "When a son is born, parents wish to find him a wife; when a daughter is born, they wish to find her a husband's family. This feeling of parents everyone has. Without waiting for the parents' command and the matchmaker's word, if they bore holes and peep at each other through chinks, and climb over walls to be together, their parents and the people of the state will despise them. The ancients never did not want office, but they also hated not going by the proper way. To go by an improper way is of a kind with boring holes and peeping through chinks."

彭更問曰：「後車數十乘，從者數百人，以傳食於諸侯，不以泰乎？」

Peng Geng asked: "To have dozens of carriages behind you and hundreds of followers, and to be fed from one feudal lord to another, is that not excessive?"

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，不以為泰，子以為泰乎？」

Mencius said: "If it is not the right Way, one may not accept even a basket of rice from another; if it is the right Way, Shun accepted the world from Yao and did not think it excessive; do you think it excessive?"

曰：「否。士無事而食，不可也。」

Peng Geng said: "No. But a scholar who has no work and eats is not acceptable."

曰：「子不通功易事，以羨補不足，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為仁義者哉？」

Mencius said: "If you do not exchange the products of labor and make up for shortages with surplus, farmers will have surplus grain and women will have surplus cloth; but if you promote exchange, carpenters, wheelwrights and carriage-makers can all get food from you. Suppose there is a man here who is filial at home and respectful abroad, keeps the Way of the former kings, and awaits later scholars, yet cannot get food from you. Why do you honor carpenters, wheelwrights and carriage-makers and slight one who practices benevolence and righteousness?"

曰：「梓匠輪輿，其志將以求食也；君子之為道也，其志亦將以求食與？」

Peng Geng said: "The aim of carpenters, wheelwrights and carriage-makers is to seek food; is the aim of a gentleman who practices the Way also to seek food?"

曰：「子何以其志為哉？其有功於子，可食而食之矣。且子食志乎？食功乎？」

Mencius said: "Why must you speak in terms of aims? If he has done something for you, you may give him food, and that is that. And do you give food according to aim, or according to merit?"

曰：「食志。」

Peng Geng said: "According to aim."

曰：「有人於此，毀瓦畫墁，其志將以求食也，則子食之乎？」

Mencius said: "Suppose a man here smashes roof tiles and scrawls on walls, and his aim is to seek food; would you give him food?"

曰：「否。」

Peng Geng said: "No."

曰：「然則子非食志也，食功也。」

Mencius said: "Then you do not give food according to aim, but according to merit."

萬章問曰：「宋，小國也。今將行王政，齊楚惡而伐之，則如之何？」

Wan Zhang asked: "Song is a small state. Now it is about to practice kingly government, and Qi and Chu hate it and attack it; what then?"

孟子曰：「湯居亳，與葛為鄰，葛伯放而不祀。湯使人問之曰：『何為不祀？』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：『何為不祀？』曰：『無以供粢盛也。』湯使亳眾往為之耕，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。為其殺是童子而徵之，四海之內皆曰：『非富天下也，為匹夫匹婦復讎也。』『湯始徵，自葛載』，十一徵而無敵於天下。東面而徵，西夷怨；南面而徵，北狄怨，曰：『奚為後我？』民之望之，若大旱之望雨也。歸市者弗止，芸者不變，誅其君，吊其民，如時雨降。民大悅。《書》曰：『徯我後，後來其無罰。』『有攸不惟臣，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，侵於之疆，則取於殘，殺伐用張，於湯有光。』不行王政云爾，苟行王政，四海之內皆舉首而望之，欲以為君。齊楚雖大，何畏焉？」

Mencius said: "Tang lived at Bo and was a neighbor of Ge; the lord of Ge was dissolute and did not sacrifice. Tang sent someone to ask him: 'Why do you not sacrifice?' He said: 'We have nothing to provide the sacrificial animals.' Tang sent him oxen and sheep. The lord of Ge ate them and again did not sacrifice with them. Tang again sent to ask: 'Why do you not sacrifice?' He said: 'We have no grain to provide the offerings.' Tang had the people of Bo go and plow for him, with the old and weak bringing meals. The lord of Ge led his people to intercept those who carried wine, food, millet and rice and seized it, and killed those who would not hand it over. There was a child who brought a meal of millet and meat, and he was killed and the food seized. The Documents say: 'The lord of Ge made an enemy of those who brought food.' This is what it means. Because he killed this child, Tang attacked him, and all within the four seas said: 'He is not greedy for the world's wealth, but avenges a common man and woman.' 'When Tang began his campaigns, he started from Ge,' and after eleven campaigns he had no rival in the world. When he marched east, the western barbarians complained; when he marched south, the northern barbarians complained, saying: 'Why does he put us last?' The people looked to him as in a great drought they look for rain. Merchants did not stop going to market and weeders did not change their work; he punished their rulers and comforted their people, like timely rain falling. The people were greatly pleased. The Documents say: 'We await our lord, and when our lord comes we will have no punishment.' 'Some did not submit; he marched east and pacified their men and women, who filled baskets with dark and yellow silks to see the glory of our Zhou king, and wished to submit to the great city of Zhou.' The gentlemen filled baskets with dark and yellow silks to welcome the gentleman, and the common people welcomed the common people with food in baskets and drink in jars; he saved the people from water and fire, and only removed their oppressors. The Great Declaration says: 'My martial might is displayed, and invades that territory, and removes the cruel; slaughter is thus extended, and shines even more than Tang.' It is only a matter of not practicing kingly government; if one practices kingly government, all within the four seas will lift their heads and look, wishing to take him as their lord. Though Qi and Chu are large, what is there to fear?"

孟子謂戴不勝曰：「子欲子之王之善與？我明告子。有楚大夫於此，欲其子之齊語也，則使齊人傅諸？使楚人傅諸？」

Mencius said to Dai Busheng: "Do you want your king to be good? I will tell you plainly. Suppose there is a grand master of Chu here who wants his son to speak the Qi language; will he have a man of Qi teach him, or a man of Chu teach him?"

曰：「使齊人傅之。」

Dai Busheng said: "He will have a man of Qi teach him."

曰：「一齊人傅之，眾楚人咻之，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，王誰與為不善？在王所者，長幼卑尊，皆非薛居州也，王誰與為善？一薛居州，獨如宋王何？」

Mencius said: "If one man of Qi teaches him and many men of Chu shout and disturb him, even if he is whipped every day to make him speak Qi, he will not get it; if he is taken and placed in the Zhuang and Yue streets for several years, even if he is whipped every day to make him speak Chu, he will not get it. You say Xue Juzhou is a good scholar, and have him live with the king. If all those with the king, old and young, high and low, are Xue Juzhou, with whom will the king do wrong? If all those with the king, old and young, high and low, are not Xue Juzhou, with whom will the king do good? What can a single Xue Juzhou do alone to the King of Song?"