Duke Wen of Teng, Part One

公孫丑問曰：「不見諸侯何義？」

Gongsun Chou asked: "What is the principle of not going to see the feudal lords?"

孟子曰：「古者不為臣不見。段幹木逾垣而闢之，洩柳閉門而不內，是皆已甚。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，病於夏畦。』子路曰：『未同而言，觀其色赧赧然，非由之所知也。』由是觀之，則君子之所養可知已矣。」

Mencius said: "In ancient times, if one was not a minister, one did not go to see them. Duangan Mu climbed over a wall to avoid him, and Xie Liu shut his door and would not admit him; these were both excessive. If pressed, one may see him. Yang Huo wanted to see Confucius but disliked acting against ritual; when a grand master gives a gift to a scholar and the scholar cannot receive it at home, he must go to the grand master's door to bow. Yang Huo watched for a time when Confucius was out and sent him a steamed piglet; Confucius also watched for a time when Yang Huo was out and went to thank him. At that time, since Yang Huo came first, how could he refuse to see him? Zengzi said: 'To hunch the shoulders and smile ingratiatingly is more painful than watering a garden in summer.' Zilu said: 'To speak with someone whose purpose is different and to see his face flush with embarrassment is not something I can understand.' From this one can know what a gentleman cultivates."

戴盈之曰：「什一，去關市之徵，今茲未能。請輕之，以待來年，然後已，何如？」

Dai Yingzhi said: "A tithe of one-tenth, and removing the taxes on passes and markets, we cannot yet do this year. May we first reduce them, and wait until next year to stop them entirely; what do you say?"

孟子曰：「今有人日攘其鄰之雞者，或告之曰：『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。」

Mencius said: "Suppose a man steals one of his neighbor's chickens every day, and someone tells him: 'This is not the way of a gentleman.' He says: 'Let me reduce it to one chicken a month, and wait until next year to stop entirely.' If you know it is not right, stop at once; why wait until next year?"

公都子曰：「外人皆稱夫子好辯，敢問何也？」

Gongdu Zi said: "People outside all say that the Master is fond of argument; may I ask why?"

孟子曰：「予豈好辯哉？予不得已也。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。下者為巢，上者為營窟。《書》曰：『洚水警餘。』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。險阻既遠，鳥獸之害人者消，然後人得平土而居之。

Mencius said: "Am I fond of argument? I have no choice. The world has had people for a long time, with one period of order followed by one of chaos. In the time of Yao, water flowed backward and flooded the Central States. Snakes and dragons dwelt there, and the people had no place of rest. Those in low places made nests, and those in high places made caves. The Documents say: 'The flood warns me.' The flood is the great flood. Yu was made to put it in order, and he dug the earth and led the water into the sea and drove the snakes and dragons into the grassy marshes. The water ran through the earth, which is the Yangtze, Huai, Yellow River and Han. When the dangers and obstacles were far removed and the birds and beasts that harmed people were gone, then people could dwell on level ground.

「堯、舜既沒，聖人之道衰。暴君代作，壞宮室以為汙池，民無所安息；棄田以為園囿，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，驅虎、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，鹹以正無缺。』

(Mencius continued:) "After Yao and Shun passed away, the Way of the sages declined. Tyrants rose one after another, destroying houses to make ponds, so that the people had no place to rest; abandoning fields to make parks, so that the people could get no clothing or food. Perverse theories and violent deeds arose again, and parks, ponds and marshes multiplied, and birds and beasts came. By the time of Zhou, the world was again in great chaos. The Duke of Zhou assisted King Wu, executed Zhou and attacked Yan, and for three years punished their ruler, and drove Fei Lian to the corner of the sea and killed him. Fifty states were destroyed, and tigers, leopards, rhinoceroses and elephants were driven far away. The world was greatly pleased. The Documents say: 'How greatly illustrious were the plans of King Wen! How greatly continued were the achievements of King Wu! They aid and enlighten us, their later generations, with the right way and without gaps.'

「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！』

(Mencius continued:) "When the age declined and the Way grew faint, perverse theories and violent deeds arose again, ministers killed their rulers and sons killed their fathers. Confucius was alarmed and made the Spring and Autumn. The Spring and Autumn is the business of the Son of Heaven. So Confucius said: 'Those who understand me will do so only through the Spring and Autumn; those who blame me will do so only through the Spring and Autumn!'"

「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。楊氏為我，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，廄有肥馬，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。吾為此懼，閒先聖之道，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。

(Mencius continued:) "When no sage king arises, the feudal lords run wild, unemployed scholars hold forth, and the words of Yang Zhu and Mo Di fill the world. The words of the world return either to Yang or to Mo. The school of Yang is for the self, which is to have no ruler; the school of Mo is universal love, which is to have no father. To have no father and no ruler is to be a beast. Gongming Yi said: 'There is fat meat in the kitchen and fat horses in the stable, yet the people have hunger on their faces and starved corpses lie in the wilds; this is leading beasts to devour people.' If the way of Yang and Mo does not stop, and the way of Confucius is not made plain, then perverse theories will deceive the people and block benevolence and righteousness. When benevolence and righteousness are blocked, beasts will be led to eat people, and people will eat each other. I am alarmed by this, and so I defend the Way of the former sages, oppose Yang and Mo, and banish excessive talk, so that those who hold perverse theories cannot arise. What arises in the heart harms conduct; what arises in conduct harms government. When a sage arises again, he will not change my words."

「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：『戎狄是膺，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？予不得已也。能言距楊墨者，聖人之徒也。」

(Mencius continued:) "In the past Yu held back the flood and the world was at peace; the Duke of Zhou subdued the barbarians and drove off the fierce beasts and the people were at peace; Confucius completed the Spring and Autumn and rebellious ministers and wicked sons were afraid. The Odes, in the Lu hymn Bi Gong, say: 'The Rong and Di were struck, the Jing and Shu were chastised, and none dared resist me.' To have no father and no ruler is what the Duke of Zhou struck down. I too want to set people's hearts right, put an end to perverse theories, oppose one-sided conduct, and banish excessive words, in order to carry on the work of the three sages; am I fond of argument? I have no choice. Whoever can use words to oppose Yang and Mo is a disciple of the sages."

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。」

Kuang Zhang said: "Is Chen Zhongzi not truly an honest scholar? He lived in Yuling and went without food for three days, so that his ears could not hear and his eyes could not see. There was a plum by the well, with more than half of its flesh eaten by grubs; he crawled over and was about to eat it, swallowed three mouthfuls, and then his ears could hear and his eyes could see."

孟子曰：「於齊國之士，吾必以仲子為巨擘焉。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，下飲黃泉。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。」

Mencius said: "Among the scholars of Qi, I would certainly count Zhongzi as the thumb. Even so, how can Zhongzi be called honest? To fill out Zhongzi's principle, one would have to become an earthworm, and only then would it be possible. The earthworm eats dry earth above and drinks yellow springs below. Was the house where Zhongzi lives built by Bo Yi, or built by Robber Zhi? Was the millet he eats planted by Bo Yi, or planted by Robber Zhi? This is still not known."

曰：「是何傷哉？彼身織屨，妻辟纑，以易之也。」

Kuang Zhang said: "What harm is there in it? He weaves sandals himself and his wife spins hemp, and they exchange them for goods."

曰：「仲子，齊之世家也。兄戴，蓋祿萬鍾。以兄之祿為不義之祿而不食也，以兄之室為不義之室而不居也，闢兄離母，處於於陵。他日歸，則有饋其兄生鵝者，己頻顣曰：『惡用是鶃鶃者為哉？』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。是尚為能充其類也乎？若仲子者，蚓而後充其操者也。」

Mencius said: "Zhongzi was from a hereditary house of Qi. His elder brother Dai had a revenue of ten thousand zhong from Gai. He considered his brother's revenue unrighteous and would not eat it, considered his brother's house unrighteous and would not live in it, avoided his brother and left his mother, and lived in Yuling. Later he went home, and someone had presented his brother with a live goose; Zhongzi knit his brows and said: 'What use is this thing that goes yi yi?' Later his mother killed the goose and gave it to him to eat. His brother came in from outside and said: 'This is the meat of the yi yi.' He went out and vomited it. He would not eat what was his mother's but ate what was his wife's; would not live in his brother's house but lived in Yuling. Can this be called filling out his type? Someone like Zhongzi would have to become an earthworm before he could fill out his principle."

孟子曰：「離婁之明，公輸子之巧，不以規矩，不能成方員：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。

Mencius said: "With the sharp eyes of Li Lou and the skill of Gongshu Zi, without compass and square one cannot make squares and circles; with the keen ears of Shi Kuang, without the six pitch-pipes one cannot correct the five notes; with the Way of Yao and Shun, without benevolent government one cannot bring peace to the world. Now there are those who have a benevolent heart and a benevolent reputation, yet the people receive no benefit from them and they cannot be a model for later ages, because they do not practice the Way of the former kings.

「故曰，徒善不足以為政，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。聖人既竭目力焉，繼之以規矩準繩，以為方員平直，不可勝用也；既竭耳力焉，繼之以六律，正五音，不可勝用也；既竭心思焉，繼之以不忍人之政，而仁覆天下矣。

(Mencius continued:) "So it is said, goodness alone is not enough for government, and laws alone cannot run themselves. The Odes, in Jia Le of the Greater Odes, say: 'Without error, without forgetting, follow the old statutes.' There has never been anyone who followed the laws of the former kings and erred. When the sages had exhausted their eyesight, they went on to use compass, square, level and plumb line to make squares, circles, flats and straights, and these could never be used up; when they had exhausted their hearing, they went on to use the six pitch-pipes to correct the five notes, and these could never be used up; when they had exhausted their thought, they went on to use a government that cannot bear to see others suffer, and benevolence covered the world.

「故曰，為高必因丘陵，為下必因川澤。為政不因先王之道，可謂智乎？是以惟仁者宜在高位。不仁而在高位，是播其惡於眾也。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。

(Mencius continued:) "So it is said, to build high one must rely on hills and mounds, and to dig low one must rely on rivers and marshes. To govern without relying on the Way of the former kings, can this be called wise? So only the benevolent should be in high positions. If the unbenevolent are in high positions, they spread their evil to the multitude. When above there is no Way by which to measure, and below there are no laws to observe, when the court does not believe in the Way and the officials do not believe in standards, when gentlemen violate righteousness and petty people violate punishments, the state's survival is mere luck.

「故曰，城郭不完，兵甲不多，非國之災也；田野不闢，貨財不聚，非國之害也。上無禮，下無學，賊民興，喪無日矣。《詩》曰：『天之方蹶，無然洩洩。』洩洩，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：責難於君謂之恭，陳善閉邪謂之敬，吾君不能謂之賊。」

(Mencius continued:) "So it is said, if city walls are not complete and weapons and armor are not many, it is not a calamity for the state; if fields are not opened up and goods and wealth are not gathered, it is not a harm to the state. When above there is no ritual and below no learning, and rebellious people arise, ruin is not many days off. The Odes, in Ban of the Greater Odes, say: 'Heaven is now in upheaval; do not be so lax.' 'Lax' means being slack. To serve a ruler without righteousness, to advance and retreat without ritual, and to speak against the Way of the former kings is to be slack. So it is said: to demand of one's ruler what is difficult is called respect; to set forth the good and shut out the wicked is called reverence; to say 'my ruler cannot do it' is called being a thief."

孟子曰：「規矩，方員之至也；聖人，人倫之至也。欲為君盡君道，欲為臣盡臣道，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》雲『殷鑑不遠，在夏後之世』，此之謂也。」

Mencius said: "The compass and square are the utmost standard of squares and circles; the sage is the utmost standard of human relations. If one wants to be a ruler, he should fulfill the Way of a ruler; if one wants to be a minister, he should fulfill the Way of a minister; both simply take Yao and Shun as models. To serve one's ruler without using the way in which Shun served Yao is not to respect one's ruler; to govern the people without using the way in which Yao governed the people is to injure one's people. Confucius said: 'There are only two ways: benevolence and non-benevolence.' If one is extremely cruel to his people, he is himself killed and his state perishes; if not extreme, he himself is endangered and his state is diminished. He is given the posthumous names 'You' and 'Li,' and even filial sons and loving grandsons cannot change it in a hundred generations. The Odes, in Dang of the Greater Odes, say: 'The mirror of Yin is not far; it is in the age of the Xia sovereign.' This is what it means."

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，不保宗廟；士庶人不仁，不保四體。今惡死亡而樂不仁，是猶惡醉而強酒。」

Mencius said: "The Three Dynasties won the world through benevolence and lost it through non-benevolence. The rise and fall, survival and ruin of states are likewise so. If the Son of Heaven is not benevolent, he cannot protect the four seas; if the feudal lords are not benevolent, they cannot protect the altars of the state; if the high officials are not benevolent, they cannot protect the ancestral temple; if scholars and commoners are not benevolent, they cannot protect their four limbs. Now people hate death yet delight in non-benevolence, which is like hating drunkenness yet forcing oneself to drink."

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。』」

Mencius said: "If you love others and they are not close to you, turn back and examine your own benevolence; if you govern others and they are not well governed, turn back and examine your own wisdom; if you treat others with ritual and they do not respond, turn back and examine your own respect. Whenever what you do does not get results, seek the cause in yourself, and when you are upright yourself the world turns to you. The Odes, in King Wen of the Greater Odes, say: 'Always think of matching the mandate, and seek many blessings by yourself.'"

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 a common saying, and they all say 'the world, the state, the family.' The root of the world is the state, the root of the state is the family, and the root of the family is the person."

孟子曰：「為政不難，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: "Governing is not hard: do not offend the great houses. What the great houses admire, the whole state admires; what a whole state admires, the world admires; and so virtuous teaching flows abundantly to the four seas."

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：『既不能令，又不受命，是絕物也。』涕出而女於吳。

Mencius said: "When the world has the Way, those of small virtue are employed by those of great virtue, and those of small worth are employed by those of great worth; when the world has no Way, the small are employed by the large and the weak by the strong. These two are Heaven. Those who follow Heaven survive, those who defy Heaven perish. Duke Jing of Qi said: 'If I can neither give orders nor receive orders, I am cut off from others.' Weeping, he married his daughter to Wu.

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，必為政於天下矣。《詩》云：『商之孫子，其麗不億。上帝既命，侯於周服。侯服於周，天命靡常。殷士膚敏，祼將於京。』孔子曰：『仁不可為眾也。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？』」

(Mencius continued:) Now small states take large states as models yet are ashamed to receive their orders, which is like disciples being ashamed to receive their former teacher's orders. If they are ashamed, they would do better to take King Wen as their model. If they take King Wen as a model, a large state will in five years, and a small state in seven, surely govern the world. The Odes, in King Wen of the Greater Odes, say: 'The descendants of Shang number not only a hundred thousand. The Lord on High has already commanded, and they all submit to Zhou. Submitting to Zhou, the mandate of Heaven is not constant. The fine and quick gentlemen of Yin perform the libation in the capital.' Confucius said: 'Benevolence cannot be matched by numbers. If the ruler of a state loves benevolence, he has no rival in the world.' Now to wish to have no rival in the world and yet not use benevolence is like holding something hot and not rinsing it in water. The Odes, in Sang Rou of the Greater Odes, say: 'Who can hold something hot and not wash it?'"

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：『滄浪之水清兮，可以濯我纓；滄浪之水濁兮，可以濯我足。』孔子曰：『小子聽之！清斯濯纓，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。」

Mencius said: "Can one speak with the unbenevolent? They are at ease in their danger, profit from their calamity, and delight in what leads to their ruin. If one could speak with the unbenevolent, how would there be ruined states and families? There was a boy who sang: 'When the Canglang waters are clear, I can wash the ribbons of my cap; when the Canglang waters are muddy, I can wash my feet.' Confucius said: 'Listen, children! When it is clear one washes the cap ribbons, when muddy one washes the feet; it is something one brings on oneself.' A person must first insult himself before others insult him; a family must first destroy itself before others destroy it; a state must first attack itself before others attack it. The Documents, in Tai Jia, say: 'Calamity sent by Heaven can still be avoided; calamity made by oneself cannot be survived.' This is what it means."

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。故為淵敺魚者，獺也；為叢敺爵者，鸇也；為湯武敺民者，桀與紂也。今天下之君有好仁者，則諸侯皆為之敺矣。雖欲無王，不可得已。今之慾王者，猶七年之病求三年之艾也。苟為不畜，終身不得。苟不志於仁，終身憂辱，以陷於死亡。《詩》雲『其何能淑，載胥及溺』，此之謂也。」

Mencius said: "Jie and Zhou lost the world because they lost the people; they lost the people because they lost the people's hearts. There is a way to win the world: win the people and you win the world; there is a way to win the people: win their hearts and you win the people; there is a way to win their hearts: gather for them what they desire, and do not impose on them what they dislike, and that is all. The people turn to benevolence as water flows downward and beasts run to the wilds. So the otter drives the fish into the deep pool; the hawk drives the sparrows into the thicket; and Jie and Zhou drove the people to Tang and Wu. Now if among the rulers of the world there is one who loves benevolence, all the feudal lords will drive the people to him. Even if he did not want to become king, he could not avoid it. Now those who want to become king are like someone ill for seven years who seeks three-year-old mugwort. If they do not store it up, they will never get it in their lifetime. If they do not set their will on benevolence, they will grieve and be disgraced all their lives until they die. The Odes, in Sang Rou, say: 'How can they become good? They only drag each other down.' This is what it means."

孟子曰：「自暴者，不可與有言也；自棄者，不可與有為也。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！」

Mencius said: "One who harms himself cannot be spoken with; one who throws himself away cannot be acted with. To speak against ritual and righteousness is called self-abuse; to be unable to dwell in benevolence and follow righteousness is called self-abandonment. Benevolence is a person's secure dwelling; righteousness is a person's proper road. To leave the secure dwelling empty and not live in it, and to give up the proper road and not walk on it, how sad!"

孟子曰：「道在爾而求諸遠，事在易而求之難。人人親其親、長其長而天下平。」

Mencius said: "The Way is near, yet people seek it afar; the task is easy, yet people seek it in difficulty. If everyone loves his own parents and respects his own elders, the world will be at peace."

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。」

Mencius said: "One who is in a low position but does not win the trust of those above cannot govern the people. There is a way to win the trust of those above: if one is not trusted by friends, one will not win the trust of those above; there is a way to be trusted by friends: if one does not please his parents, one will not be trusted by friends; there is a way to please one's parents: if on examining oneself one is not sincere, one cannot please one's parents; there is a way to be sincere: if one does not understand what is good, one cannot be sincere in oneself. So sincerity is the Way of Heaven; thinking about sincerity is the Way of man. There has never been one of utmost sincerity who could not move others; without sincerity, none can move others."

孟子曰：「伯夷闢紂，居北海之濱，聞文王作，興曰：『盍歸乎來！吾聞西伯善養老者。』太公闢紂，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，必為政於天下矣。」

Mencius said: "Bo Yi, avoiding Zhou, lived on the shore of the North Sea, and hearing that King Wen had risen, was stirred and said: 'Why not go back! I have heard that the Earl of the West is good at caring for the old.' Taigong, avoiding Zhou, lived on the shore of the East Sea, and hearing that King Wen had risen, was stirred and said: 'Why not go back! I have heard that the Earl of the West is good at caring for the old.' These two old men were the greatest old men in the world, and when they turned to him, it was the fathers of the world turning to him. When the fathers of the world turn to him, where can their sons go? If any feudal lord practices the government of King Wen, within seven years he will surely govern the world."

孟子曰：「求也為季氏宰，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。況於為之強戰？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，闢草萊、任土地者次之。」

Mencius said: "Ran Qiu served as steward of the Ji family, and could not change his lord's conduct, and the grain taxes were twice what they used to be. Confucius said: 'Qiu is no disciple of mine; you, my young ones, may beat the drum and denounce him.' From this we see that those who make a ruler rich without practicing benevolent government are all rejected by Confucius. How much more those who fight wars for him by force? Fighting for land, the killed fill the countryside; fighting for cities, the killed fill the city. This is what is called leading the land to eat human flesh, and death is too light a punishment for it. So those who are good at war should receive the severest punishment, those who ally the feudal lords the next, and those who open up wasteland and assign the land to use next after that."

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？」

Mencius said: "Of what exists in a person, nothing is better than the pupil of the eye. The pupil cannot hide a person's evil. If the heart is upright, the pupil is bright; if the heart is not upright, the pupil is clouded. Listen to his words and look at his pupils, and how can a person hide?"

孟子曰：「恭者不侮人，儉者不奪人。侮奪人之君，惟恐不順焉，惡得為恭儉？恭儉豈可以聲音笑貌為哉？」

Mencius said: "The respectful do not insult others, and the frugal do not take from others. A ruler who insults and takes from others fears only that people will not obey him; how can he be called respectful or frugal? Can respect and frugality be faked by voice and smile?"

淳于髡曰：「男女授受不親，禮與？」

Chunyu Kun said: "That men and women do not hand things directly to each other is ritual?"

孟子曰：「禮也。」

Mencius said: "It is ritual."

曰：「嫂溺則援之以手乎？」

Chunyu Kun said: "If one's sister-in-law is drowning, does one pull her out with one's hand?"

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。」

Mencius said: "Not to pull out a drowning sister-in-law is to be a wolf. That men and women do not hand things directly to each other is ritual; to pull a drowning sister-in-law out with one's hand is expediency."

曰：「今天下溺矣，夫子之不援，何也？」

Chunyu Kun said: "Now the world is drowning, and the Master does not pull it out; why?"

曰：「天下溺，援之以道；嫂溺，援之以手。子欲手援天下乎？」

Mencius said: "When the world is drowning, one pulls it out with the Way; when a sister-in-law is drowning, one pulls her out with the hand. Do you want me to pull the world out with my hand?"

公孫丑曰：「君子之不教子，何也？」

Gongsun Chou said: "The gentleman does not teach his own son himself; why?"

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。父子之間不責善。責善則離，離則不祥莫大焉。」

Mencius said: "The circumstances do not allow it. The teacher must use what is right; when using what is right does not work, he then gets angry; when he gets angry, it turns around and does harm. 'The Master teaches me what is right, but the Master himself has not acted rightly.' Then father and son harm each other. When father and son harm each other, it is bad. In ancient times people exchanged sons to teach them. Between father and son one does not demand goodness. To demand goodness leads to estrangement, and nothing is more ill-omened than estrangement."

孟子曰：「事孰為大？事親為大；守孰為大？守身為大。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。孰不為事？事親，事之本也；孰不為守？守身，守之本也。曾子養曾皙，必有酒肉。將徹，必請所與。問有餘，必曰『有』。曾皙死，曾元養曾子，必有酒肉。將徹，不請所與。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。」

Mencius said: "What is the greatest service? Serving one's parents is the greatest. What is the greatest thing to guard? Guarding oneself is the greatest. I have heard of those who do not lose themselves and can serve their parents; I have not heard of those who lose themselves and can serve their parents. Who does not do service? Serving one's parents is the root of service; who does not guard? Guarding oneself is the root of guarding. When Zengzi nourished Zeng Xi, he always had wine and meat. When about to clear away, he always asked to whom the rest should be given. When asked if there was any left, he always said 'There is.' When Zeng Xi died, Zeng Yuan nourished Zengzi, and there was always wine and meat. When about to clear away, he did not ask to whom to give it. When asked if there was any left, he said 'There is none,' intending to serve it up again. This is called nourishing the mouth and body. Only one like Zengzi can be called nourishing the aim. Serving one's parents as Zengzi did is enough."

孟子曰：「人不足與適也，政不足間也。惟大人為能格君心之非。君仁莫不仁，君義莫不義，君正莫不正。一正君而國定矣。」

Mencius said: "Such people are not worth criticizing, nor are their policies worth faulting. Only a great man can correct the error in the ruler's heart. If the ruler is benevolent, none are not benevolent; if the ruler is righteous, none are not righteous; if the ruler is upright, none are not upright. Once the ruler is set right, the state is settled."

孟子曰：「有不虞之譽，有求全之毀。」

Mencius said: "There is praise that comes unexpectedly, and there is blame that comes from demanding perfection."

孟子曰：「人之易其言也，無責耳矣。」

Mencius said: "People speak lightly only because they have no responsibility."

孟子曰：「人之患在好為人師。」

Mencius said: "The fault of people is that they like to be other people's teachers."

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：「先生何為出此言也？」曰：「子來幾日矣？」曰：「昔昔。」曰：「昔昔，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。」

Yuezheng Zi followed Zi Ao to Qi. Yuezheng Zi saw Mencius. Mencius said: "Do you also come to see me?" Yuezheng Zi said: "Why does the Master say such a thing?" Mencius said: "How many days have you been here?" Yuezheng Zi said: "Since yesterday." Mencius said: "Since yesterday; then is it not right that I say this?" Yuezheng Zi said: "My lodging was not yet settled." Mencius said: "Have you heard that one first settles one's lodging and only then seeks to see an elder?" Yuezheng Zi said: "Ke is at fault."

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 said to Yuezheng Zi: "You followed Zi Ao here only to eat and drink. I did not think that you had studied the Way of the ancients in order to use it to eat and drink."

孟子曰：「不孝有三，無後為大。舜不告而娶，為無後也，君子以為猶告也。」

Mencius said: "There are three kinds of unfilial conduct, and having no heir is the greatest. Shun married without informing his parents, because of having no heir, and the gentleman regards it as if he had informed them."

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；樂之實，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。」

Mencius said: "The substance of benevolence is serving one's parents; the substance of righteousness is obeying one's elder brother. The substance of wisdom is to know these two and not let go of them; the substance of ritual is to regulate and adorn these two; the substance of music is to delight in these two, and when delight arises, how can it be stopped, and when it cannot be stopped, one does not know that one's feet are stepping and one's hands are dancing."

孟子曰：「天下大悅而將歸己。視天下悅而歸己，猶草芥也。惟舜為然。不得乎親，不可以為人；不順乎親，不可以為子。舜盡事親之道而瞽瞍厎豫，瞽瞍厎豫而天下化，瞽瞍厎豫而天下之為父子者定，此之謂大孝。」

Mencius said: "The world is greatly pleased and about to turn to him. To regard the world's pleasure and turning to him as grass and weeds, only Shun was like that. If one cannot win his parents' hearts, one cannot be a person; if one cannot comply with his parents, one cannot be a son. Shun fulfilled the Way of serving his parents and made Gusou come to be pleased; when Gusou came to be pleased, the world was transformed; when Gusou came to be pleased, all the fathers and sons of the world were settled; this is called great filial piety."