Wan Zhang, Part One
萬章問曰：「舜往于田，號泣於旻天，何為其號泣也？」
Wan Zhang asked: "When Shun went to the fields, he cried out to vast Heaven in tears. Why did he cry out in tears?"
孟子曰：「怨慕也。」
Mencius said: "It was resentment and longing."
萬章曰：「父母愛之，喜而不忘；父母惡之，勞而不怨。然則舜怨乎？」
Wan Zhang said: "When his parents loved him, he was glad and did not forget it; when his parents disliked him, he toiled and did not resent it. Then did Shun resent?"
曰：「長息問於公明高曰：『舜往于田，則吾既得聞命矣；號泣於旻天，於父母，則吾不知也。』公明高曰：『是非爾所知也。』夫公明高以孝子之心，為不若是恝，我竭力耕田，共為子職而已矣，父母之不我愛，於我何哉？帝使其子九男二女，百官牛羊倉廩備，以事舜於畎畝之中。天下之士多就之者，帝將胥天下而遷之焉。為不順於父母，如窮人無所歸。天下之士悅之，人之所欲也，而不足以解憂；好色，人之所欲，妻帝之二女，而不足以解憂；富，人之所欲，富有天下，而不足以解憂；貴，人之所欲，貴為天子，而不足以解憂。人悅之、好色、富貴，無足以解憂者，惟順於父母，可以解憂。人少，則慕父母；知好色，則慕少艾；有妻子，則慕妻子；仕則慕君，不得於君則熱中。大孝終身慕父母。五十而慕者，予於大舜見之矣。」
Mencius said: "Chang Xi asked Gongming Gao: 'As to Shun going to the fields, I have learned that; as to crying out to vast Heaven and to his parents in tears, I do not know.' Gongming Gao said: 'This is not something you can know.' Gongming Gao thought that the heart of a filial son could not be so indifferent: 'I exert my strength in farming and respectfully do my duty as a son, that is all; if my parents do not love me, what has that to do with me?' The emperor sent his nine sons and two daughters, with the hundred officials, oxen, sheep, and granaries in readiness, to serve Shun in the fields. Many scholars of the world went to him, and the emperor was about to transfer the whole world to him. Yet because he could not please his parents, he was like a poor man with nowhere to return. The pleasure of the world's scholars is something people desire, yet it was not enough to dispel his worry; beauty is something people desire, and he married the emperor's two daughters, yet it was not enough to dispel his worry; wealth is something people desire, and he was rich with the world, yet it was not enough to dispel his worry; rank is something people desire, and he was honored as Son of Heaven, yet it was not enough to dispel his worry. Of people's pleasure, beauty, wealth, and rank, none was enough to dispel his worry; only pleasing his parents could dispel it. When people are young, they long for their parents; when they come to know beauty, they long for youth and beauty; when they have a wife, they long for their wife; when they take office, they long for their lord, and if they do not win their lord's favor, they burn inside. The greatly filial long for their parents all their lives. One who at fifty still longs for them, I have seen in the Great Shun."
萬章問曰：「《詩》云：『娶妻如之何？必告父母。』信斯言也，宜莫如舜。舜之不告而娶，何也？」
Wan Zhang asked: "The Book of Songs, in 'Nanshan' of the Odes of Qi, says: 'How should one take a wife? One must inform one's parents.' If one believes these words, no one should be the equal of Shun. Shun married without informing his parents; why?"
孟子曰：「告則不得娶。男女居室，人之大倫也。如告，則廢人之大倫，以懟父母，是以不告也。」
Mencius said: "If he had informed them, he could not have married. A man and woman setting up a household is the great relation of human life. If he had informed them, he would have abandoned the great human relation and thereby aroused resentment toward his parents, and so he did not inform them."
萬章曰：「舜之不告而娶，則吾既得聞命矣；帝之妻舜而不告，何也？」
Wan Zhang said: "That Shun married without informing his parents I have already learned; that the emperor gave his daughters to Shun without informing Shun's parents, why?"
曰：「帝亦知告焉則不得妻也。」
Mencius said: "The emperor too knew that if he informed them, he could not marry them to him."
萬章曰：「父母使舜完廩，捐階，瞽瞍焚廩。使浚井，出，從而揜之。象曰：『謨蓋都君鹹我績。牛羊父母，倉廩父母，干戈朕，琴朕，弤朕，二嫂使治朕棲。』象往入舜宮，舜在床琴。象曰：『鬱陶思君爾。』忸怩。舜曰：『惟茲臣庶，汝其於予治。』不識舜不知象之將殺己與？」
Wan Zhang said: "His parents had Shun repair the granary and removed the ladder, and Gusou set fire to the granary. They had him dredge the well, and he came out, and they followed by filling in the mouth of the well. Xiang said: 'The scheme to cover him over is all my merit. The cattle and sheep go to my parents, the granaries go to my parents, the shields and spears are mine, the zither is mine, the carved bow is mine, and the two sisters-in-law I shall have make my bed.' Xiang went into Shun's palace, and Shun was sitting on his bed playing the zither. Xiang said: 'I was thinking of you in gloom.' His face showed embarrassment. Shun said: 'These ministers and people, you govern them for me.' I do not know whether Shun knew that Xiang was about to kill him?"
曰：「奚而不知也？象憂亦憂，象喜亦喜。」
Mencius said: "How could he not know? When Xiang worried, he worried too; when Xiang rejoiced, he rejoiced too."
曰：「然則舜偽喜者與？」
Wan Zhang said: "Then was Shun pretending to be pleased?"
曰：「否。昔者有饋生魚於鄭子產，子產使校人畜之池。校人烹之，反命曰：『始舍之圉圉焉，少則洋洋焉，攸然而逝。』子產曰『得其所哉！得其所哉！』校人出，曰：『孰謂子產智？予既烹而食之，曰：得其所哉？得其所哉。』故君子可欺以其方，難罔以非其道。彼以愛兄之道來，故誠信而喜之，奚偽焉？」
Mencius said: "No. In the past someone gave a live fish to Zichan of Zheng, and Zichan had the pond keeper keep it in the pond. The pond keeper cooked and ate it, and returned to report: 'When I first put it in, it was dazed; a moment later it was lively, and then it swam away at ease.' Zichan said: 'It found its proper place! It found its proper place!' The pond keeper went out and said: 'Who says Zichan is wise? I have already cooked and eaten it, and he still says: it found its proper place?' Thus a gentleman can be deceived by what accords with reason, but is hard to deceive by what is against the Way. He came with the way of loving his brother, and so he was sincerely glad; how could he be pretending?"
萬章問曰：「象日以殺舜為事，立為天子，則放之，何也？」
Wan Zhang asked: "Xiang daily took killing Shun as his business, yet when Shun was made Son of Heaven he only banished him; why?"
孟子曰：「封之也，或曰放焉。」
Mencius said: "He was enfeoffed; some say he was banished."
萬章曰：「舜流共工於幽州，放驩兜於崇山，殺三苗於三危，殛鯀於羽山，四罪而天下鹹服，誅不仁也。象至不仁，封之有庳。有庳之人奚罪焉？仁人固如是乎？在他人則誅之，在弟則封之。」
Wan Zhang said: "Shun exiled Gong Gong to Youzhou, banished Huan Dou to Mount Chong, killed the Three Miao at Sanwei, and executed Gun at Mount Yu; when these four were punished the whole world submitted, for it was punishing the unbenevolent. Xiang was extremely unbenevolent, yet he was enfeoffed at Youbi. What wrong had the people of Youbi done? Is this how a benevolent man behaves? With others he executes, and with his brother he enfeoffs."
曰：「仁人之於弟也，不藏怒焉，不宿怨焉，親愛之而已矣。親之慾其貴也，愛之慾其富也。封之有庳，富貴之也。身為天子，弟為匹夫，可謂親愛之乎？」
Mencius said: "A benevolent man toward his brother does not hide his anger nor keep resentment overnight; he simply loves him. Because he is close to him he wants him to be honored, and because he loves him he wants him to be rich. Enfeoffing him at Youbi was making him rich and honored. If he himself were Son of Heaven while his brother were a commoner, could that be called loving?"
「敢問或曰放者，何謂也？」
(Wan Zhang asked:) "May I ask what it means when some say he was banished?"
曰：「象不得有為於其國，天子使吏治其國，而納其貢稅焉，故謂之放，豈得暴彼民哉？雖然，欲常常而見之，故源源而來。『不及貢，以政接於有庳』，此之謂也。」
Mencius said: "Xiang could not do anything in his own state; the Son of Heaven sent officials to govern his state and he paid tribute and taxes, and so it is called banishment; how could he oppress the people there? Even so, he wished to see him often, so he came again and again. 'Not waiting for the time of tribute, he met Youbi through state affairs': this is what that says."
鹹丘蒙問曰：「語云：『盛德之士，君不得而臣，父不得而子。』舜南面而立，堯帥諸侯北面而朝之，瞽瞍亦北面而朝之。舜見瞽瞍，其容有蹙。孔子曰：『於斯時也，天下殆哉，岌岌乎！』不識此語誠然乎哉？」
Xianqiu Meng asked: "The common saying goes: 'A scholar of splendid virtue cannot be treated as a minister by his lord, nor treated as a son by his father.' Shun stood facing south, and Yao led the lords in facing north to pay him audience, and Gusou also faced north to pay him audience. When Shun saw Gusou, his face showed distress. Confucius said: 'At this time the world was in danger, perilously so!' I do not know whether these words are really so."
孟子曰：「否。此非君子之言，齊東野人之語也。堯老而舜攝也。《堯典》曰：『二十有八載，放勳乃徂落，百姓如喪考妣，三年，四海遏密八音。』孔子曰：『天無二日，民無二王。』舜既為天子矣，又帥天下諸侯以為堯三年喪，是二天子矣。」
Mencius said: "No. These are not the words of a gentleman; they are the words of country people of eastern Qi. When Yao was old Shun acted as regent. The Canon of Yao says: 'After twenty-eight years, Fangxun died, and the people mourned as if for a father or mother for three years, and the four seas ceased their music.' Confucius said: 'In heaven there are not two suns, and among the people there are not two kings.' If Shun had already been Son of Heaven and had also led the lords of the world to mourn Yao for three years, there would have been two Sons of Heaven."
鹹丘蒙曰：「舜之不臣堯，則吾既得聞命矣。《詩》云：『普天之下，莫非王土；率土之濱，莫非王臣。』而舜既為天子矣，敢問瞽瞍之非臣，如何？」
Xianqiu Meng said: "That Shun did not treat Yao as a minister I have already learned. The Book of Songs, in 'Beishan' of the Lesser Odes, says: 'Under the whole sky, there is no land that is not the king's; along the land to the sea, there is none who is not the king's minister.' Since Shun was already Son of Heaven, may I ask how Gusou was not a minister?"
曰：「是詩也，非是之謂也；勞於王事，而不得養父母也。曰：『此莫非王事，我獨賢勞也。』故說《詩》者，不以文害辭，不以辭害志。以意逆志，是為得之。如以辭而已矣，《雲漢》之詩曰：『周餘黎民，靡有孑遺。』信斯言也，是周無遺民也。孝子之至，莫大乎尊親；尊親之至，莫大乎以天下養。為天子父，尊之至也；以天下養，養之至也。《詩》曰：『永言孝思，孝思維則。』此之謂也。《書》曰：『祗載見瞽瞍，夔夔齊栗，瞽瞍亦允若。』是為父不得而子也。」
Mencius said: "This poem does not mean that. It is about someone who toils at the king's business and so cannot care for his parents. It says: 'All these are the king's business, yet I alone am worn out with worthy toil.' Therefore one who explains the Odes must not let the words harm the phrases, nor let the phrases harm the intent. To meet the author's intent with one's own understanding is how one gets it. If one looks only at the phrases, the ode 'Yunhan' says: 'Of the remaining people of Zhou, not one is left.' If one believed these words, then Zhou would have no remaining people. The utmost of filial devotion is nothing greater than honoring one's parents; the utmost of honoring one's parents is nothing greater than supporting them with the whole world. To be the father of the Son of Heaven is the utmost of honor; to support him with the whole world is the utmost of support. The Book of Songs, in 'Xiawu' of the Greater Odes, says: 'Forever think of filial devotion, and filial devotion is the model.' This is what it means. The Book of Documents says: 'Reverently he went to see Gusou, trembling and fasting in awe, and Gusou too was sincere and compliant.' This is how a father cannot treat him as his son."
萬章曰：「堯以天下與舜，有諸？」
Wan Zhang said: "Did Yao give the world to Shun? Is there such a thing?"
孟子曰：「否。天子不能以天下與人。」
Mencius said: "No. The Son of Heaven cannot give the world to anyone."
「然則舜有天下也，孰與之？」
(Wan Zhang asked:) "Then who gave Shun the world?"
曰：「天與之。」
Mencius said: "Heaven gave it."
「天與之者，諄諄然命之乎？」
(Wan Zhang asked:) "When Heaven gave it, did it command him earnestly?"
曰：「否。天不言，以行與事示之而已矣。」
Mencius said: "No. Heaven does not speak; it only shows it through conduct and events."
曰：「以行與事示之者如之何？」
Wan Zhang said: "How does it show it through conduct and events?"
曰：「天子能薦人於天，不能使天與之天下；諸侯能薦人於天子，不能使天子與之諸侯；大夫能薦人於諸侯，不能使諸侯與之大夫。昔者堯薦舜於天而天受之，暴之於民而民受之，故曰：天不言，以行與事示之而已矣。」
Mencius said: "The Son of Heaven can recommend a man to Heaven, but cannot make Heaven give him the world; a lord can recommend a man to the Son of Heaven, but cannot make the Son of Heaven give him a lordship; a high official can recommend a man to a lord, but cannot make the lord give him a high office. In the past Yao recommended Shun to Heaven and Heaven accepted him; he presented him to the people and the people accepted him. So it is said: Heaven does not speak; it only shows through conduct and events."
曰：「敢問薦之於天而天受之，暴之於民而民受之，如何？」
Wan Zhang said: "May I ask what it is like to recommend him to Heaven and Heaven accepts, and present him to the people and the people accept?"
曰：「使之主祭而百神享之，是天受之；使之主事而事治，百姓安之，是民受之也。天與之，人與之，故曰：天子不能以天下與人。舜相堯二十有八載，非人之所能為也，天也。堯崩，三年之喪畢，舜避堯之子於南河之南。天下諸侯朝覲者，不之堯之子而之舜；訟獄者，不之堯之子而之舜；謳歌者，不謳歌堯之子而謳歌舜，故曰天也。夫然後之中國，踐天子位焉。而居堯之宮，逼堯之子，是篡也，非天與也。《太誓》曰：『天視自我民視，天聽自我民聽』，此之謂也。」
Mencius said: "He was made to preside over the sacrifices and the hundred spirits enjoyed them; this is Heaven accepting. He was made to preside over affairs and the affairs were well managed and the people were at peace; this is the people accepting. Heaven gave it to him and the people gave it to him, and so it is said: the Son of Heaven cannot give the world to anyone. Shun assisted Yao for twenty-eight years; this is not something a person could do, it was Heaven. When Yao died, after the three-year mourning was complete, Shun withdrew to the south of the Southern River to avoid Yao's son. The lords of the world who came to pay court did not go to Yao's son but to Shun; those with lawsuits did not go to Yao's son but to Shun; those singing praises did not sing the praises of Yao's son but of Shun; so it is said to be Heaven. Only afterward did he go to the central state and take the seat of the Son of Heaven. If he had moved into Yao's palace and pressed Yao's son, it would have been usurpation, not Heaven's gift. The Great Declaration says: 'Heaven sees as our people see; Heaven hears as our people hear.' This is what it means."
萬章問曰：「人有言：『至於禹而德衰，不傳於賢而傳於子。』有諸？」
Wan Zhang asked: "People have a saying: 'When it came to Yu, virtue declined; it was not passed on to a worthy man but to his son.' Is there such a thing?"
孟子曰：「否，不然也。天與賢，則與賢；天與子，則與子。昔者舜薦禹於天，十有七年，舜崩。三年之喪畢，禹避舜之子於陽城。天下之民從之，若堯崩之後，不從堯之子而從舜也。禹薦益於天，七年，禹崩。三年之喪畢，益避禹之子於箕山之陰。朝覲訟獄者不之益而之啟，曰：『吾君之子也。』謳歌者不謳歌益而謳歌啟，曰：『吾君之子也。』丹朱之不肖，舜之子亦不肖。舜之相堯，禹之相舜也，歷年多，施澤於民久。啟賢，能敬承繼禹之道。益之相禹也，歷年少，施澤於民未久。舜、禹、益相去久遠，其子之賢不肖，皆天也，非人之所能為也。莫之為而為者，天也；莫之致而至者，命也。匹夫而有天下者，德必若舜禹，而又有天子薦之者，故仲尼不有天下。繼世以有天下，天之所廢，必若桀紂者也，故益、伊尹、周公不有天下。伊尹相湯以王於天下。湯崩，太丁未立，外丙二年，仲壬四年。太甲顛覆湯之典刑，伊尹放之於桐。三年，太甲悔過，自怨自艾，於桐處仁遷義；三年，以聽伊尹之訓己也，復歸於亳。周公之不有天下，猶益之於夏，伊尹之於殷也。孔子曰：『唐虞禪，夏後、殷、周繼，其義一也。』」
Mencius said: "No, it is not so. When Heaven gives it to a worthy man, it goes to a worthy man; when Heaven gives it to a son, it goes to the son. In the past Shun recommended Yu to Heaven, and after seventeen years Shun died. After the three-year mourning was complete, Yu withdrew to Yangcheng to avoid Shun's son. The people of the world followed him, just as after Yao died they did not follow Yao's son but followed Shun. Yu recommended Yi to Heaven, and after seven years Yu died. After the three-year mourning was complete, Yi withdrew to the north of Mount Ji to avoid Yu's son. Those coming to court and those with lawsuits did not go to Yi but to Qi, saying: 'He is the son of our lord.' Those singing praises did not sing of Yi but of Qi, saying: 'He is the son of our lord.' Danzhu was unworthy, and Shun's son was also unworthy. Shun assisted Yao and Yu assisted Shun, and they passed through many years and bestowed their favors on the people for a long time. Qi was worthy and could respectfully continue Yu's Way. Yi assisted Yu for few years and bestowed favor on the people for not long. Shun, Yu, and Yi were far apart in time; whether a son is worthy or unworthy is all Heaven, not something people can do. What is accomplished when nobody does it is Heaven; what comes when nobody brings it is fate. A commoner who obtains the world must have virtue like Shun and Yu and also a recommendation from a Son of Heaven, and so Confucius did not obtain the world. One who inherits the world and is discarded by Heaven must be like Jie and Zhou, and so Yi, Yi Yin, and the Duke of Zhou did not obtain the world. Yi Yin assisted Tang and made him king of the world. When Tang died, Taiding did not take the throne; Waibing reigned two years and Zhongren four. Taijia overturned Tang's laws, and Yi Yin banished him to Tong. After three years Taijia repented of his faults, blamed himself and corrected himself, dwelt in benevolence at Tong and moved toward righteousness; after three years he listened to Yi Yin's instruction to himself and returned to Bo. The Duke of Zhou did not obtain the world, just as Yi with respect to Xia and Yi Yin with respect to Yin. Confucius said: 'Tang and Yu abdicated in favor of the worthy, and the Xia, Yin, and Zhou passed the rule down in succession; the righteousness is one.'"
萬章問曰：「人有言『伊尹以割烹要湯』有諸？」
Wan Zhang asked: "People say: 'Yi Yin sought Tang through cooking.' Is there such a thing?"
孟子曰：「否，不然。伊尹耕於有莘之野，而樂堯舜之道焉。非其義也，非其道也，祿之以天下，弗顧也；繫馬千駟，弗視也。非其義也，非其道也，一介不以與人，一介不以取諸人，湯使人以幣聘之，囂囂然曰：『我何以湯之聘幣為哉？我豈若處畎畝之中，由是以樂堯舜之道哉？』湯三使往聘之，既而幡然改曰：『與我處畎畝之中，由是以樂堯舜之道，吾豈若使是君為堯舜之君哉？吾豈若使是民為堯舜之民哉？吾豈若於吾身親見之哉？天之生此民也，使先知覺後知，使先覺覺後覺也。予，天民之先覺者也；予將以斯道覺斯民也。非予覺之，而誰也？』思天下之民匹夫匹婦有不被堯舜之澤者，若己推而內之溝中。其自任以天下之重如此，故就湯而說之以伐夏救民。吾未聞枉己而正人者也，況辱己以正天下者乎？聖人之行不同也，或遠或近，或去或不去，歸潔其身而已矣。吾聞其以堯舜之道要湯，未聞以割烹也。伊訓曰：『天誅造攻自牧宮，朕載自亳。』」
Mencius said: "No, it is not so. Yi Yin farmed in the countryside of Youxin and delighted in the Way of Yao and Shun. If it was not according to his righteousness or his Way, even if he were given the whole world as salary, he would not look back; even if a thousand teams of horses were tethered for him, he would not look at them. If it was not according to his righteousness or his Way, he would not give a single straw to anyone, nor take a single straw from anyone. Tang sent people with gifts of silk to summon him, and he said calmly: 'What would I do with Tang's gifts of silk? How could that compare with staying in the fields, delighting in the Way of Yao and Shun there?' When Tang sent three times to summon him, he then changed his mind and said: 'Rather than stay in the fields delighting in the Way of Yao and Shun, how could that compare with making this ruler a ruler like Yao and Shun? How could it compare with making these people the people of Yao and Shun? How could it compare with seeing it in my own person? Heaven gave birth to these people to let those who know first awaken those who know later, and to let those who awaken first awaken those who awaken later. I am one of Heaven's people who has awakened first; I shall use this Way to awaken these people. If I do not awaken them, who will?' He thought that if any commoner, man or woman, in the world had not received the benefit of Yao and Shun, it was as if he himself had pushed them into a ditch. Thus he took the heavy burden of the world on himself, and so he went to Tang and spoke of attacking Xia and saving the people. I have never heard of one who bent himself and yet could straighten others, much less one who disgraced himself in order to set the world right. The conduct of sages differs: some are distant and some near, some leave and some do not leave, but it all comes down to keeping oneself pure. I have heard that he sought Tang through the Way of Yao and Shun; I have not heard it was through cooking. The Instructions of Yi says: 'Heaven's punishment began its attack at Mugong, and I began at Bo.'"
萬章問曰：「或謂孔子於衛主癰疽，於齊主侍人瘠環，有諸乎？」
Wan Zhang asked: "Some say that in Wei Confucius lodged with a carbuncle-healer, and in Qi lodged with the eunuch Ji Huan. Is there such a thing?"
孟子曰：「否，不然也。好事者為之也。於衛主顏讎由。彌子之妻與子路之妻，兄弟也。彌子謂子路曰：『孔子主我，衛卿可得也。』子路以告。孔子曰：『有命。』孔子進以禮，退以義，得之不得曰『有命』。而主癰疽與侍人瘠環，是無義無命也。孔子悅於魯衛，遭宋桓司馬將要而殺之，微服而過宋。是時孔子當阨，主司城貞子，為陳侯周臣。吾聞觀近臣，以其所為主；觀遠臣，以其所主。若孔子主癰疽與侍人瘠環，何以為孔子？」
Mencius said: "No, it is not so. It was made up by busybodies. In Wei he lodged with Yan Chouyou. The wife of Mi Zi and the wife of Zilu were sisters. Mi Zi said to Zilu: 'If Confucius lodges with me, the position of high minister in Wei can be had.' Zilu told Confucius. Confucius said: 'It is a matter of fate.' Confucius advanced by ritual and withdrew by righteousness, and whether he got something or not he said 'it is fate.' But if he had lodged with a carbuncle-healer and the eunuch Ji Huan, that would have been without righteousness and without regard for fate. When Confucius was ill received in Lu and Wei, and met the plan of Sima Huan of Song to waylay and kill him, he changed into plain clothes and passed through Song. At that time Confucius was in hardship and lodged with Sicheng Zhenzi, a minister of Marquis Zhou of Chen. I have heard that to judge ministers who are near, one looks at whom they receive as hosts; to judge ministers who are far, one looks at whom they lodge with. If Confucius had lodged with a carbuncle-healer and the eunuch Ji Huan, how could he be Confucius?"
萬章問曰：「或曰：『百里奚自鬻於秦養牲者，五羊之皮，食牛，以要秦穆公。』信乎？」
Wan Zhang asked: "Some say: 'Baili Xi sold himself to a cattle-keeper in Qin for five sheepskins, and tended cattle, to seek the favor of Duke Mu of Qin.' Is this credible?"
孟子曰：「否，不然。好事者為之也。百里奚，虞人也。晉人以垂棘之璧與屈產之乘，假道於虞以伐虢。宮之奇諫，百里奚不諫。知虞公之不可諫而去，之秦，年已七十矣，曾不知以食牛幹秦穆公之為汙也，可謂智乎？不可諫而不諫，可謂不智乎？知虞公之將亡而先去之，不可謂不智也。時舉於秦，知穆公之可與有行也而相之，可謂不智乎？相秦而顯其君於天下，可傳於後世，不賢而能之乎？自鬻以成其君，鄉黨自好者不為，而謂賢者為之乎？」
Mencius said: "No, it is not so. It was made up by busybodies. Baili Xi was a man of Yu. The men of Jin used the jade of Chuiji and horses bred at Qu to borrow passage through Yu to attack Guo. Gong Zhiqi remonstrated, but Baili Xi did not. Knowing that Duke Yu could not be remonstrated with, he left and went to Qin, when he was already seventy years old; he did not know that seeking Duke Mu of Qin by tending cattle was disgraceful; can that be called wise? Not remonstrating when one could not be heeded, can that be called unwise? Knowing that Duke Yu was about to be destroyed and leaving first cannot be called unwise. At that time he was promoted by Qin, and knowing that Duke Mu could accomplish things together with him he assisted him; can that be called unwise? Assisting Qin and making his lord famous throughout the world, so that it could be handed down to later ages, could one who was not worthy do that? Selling oneself to accomplish one's lord, even a villager who values himself would not do; how could one say a worthy man would?"