| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“尽其心者，知其性也。知其性，则知天矣。存其心，养其性，所以事天也。夭寿不贰，修身以俟之，所以立命也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'He who has exhausted all his mental constitution knows his nature. Knowing his nature, he knows Heaven. To preserve one's mental constitution, and nourish one's nature, is the way to serve Heaven. When neither a premature death nor long life causes a man any double-mindedness, but he waits in the cultivation of his personal character for whatever issue; this is the way in which he establishes his Heaven-ordained being.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“莫非命也，顺受其正。是故知命者，不立乎岩墙之下。尽其道而死者，正命也。桎梏死者，非正命也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'There is an appointment for everything. A man should receive submissively what may be correctly ascribed thereto. Therefore, he who has the true idea of what is Heaven's appointment will not stand beneath a precipitous wall. Death sustained in the discharge of one's duties may correctly be ascribed to the appointment of Heaven. Death under handcuffs and fetters cannot correctly be so ascribed.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“求则得之，舍则失之，是求有益于得也，求在我者也。求之有道，得之有命，是求无益于得也，求在外者也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'When we get by our seeking and lose by our neglecting - in that case seeking is of use to getting, and the things sought for are those which are in ourselves. When the seeking is according to the proper course, and the getting is only as appointed - in that case the seeking is of no use to getting, and the things sought are without ourselves.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“万物皆备于我矣。反身而诚，乐莫大焉。强恕而行，求仁莫近焉。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'All things are already complete in us. There is no greater delight than to be conscious of sincerity on self-examination. If one acts with a vigorous effort at the law of reciprocity, when he seeks for the realization of perfect virtue, nothing can be closer than his approximation to it.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“行之而不著焉，习矣而不察焉，终身由之而不知其道者，众也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'To act without understanding, and to do so habitually without examination, pursuing the proper path all the life without knowing its nature - this is the way of multitudes.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“人不可以无耻。无耻之耻，无耻矣。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'A man may not be without shame. When one is ashamed of having been without shame, he will afterwards not have occasion to be ashamed.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“耻之于人大矣。为机变之巧者，无所用耻焉。不耻不若人，何若人有？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'The sense of shame is to a man of great importance. Those who form contrivances and versatile schemes distinguished for their artfulness, do not allow their sense of shame to come into action. When one differs from other men in not having this sense of shame, what will he have in common with them?' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“古之贤王好善而忘势，古之贤士何独不然？乐其道而忘人之势。故王公不致敬尽礼，则不得亟见之。见且犹1不得亟，而况得而臣之乎？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'The able and virtuous monarchs of antiquity loved virtue and forgot their power. And shall an exception be made of the able and virtuous scholars of antiquity, that they did not do the same? They delighted in their own principles, and were oblivious of the power of princes. Therefore, if kings and dukes did not show the utmost respect, and observe all forms of ceremony, they were not permitted to come frequently and visit them. If they thus found it not in their power to pay them frequent visits, how much less could they get to employ them as ministers?' 1. 犹 : Another version reads: "由". 《》作“由”。
|
| | 尽心上: |
孟子谓宋句践曰：“子好游乎？吾语子游。人知之，亦嚣嚣；人不知，亦嚣嚣。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said to Song Gou Jian, 'Are you fond, Sir, of travelling to the different courts? I will tell you about such travelling. If a prince acknowledge you and follow your counsels, be perfectly satisfied. If no one do so, be the same.' |
| | |
曰：“何如斯可以嚣嚣矣？” |
| |
Gou Jian said, 'What is to be done to secure this perfect satisfaction?' |
| | |
曰：“尊德乐义，则可以嚣嚣矣。故士穷不失义，达不离道。穷不失义，故士得己焉；达不离道，故民不失望焉。古之人，得志，泽加于民；不得志，修身见于世。穷则独善其身，达则兼善天下。” |
| |
Mencius replied, 'Honour virtue and delight in righteousness, and so you may always be perfectly satisfied. Therefore, a scholar, though poor, does not let go his righteousness; though prosperous, he does not leave his own path. Poor and not letting righteousness go - it is thus that the scholar holds possession of himself. Prosperous and not leaving the proper path - it is thus that the expectations of the people from him are not disappointed. When the men of antiquity realized their wishes, benefits were conferred by them on the people. If they did not realize their wishes, they cultivated their personal character, and became illustrious in the world. If poor, they attended to their own virtue in solitude; if advanced to dignity, they made the whole kingdom virtuous as well.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“待文王而后兴者，凡民也。若夫豪杰之士，虽无文王犹兴。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'The mass of men wait for a king Wen, and then they will receive a rousing impulse. Scholars distinguished from the mass, without a king Wan, rouse themselves.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“附之以韩魏之家，如其自视欿然，则过人远矣。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Add to a man the families of Han and Wei. If he then look upon himself without being elated, he is far beyond the mass of men.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“以佚道使民，虽劳不怨；以生道杀民，虽死不怨杀者。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Let the people be employed in the way which is intended to secure their ease, and though they be toiled, they will not murmur. Let them be put to death in the way which is intended to preserve their lives, and though they die, they will not murmur at him who puts them to death.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“霸者之民，驩虞如也；王者之民，皞皞如也。杀之而不怨，利之而不庸，民日迁善而不知为之者。夫君子所过者化，所存者神，上下与天地同流，岂曰小补之哉？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Under a chief, leading all the princes, the people look brisk and cheerful. Under a true sovereign, they have an air of deep contentment. Though he slay them, they do not murmur. When he benefits them, they do not think of his merit. From day to day they make progress towards what is good, without knowing who makes them do so. Wherever the superior man passes through, transformation follows; wherever he abides, his influence is of a spiritual nature. It flows abroad, above and beneath, like that of Heaven and Earth. How can it be said that he mends society but in a small way!' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“仁言，不如仁声之入人深也。善政，不如善教之得民也。善政民畏之，善教民爱之；善政得民财，善教得民心。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Kindly words do not enter so deeply into men as a reputation for kindness. Good government does not lay hold of the people so much as good instructions. Good government is feared by the people, while good instructions are loved by them. Good government gets the people's wealth, while good instructions get their hearts.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“人之所不学而能者，其良能也；所不虑而知者，其良知也。孩提之童，无不知爱其亲者；及其长也，无不知敬其兄也。亲亲，仁也；敬长，义也。无他，达之天下也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'The ability possessed by men without having been acquired by learning is intuitive ability, and the knowledge possessed by them without the exercise of thought is their intuitive knowledge. Children carried in the arms all know to love their parents, and when they are grown a little, they all know to love their elder brothers. Filial affection for parents is the working of benevolence. Respect for elders is the working of righteousness. There is no other reason for those feelings - they belong to all under heaven.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“舜之居深山之中，与木石居，与鹿豕游，其所以异于深山之野人者几希。及其闻一善言，见一善行，若决江河，沛然莫之能御也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'When Shun was living amid the deep retired mountains, dwelling with the trees and rocks, and wandering among the deer and swine, the difference between him and the rude inhabitants of those remote hills appeared very small. But when he heard a single good word, or saw a single good action, he was like a stream or a river bursting its banks, and flowing out in an irresistible flood.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“无为其所不为，无欲其所不欲，如此而已矣。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Let a man not do what his own sense of righteousness tells him not to do, and let him not desire what his sense of righteousness tells him not to desire - to act thus is all he has to do.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“人之有德慧术知者，恒存乎疢疾。独孤臣孽子，其操心也危，其虑患也深，故达。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Men who are possessed of intelligent virtue and prudence in affairs will generally be found to have been in sickness and troubles. They are the friendless minister and concubine's son, who keep their hearts under a sense of peril, and use deep precautions against calamity. On this account they become distinguished for their intelligence.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“有事君人者，事是君则为容悦者也。有安社稷臣者，以安社稷为悦者也。有天民者，达可行于天下而后行之者也。有大人者，正己而物正者也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'There are persons who serve the prince; they serve the prince, that is, for the sake of his countenance and favour. There are ministers who seek the tranquillity of the State, and find their pleasure in securing that tranquillity. There are those who are the people of Heaven. They, judging that, if they were in office, they could carry out their principles, throughout the kingdom, proceed so to carry them out. There are those who are great men. They rectify themselves and others are rectified.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“君子有三乐，而王天下不与存焉。父母俱存，兄弟无故，一乐也。仰不愧于天，俯不怍于人，二乐也。得天下英才而教育之，三乐也。君子有三乐，而王天下不与存焉。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'The superior man has three things in which he delights, and to be ruler over the kingdom is not one of them. That his father and mother are both alive, and that the condition of his brothers affords no cause for anxiety; this is one delight. That, when looking up, he has no occasion for shame before Heaven, and, below, he has no occasion to blush before men; this is a second delight. That he can get from the whole kingdom the most talented individuals, and teach and nourish them; this is the third delight. The superior man has three things in which he delights, and to be ruler over the kingdom is not one of them.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“广土众民，君子欲之，所乐不存焉。中天下而立，定四海之民，君子乐之，所性不存焉。君子所性，虽大行不加焉，虽穷居不损焉，分定故也。君子所性，仁义礼智根于心。其生色也，睟然见于面，盎于背，施于四体，四体不言而喻。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Wide territory and a numerous people are desired by the superior man, but what he delights in is not here. To stand in the centre of the kingdom, and tranquillize the people within the four seas - the superior man delights in this, but the highest enjoyment of his nature is not here. What belongs by his nature to the superior man cannot be increased by the largeness of his sphere of action, nor diminished by his dwelling in poverty and retirement - for this reason that it is determinately apportioned to him by Heaven. What belongs by his nature to the superior man are benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and knowledge. These are rooted in his heart; their growth and manifestation are a mild harmony appearing in the countenance, a rich fullness in the back, and the character imparted to the four limbs. Those limbs understand to arrange themselves, without being told.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“伯夷辟纣，居北海之滨，闻文王作兴，曰：‘盍归乎来！吾闻西伯善养老者。’太公辟纣，居东海之滨，闻文王作兴，曰：‘盍归乎来！吾闻西伯善养老者。’天下有善养老，则仁人以为己归矣。五亩之宅，树墙下以桑，匹妇蚕之，则老者足以衣帛矣。五母鸡，二母彘，无失其时，老者足以无失肉矣。百亩之田，匹夫耕之，八口之家足以无饥矣。所谓西伯善养老者，制其田里，教之树畜，导其妻子，使养其老。五十非帛不暖，七十非肉不饱。不暖不饱，谓之冻馁。文王之民，无冻馁之老者，此之谓也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Bo Yi, that he might avoid Zhou, was dwelling on the coast of the northern sea when he heard of the rise of king Wen. He roused himself and said, "Why should I not go and follow him? I have heard that the chief of the West knows well how to nourish the old." Tai Gong, to avoid Zhou, was dwelling on the coast of the eastern sea. When he heard of the rise of king Wen, he said, "Why should I not go and follow him? I have heard that the chief if the West knows well how to nourish the old." If there were a prince in the kingdom, who knew well how to nourish the old, all men of virtue would feel that he was the proper object for them to gather to. Around the homestead with its five mau, the space beneath the walls was planted with mulberry trees, with which the women nourished silkworms, and thus the old were able to have silk to wear. Each family had five brood hens and two brood sows, which were kept to their breeding seasons, and thus the old were able to have flesh to eat. The husbandmen cultivated their farms of 100 mu, and thus their families of eight mouths were secured against want. The expression, "The chief of the West knows well how to nourish the old," refers to his regulation of the fields and dwellings, his teaching them to plant the mulberry and nourish those animals, and his instructing the wives and children, so as to make them nourish their aged. At fifty, warmth cannot be maintained without silks, and at seventy flesh is necessary to satisfy the appetite. Persons not kept warm nor supplied with food are said to be starved and famished, but among the people of king Wen, there were no aged who were starved or famished. This is the meaning of the expression in question.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“易其田畴，薄其税敛，民可使富也。食之以时，用之以礼，财不可胜用也。民非水火不生活，昏暮叩人之门户，求水火，无弗与者，至足矣。圣人治天下，使有菽粟如水火。菽粟如水火，而民焉有不仁者乎？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Let it be seen to that their fields of grain and hemp are well cultivated, and make the taxes on them light - so the people may be made rich. Let it be seen to that the people use their resources of food seasonably, and expend their wealth only on the prescribed ceremonies - so their wealth will be more than can be consumed. The people cannot live without water and fire, yet if you knock at a man's door in the dusk of the evening, and ask for water and fire, there is no man who will not give them, such is the abundance of these things. A sage governs the kingdom so as to cause pulse and grain to be as abundant as water and fire. When pulse and grain are as abundant as water and fire, how shall the people be other than virtuous?' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“孔子登东山而小鲁，登太山而小天下。故观于海者难为水，游于圣人之门者难为言。观水有术，必观其澜。日月有明，容光必照焉。流水之为物也，不盈科不行；君子之志于道也，不成章不达。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Confucius ascended the eastern hill, and Lu appeared to him small. He ascended the Tai mountain, and all beneath the heavens appeared to him small. So he who has contemplated the sea, finds it difficult to think anything of other waters, and he who has wandered in the gate of the sage, finds it difficult to think anything of the words of others. There is an art in the contemplation of water. It is necessary to look at it as foaming in waves. The sun and moon being possessed of brilliancy, their light admitted even through an orifice illuminates. Flowing water is a thing which does not proceed till it has filled the hollows in its course. The student who has set his mind on the doctrines of the sage, does not advance to them but by completing one lesson after another.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“鸡鸣而起，孳孳为善者，舜之徒也。鸡鸣而起，孳孳为利者，跖之徒也。欲知舜与跖之分，无他，利与善之闲也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'He who rises at cock-crowing and addresses himself earnestly to the practice of virtue, is a disciple of Shun. He who rises at cock-crowing, and addresses himself earnestly to the pursuit of gain, is a disciple of Zhi. If you want to know what separates Shun from Zhi, it is simply this: the interval between the thought of gain and the thought of virtue.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“杨子取为我，拔一毛而利天下，不为也。墨子兼爱，摩顶放踵利天下，为之。子莫执中，执中为近之，执中无权，犹执一也。所恶执一者，为其贼道也，举一而废百也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'The principle of the philosopher Yang was "Each one for himself." Though he might have benefited the whole kingdom by plucking out a single hair, he would not have done it. The philosopher Mo loves all equally. If by rubbing smooth his whole body from the crown to the heel, he could have benefited the kingdom, he would have done it. Zi Mo holds a medium between these. By holding that medium, he is nearer the right. But by holding it without leaving room for the exigency of circumstances, it becomes like their holding their one point. The reason why I hate that holding to one point is the injury it does to the way of right principle. It takes up one point and disregards a hundred others.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“饥者甘食，渴者甘饮，是未得饮食之正也，饥渴害之也。岂惟口腹有饥渴之害？人心亦皆有害。人能无以饥渴之害为心害，则不及人不为忧矣。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'The hungry think any food sweet, and the thirsty think the same of any drink, and thus they do not get the right taste of what they eat and drink. The hunger and thirst, in fact, injure their palate. And is it only the mouth and belly which are injured by hunger and thirst? Men's minds are also injured by them. If a man can prevent the evils of hunger and thirst from being any evils to his mind, he need not have any sorrow about not being equal to other men.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“柳下惠不以三公易其介。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Hui of Liu Xia would not for the three highest offices of State have changed his firm purpose of life.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“有为者辟若掘井，掘井九轫而不及泉，犹为弃井也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'A man with definite aims to be accomplished may be compared to one digging a well. To dig the well to a depth of seventy-two cubits, and stop without reaching the spring, is after all throwing away the well.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“尧舜，性之也；汤武，身之也；五霸，假之也。久假而不归，恶知其非有也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Benevolence and righteousness were natural to Yao and Shun. Tang and Wu made them their own. The five chiefs of the princes feigned them. Having borrowed them long and not returned them, how could it be known they did not own them?' |
| | 尽心上: |
公孙丑曰：“伊尹曰：‘予不狎于不顺。’放太甲于桐，民大悦。太甲贤。又反之，民大悦。贤者之为人臣也，其君不贤，则固可放与？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Gong Sun Chou said, 'Yi Yin said, "I cannot be near and see him so disobedient to reason," and therewith he banished Tai Jia to Tong. The people were much pleased. When Tai Jia became virtuous, he brought him back, and the people were again much pleased. When worthies are ministers, may they indeed banish their sovereigns in this way when they are not virtuous?' |
| | |
孟子曰：“有伊尹之志，则可；无伊尹之志，则篡也。” |
| |
Mencius replied, 'If they have the same purpose as Yi Yin, they may. If they have not the same purpose, it would be usurpation.' |
| | 尽心上: |
公孙丑曰：“《》曰：‘’，君子之不耕而食，何也？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Gong Sun Chou said, 'It is said, in the Book of Poetry, "He will not eat the bread of idleness!" How is it that we see superior men eating without labouring?' |
| | |
孟子曰：“君子居是国也，其君用之，则安富尊荣；其子弟从之，则孝弟忠信。‘不素餐兮’，孰大于是？” |
| |
Mencius replied, 'When a superior man resides in a country, if its sovereign employ his counsels, he comes to tranquillity, wealth and glory. If the young in it follow his instructions, they become filial, obedient to their elders, true-hearted, and faithful. What greater example can there be than this of not eating the bread of idleness?' |
| | 尽心上: |
王子垫问曰：“士何事？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
The king's son, Dian, asked Mencius, saying, 'What is the business of the unemployed scholar?' |
| | |
孟子曰：“尚志。” |
| |
Mencius replied, 'To exalt his aim.' |
| | |
曰：“何谓尚志？” |
| |
Tien asked again, 'What do you mean by exalting the aim?' |
| | |
曰：“仁义而已矣。杀一无罪，非仁也；非其有而取之，非义也。居恶在？仁是也；路恶在？义是也。居仁由义，大人之事备矣。” |
| |
The answer was, 'Setting it simply on benevolence and righteousness. He thinks how to put a single innocent person to death is contrary to benevolence; how to take what one has not a right to is contrary to righteousness; that one's dwelling should be benevolence; and one's path should be righteousness. Where else should he dwell? What other path should he pursue? When benevolence is the dwelling-place of the heart, and righteousness the path of the life, the business of a great man is complete.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“仲子，不义与之齐国而弗受，人皆信之，是舍箪食豆羹之义也。人莫大焉亡亲戚、君臣、上下。以其小者信其大者，奚可哉？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'Supposing that the kingdom of Qi were offered, contrary to righteousness, to Chen Zhong, he would not receive it, and all people believe in him, as a man of the highest worth. But this is only the righteousness which declines a dish of rice or a plate of soup. A man can have no greater crimes than to disown his parents and relatives, and the relations of sovereign and minister, superiors and inferiors. How can it be allowed to give a man credit for the great excellences because he possesses a small one?' |
| | 尽心上: |
桃应问曰：“舜为天子，皋陶为士，瞽瞍杀人，则如之何？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Tao Ying asked, saying, 'Shun being sovereign, and Gao Yao chief minister of justice, if Gu Sou had murdered a man, what would have been done in the case?' |
| | |
孟子曰：“执之而已矣。” |
| |
Mencius said, 'Gao Yao would simply have apprehended him.' |
| | |
“然则舜不禁与？” |
| |
'But would not Shun have forbidden such a thing?' |
| | |
曰：“夫舜恶得而禁之？夫有所受之也。” |
| |
'Indeed, how could Shun have forbidden it? Gao Yao had received the law from a proper source.' |
| | |
“然则舜如之何？” |
| |
'In that case what would Shun have done?' |
| | |
曰：“舜视弃天下，犹弃敝屣也。窃负而逃，遵海滨而处，终身欣然，乐而忘天下。” |
| |
'Shun would have regarded abandoning the kingdom as throwing away a worn-out sandal. He would privately have taken his father on his back, and retired into concealment, living some where along the sea-coast. There he would have been all his life, cheerful and happy, forgetting the kingdom.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子自范之齐，望见齐王之子。喟然叹曰：“居移气，养移体，大哉居乎！夫非尽人之子与？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius, going from Fan to Qi, saw the king of Qi's son at a distance, and said with a deep sigh, 'One's position alters the air, just as the nurture affects the body. Great is the influence of position! Are we not all men's sons in this respect?' |
| | |
孟子曰：“王子宫室、车马、衣服多与人同，而王子若彼者，其居使之然也；况居天下之广居者乎？鲁君之宋，呼于垤泽之门。守者曰：‘此非吾君也，何其声之似我君也？’此无他，居相似也。” |
| |
Mencius said, 'The residence, the carriages and horses, and the dress of the king's son, are mostly the same as those of other men. That he looks so is occasioned by his position. How much more should a peculiar air distinguish him whose position is in the wide house of the world! 'When the prince of Lu went to Song, he called out at the Die Shi gate, and the keeper said, "This is not our prince. How is it that his voice is so like that of our prince?" This was occasioned by nothing but the correspondence of their positions.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“食而弗爱，豕交之也；爱而不敬，兽畜之也。恭敬者，币之未将者也。恭敬而无实，君子不可虚拘。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'To feed a scholar and not love him, is to treat him as a pig. To love him and not respect him, is to keep him as a domestic animal. Honouring and respecting are what exist before any offering of gifts. If there be honouring and respecting without the reality of them, a superior man may not be retained by such empty demonstrations.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“形色，天性也；惟圣人，然后可以践形。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'The bodily organs with their functions belong to our Heaven-conferred nature. But a man must be a sage before he can satisfy the design of his bodily organization.' |
| | 尽心上: |
齐宣王欲短丧。公孙丑曰：“为朞之丧，犹愈于已乎？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
The king Xuan of Qi wanted to shorten the period of mourning. Gong Sun Chou said, 'To have one whole year's mourning is better than doing away with it altogether.' |
| | |
孟子曰：“是犹或紾其兄之臂，子谓之姑徐徐云尔，亦教之孝弟而已矣。” |
| |
Mencius said, 'That is just as if there were one twisting the arm of his elder brother, and you were merely to say to him "Gently, gently, if you please." Your only course should be to teach such an one filial piety and fraternal duty.' |
| | |
王子有其母死者，其傅为之请数月之丧。公孙丑曰：“若此者，何如也？” |
| |
At that time, the mother of one of the king's sons had died, and his tutor asked for him that he might be allowed to observe a few months' mourning. Gong Sun Chou asked, 'What do you say of this?' |
| | |
曰：“是欲终之而不可得也。虽加一日愈于已，谓夫莫之禁而弗为者也。” |
| |
Mencius replied, 'This is a case where the party wishes to complete the whole period, but finds it impossible to do so. The addition of even a single day is better than not mourning at all. I spoke of the case where there was no hindrance, and the party neglected the thing itself.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“君子之所以教者五：有如时雨化之者，有成德者，有达财者，有答问者，有私淑艾者。此五者，君子之所以教也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'There are five ways in which the superior man effects his teaching. There are some on whom his influence descends like seasonable rain. There are some whose virtue he perfects, and some of whose talents he assists the development. There are some whose inquiries he answers. There are some who privately cultivate and correct themselves. These five ways are the methods in which the superior man effects his teaching.' |
| | 尽心上: |
公孙丑曰：“道则高矣，美矣，宜若登天然，似不可及也。何不使彼为可几及而日孳孳也？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Gong Sun Chou said, 'Lofty are your principles and admirable, but to learn them may well be likened to ascending the heavens - something which cannot be reached. Why not adapt your teaching so as to cause learners to consider them attainable, and so daily exert themselves!' |
| | |
孟子曰：“大匠不为拙工改废绳墨，羿不为拙射变其彀率。君子引而不发，跃如也。中道而立，能者从之。” |
| |
Mencius said, 'A great artificer does not, for the sake of a stupid workman, alter or do away with the marking-line. Yi did not, for the sake of a stupid archer, charge his rule for drawing the bow. The superior man draws the bow, but does not discharge the arrow, having seemed to leap with it to the mark; and he there stands exactly in the middle of the path. Those who are able, follow him.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“天下有道，以道殉身；天下无道，以身殉道。未闻以道殉乎人者也。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'When right principles prevail throughout the kingdom, one's principles must appear along with one's person. When right principles disappear from the kingdom, one's person must vanish along with one's principles. I have not heard of one's principles being dependent for their manifestation on other men.' |
| | 尽心上: |
公都子曰：“滕更之在门也，若在所礼。而不答，何也？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
The disciple Gong Du said, 'When Geng of Tang made his appearance in your school, it seemed proper that a polite consideration should be paid to him, and yet you did not answer him. Why was that?' |
| | |
孟子曰：“挟贵而问，挟贤而问，挟长而问，挟有勋劳而问，挟故而问，皆所不答也。滕更有二焉。” |
| |
Mencius replied, 'I do not answer him who questions me presuming on his nobility, nor him who presumes on his talents, nor him who presumes on his age, nor him who presumes on services performed to me, nor him who presumes on old acquaintance. Two of those things were chargeable on Geng of Tang.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“于不可已而已者，无所不已；于所厚者薄，无所不薄也。其进锐者，其退速。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'He who stops short where stopping is acknowledged to be not allowable, will stop short in everything. He who behaves shabbily to those whom he ought to treat well, will behave shabbily to all. He who advances with precipitation will retire with speed.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“君子之于物也，爱之而弗仁；于民也，仁之而弗亲。亲亲而仁民，仁民而爱物。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'In regard to inferior creatures, the superior man is kind to them, but not loving. In regard to people generally, he is loving to them, but not affectionate. He is affectionate to his parents, and lovingly disposed to people generally. He is lovingly disposed to people generally, and kind to creatures.' |
| | 尽心上: |
孟子曰：“知者无不知也，当务之为急；仁者无不爱也，急亲贤之为务。尧舜之知而不遍物，急先务也；尧舜之仁不遍爱人，急亲贤也。不能三年之丧，而缌小功之察；放饭流歠，而问无齿决，是之谓不知务。” |
| Jin Xin I: |
Mencius said, 'The wise embrace all knowledge, but they are most earnest about what is of the greatest importance. The benevolent embrace all in their love, but what they consider of the greatest importance is to cultivate an earnest affection for the virtuous. Even the wisdom of Yao and Shun did not extend to everything, but they attended earnestly to what was important. Their benevolence did not show itself in acts of kindness to every man, but they earnestly cultivated an affection for the virtuous. Not to be able to keep the three years' mourning, and to be very particular about that of three months, or that of five months; to eat immoderately and swill down the soup, and at the same time to inquire about the precept not to tear the meat with the teeth; such things show what I call an ignorance of what is most important. |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“不仁哉，梁惠王也！仁者以其所爱及其所不爱，不仁者以其所不爱及其所爱。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'The opposite indeed of benevolent was the king Hui of Liang! The benevolent, beginning with what they care for, proceed to what they do not care for. Those who are the opposite of benevolent, beginning with what they do not care for, proceed to what they care for.' |
| | |
公孙丑问曰：“何谓也？” |
| |
Gong Sun Chou said, 'What do you mean?' |
| | |
“梁惠王以土地之故，糜烂其民而战之，大败，将复之，恐不能胜，故驱其所爱子弟以殉之，是之谓以其所不爱及其所爱也。” |
| |
Mencius answered, 'The king Hui of Liang, for the matter of territory, tore and destroyed his people, leading them to battle. Sustaining a great defeat, he would engage again, and afraid lest they should not be able to secure the victory, urged his son whom he loved till he sacrificed him with them. This is what I call "beginning with what they do not care for, and proceeding to what they care for."' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“《春秋》无义战。彼善于此，则有之矣。征者上伐下也，敌国不相征也。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'In the "Spring and Autumn" there are no righteous wars. Instances indeed there are of one war better than another. "Correction" is when the supreme authority punishes its subjects by force of arms. Hostile States do not correct one another.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“尽信《》，则不如无《》。吾于《》，取二三策而已矣。仁人无敌于天下。以至仁伐至不仁，而何其血之流杵也？” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'It would be better to be without the Book of History than to give entire credit to it. In the "Completion of the War," I select two or three passages only, which I believe. "The benevolent man has no enemy under heaven. When the prince the most benevolent was engaged against him who was the most the opposite, how could the blood of the people have flowed till it floated the pestles of the mortars?"' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“有人曰：‘我善为陈，我善为战。’大罪也。国君好仁，天下无敌焉。南面而征北狄怨，东面而征西夷怨。曰：‘奚为后我？’武王之伐殷也，革车三百两，虎贲三千人。王曰：‘无畏！宁尔也，非敌百姓也。’若崩厥角稽首。征之为言正也，各欲正己也，焉用战？” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'There are men who say "I am skilful at marshalling troops, I am skilful at conducting a battle!" They are great criminals. If the ruler of a State love benevolence, he will have no enemy in the kingdom. When Tang was executing his work of correction in the south, the rude tribes on the north murmured. When he was executing it in the east, the rude tribes on the west murmured. Their cry was "Why does he make us last?" When king Wu punished Yin, he had only three hundred chariots of war, and three thousand life-guards. The king said, "Do not fear. Let me give you repose. I am no enemy to the people!" On this, they bowed their heads to the earth, like the horns of animals falling off. "Royal correction" is but another word for rectifying. Each State wishing itself to be corrected, what need is there for fighting?' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“梓匠轮舆能与人规矩，不能使人巧。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'A carpenter or a carriage-maker may give a man the circle and square, but cannot make him skilful in the use of them.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“舜之饭糗茹草也，若将终身焉；及其为天子也，被袗衣，鼓琴，二女果，若固有之。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'Shun's manner of eating his parched grain and herbs was as if he were to be doing so all his life. When he became sovereign, and had the embroidered robes to wear, the lute to play, and the two daughters of Yao to wait on him, he was as if those things belonged to him as a matter of course.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“吾今而后知杀人亲之重也：杀人之父，人亦杀其父；杀人之兄，人亦杀其兄。然则非自杀之也，一闲耳。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'From this time forth I know the heavy consequences of killing a man's near relations. When a man kills another's father, that other will kill his father; when a man kills another's elder brother, that other will kill his elder brother. So he does not himself indeed do the act, but there is only an interval between him and it.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“古之为关也，将以御暴。今之为关也，将以为暴。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'Anciently, the establishment of the frontier-gates was to guard against violence. Nowadays, it is to exercise violence.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“身不行道，不行于妻子；使人不以道，不能行于妻子。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'If a man himself do not walk in the right path, it will not be walked in even by his wife and children. If he order men according to what is not the right way, he will not be able to get the obedience of even his wife and children.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“周于利者，凶年不能杀；周于德者，邪世不能乱。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'A bad year cannot prove the cause of death to him whose stores of gain are large; an age of corruption cannot confound him whose equipment of virtue is complete.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“好名之人，能让千乘之国；苟非其人，箪食豆羹见于色。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'A man who loves fame may be able to decline a State of a thousand chariots; but if he be not really the man to do such a thing, it will appear in his countenance, in the matter of a dish of rice or a platter of soup.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“不信仁贤，则国空虚。无礼义，则上下乱。无政事，则财用不足。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'If men of virtue and ability be not confided in, a State will become empty and void. Without the rules of propriety and distinctions of right, the high and the low will be thrown into confusion. Without the great principles of government and their various business, there will not be wealth sufficient for the expenditure.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“不仁而得国者，有之矣；不仁而得天下，未之有也。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'There are instances of individuals without benevolence, who have got possession of a single State, but there has been no instance of the throne's being got by one without benevolence.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“民为贵，社稷次之，君为轻。是故得乎丘民而为天子，得乎天子为诸侯，得乎诸侯为大夫。诸侯危社稷，则变置。牺牲既成，粢盛既洁，祭祀以时，然而旱乾水溢，则变置社稷。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'The people are the most important element in a nation; the spirits of the land and grain are the next; the sovereign is the lightest. Therefore to gain the peasantry is the way to become sovereign; to gain the sovereign is the way to become a prince of a State; to gain the prince of a State is the way to become a great officer. When a prince endangers the altars of the spirits of the land and grain, he is changed, and another appointed in his place. When the sacrificial victims have been perfect, the millet in its vessels all pure, and the sacrifices offered at their proper seasons, if yet there ensue drought, or the waters overflow, the spirits of the land and grain are changed, and others appointed in their place.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“圣人，百世之师也，伯夷、柳下惠是也。故闻伯夷之风者，顽夫廉，懦夫有立志；闻柳下惠之风者，薄夫敦，鄙夫宽。奋乎百世之上。百世之下，闻者莫不兴起也。非圣人而能若是乎，而况于亲炙之者乎？” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'A sage is the teacher of a hundred generations - this is true of Bo Yi and Hui of Liu Xia. Therefore when men now bear the character of Bo Yi, the corrupt become pure, and the weak acquire determination. When they hear the character of Hui of Liu Xia, the mean become generous, and the niggardly become liberal. Those two made themselves distinguished a hundred generations ago, and after a hundred generations, those who hear of them, are all aroused in this manner. Could such effects be produced by them, if they had not been sages? And how much more did they affect those who were in contiguity with them, and felt their inspiring influence!' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“仁也者，人也。合而言之，道也。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'Benevolence is the distinguishing characteristic of man. As embodied in man's conduct, it is called the path of duty.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“孔子之去鲁，曰：‘迟迟吾行也。’去父母国之道也。去齐，接淅而行，去他国之道也。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'When Confucius was leaving Lu, he said, "I will set out by-and-by;" - this was the way in which to leave the State of his parents. When he was leaving Qi, he strained off with his hand the water in which his rice was being rinsed, took the rice, and went away - this was the way in which to leave a strange State.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“君子之戹于陈蔡之闲，无上下之交也。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'The reason why the superior man was reduced to straits between Chen and Cai was because neither the princes of the time nor their ministers sympathized or communicated with him.' |
| | 尽心下: |
貉稽曰：“稽大不理于口。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mo Qi said, 'Greatly am I from anything to depend upon from the mouths of men.' |
| | |
孟子曰：“无伤也。士憎兹多口。《》云：‘’孔子也。‘肆不殄厥愠，亦不陨厥问。’文王也。” |
| |
Mencius observed, 'There is no harm in that. Scholars are more exposed than others to suffer from the mouths of men. It is said, in the Book of Poetry, "My heart is disquieted and grieved, I am hated by the crowd of mean creatures." This might have been said by Confucius. And again, "Though he did not remove their wrath, He did not let fall his own fame." This might be said of king Wen.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“贤者以其昭昭，使人昭昭；今以其昬昬，使人昭昭。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'Anciently, men of virtue and talents by means of their own enlightenment made others enlightened. Nowadays, it is tried, while they are themselves in darkness, and by means of that darkness, to make others enlightened.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子谓高子曰：“山径之蹊闲，介然用之而成路。为闲不用，则茅塞之矣。今茅塞子之心矣。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said to the disciple Gao, 'There are the footpaths along the hills; if suddenly they be used, they become roads; and if, as suddenly they are not used, the wild grass fills them up. Now, the wild grass fills up your mind.' |
| | 尽心下: |
高子曰：“禹之声，尚文王之声。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
The disciple Gao said, 'The music of Yu was better than that of king Wen.' |
| | |
孟子曰：“何以言之？” |
| |
Mencius observed, 'On what ground do you say so?' |
| | |
曰：“以追蠡。” |
| |
And the other replied, 'Because at the pivot the knob of Yu's bells is nearly worn through.' |
| | |
曰：“是奚足哉？城门之轨，两马之力与？” |
| |
Mencius said, 'How can that be a sufficient proof? Are the ruts at the gate of a city made by a single two-horsed chariot?' |
| | 尽心下: |
齐饥。陈臻曰：“国人皆以夫子将复为发棠，殆不可复。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
When Qi was suffering from famine, Chen Zhen said to Mencius, 'The people are all thinking that you, Master, will again ask that the granary of Tang be opened for them. I apprehend you will not do so a second time.' |
| | |
孟子曰：“是为冯妇也。晋人有冯妇者，善搏虎，卒为善士。则之野，有众逐虎。虎负嵎，莫之敢撄。望见冯妇，趋而迎之。冯妇攘臂下车。众皆悦之，其为士者笑之。” |
| |
Mencius said, 'To do it would be to act like Feng Fu. There was a man of that name in Jin, famous for his skill in seizing tigers. Afterwards he became a scholar of reputation, and going once out to the wild country, he found the people all in pursuit of a tiger. The tiger took refuge in a corner of a hill, where no one dared to attack him, but when they saw Feng Fu, they ran and met him. Feng Fu immediately bared his arms, and descended from the carriage. The multitude were pleased with him, but those who were scholars laughed at him.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“口之于味也，目之于色也，耳之于声也，鼻之于臭也，四肢之于安佚也，性也，有命焉，君子不谓性也。仁之于父子也，义之于君臣也，礼之于宾主也，智之于贤者也，圣人之于天道也，命也，有性焉，君子不谓命也。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'For the mouth to desire sweet tastes, the eye to desire beautiful colours, the ear to desire pleasant sounds, the nose to desire fragrant odours, and the four limbs to desire ease and rest - these things are natural. But there is the appointment of Heaven in connexion with them, and the superior man does not say of his pursuit of them, "It is my nature." The exercise of love between father and son, the observance of righteousness between sovereign and minister, the rules of ceremony between guest and host, the display of knowledge in recognising the talented, and the fulfilling the heavenly course by the sage - these are the appointment of Heaven. But there is an adaptation of our nature for them. The superior man does not say, in reference to them, "It is the appointment of Heaven."' |
| | 尽心下: |
浩生不害问曰：“乐正子，何人也？” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Hao Sheng Bu Hai asked, saying, 'What sort of man is Yue Zheng?' |
| | |
孟子曰：“善人也，信人也。” |
| |
Mencius replied, 'He is a good man, a real man.' |
| | |
“何谓善？何谓信？” |
| |
'What do you mean by "A good man," "A real man?"' |
| | |
曰：“可欲之谓善，有诸己之谓信。充实之谓美，充实而有光辉之谓大，大而化之之谓圣，圣而不可知之之谓神。乐正子，二之中，四之下也。” |
| |
The reply was, 'A man who commands our liking is what is called a good man. He whose goodness is part of himself is what is called real man. He whose goodness has been filled up is what is called beautiful man. He whose completed goodness is brightly displayed is what is called a great man. When this great man exercises a transforming influence, he is what is called a sage. When the sage is beyond our knowledge, he is what is called a spirit-man. Yue Zheng is between the two first characters, and below the four last.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“逃墨必归于杨，逃杨必归于儒。归，斯受之而已矣。今之与杨墨辩者，如追放豚，既入其苙，又从而招之。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'Those who are fleeing from the errors of Mo naturally turn to Yang, and those who are fleeing from the errors of Yang naturally turn to orthodoxy. When they so turn, they should at once and simply be received. Those who nowadays dispute with the followers of Yang and Mo do so as if they were pursuing a stray pig, the leg of which, after they have got it to enter the pen, they proceed to tie.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“有布缕之征，粟米之征，力役之征。君子用其一，缓其二。用其二而民有殍，用其三而父子离。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'There are the exactions of hempen-cloth and silk, of grain, and of personal service. The prince requires but one of these at once, deferring the other two. If he require two of them at once, then the people die of hunger. If he require the three at once, then fathers and sons are separated.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“诸侯之宝三：土地，人民，政事。宝珠玉者，殃必及身。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'The precious things of a prince are three: the territory, the people, the government and its business. If one value as most precious pearls and jade, calamity is sure to befall him.' |
| | 尽心下: |
盆成括仕于齐。孟子曰：“死矣盆成括！” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Pen Cheng Kuo having obtained an official situation in Qi, Mencius said, 'He is a dead man, that Pen Cheng Kuo!' |
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盆成括见杀。门人问曰：“夫子何以知其将见杀？” |
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Pen Cheng Kuo being put to death, the disciples asked, saying, 'How did you know, Master, that he would meet with death?' |
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曰：“其为人也小有才，未闻君子之大道也，则足以杀其躯而已矣。” |
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Mencius replied, 'He was a man, who had a little ability, but had not learned the great doctrines of the superior man. He was just qualified to bring death upon himself, but for nothing more.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子之滕，馆于上宫。有业屦于牖上，馆人求之弗得。或问之曰：“若是乎从者之廀也？” |
| Jin Xin II: |
When Mencius went to Teng, he was lodged in the Upper palace. A sandal in the process of making had been placed there in a window, and when the keeper of the place came to look for it, he could not find it. On this, some one asked Mencius, saying, 'Is it thus that your followers pilfer?' |
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曰：“子以是为窃屦来与？” |
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Mencius replied, 'Do you think that they came here to pilfer the sandal?' |
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曰：“殆非也。夫子之设科也，往者不追，来者不距。苟以是心至，斯受之而已矣。” |
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The man said, 'I apprehend not. But you, Master, having arranged to give lessons, do not go back to inquire into the past, and you do not reject those who come to you. If they come with the mind to learn, you receive them without any more ado.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“人皆有所不忍，达之于其所忍，仁也；人皆有所不为，达之于其所为，义也。人能充无欲害人之心，而仁不可胜用也；人能充无穿逾之心，而义不可胜用也。人能充无受尔汝之实，无所往而不为义也。士未可以言而言，是以言餂之也；可以言而不言，是以不言餂之也，是皆穿逾之类也。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'All men have some things which they cannot bear; extend that feeling to what they can bear, and benevolence will be the result. All men have some things which they will not do; extend that feeling to the things which they do, and righteousness will be the result. If a man can give full development to the feeling which makes him shrink from injuring others, his benevolence will be more than can be called into practice. If he can give full development to the feeling which refuses to break through, or jump over, a wall, his righteousness will be more than can be called into practice. If he can give full development to the real feeling of dislike with which he receives the salutation, "Thou," "Thou," he will act righteously in all places and circumstances. When a scholar speaks what he ought not to speak, by guile of speech seeking to gain some end; and when he does not speak what he ought to speak, by guile of silence seeking to gain some end; both these cases are of a piece with breaking through a neighbour's wall.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“言近而指远者，善言也；守约而施博者，善道也。君子之言也，不下带而道存焉。君子之守，修其身而天下平。人病舍其田而芸人之田，所求于人者重，而所以自任者轻。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'Words which are simple, while their meaning is far-reaching, are good words. Principles which, as held, are compendious, while their application is extensive, are good principles. The words of the superior man do not go below the girdle, but great principles are contained in them. The principle which the superior man holds is that of personal cultivation, but the kingdom is thereby tranquillized. The disease of men is this: that they neglect their own fields, and go to weed the fields of others, and that what they require from others is great, while what they lay upon themselves is light.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“尧舜，性者也；汤武，反之也。动容周旋中礼者，盛德之至也；哭死而哀，非为生者也；经德不回，非以干禄也；言语必信，非以正行也。君子行法，以俟命而已矣。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'Yao and Shun were what they were by nature; Tang and Wu were so by returning to natural virtue. When all the movements, in the countenance and every turn of the body, are exactly what is proper, that shows the extreme degree of the complete virtue. Weeping for the dead should be from real sorrow, and not because of the living. The regular path of virtue is to be pursued without any bend, and from no view to emolument. The words should all be necessarily sincere, not with any desire to do what is right. The superior man performs the law of right, and thereby waits simply for what has been appointed.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“说大人，则藐之，勿视其巍巍然。堂高数仞，榱题数尺，我得志弗为也；食前方丈，侍妾数百人，我得志弗为也；般乐饮酒，驱骋田猎，后车千乘，我得志弗为也。在彼者，皆我所不为也；在我者，皆古之制也，吾何畏彼哉？” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'Those who give counsel to the great should despise them, and not look at their pomp and display. Halls several times eight cubits high, with beams projecting several cubits; these, if my wishes were to be realized, I would not have. Food spread before me over ten cubits square, and attendants and concubines to the amount of hundreds; these, though my wishes were realized, I would not have. Pleasure and wine, and the dash of hunting, with thousands of chariots following after me; these, though my wishes were realized, I would not have. What they esteem are what I would have nothing to do with; what I esteem are the rules of the ancients. Why should I stand in awe of them?' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“养心莫善于寡欲。其为人也寡欲，虽有不存焉者，寡矣；其为人也多欲，虽有存焉者，寡矣。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'To nourish the mind there is nothing better than to make the desires few. Here is a man whose desires are few - in some things he may not be able to keep his heart, but they will be few. Here is a man whose desires are many - in some things he may be able to keep his heart, but they will be few.' |
| | 尽心下: |
曾皙嗜羊枣，而曾子不忍食羊枣。公孙丑问曰：“脍炙与羊枣孰美？” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'Zeng Xi was fond of sheep-dates, and his son, the philosopher Zeng, could not bear to eat sheep-dates.' Gong Sun Chou asked, saying, 'Which is best, minced meat and broiled meat, or sheep-dates?' |
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孟子曰：“脍炙哉！” |
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Mencius said, 'Mince and broiled meat, to be sure.' |
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公孙丑曰：“然则曾子何为食脍炙而不食羊枣？” |
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Gong Sun Chou went on, 'Then why did the philosopher Zeng eat mince and broiled meat, and would not eat sheep-dates?' |
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曰：“脍炙所同也，羊枣所独也。讳名不讳姓，姓所同也，名所独也。” |
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Mencius answered, 'For mince and broiled meat there is a common liking, while that for sheep-dates was peculiar. We avoid the name, but do not avoid the surname. The surname is common; the name is peculiar.' |
| | 尽心下: |
万章问曰：“孔子在陈曰：‘盍归乎来！吾党之士狂简，进取，不忘其初。’孔子在陈，何思鲁之狂士？” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Wan Zhang asked, saying, 'Confucius, when he was in Chen, said: "Let me return. The scholars of my school are ambitious, but hasty. They are for advancing and seizing their object, but cannot forget their early ways." Why did Confucius, when he was in Chen, think of the ambitious scholars of Lu?' |
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孟子曰：“孔子‘不得中道而与之，必也狂狷乎！狂者进取，狷者有所不为也’。孔子岂不欲中道哉？不可必得，故思其次也。” |
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Mencius replied, 'Confucius not getting men pursuing the true medium, to whom he might communicate his instructions, determined to take the ardent and the cautiously-decided. The ardent would advance to seize their object; the cautiously-decided would keep themselves from certain things. It is not to be thought that Confucius did not wish to get men pursuing the true medium, but being unable to assure himself of finding such, he therefore thought of the next class.' |
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“敢问何如斯可谓狂矣？” |
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'I venture to ask what sort of men they were who could be styled "The ambitious?"' |
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曰：“如琴张、曾皙、牧皮者，孔子之所谓狂矣。” |
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'Such,' replied Mencius, 'as Qin Zhang, Zeng Xi, and Mu Pi, were those whom Confucius styled "ambitious."' |
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“何以谓之狂也？” |
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'Why were they styled "ambitious?"' |
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曰：“其志嘐嘐然，曰‘古之人，古之人’。夷考其行而不掩焉者也。狂者又不可得，欲得不屑不洁之士而与之，是狷也，是又其次也。孔子曰：‘过我门而不入我室，我不憾焉者，其惟乡原乎！乡原，德之贼也。’” |
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The reply was, 'Their aim led them to talk magniloquently, saying, "The ancients!" "The ancients!" But their actions, where we fairly compare them with their words, did not correspond with them. When he found also that he could not get such as were thus ambitious, he wanted to get scholars who would consider anything impure as beneath them. Those were the cautiously-decided, a class next to the former.' Zhang pursued his questioning, 'Confucius said, "They are only your good careful people of the villages at whom I feel no indignation, when they pass my door without entering my house. Your good careful people of the villages are the thieves of virtue."' |
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曰：“何如斯可谓之乡原矣？” |
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'What sort of people were they who could be styled "Your good careful people of the villages?"' |
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曰：“‘何以是嘐嘐也？言不顾行，行不顾言，则曰：古之人，古之人。行何为踽踽凉凉？生斯世也，为斯世也，善斯可矣。’阉然媚于世也者，是乡原也。” |
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Mencius replied, 'They are those who say, "Why are they so magniloquent? Their words have not respect to their actions and their actions have not respect to their words, but they say, "The ancients! The ancients! Why do they act so peculiarly, and are so cold and distant? Born in this age, we should be of this age, to be good is all that is needed." Eunuch-like, flattering their generation - such are your good careful men of the villages.' |
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万子曰：“一乡皆称原人焉，无所往而不为原人，孔子以为德之贼，何哉？” |
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Wan Zhang said, 'Their whole village styles those men good and careful. In all their conduct they are so. How was it that Confucius considered them the thieves of virtue?' |
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曰：“非之无举也，刺之无刺也；同乎流俗，合乎污世；居之似忠信，行之似廉洁；众皆悦之，自以为是，而不可与入尧舜之道，故曰德之贼也。孔子曰：‘恶似而非者：恶莠，恐其乱苗也；恶佞，恐其乱义也；恶利口，恐其乱信也；恶郑声，恐其乱乐也；恶紫，恐其乱朱也；恶乡原，恐其乱德也。’君子反经而已矣。经正，则庶民兴；庶民兴，斯无邪慝矣。” |
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Mencius replied, 'If you would blame them, you find nothing to allege. If you would criticise them, you have nothing to criticise. They agree with the current customs. They consent with an impure age. Their principles have a semblance of right-heartedness and truth. Their conduct has a semblance of disinterestedness and purity. All men are pleased with them, and they think themselves right, so that it is impossible to proceed with them to the principles of Yao and Shun. On this account they are called "The thieves of virtue." Confucius said, "I hate a semblance which is not the reality. I hate the darnel, lest it be confounded with the corn. I hate glib-tonguedness, lest it be confounded with righteousness. I hate sharpness of tongue, lest it be confounded with sincerity. I hate the music of Chang, lest it be confounded with the true music. I hate the reddish blue, lest it be confounded with vermilion. I hate your good careful men of the villages, lest they be confounded with the truly virtuous." The superior man seeks simply to bring back the unchanging standard, and, that being correct, the masses are roused to virtue. When they are so aroused, forthwith perversities and glossed wickedness disappear.' |
| | 尽心下: |
孟子曰：“由尧舜至于汤，五百有馀岁，若禹、皋陶，则见而知之；若汤，则闻而知之。由汤至于文王，五百有馀岁，若伊尹、莱朱则见而知之；若文王，则闻而知之。由文王至于孔子，五百有馀岁，若太公望、散宜生，则见而知之；若孔子，则闻而知之。由孔子而来至于今，百有馀岁，去圣人之世，若此其未远也；近圣人之居，若此其甚也，然而无有乎尔，则亦无有乎尔。” |
| Jin Xin II: |
Mencius said, 'From Yao and Shun down to Tang were 500 years and more. As to Yu and Gao Yao, they saw those earliest sages, and so knew their doctrines, while Tang heard their doctrines as transmitted, and so knew them. From Tang to king Wen were 500 years and more. As to Yi Yin, and Lai Zhu, they saw Tang and knew his doctrines, while king Wen heard them as transmitted, and so knew them. From king Wen to Confucius were 500 years and more. As to Tai Gong Wang and San Yi Sheng, they saw Wen, and so knew his doctrines, while Confucius heard them as transmitted, and so knew them. From Confucius downwards until now, there are only 100 years and somewhat more. The distance in time from the sage is so far from being remote, and so very near at hand was the sage's residence. In these circumstances, is there no one to transmit his doctrines? Yea, is there no one to do so?' |
