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Daoism -> Zhuangzi -> Miscellaneous Chapters -> Geng-sang Chu -> 2.2

庚桑子Geng-sang replied,
'Come nearer, my little children.
If a beast that could hold a carriage in its mouth
leave its hill by itself,
it will not escape the danger that awaits it from the net;
or if a fish that could swallow a boat
be left dry by the flowing away of the water,
then (even) the ants are able to trouble it.
Thus it is that birds and beasts seek to be as high as possible,
and fishes and turtles seek to lie as deep as possible.
In the same way men who wish to preserve their bodies
and lives keep their persons concealed,
and they do so in the deepest retirement possible.
And moreover, what was there in those sovereigns to entitle them to your laudatory mention?
Their sophistical reasonings
(resembled) the reckless breaking down of walls and enclosures and planting the wild rubus and wormwood in their place;
or making the hair thin before they combed it;
or counting the grains of rice before they cooked them.
窃窃They would do such things with careful discrimination; but what was there in them to benefit the world?
If you raise the men of talent to office, you will create disorder; making the people strive with one another for promotion;
if you employ men for their wisdom, the people will rob one another (of their reputation).
These various things
are insufficient to make the people good and honest.
They are very eager for gain
- a son will kill his father,
and a minister his ruler (for it).
In broad daylight men will rob,
and at midday break through walls.
I tell you
that the root of the greatest disorder
was planted in the times of Yao and Shun.
The branches of it will remain for a thousand ages;
and after a thousand ages
。” men will be found eating one another.'


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