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Scope: Wan Zhang II Request type: Paragraph
Condition 1: Contains text "庶人不傳質為臣不敢見於諸侯禮也" Matched:1.
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万章下 - Wan Zhang II

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16 万章下:
万章曰:“敢问不见诸侯,何义也?”
Wan Zhang II:
Wan Zhang said, 'I venture to ask what principle of righteousness is involved in a scholar's not going to see the princes?'
孟子曰:“在国曰市井之臣,在野曰草莽之臣,皆谓庶人。庶人不传质为臣,不敢见于诸侯,礼也。”
Mencius replied, 'A scholar residing in the city is called "a minister of the market-place and well," and one residing in the country is called "a minister of the grass and plants." In both cases he is a common man, and it is the rule of propriety that common men, who have not presented the introductory present and become ministers, should not presume to have interviews with the prince.'
万章曰:“庶人,召之役,则往役;君欲见之,召之,则不往见之,何也?”
Wan Zhang said, 'If a common man is called to perform any service, he goes and performs it; how is it that a scholar, when the prince, wishing to see him, calls him to his presence, refuses to go?'
曰:“往役,义也;往见,不义也。且君之欲见之也,何为也哉?”
Mencius replied, 'It is right to go and perform the service; it would not be right to go and see the prince. And,' added Mencius, 'on what account is it that the prince wishes to see the scholar?'
曰:“为其多闻也,为其贤也。”
'Because of his extensive information, or because of his talents and virtue,' was the reply.
曰:“为其多闻也,则天子不召师,而况诸侯乎?为其贤也,则吾未闻欲见贤而召之也。缪公亟见于子思,曰:‘古千乘之国以友士,何如?’子思不悦,曰:‘古之人有言:曰事之云乎,岂曰友之云乎?’子思之不悦也,岂不曰:‘以位,则子,君也;我,臣也。何敢与君友也?以德,则子事我者也。奚可以与我友?’千乘之君求与之友,而不可得也,而况可召与?齐景公田,招虞人以旌,不至,将杀之。志士不忘在沟壑,勇士不忘丧其元。孔子奚取焉?取非其招不往也。”
'If because of his extensive information,' said Mencius, 'such a person is a teacher, and the sovereign would not call him - how much less may any of the princes do so? If because of his talents and virtue, then I have not heard of any one wishing to see a person with those qualities, and calling him to his presence. During the frequent interviews of the duke Mu with Zi Si, he one day said to him, "Anciently, princes of a thousand chariots have yet been on terms of friendship with scholars - what do you think of such an intercourse?" Zi Si was displeased, and said, "The ancients have said, 'The scholar should be served:' how should they have merely said that he should be made a friend of?" When Zi Si was thus displeased, did he not say within himself, "With regard to our stations, you are sovereign, and I am subject. How can I presume to be on terms of friendship with my sovereign! With regard to our virtue, you ought to make me your master. How can you be on terms of friendship with me?" Thus, when a ruler of a thousand chariots sought to be on terms of friendship with a scholar, he could not obtain his wish - how much less could he call him to his presence! The duke Ching of Qi, once, when he was hunting, called his forester to him by a flag. The forester would not come, and the duke was going to kill him. With reference to this incident, Confucius said, "The determined officer never forgets that his end may be in a ditch or a stream; the brave officer never forgets that he may lose his head." What was it in the forester that Confucius thus approved? He approved his not going to the duke, when summoned by the article which was not appropriate to him.'
曰:“敢问招虞人何以?”
Zhang said, 'May I ask with what a forester should be summoned?'
曰:“以皮冠。庶人以旃,士以旗,大夫以旌。以大夫之招招虞人,虞人死不敢往。以士之招招庶人,庶人岂敢往哉。况乎以不贤人之招招贤人乎?欲见贤人而不以其道,犹欲其入而闭之门也。夫义,路也;礼,门也。惟君子能由是路,出入是门也。《》云:‘周道如砥,其直如矢;君子所履,小人所视。’”
Mencius replied, 'With a skin cap. A common man should be summoned with a plain banner; a scholar who has taken office, with one having dragons embroidered on it; and a Great officer, with one having feathers suspended from the top of the staff. When the forester was summoned with the article appropriate to the summoning of a Great officer, he would have died rather than presume to go. If a common man were summoned with the article appropriate to the summoning of a scholar, how could he presume to go? How much more may we expect this refusal to go, when a man of talents and virtue is summoned in a way which is inappropriate to his character! When a prince wishes to see a man of talents and virtue, and does not take the proper course to get his wish, it is as if he wished him to enter his palace, and shut the door against him. Now, righteousness is the way, and propriety is the door, but it is only the superior man who can follow this way, and go out and in by this door. It is said in the Book of Poetry, "The way to Zhou is level like a whetstone, And straight as an arrow. The officers tread it, And the lower people see it."'
万章曰:“孔子,君命召,不俟驾而行。然则孔子非与?”
Wan Zhang said, 'When Confucius received the prince's message calling him, he went without waiting for his carriage. Doing so, did Confucius do wrong?'
曰:“孔子当仕有官职,而以其官召之也。”
Mencius replied, 'Confucius was in office, and had to observe its appropriate duties. And moreover, he was summoned on the business of his office.'

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