| | 离娄: |
孟子曰：离娄子之明，公输子之巧，不以规矩，不能成方圆：师旷之聪，不以六律，不能正五音；尧舜之道，不以仁政，不能平治天下，今有仁心仁闻，而民不被泽，不可法于后世者，不行先王之道也。 |
| | Mengzi said: "Even with the clarity of Lilouzi and the skillfulness of Gongshuzi, without compasses and rulers, one cannot form squares or circles. Even with the keen hearing of Shikuang, without the six laws (liu lü), one cannot correct the five musical tones." The way of Yao and Shun, without benevolent governance, could not bring peace and order to the world. Now, if someone has a heart of benevolence and is renowned for it, yet the people do not receive its benefits, and such a person cannot serve as a model for later generations, this is because they did not practice the way of the former kings.
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| | 离娄: |
故曰，徒善不足以为政，徒法不能以自行，圣人既竭目力焉。继之以规矩准绳，以为方圆，既竭耳力焉。继之以六律，正五音，既竭心思焉。继之以不忍人之政，而仁覆天下也。 |
| | Therefore it is said, "Goodness alone is insufficient for governance; laws and regulations cannot govern by themselves." The sage has already exhausted his eyesight and strength in this matter. He followed with compasses, rulers, plumb lines, and measuring cords to form squares and circles; thus he exhausted his hearing and strength. Following this with the six laws to correct the five musical tones, he then exhausted his mental effort. Then followed by a government of compassion that cannot bear to see suffering, and thus benevolence would cover the entire world.
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| | 离娄: |
故为高必因丘陵，为下必因川泽，为政不因先王之法，可谓智乎？是以惟仁者宜在高位，不仁而在高位，是播其恶于众也。 |
| | Therefore, when building something high, one must rely on hills and mounds; when making something low, one must depend on rivers and marshes. To govern without relying upon the laws of former kings—can this be called wisdom? Therefore, only the benevolent are suitable for high positions; if an unkind person occupies a high position, this spreads his evil among the people.
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| | 离娄: |
孟子曰：三代之得天下也以仁，其失天下也以不仁，国家之所以废兴存亡者亦然，天子不仁，不保四海之内；诸侯不仁，不保社稷；卿大夫不仁，不保宗庙；士庶人不仁，不保四体，今恶死亡而乐不仁，犹恶醉而强酒。 |
| | Mengzi said: "The three dynasties gained the world through benevolence, and lost it due to unkindness. The rise or fall, survival or destruction of a state follows this pattern as well. If an emperor is not kind, he cannot safeguard all within the four seas; If a feudal lord is unkind, he cannot preserve his ancestral temple and state; if an assistant minister or great officer is not kind, they cannot safeguard their ancestral shrine; If a scholar-official or commoner is unkind, they cannot preserve their own body. Now, to hate death yet take pleasure in unkindness is like hating drunkenness but forcing oneself to drink heavily.
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| | 离娄: |
孟子告齐宣王曰：君之视臣如手足；则臣之视君如腹心；君之视臣如犬马，则臣之视君如国人；君之视臣如土芥，则臣之视君如寇雠。 |
| | Mengzi told King Xuan of Qi: "If a ruler regards his ministers as he would his hands and feet; then the ministers will regard their ruler as they would their innermost organs; if a ruler regards his ministers like dogs and horses, then the ministers will regard him merely as an ordinary citizen of the state; if a ruler treats his ministers like dirt or weeds, then the ministers will treat their ruler like an enemy.
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