孟子曰:「侭其心者,知其性也。知其性,则知天矣。
Mencius said, 'He who has exhausted all his mental constitution knows his nature.
孟子曰:「侭其心者,知其性也。知其性,则知天矣。
Mencius said, 'He who has exhausted all his mental constitution knows his nature.
存其心,养其性,所以事天也。
Knowing his nature, he knows Heaven.
殀寿不贰,修身以俟之,所以立命也。」
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.'
孟子曰:「莫非命也,顺受其正。
Mencius said, 'There is an appointment for everything.
是故知命者,不立乎岩墙之下。
A man should receive submissively what may be correctly ascribed thereto.
侭其道而死者,正命也。
Therefore, he who has the true idea of what is Heaven's appointment will not stand beneath a precipitous wall.
桎梏死者,非正命也。」
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.'
孟子曰:「求则得之,舍则失之,是求有益于得也,求在我者也。
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.
求之有道,得之有命,是求无益于得也,求在外者也。」
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.'
孟子曰:「万物皆备于我矣。
Mencius said, 'All things are already complete in us.
反身而诚,乐莫大焉。
There is no greater delight than to be conscious of sincerity on self-examination.
强恕而行,求仁莫近焉。」
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.'
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。」
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.'
孟子曰:「人不可以无耻。无耻之耻,无耻矣。」
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.'
孟子曰:「耻之于人大矣。
Mencius said, 'The sense of shame is to a man of great importance.
为机变之巧者,无所用耻焉。
Those who form contrivances and versatile schemes distinguished for their artfulness, do not allow their sense of shame to come into action.
不耻不若人,何若人有?」
When one differs from other men in not having this sense of shame, what will he have in common with them?'
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。故王公不致敬侭礼,则不得亟见之。见且犹不得亟,而况得而臣之乎?」
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?'
孟子谓宋句践曰:「子好游乎?
Mencius said to Song Gou Jian, 'Are you fond, Sir, of travelling to the different courts?
吾语子游:人知之亦嚣嚣,人不知亦嚣嚣。」
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?」曰:「尊德乐义,则可以嚣嚣矣。
Mencius replied, 'Honour virtue and delight in righteousness, and so you may always be perfectly satisfied.
故士穷不失义,达不离道。
Therefore, a scholar, though poor, does not let go his righteousness; though prosperous, he does not leave his own path.
穷不失义,故士得己焉;达不离道,故民不失望焉。
Poor and not letting righteousness go - it is thus that the scholar holds possession of himself.
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。」
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.'
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。」
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.'
孟子曰:「附之以韩魏之家,如其自视欿然,则过人远矣。」
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.'
孟子曰:「以佚道使民,虽劳不怨;以生道杀民,虽死不怨杀者。」
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.'
孟子曰:「霸者之民,驩虞如也;王者之民,皞皞如也。
Mencius said, 'Under a chief, leading all the princes, the people look brisk and cheerful.
杀之而不怨,利之而不庸,民日迁善而不知为之者。
Under a true sovereign, they have an air of deep contentment.
夫君子所过者化,所存者神,上下与天地同流,岂曰小补之哉?」
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!'
孟子曰:「仁言,不如仁声之入人深也。
Mencius said, 'Kindly words do not enter so deeply into men as a reputation for kindness.
善政,不如善教之得民也。
Good government does not lay hold of the people so much as good instructions.
善政民畏之,善教民爱之;善政得民财,善教得民心。」
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.'
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。
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.
孩提之童,无不知爱其亲者;及其长也,无不知敬其兄也。
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.
亲亲,仁也;敬长,义也。无他,达之天下也。」
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.'
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。」
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.'
孟子曰:「无为其所不为,无欲其所不欲,如此而已矣。」
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.'
孟子曰:「人之有德慧术知者,恒存乎疢疾。
Mencius said, 'Men who are possessed of intelligent virtue and prudence in affairs will generally be found to have been in sickness and troubles.
独孤臣孽子,其操心也危,其虑患也深,故达。」
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.'
孟子曰:「有事君人者,事是君则为容悦者也。
Mencius said, 'There are persons who serve the prince; they serve the prince, that is, for the sake of his countenance and favour.
有安社稷臣者,以安社稷为悦者也。
There are ministers who seek the tranquillity of the State, and find their pleasure in securing that tranquillity.
有天民者,达可行于天下而后行之者也。
There are those who are the people of Heaven.
有大人者,正己而物正者也。」
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.'
孟子曰:「君子有三乐,而王天下不与存焉。
Mencius said, 'The superior man has three things in which he delights, and to be ruler over the kingdom is not one of them.
父母俱存,兄弟无故,一乐也。
That his father and mother are both alive, and that the condition of his brothers affords no cause for anxiety; this is one delight.
仰不愧于天,俯不怍于人,二乐也。
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.
得天下英才而教育之,三乐也。
That he can get from the whole kingdom the most talented individuals, and teach and nourish them; this is the third delight.
君子有三乐,而王天下不与存焉。」
The superior man has three things in which he delights, and to be ruler over the kingdom is not one of them.'
孟子曰:「广土众民,君子欲之,所乐不存焉。
Mencius said, 'Wide territory and a numerous people are desired by the superior man, but what he delights in is not here.
中天下而立,定四海之民,君子乐之,所性不存焉。
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.
君子所性,虽大行不加焉,虽穷居不损焉,分定故也。
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.
君子所性,仁义礼智根于心。其生色也,睟然见于麺,盎于背,施于四体,四体不言而喻。」
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.'
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。
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.
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。
He roused himself and said, "Why should I not go and follow him?
所谓西伯善养老者,制其田里,教之树畜,导其妻子,使养其老。五十非帛不煖,七十非肉不饱。不煖不饱,谓之冻馁。文王之民,无冻馁之老者,此之谓也。」
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.'
孟子曰:「易其田畴,薄其税敛,民可使富也。
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.
食之以时,用之以礼,财不可胜用也。
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.
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?」
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?'
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。
Mencius said, 'Confucius ascended the eastern hill, and Lu appeared to him small.
观水有术,必观其澜。日月有明,容光必照焉。
He ascended the Tai mountain, and all beneath the heavens appeared to him small.
流水之为物也,不盈科不行;君子之志于道也,不成章不达。」
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.'
孟子曰:「鸡鸣而起,孳孳为善者,舜之徒也。
Mencius said, 'He who rises at cock-crowing and addresses himself earnestly to the practice of virtue, is a disciple of Shun.
鸡鸣而起,孳孳为利者,跖之徒也。
He who rises at cock-crowing, and addresses himself earnestly to the pursuit of gain, is a disciple of Zhi.
欲知舜与跖之分,无他,利与善之闲也。」
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.'
孟子曰:「杨子取为我,拔一毛而利天下,不为也。
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.
墨子兼爱,摩顶放踵利天下,为之。
The philosopher Mo loves all equally.
子莫执中,执中为近之,执中无权,犹执一也。
If by rubbing smooth his whole body from the crown to the heel, he could have benefited the kingdom, he would have done it.
所𫫇执一者,为其贼道也,举一而废百也。」
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.'
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。
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.
人能无以饥渴之害为心害,则不及人不为忧矣。」
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.'
孟子曰:「柳下惠不以三公易其介。」
Mencius said, 'Hui of Liu Xia would not for the three highest offices of State have changed his firm purpose of life.'
孟子曰:「有为者辟若掘井,掘井九轫而不及泉,犹为弃井也。」
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.'
孟子曰:「尧舜,性之也;汤武,身之也;五霸,假之也。
Mencius said, 'Benevolence and righteousness were natural to Yao and Shun.
久假而不归,𫫇知其非有也。」
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?'
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。
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.
贤者之为人臣也,其君不贤,则固可放与?」
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.' When worthies are ministers, may they indeed banish their sovereigns in this way when they are not virtuous?' Mencius replied, 'If they have the same purpose as Yi Yin, they may. If they have not the same purpose, it would be usurpation.'
公孙丑曰:「诗曰『不素餐兮』,君子之不耕而食,何也?」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?」
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?' 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?'
王子垫问曰:「士何事?」
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?」曰:「仁义而已矣。杀一无罪,非仁也;非其有而取之,非义也。居𫫇在?仁是也;路𫫇在?义是也。居仁由义,大人之事备矣。」
Tien asked again, 'What do you mean by exalting the aim?' 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.'
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?」
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?'
桃应问曰:「舜为天子,皋陶为士,瞽瞍杀人,则如之何?」
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:「夫舜𫫇得而禁之?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,犹弃敝蹝也。窃负而逃,遵海滨而处,终身䜣然,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.'
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!夫非侭人之子与?」
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:
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.
「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?
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
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。」
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.'
孟子曰:「食而弗爱,豕交之也;爱而不敬,兽畜之也。
Mencius said, 'To feed a scholar and not love him, is to treat him as a pig.
恭敬者,币之未将者也。
To love him and not respect him, is to keep him as a domestic animal.
恭敬而无实,君子不可虚拘。」
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.'
孟子曰:「形色,天性也;惟圣人,然后可以践形。」
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.'
齐宣王欲短丧。公孙丑曰:「为期之丧,犹愈于已乎?」
The king Xuan of Qi wanted to shorten the period of mourning.
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。」
Gong Sun Chou said, 'To have one whole year's mourning is better than doing away with it altogether.' 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.' 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.
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?」
Gong Sun Chou asked, 'What do you say of this?' Mencius replied, 'This is a case where the party wishes to complete the whole period, but finds it impossible to do so.
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。
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.'
」孟子曰:「君子之所以教者五:
Mencius said, 'There are five ways in which the superior man effects his teaching.
有如时雨化之者,
There are some on whom his influence descends like seasonable rain.
有成德者,有达财者,
There are some whose virtue he perfects, and some of whose talents he assists the development.
有答问者,
There are some whose inquiries he answers.
有私淑艾者。
There are some who privately cultivate and correct themselves.
此五者,君子之所以教也。」
These five ways are the methods in which the superior man effects his teaching.'
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?」
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。
Mencius said, 'A great artificer does not, for the sake of a stupid workman, alter or do away with the marking-line.
君子引而不发,跃如也。中道而立,能者从之。」
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.'
孟子曰:「天下有道,以道殉身;天下无道,以身殉道。
Mencius said, 'When right principles prevail throughout the kingdom, one's principles must appear along with one's person.
未闻以道殉乎人者也。」
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.'
公都子曰:「滕更之在门也,若在所礼。而不答,何也?」
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.'
孟子曰:「于不可已而已者,无所不已;于所厚者薄,无所不薄也。
Mencius said, 'He who stops short where stopping is acknowledged to be not allowable, will stop short in everything.
其进锐者,其退速。」
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.'
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。」
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.'
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。
Mencius said, 'The wise embrace all knowledge, but they are most earnest about what is of the greatest importance.
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。」
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.