Gao Zi I · 孟子 6A.2

Passage 02

告gào子zǐ曰yuē：「性xìng，猶yóu湍tuān水shuǐ也yě。決jué諸zhū東dōng方fāng則zé東dōng流liú，決jué諸zhū西xī方fāng則zé西xī流liú。人rén性xìng之zhī無wú分fēn於wū善shàn不bu善shàn也yě，猶yóu水shuǐ之zhī無wú分fēn於wū東dōng西xī也yě。」孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「水shuǐ信xìn無wú分fēn於wū東dōng西xī，無wú分fēn於wū上shàng下xià乎hū？人rén性xìng之zhī善shàn也yě，猶yóu水shuǐ之zhī就jiù下xià也yě。人rén無wú有yǒu不bú善shàn，水shuǐ無wú有yǒu不bú下xià。今jīn夫fū水shuǐ：搏bó而ér躍yuè之zhī，可kě使shǐ過guò顙sǎng；激jī而ér行xíng之zhī，可kě使shǐ在zài山shān。是shì豈qǐ水shuǐ之zhī性xìng哉zāi？其qí勢shì則zé然rán也yě。人rén之zhī可kě使shǐ為wéi不bú善shàn，其qí性xìng亦yì猶yóu是shì也yě。」

The philosopher Gao said, 'Man's nature is like water whirling round in a corner. Open a passage for it to the east, and it will flow to the east; open a passage for it to the west, and it will flow to the west. Man's nature is indifferent to good and evil, just as the water is indifferent to the east and west.' Mencius replied, 'Water indeed will flow indifferently to the east or west, but will it flow indifferently up or down? The tendency of man's nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downwards. There are none but have this tendency to good, just as all water flows downwards. Now by striking water and causing it to leap up, you may make it go over your forehead, and, by damming and leading it you may force it up a hill - but are such movements according to the nature of water? It is the force applied which causes them. When men are made to do what is not good, their nature is dealt with in this way.'