Gao Zi II · 孟子 6B.13

Passage 13

魯lǔ欲yù使shǐ樂lè正zhèng子zǐ為wéi政zhèng。孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「吾wú聞wén之zhī，喜xǐ而ér不bú寐mèi。」公gōng孫sūn丑chǒu曰yuē：「樂lè正zhèng子zǐ強qiáng乎hū？」曰yuē：「否fǒu。」「有yǒu知zhī慮lǜ乎hū？」曰yuē：「否fǒu。」「多duō聞wén識shí乎hū？」曰yuē：「否fǒu。」「然rán則zé奚xī為wéi喜xǐ而ér不bú寐mèi。」曰yuē：「其qí為wéi人rén也yě好hǎo善shàn。」「好hǎo善shàn足zú乎hū？」曰yuē：「好hǎo善shàn優yōu於wū天tiān下xià，而ér況kuàng魯lǔ國guó乎hū？夫fū茍jì好hǎo善shàn，則zé四sì海hǎi之zhī內nèi，皆jiē將jiāng輕qīng千qiān里lǐ而ér來lái告gào之zhī以yǐ善shàn。夫fū茍jì不bù好hǎo善shàn，則zé人rén將jiāng曰yuē：『訑dàn訑dàn，予yǔ既jì已yǐ知zhī之zhī矣yǐ。』訑dàn訑dàn之zhī聲shēng音yīn顏yán色sè，距jù人rén於wū千qiān里lǐ之zhī外wài。士shì止zhǐ於wū千qiān里lǐ之zhī外wài，則zé讒chán諂chǎn面miàn諛yú之zhī人rén至zhì矣yǐ。與yǔ讒chán諂chǎn面miàn諛yú之zhī人rén居jū，國guó欲yù治zhì，可kě得dé乎hū？」

The prince of Lu wanting to commit the administration of his government to the disciple Yue Zheng, Mencius said, 'When I heard of it, I was so glad that I could not sleep.' Gong Sun Chou asked, 'Is Yue Zheng a man of vigour?' and was answered, 'No.' 'Is he wise in council?' 'No.' 'Is he possessed of much information?' 'No.' 'What then made you so glad that you could not sleep?' 'He is a man who loves what is good.' 'Is the love of what is good sufficient?' 'The love of what is good is more than a sufficient qualification for the government of the kingdom; how much more is it so for the State of Lu! If a minister love what is good, all within the four seas will count 1000 li but a small distance, and will come and lay their good thoughts before him. If he do not love what is good, men will say, "How self-conceited he looks? He is saying to himself, I know it." The language and looks of that self-conceit will keep men off at a distance of 1,000 li. When good men stop 1,000 li off, calumniators, flatterers, and sycophants will make their appearance. When a minister lives among calumniators, flatterers, and sycophants, though he may wish the State to be well governed, is it possible for it to be so?'