Gao Zi II · 孟子 6B.2

Passage 02

曹cáo交jiāo問wèn曰yuē：「人rén皆jiē可kě以yǐ為wéi堯yáo舜shùn，有yǒu諸zhū？」孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「然rán。」「交jiāo聞wén文wén王wáng十shí尺chǐ，湯tāng九jiǔ尺chǐ；今jīn交jiāo九jiǔ尺chǐ四sì寸cùn以yǐ長cháng。食shí粟sù而ér已yǐ，如rú何hé則zé可kě？」曰yuē：「奚xī有yǒu於wū是shì？亦yì為wéi之zhī而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。有yǒu人rén於wū此cǐ，力lì不bù能néng勝shèng一yì匹pǐ雛chú，則zé為wéi無wú力lì人rén矣yǐ。今jīn曰yuē舉jǔ百bǎi鈞jūn，則zé為wéi有yǒu力lì人rén矣yǐ。然rán則zé舉jǔ烏wū獲huò之zhī任rèn，是shì亦yì為wéi烏wū獲huò而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。夫fū人rén豈qǐ以yǐ不bú勝shèng為wéi患huàn哉zāi？弗fú為wéi耳ěr。徐xú行xíng後hòu長cháng者zhě，謂wèi之zhī弟dì；疾jí行xíng先xiān長cháng者zhě，謂wèi之zhī不bú弟dì。夫fū徐xú行xíng者zhě，豈qǐ人rén所suǒ不bù能néng哉zāi？所suǒ不bù為wéi也yě。堯yáo舜shùn之zhī道dào，孝xiào弟dì而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。子zǐ服fú堯yáo之zhī服fú、誦sòng堯yáo之zhī言yán、行xíng堯yáo之zhī行xíng，是shì堯yáo而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。子zǐ服fú桀jié之zhī服fú、誦sòng桀jié之zhī言yán、行xíng桀jié之zhī行xíng，是shì桀jié而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。」曰yuē：「交jiāo得dé見jiàn於wū鄒zōu君jūn，可kě以yǐ假jiǎ館guǎn，愿yuàn留liú而ér受shòu業yè於wū門mén。」曰yuē：「夫fū道dào，若ruò大dà路lù然rán，豈qǐ難nán知zhī哉zāi？人rén病bìng不bù求qiú耳ěr。子zǐ歸guī而ér求qiú之zhī，有yǒu餘yú師shī。」

Jiao of Cao asked Mencius, saying, 'It is said, "All men may be Yaos and Shuns;"-- is it so?' Mencius replied, It is.' Jiao went on, 'I have heard that king Wen was ten cubits high, and Tang nine. Now I am nine cubits four inches in height. But I can do nothing but eat my millet. What am I to do to realize that saying?' Mencius answered him, 'What has this - the question of size - to do with the matter? It all lies simply in acting as such. Here is a man, whose strength was not equal to lift a duckling - he was then a man of no strength. But to-day he says, "I can lift 3,000 catties' weight," and he is a man of strength. And so, he who can lift the weight which Wu Huo lifted is just another Wu Huo. Why should a man make a want of ability the subject of his grief? It is only that he will not do the thing. To walk slowly, keeping behind his elders, is to perform the part of a younger. To walk quickly and precede his elders, is to violate the duty of a younger brother. Now, is it what a man cannot do - to walk slowly? It is what he does not do. The course of Yao and Shun was simply that of filial piety and fraternal duty. Wear the clothes of Yao, repeat the words of Yao, and do the actions of Yao, and you will just be a Yao. And, if you wear the clothes of Jie, repeat the words of Jie, and do the actions of Jie, you will just be a Jie. Jiao said, 'I shall be having an interview with the prince of Zou, and can ask him to let me have a house to lodge in. I wish to remain here, and receive instruction at your gate.' Mencius replied, 'The way of truth is like a great road. It is not difficult to know it. The evil is only that men will not seek it. Do you go home and search for it, and you will have abundance of teachers.'