Gao Zi II · 孟子 6B.9

Passage 09

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「今jīn之zhī事shì君jūn者zhě，皆jiē曰yuē：『我wǒ能néng為wéi君jūn辟pì土tǔ地dì，充chōng府fǔ庫kù。』今jīn之zhī所suǒ謂wèi良liáng臣chén，古gǔ之zhī所suǒ謂wèi民mín賊zéi也yě。君jūn不bù鄉xiāng道dào、不bú志zhì於wū仁rén，而ér求qiú富fù之zhī，是shì富fù桀jié也yě。『我wǒ能néng為wéi君jūn約yuē與yǔ國guó，戰zhàn必bì克kè。』今jīn之zhī所suǒ謂wèi良liáng臣chén，古gǔ之zhī所suǒ謂wèi民mín賊zéi也yě。君jūn不bù鄉xiāng道dào、不bú志zhì於wū仁rén，而ér求qiú為wéi之zhī強qiáng戰zhàn，是shì輔fǔ桀jié也yě。由yóu今jīn之zhī道dào，無wú變biàn今jīn之zhī俗sú，雖suī與yǔ之zhī天tiān下xià，不bù能néng一yì朝cháo居jū也yě。」

Mencius said, 'Those who now-a-days serve their sovereigns say, "We can for our sovereign enlarge the limits of the cultivated ground, and fill his treasuries and arsenals." Such persons are now-a-days called "Good ministers," but anciently they were called "Robbers of the people." If a sovereign follows not the right way, nor has his mind bent on benevolence, to seek to enrich him is to enrich a Jie. Or they will say, "We can for our sovereign form alliances with other States, so that our battles must be successful." Such persons are now-a-days called "Good ministers," but anciently they were called "Robbers of the people." If a sovereign follows not the right way, nor has his mind directed to benevolence, to seek to enrich him is to enrich a Jie. Although a prince, pursuing the path of the present day, and not changing its practices, were to have the throne given to him, he could not retain it for a single morning.'