Gong Sun Chou I · 孟子 2A.7

Passage 07

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「矢shǐ人rén豈qǐ不bù仁rén於wū函hán人rén哉zāi？矢shǐ人rén惟wéi恐kǒng不bù傷shāng人rén，函hán人rén惟wéi恐kǒng傷shāng人rén。巫wū匠jiàng亦yì然rán。故gù術shù不bù可kě不bú慎shèn也yě。孔kǒng子zǐ曰yuē：『里lǐ仁rén為wéi美měi。擇zé不bù處chǔ仁rén，焉yān得dé智zhì？』夫fū仁rén，天tiān之zhī尊zūn爵jué也yě，人rén之zhī安ān宅zhái也yě。莫mò之zhī御yù而ér不bù仁rén，是shì不bú智zhì也yě。不bù仁rén不bú智zhì，無wú禮lǐ無wú義yì，人rén役yì也yě。人rén役yì而ér恥chǐ為wéi役yì，由yóu弓gōng人rén而ér恥chǐ為wéi弓gōng、矢shǐ人rén而ér恥chǐ為wéi矢shǐ也yě。如rú恥chǐ之zhī，莫mò如rú為wéi仁rén。仁rén者zhě如rú射shè：射shè者zhě正zhèng己jǐ而ér後hòu發fā；發fā而ér不bù中zhōng，不bú怨yuàn勝shèng己jǐ者zhě，反fǎn求qiú諸zhū己jǐ而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。」

Mencius said, 'Is the arrow-maker less benevolent than the maker of armour of defence? And yet, the arrow-maker's only fear is lest men should not be hurt, and the armour-maker's only fear is lest men should be hurt. So it is with the priest and the coffin-maker. The choice of a profession, therefore, is a thing in which great caution is required. Confucius said, "It is virtuous manners which constitute the excellence of a neighbourhood. If a man, in selecting a residence, do not fix on one where such prevail, how can he be wise?" Now, benevolence is the most honourable dignity conferred by Heaven, and the quiet home in which man should awell. Since no one can hinder us from being so, if yet we are not benevolent - this is being not wise. From the want of benevolence and the want of wisdom will ensue the entire absence of propriety and righteousness;-- he who is in such a case must be the servant of other men. To be the servant of men and yet ashamed of such servitude, is like a bowmaker's being ashamed to make bows, or an arrow-maker's being ashamed to make arrows. If he be ashamed of his case, his best course is to practise benevolence. The man who would be benevolent is like the archer. The archer adjusts himself and then shoots. If he misses, he does not murmur against those who surpass himself. He simply turns round and seeks the cause of his failure in himself.'