Gong Sun Chou I · 孟子 2A.8

Passage 08

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「子zǐ路lù，人rén告gào之zhī以yǐ有yǒu過guò則zé喜xǐ。禹yǔ聞wén善shàn言yán則zé拜bài。大dà舜shùn有yǒu大dà焉yān，善shàn與yǔ人rén同tóng，舍shè己jǐ從cóng人rén，樂lè取qǔ於wū人rén以yǐ為wéi善shàn。自zì耕gēng稼jià、陶táo、漁yú，以yǐ至zhì為wéi帝dì，無wú非fēi取qǔ於wū人rén者zhě。取qǔ諸zhū人rén以yǐ為wéi善shàn，是shì與yǔ人rén為wéi善shàn者zhě也yě。故gù君jūn子zǐ莫mò大dà乎hū與yǔ人rén為wéi善shàn。」

Mencius said, 'When any one told Zi Lu that he had a fault, he rejoiced. When Yu heard good words, he bowed to the speaker. The great Shun had a still greater delight in what was good. He regarded virtue as the common property of himself and others, giving up his own way to follow that of others, and delighting to learn from others to practise what was good. From the time when he ploughed and sowed, exercised the potter's art, and was a fisherman, to the time when he became emperor, he was continually learning from others. To take example from others to practise virtue, is to help them in the same practice. Therefore, there is no attribute of the superior man greater than his helping men to practise virtue.'