Gong Sun Chou II · 孟子 2B.11

Passage 11

孟mèng子zǐ去qù齊qí，宿sù於wū晝zhòu。有yǒu欲yù為wéi王wáng留liú行xíng者zhě，坐zuò而ér言yán。不bù應yīng，隱yǐn几jǐ而ér臥wò。客kè不bú悅yuè曰yuē：「弟dì子zǐ齊qí宿sù而ér後hòu敢gǎn言yán；夫fū子zǐ臥wò而ér不bù聽tīng；請qǐng勿wù復fù敢gǎn見jiàn矣yǐ。」曰yuē：「坐zuò。我wǒ明míng語yǔ子zǐ：昔xī者zhě魯lǔ繆móu公gōng無wú人rén乎hū子zǐ思sī之zhī側cè，則zé不bù能néng安ān子zǐ思sī；泄xiè柳liǔ、申shēn詳xiáng無wú人rén乎hū繆móu公gōng之zhī側cè，則zé不bù能néng安ān其qí身shēn。子zǐ為wéi長cháng者zhě慮lǜ，而ér不bù及jí子zǐ思sī。子zǐ絕jué長cháng者zhě乎hū？長cháng者zhě絕jué子zǐ乎hū？」

Mencius, having taken his leave of Qi, was passing the night in Zhou. A person who wished to detain him on behalf of the king, came and sat down, and began to speak to him. Mencius gave him no answer, but leant upon his stool and slept. The visitor was displeased, and said, 'I passed the night in careful vigil, before I would venture to speak to you, and you, Master, sleep and do not listen to me. Allow me to request that I may not again presume to see you.' Mencius replied, 'Sit down, and I will explain the case clearly to you. Formerly, if the duke Mou had not kept a person by the side of Zi Si, he could not have induced Zi Si to remain with him. If Xie Liu and Shen Xiang had not had a remembrancer by the side of the duke Mou, he would not have been able to make them feel at home and remain with him. You anxiously form plans with reference to me, but you do not treat me as Zi Si was treated. Is it you, Sir, who cut me? Or is it I who cut you?