Gong Sun Chou II · 孟子 2B.13

Passage 13

孟mèng子zǐ去qù齊qí，充chōng虞yú路lù問wèn曰yuē：「夫fū子zǐ若ruò有yǒu不bú豫yù色sè然rán。前qián日rì虞yú聞wén諸zhū夫fū子zǐ曰yuē：『君jūn子zǐ不bú怨yuàn天tiān，不bù尤yóu人rén。』」曰yuē：「彼bǐ一yì時shí，此cǐ一yì時shí也yě。五wǔ百bǎi年nián必bì有yǒu王wáng者zhě興xīng，其qí間jiàn必bì有yǒu名míng世shì者zhě。由yóu周zhōu而ér來lái，七qī百bǎi有yǒu餘yú歲suì矣yǐ；以yǐ其qí數shù則zé過guò矣yǐ，以yǐ其qí時shí考kǎo之zhī則zé可kě矣yǐ。夫fū天tiān，未wèi欲yù平píng治zhì天tiān下xià也yě，如rú欲yù平píng治zhì天tiān下xià，當dāng今jīn之zhī世shì，舍shè我wǒ其qí誰shuí也yě？吾wú何hé為wéi不bú豫yù哉zāi？」

When Mencius left Qi, Chong Yu questioned him upon the way, saying, 'Master, you look like one who carries an air of dissatisfaction in his countenance. But formerly I heard you say, "The superior man does not murmur against Heaven, nor grudge against men."' Mencius said, 'That was one time, and this is another. It is a rule that a true royal sovereign should arise in the course of five hundred years, and that during that time there should be men illustrious in their generation. From the commencement of the Zhou dynasty till now, more than seven hundred years have elapsed. Judging numerically, the date is past. Examining the character of the present time, we might expect the rise of such individuals in it. But Heaven does not yet wish that the kingdom should enjoy tranquillity and good order. If it wished this, who is there besides me to bring it about? How should I be otherwise than dissatisfied?'