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Gong Sun Chou II · 孟子 2B.14

Passage 14

孟mèng子zǐ去qù齊qí，居jū休xiū。公gōng孫sūn丑chǒu問wèn曰yuē：「仕shì而ér不bú受shòu祿lù，古gǔ之zhī道dào乎hū？」曰yuē：「非fēi也yě。於wū崇chóng，吾wú得dé見jiàn王wáng；退tuì而ér有yǒu去qù志zhì，不bú欲yù變biàn，故gù不bú受shòu也yě。繼jì而ér有yǒu師shī命mìng，不bù可kě以yǐ請qǐng。久jiǔ於wū齊qí，非fēi我wǒ志zhì也yě。」

When Mencius left Qi, he dwelt in Xiu. There Gong Sun Chou asked him, saying, 'Was it the way of the ancients to hold office without receiving salary?' Mencius replied, 'No; when I first saw the king in Chong, it was my intention, on retiring from the interview, to go away. Because I did not wish to change this intention, I declined to receive any salary. Immediately after, there came orders for the collection of troops, when it would have been improper for me to beg permission to leave. But to remain so long in Qi was not my purpose.'

First-principles reading

Begin with the words and context, expose the premise beneath the argument, then test the conditions and limits of the principle.