Gong Sun Chou II · 孟子 2B.5

Passage 05

孟mèng子zǐ謂wèi蚔qí蛙wā曰yuē：「子zǐ之zhī辭cí靈líng丘qiū而ér請qǐng士shì師shī，似sì也yě，為wéi其qí可kě以yǐ言yán也yě。今jīn既jì數shù月yuè矣yǐ，未wèi可kě以yǐ言yán與yǔ？」蚔qí蛙wā諫jiàn於wū王wáng而ér不bú用yòng，致zhì為wéi臣chén而ér去qù。齊qí人rén曰yuē：「所suǒ以yǐ為wéi蚔qí蛙wā，則zé善shàn矣yǐ；所suǒ以yǐ自zì為wéi，則zé吾wú不bù知zhī也yě。」公gōng都dōu子zǐ以yǐ告gào。曰yuē：「吾wú聞wén之zhī也yě：有yǒu官guān守shǒu者zhě，不bù得dé其qí職zhí則zé去qù；有yǒu言yán責zé者zhě，不bù得dé其qí言yán則zé去qù。我wǒ無wú官guān守shǒu，我wǒ無wú言yán責zé也yě，則zé吾wú進jìn退tuì豈qǐ不bú綽chuò綽chuò然rán有yǒu餘yú裕yù哉zāi？」

Mencius said to Qi Wa, 'There seemed to be reason in your declining the governorship of Ling Qiu, and requesting to be appointed chief criminal judge, because the latter office would afford you the opportunity of speaking your views. Now several months have elapsed, and have you yet found nothing of which you might speak?' On this, Qi Wa remonstrated on some matter with the king, and, his counsel not being taken, resigned his office and went away. The people of Qi said, 'In the course which he marked out for Qi Wa he did well, but we do not know as to the course which he pursues for himself.' His disciple Gong Du told him these remarks. Mencius said, 'I have heard that he who is in charge of an office, when he is prevented from fulfilling its duties, ought to take his departure, and that he on whom is the responsibility of giving his opinion, when he finds his words unattended to, ought to do the same. But I am in charge of no office; on me devolves no duty of speaking out my opinion - may not I therefore act freely and without any constraint, either in going forward or in retiring?'