Gong Sun Chou II · 孟子 2B.6

Passage 06

孟mèng子zǐ為wéi卿qīng於wū齊qí，出chū弔diào於wū滕téng，王wáng使shǐ蓋gài大dài夫fu王wáng驩huān為wéi輔fǔ行xíng。王wáng驩huān朝cháo暮mù見jiàn，反fǎn齊qí、滕téng之zhī路lù，未wèi嘗cháng與yǔ之zhī言yán行xíng事shì也yě。公gōng孫sūn丑chǒu曰yuē：「齊qí卿qīng之zhī位wèi，不bù為wéi小xiǎo矣yǐ；齊qí、滕téng之zhī路lù，不bù為wéi近jìn矣yǐ。反fǎn之zhī而ér未wèi嘗cháng與yǔ言yán行xíng事shì，何hé也yě？」曰yuē：「夫fū既jì或huò治zhì之zhī，予yǔ何hé言yán哉zāi？」

Mencius, occupying the position of a high dignitary in Qi, went on a mission of condolence to Teng. The king also sent Wang Huan, the governor of Gai, as assistant-commissioner. Wang Huan, morning and evening, waited upon Mencius, who, during all the way to Teng and back, never spoke to him about the business of their mission. Gong Sun Chou said to Mencius, 'The position of a high dignitary of Qi is not a small one; the road from Qi to Teng is not short. How was it that during all the way there and back, you never spoke to Huan about the matters of your mission?' Mencius replied, 'There were the proper officers who attended to them. What occasion had I to speak to him about them?'