Jin Xin I · 孟子 7A.12

Passage 12

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「以yǐ佚yì道dào使shǐ民mín，雖suī勞láo不bú怨yuàn。以yǐ生shēng道dào殺shā民mín，雖suī死sǐ不bú怨yuàn殺shā者zhě。」

Mencius said, 'Let the people be employed in the way which is intended to secure their ease, and though they be toiled, they will not murmur. Let them be put to death in the way which is intended to preserve their lives, and though they die, they will not murmur at him who puts them to death.'

First-principles reading

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