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Jin Xin I · 孟子 7A.19

Passage 19

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「有yǒu事shì君jūn人rén者zhě，事shì是shì君jūn，則zé為wéi容róng悅yuè者zhě也yě。有yǒu安ān社shè稷jì臣chén者zhě，以yǐ安ān社shè稷jì為wéi悅yuè者zhě也yě。有yǒu天tiān民mín者zhě，達dá可kě行xíng於wū天tiān下xià而ér後hòu行xíng之zhī者zhě也yě。有yǒu大dà人rén者zhě，正zhèng己jǐ而ér物wù正zhèng者zhě也yě。」

Mencius said, 'There are persons who serve the prince; they serve the prince, that is, for the sake of his countenance and favour. There are ministers who seek the tranquillity of the State, and find their pleasure in securing that tranquillity. There are those who are the people of Heaven. They, judging that, if they were in office, they could carry out their principles, throughout the kingdom, proceed so to carry them out. There are those who are great men. They rectify themselves and others are rectified.'

First-principles reading

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