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Jin Xin I · 孟子 7A.30

Passage 30

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「堯yáo舜shùn，性xìng之zhī也yě；湯tāng武wǔ，身shēn之zhī也yě；五wǔ霸bà，假jiǎ之zhī也yě。久jiǔ假jiǎ而ér不bù歸guī，惡è知zhī其qí非fēi有yǒu也yě？」

Mencius said, 'Benevolence and righteousness were natural to Yao and Shun. Tang and Wu made them their own. The five chiefs of the princes feigned them. Having borrowed them long and not returned them, how could it be known they did not own them?'

First-principles reading

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