Jin Xin I · 孟子 7A.33

Passage 33

王wáng子zǐ墊diàn問wèn曰yuē：「士shì何hé事shì？」孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「尚shàng志zhì。」曰yuē：「何hé謂wèi尚shàng志zhì？」曰yuē：「仁rén義yì而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。殺shā一yì無wú罪zuì，非fēi仁rén也yě；非fēi其qí有yǒu而ér取qǔ之zhī，非fēi義yì也yě。居jū惡è在zài？仁rén是shì也yě。路lù惡è在zài？義yì是shì也yě。居jū仁rén由yóu義yì，大dà人rén之zhī事shì備bèi矣yǐ。」

The king's son, Dian, asked Mencius, saying, 'What is the business of the unemployed scholar?' Mencius replied, 'To exalt his aim.' Tien asked again, 'What do you mean by exalting the aim?' The answer was, 'Setting it simply on benevolence and righteousness. He thinks how to put a single innocent person to death is contrary to benevolence; how to take what one has not a right to is contrary to righteousness; that one's dwelling should be benevolence; and one's path should be righteousness. Where else should he dwell? What other path should he pursue? When benevolence is the dwelling-place of the heart, and righteousness the path of the life, the business of a great man is complete.'