Jin Xin I · 孟子 7A.41

Passage 41

公gōng孫sūn丑chǒu曰yuē：「道dào則zé高gāo矣yǐ、美měi矣yǐ，宜yí若ruò登dēng天tiān然rán，似sì不bù可kě及jí也yě。何hé不bù使shǐ彼bǐ為wéi可kě幾jī及jí而ér日rì孳zī孳zī也yě？」孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「大dà匠jiàng不bù為wéi拙zhuō工gōng改gǎi廢fèi繩shéng墨mò；羿yì不bù為wéi拙zhuō射shè變biàn其qí彀gòu率lǜ。君jūn子zǐ引yǐn而ér不bù發fā，躍yuè如rú也yě。中zhōng道dào而ér立lì，能néng者zhě從cóng之zhī。」

Gong Sun Chou said, 'Lofty are your principles and admirable, but to learn them may well be likened to ascending the heavens - something which cannot be reached. Why not adapt your teaching so as to cause learners to consider them attainable, and so daily exert themselves!' Mencius said, 'A great artificer does not, for the sake of a stupid workman, alter or do away with the marking-line. Yi did not, for the sake of a stupid archer, charge his rule for drawing the bow. The superior man draws the bow, but does not discharge the arrow, having seemed to leap with it to the mark; and he there stands exactly in the middle of the path. Those who are able, follow him.'