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Jin Xin I · 孟子 7A.42

Passage 42

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「天tiān下xià有yǒu道dào，以yǐ道dào殉xùn身shēn；天tiān下xià無wú道dào，以yǐ身shēn殉xùn道dào。未wèi聞wén以yǐ道dào殉xùn乎hū人rén者zhě也yě。」

Mencius said, 'When right principles prevail throughout the kingdom, one's principles must appear along with one's person. When right principles disappear from the kingdom, one's person must vanish along with one's principles. I have not heard of one's principles being dependent for their manifestation on other men.'

First-principles reading

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