Jin Xin I · 孟子 7A.43

Passage 43

公gōng都dōu子zǐ曰yuē：「滕téng更gèng之zhī在zài門mén也yě，若ruò在zài所suǒ禮lǐ，而ér不bù答dá，何hé也yě？」孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「挾xié貴guì而ér問wèn，挾xié賢xián而ér問wèn，挾xié長cháng而ér問wèn，挾xié有yǒu勛xūn勞láo而ér問wèn，挾xié故gù而ér問wèn，皆jiē所suǒ不bù答dá也yě。滕téng更gèng有yǒu二èr焉yān。」

The disciple Gong Du said, 'When Geng of Tang made his appearance in your school, it seemed proper that a polite consideration should be paid to him, and yet you did not answer him. Why was that?' Mencius replied, 'I do not answer him who questions me presuming on his nobility, nor him who presumes on his talents, nor him who presumes on his age, nor him who presumes on services performed to me, nor him who presumes on old acquaintance. Two of those things were chargeable on Geng of Tang.'