Jin Xin I · 孟子 7A.7

Passage 07

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「恥chǐ之zhī於wū人rén大dà矣yǐ。為wéi機jī變biàn之zhī巧qiǎo者zhě，無wú所suǒ用yòng恥chǐ焉yān。不bù恥chǐ不bú若ruò人rén，何hé若ruò人rén有yǒu？」

Mencius said, 'The sense of shame is to a man of great importance. Those who form contrivances and versatile schemes distinguished for their artfulness, do not allow their sense of shame to come into action. When one differs from other men in not having this sense of shame, what will he have in common with 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.