Jin Xin I · 孟子 7A.9

Passage 09

孟mèng子zǐ謂wèi宋sòng句jù踐jiàn曰yuē：「子zǐ好hǎo游yóu乎hū？吾wú語yǔ子zǐ游yóu：人rén知zhī之zhī亦yì囂xiāo囂xiāo，人rén不bù知zhī亦yì囂xiāo囂xiāo。」曰yuē：「何hé如rú斯sī可kě以yǐ囂xiāo囂xiāo矣yǐ？」曰yuē：「尊zūn德dé樂lè義yì，則zé可kě以yǐ囂xiāo囂xiāo矣yǐ。故gù士shì窮qióng不bù失shī義yì，達dá不bù離lí道dào。窮qióng不bù失shī義yì，故gù士shì得dé己jǐ焉yān。達dá不bù離lí道dào，故gù民mín不bù失shī望wàng焉yān。古gǔ之zhī人rén，得dé志zhì，澤zé加jiā於wū民mín；不bù得dé志zhì，修xiū身shēn見jiàn於wū世shì。窮qióng則zé獨dú善shàn其qí身shēn；達dá則zé兼jiān善shàn天tiān下xià。」

Mencius said to Song Gou Jian, 'Are you fond, Sir, of travelling to the different courts? I will tell you about such travelling. If a prince acknowledge you and follow your counsels, be perfectly satisfied. If no one do so, be the same.' Gou Jian said, 'What is to be done to secure this perfect satisfaction?' Mencius replied, 'Honour virtue and delight in righteousness, and so you may always be perfectly satisfied. Therefore, a scholar, though poor, does not let go his righteousness; though prosperous, he does not leave his own path. Poor and not letting righteousness go - it is thus that the scholar holds possession of himself. Prosperous and not leaving the proper path - it is thus that the expectations of the people from him are not disappointed. When the men of antiquity realized their wishes, benefits were conferred by them on the people. If they did not realize their wishes, they cultivated their personal character, and became illustrious in the world. If poor, they attended to their own virtue in solitude; if advanced to dignity, they made the whole kingdom virtuous as well.'