Jin Xin II · 孟子 7B.1

Passage 01

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「不bù仁rén哉zāi，梁liáng惠huì王wáng也yě！仁rén者zhě，以yǐ其qí所suǒ愛ài及jí其qí所suǒ不bú愛ài；不bù仁rén者zhě，以yǐ其qí所suǒ不bú愛ài及jí其qí所suǒ愛ài。」公gōng孫sūn丑chǒu問wèn曰yuē：「何hé謂wèi也yě？」「梁liáng惠huì王wáng以yǐ土tǔ地dì之zhī故gù，糜mí爛làn其qí民mín而ér戰zhàn之zhī，大dà敗bài；將jiāng復fù之zhī，恐kǒng不bù能néng勝shèng，故gù驅qū其qí所suǒ愛ài子zǐ弟dì以yǐ殉xùn之zhī；是shì之zhī謂wèi以yǐ其qí所suǒ不bú愛ài及jí其qí所suǒ愛ài也yě。」

Mencius said, 'The opposite indeed of benevolent was the king Hui of Liang! The benevolent, beginning with what they care for, proceed to what they do not care for. Those who are the opposite of benevolent, beginning with what they do not care for, proceed to what they care for.' Gong Sun Chou said, 'What do you mean?' Mencius answered, 'The king Hui of Liang, for the matter of territory, tore and destroyed his people, leading them to battle. Sustaining a great defeat, he would engage again, and afraid lest they should not be able to secure the victory, urged his son whom he loved till he sacrificed him with them. This is what I call "beginning with what they do not care for, and proceeding to what they care for."'