孟mengtzu.com中文

Jin Xin II · 孟子 7B.12

Passage 12

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「不bú信xìn仁rén賢xián，則zé國guó空kōng虛xū；無wú禮lǐ義yì，則zé上shàng下xià亂luàn；無wú政zhèng事shì，則zé財cái用yòng不bù足zú。」

Mencius said, 'If men of virtue and ability be not confided in, a State will become empty and void. Without the rules of propriety and distinctions of right, the high and the low will be thrown into confusion. Without the great principles of government and their various business, there will not be wealth sufficient for the expenditure.'

First-principles reading

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