Jin Xin II · 孟子 7B.14

Passage 14

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「民mín為wéi貴guì，社shè稷jì次cì之zhī，君jūn為wéi輕qīng。是shì故gù得dé乎hū丘qiū民mín而ér為wéi天tiān子zǐ；得dé乎hū天tiān子zǐ為wéi諸zhū侯hóu；得dé乎hū諸zhū侯hóu為wéi大dài夫fu。諸zhū侯hóu危wēi社shè稷jì，則zé變biàn置zhì；犧xī牲shēng既jì成chéng，粢zī盛shèng既jì潔jié，祭jì祀sì以yǐ時shí，然rán而ér旱hàn乾qián水shuǐ溢yì，則zé變biàn置zhì社shè稷jì。」

Mencius said, 'The people are the most important element in a nation; the spirits of the land and grain are the next; the sovereign is the lightest. Therefore to gain the peasantry is the way to become sovereign; to gain the sovereign is the way to become a prince of a State; to gain the prince of a State is the way to become a great officer. When a prince endangers the altars of the spirits of the land and grain, he is changed, and another appointed in his place. When the sacrificial victims have been perfect, the millet in its vessels all pure, and the sacrifices offered at their proper seasons, if yet there ensue drought, or the waters overflow, the spirits of the land and grain are changed, and others appointed in their place.'