Jin Xin II · 孟子 7B.29

Passage 29

盆pén成chéng括kuò仕shì於wū齊qí。孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「死sǐ矣yǐ盆pén成chéng括kuò！」盆pén成chéng括kuò見jiàn殺shā，門mén人rén問wèn曰yuē：「夫fū子zǐ何hé以yǐ知zhī其qí將jiāng見jiàn殺shā？」曰yuē：「其qí為wéi人rén也yě，小xiǎo有yǒu才cái，未wèi聞wén君jūn子zǐ之zhī大dà道dào也yě，則zé足zú以yǐ殺shā其qí軀qū而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。」

Pen Cheng Kuo having obtained an official situation in Qi, Mencius said, 'He is a dead man, that Pen Cheng Kuo!' Pen Cheng Kuo being put to death, the disciples asked, saying, 'How did you know, Master, that he would meet with death?' Mencius replied, 'He was a man, who had a little ability, but had not learned the great doctrines of the superior man. He was just qualified to bring death upon himself, but for nothing more.'

First-principles reading

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