Jin Xin II · 孟子 7B.30

Passage 30

孟mèng子zǐ之zhī滕téng，館guǎn於wū上shàng宮gōng。有yǒu業yè屨jù於wū牖yǒu上shàng，館guǎn人rén求qiú之zhī弗fú得dé。或huò問wèn之zhī曰yuē：「若ruò是shì乎hū從cóng者zhě之zhī廋sōu也yě。」曰yuē：「子zǐ以yǐ是shì為wéi竊qiè屨jù來lái與yǔ？」曰yuē：「殆dài非fēi也yě。夫fū子zǐ之zhī設shè科kē也yě，往wǎng者zhě不bù追zhuī，來lái者zhě不bú拒jù。茍jì以yǐ是shì心xīn至zhì，斯sī受shòu之zhī而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。」

When Mencius went to Teng, he was lodged in the Upper palace. A sandal in the process of making had been placed there in a window, and when the keeper of the place came to look for it, he could not find it. On this, some one asked Mencius, saying, 'Is it thus that your followers pilfer?' Mencius replied, 'Do you think that they came here to pilfer the sandal?' The man said, 'I apprehend not. But you, Master, having arranged to give lessons, do not go back to inquire into the past, and you do not reject those who come to you. If they come with the mind to learn, you receive them without any more ado.'