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Jin Xin II · 孟子 7B.5

Passage 05

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「梓zǐ匠jiàng輪lún輿yú，能néng與yǔ人rén規guī矩jǔ，不bù能néng使shǐ人rén巧qiǎo。」

Mencius said, 'A carpenter or a carriage-maker may give a man the circle and square, but cannot make him skilful in the use of them.'

First-principles reading

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