Li Lou I · 孟子 4A.13

Passage 13

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「伯bó夷yí辟pì紂zhòu，居jū北běi海hǎi之zhī濱bīn，聞wén文wén王wáng作zuò興xīng，曰yuē：『盍hé歸guī乎hū來lái！吾wú聞wén西xī伯bó善shàn養yǎng老lǎo者zhě。』太tài公gōng辟pì紂zhòu，居jū東dōng海hǎi之zhī濱bīn，聞wén文wén王wáng作zuò興xīng，曰yuē：『盍hé歸guī乎hū來lái！吾wú聞wén西xī伯bó善shàn養yǎng老lǎo者zhě。』二èr老lǎo者zhě，天tiān下xià之zhī大dà老lǎo也yě而ér歸guī之zhī，是shì天tiān下xià之zhī父fù歸guī之zhī也yě。天tiān下xià之zhī父fù歸guī之zhī，其qí子zǐ焉yān往wǎng？諸zhū侯hóu有yǒu行xíng文wén王wáng之zhī政zhèng者zhě，七qī年nián之zhī内nèi，必bì爲wéi政zhèng於wū天tiān下xià矣yǐ。」

Mencius said, 'Bo Yi, that he might avoid Zhou, was dwelling on the coast of the northern sea. When he heard of the rise of king Wen, he roused himself, and said, "Why should I not go and follow him? I have heard that the chief of the West knows well how to nourish the old." Tai Gong, that he might avoid Zhou, was dwelling on the coast of the eastern sea. When he heard of the rise of king Wen, he roused himself, and said, "Why should I not go and follow him? I have heard that the chief of the West knows well how to nourish the old." Those two old men were the greatest old men of the kingdom. When they came to follow king Wen, it was the fathers of the kingdom coming to follow him. When the fathers of the kingdom joined him, how could the sons go to any other? Were any of the princes to practise the government of king Wen, within seven years he would be sure to be giving laws to the kingdom.'