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Li Lou II · 孟子 4B.16

Passage 16

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「以yǐ善shàn服fú人rén者zhě，未wèi有yǒu能néng服fú人rén者zhě也yě。以yǐ善shàn養yǎng人rén，然rán後hòu能néng服fú天tiān下xià。天tiān下xià不bù心xīn服fú而ér王wáng者zhě，未wèi之zhī有yǒu也yě。」

Mencius said, 'Never has he who would by his excellence subdue men been able to subdue them. Let a prince seek by his excellence to nourish men, and he will be able to subdue the whole kingdom. It is impossible that any one should become ruler of the people to whom they have not yielded the subjection of the heart.'

First-principles reading

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