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Li Lou II · 孟子 4B.17

Passage 17

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「言yán無wú實shí，不bù詳xiáng。不bù詳xiáng之zhī實shí，蔽bì賢xián者zhě當dāng之zhī。」

Mencius said, 'Words which are not true are inauspicious, and the words which are most truly obnoxious to the name of inauspicious, are those which throw into the shade men of talents and virtue.'

First-principles reading

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