Li Lou II · 孟子 4B.18

Passage 18

徐xú子zǐ曰yuē：「仲zhòng尼ní亟jí稱chēng於wū水shuǐ曰yuē：『水shuǐ哉zāi！水shuǐ哉zāi！』何hé取qǔ於wū水shuǐ也yě？」孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「源yuán泉quán混hùn混hùn，不bú舍shè晝zhòu夜yè，盈yíng科kē而ér後hòu進jìn，放fàng乎hū四sì海hǎi；有yǒu本běn者zhě如rú是shì，是shì之zhī取qǔ爾ěr。茍jì為wéi無wú本běn，七qī、八bā月yuè之zhī間jiàn雨yǔ集jí，溝gōu澮kuài皆jiē盈yíng；其qí涸hé也yě，可kě立lì而ér待dài也yě。故gù聲shēng聞wén過guò情qíng，君jūn子zǐ恥chǐ之zhī。」

The disciple Xu said, 'Zhong Ni often praised water, saying, "0 water! 0 water!" What did he find in water to praise?' Mencius replied, 'There is a spring of water; how it gushes out! It rests not day nor night. It fills up every hole, and then advances, flowing onto the four seas. Such is water having a spring! It was this which he found in it to praise. But suppose that the water has no spring. In the seventh and eighth when the rain falls abundantly, the channels in the fields are all filled, but their being dried up again may be expected in a short time. So a superior man is ashamed of a reputation beyond his merits.'