Li Lou II · 孟子 4B.2

Passage 02

子zǐ產chǎn聽tīng鄭zhèng國guó之zhī政zhèng，以yǐ其qí乘chéng輿yú濟jì人rén於wū溱zhēn、洧wěi。孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「惠huì而ér不bù知zhī為wéi政zhèng，歲suì十shí一yī月yuè徒tú杠gàng成chéng，十shí二èr月yuè輿yú梁liáng成chéng，民mín未wèi病bìng涉shè也yě。君jūn子zǐ平píng其qí政zhèng，行xíng辟pì人rén可kě也yě；焉yān得dé人rén人rén而ér濟jì之zhī？故gù為wéi政zhèng者zhě，每měi人rén而ér悅yuè之zhī，日rì亦yì不bù足zú矣yǐ。」

When Zi Chan was chief minister of the State of Zheng, he would convey people across the Zhen and Wei in his own carriage. Mencius said, 'It was kind, but showed that he did not understand the practice of government. When in the eleventh month of the year the foot-bridges are completed, and the carriage-bridges in the twelfth month, the people have not the trouble of wading. Let a governor conduct his rule on principles of equal justice, and, when he goes abroad, he may cause people to be removed out of his path. But how can he convey everybody across the rivers? It follows that if a governor will try to please everybody, he will find the days not sufficient for his work.'