Li Lou II · 孟子 4B.27

Passage 27

公gōng行xíng子zǐ有yǒu子zǐ之zhī喪sāng，右yòu師shī往wǎng弔diào。入rù門mén，有yǒu進jìn而ér與yǔ右yòu師shī言yán者zhě，有yǒu就jiù右yòu師shī之zhī位wèi而ér與yǔ右yòu師shī言yán者zhě。孟mèng子zǐ不bù與yǔ右yòu師shī言yán，右yòu師shī不bú悅yuè曰yuē：「諸zhū君jūn子zǐ皆jiē與yǔ驩huān言yán，孟mèng子zǐ獨dú不bù與yǔ驩huān言yán，是shì簡jiǎn驩huān也yě。」孟mèng子zǐ聞wén之zhī，曰yuē：「禮lǐ：朝cháo庭tíng不bú歷lì位wèi而ér相xiāng與yǔ言yán，不bù逾yú階jiē而ér相xiāng揖yī也yě。我wǒ欲yù行xíng禮lǐ，子zǐ敖áo以yǐ我wǒ為wéi簡jiǎn，不bú亦yì異yì乎hū？」

The officer Gong Hang having on hand the funeral of one of his sons, the Master of the Right went to condole with him. When this noble entered the door, some called him to them and spoke with him, and some went to his place and spoke with him. Mencius did not speak with him, so that he was displeased, and said, 'All the gentlemen have spoken with me. There is only Mencius who does not speak to me, thereby slighting me.' Mencius having heard of this remark, said, 'According to the prescribed rules, in the court, individuals may not change their places to speak with one another, nor may they pass from their ranks to bow to one another. I was wishing to observe this rule, and Zi Ao understands it that I was slighting him - is not this strange?'