Li Lou II · 孟子 4B.28

Passage 28

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「君jūn子zǐ所suǒ以yǐ異yì於wū人rén者zhě，以yǐ其qí存cún心xīn也yě。君jūn子zǐ以yǐ仁rén存cún心xīn，以yǐ禮lǐ存cún心xīn。仁rén者zhě愛ài人rén，有yǒu禮lǐ者zhě敬jìng人rén。愛ài人rén者zhě，人rén恒héng愛ài之zhī；敬jìng人rén者zhě，人rén恒héng敬jìng之zhī。有yǒu人rén於wū此cǐ，其qí待dài我wǒ以yǐ橫héng逆nì，則zé君jūn子zǐ必bì自zì反fǎn也yě：『我wǒ必bì不bù仁rén也yě，必bì無wú禮lǐ也yě，此cǐ物wù奚xī宜yí至zhì哉zāi？』其qí自zì反fǎn而ér仁rén矣yǐ，自zì反fǎn而ér有yǒu禮lǐ矣yǐ。其qí橫héng逆nì由yóu是shì也yě，君jūn子zǐ必bì自zì反fǎn也yě：『我wǒ必bì不bù忠zhōng。』自zì反fǎn而ér忠zhōng矣yǐ。其qí橫héng逆nì由yóu是shì也yě，君jūn子zǐ曰yuē：『此cǐ亦yì妄wàng人rén也yě已yǐ矣yǐ。如rú此cǐ則zé與yǔ禽qín獸shòu奚xī擇zé哉zāi？於wū禽qín獸shòu又yòu何hé難nán焉yān！』是shì故gù君jūn子zǐ有yǒu終zhōng身shēn之zhī憂yōu，無wú一yì朝cháo之zhī患huàn也yě。乃nǎi若ruò所suǒ憂yōu則zé有yǒu之zhī。舜shùn人rén也yě，我wǒ亦yì人rén也yě；舜shùn為wéi法fǎ於wū天tiān下xià，可kě傳chuán於wū後hòu世shì，我wǒ由yóu未wèi免miǎn為wéi鄉xiāng人rén也yě，是shì則zé可kě憂yōu也yě。憂yōu之zhī如rú何hé？如rú舜shùn而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。若ruò夫fū君jūn子zǐ所suǒ患huàn則zé亡wáng矣yǐ。非fēi仁rén無wú為wéi也yě，非fēi禮lǐ無wú行xíng也yě。如rú有yǒu一yì朝cháo之zhī患huàn，則zé君jūn子zǐ不bú患huàn矣yǐ。」

Mencius said, 'That whereby the superior man is distinguished from other men is what he preserves in his heart - namely, benevolence and propriety. The benevolent man loves others. The man of propriety shows respect to others. He who loves others is constantly loved by them. He who respects others is constantly respected by them. Here is a man, who treats me in a perverse and unreasonable manner. The superior man in such a case will turn round upon himself, "I must have been wanting in benevolence; I must have been wanting in propriety - how should this have happened to me?" He examines himself, and is specially benevolent. He turns round upon himself, and is specially observant of propriety. The perversity and unreasonableness of the other, however, are still the same. The superior man will again turn round on himself, "I must have been failing to do my utmost." He turns round upon himself, and proceeds to do his utmost, but still the perversity and unreasonableness of the other are repeated. On this the superior man says, "This is a man utterly lost indeed! Since he conducts himself so, what is there to choose between him and a brute? Why should I go to contend with a brute?" Thus it is that the superior man has a life-long anxiety and not one morning's calamity. As to what is matter of anxiety to him, that indeed be has. He says, "Shun was a man, and I also am a man. But Shun became an example to all the kingdom, and his conduct was worthy to be handed down to after ages, while I am nothing better than a villager." This indeed is the proper matter of anxiety to him. And in what way is he anxious about it? Just that he maybe like Shun: then only will he stop. As to what the superior man would feel to be a calamity, there is no such thing. He does nothing which is not according to propriety. If there should befall him one morning's calamity, the superior man does not account it a calamity.'