Li Lou II · 孟子 4B.29

Passage 29

禹yǔ、稷jì當dāng平píng世shì，三sān過guò其qí門mén而ér不bú入rù，孔kǒng子zǐ賢xián之zhī。顏yán子zǐ當dāng亂luàn世shì，居jū於wū陋lòu巷xiàng，一yì簞dān食shí，一yì瓢piáo飲yǐn，人rén不bù堪kān其qí憂yōu，顏yán子zǐ不bù改gǎi其qí樂lè，孔kǒng子zǐ賢xián之zhī。孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「禹yǔ、稷jì、顏yán回huí同tóng道dào。禹yǔ思sī天tiān下xià有yǒu溺nì者zhě，由yóu己jǐ溺nì之zhī也yě；稷jì思sī天tiān下xià有yǒu饑jī者zhě，由yóu己jǐ饑jī之zhī也yě。是shì以yǐ如rú是shì其qí急jí也yě。禹yǔ、稷jì、顏yán子zǐ易yì地dì則zé皆jiē然rán。今jīn有yǒu同tóng室shì之zhī人rén鬭dòu者zhě，救jiù之zhī，雖suī被bèi髪fà纓yīng冠guān而ér救jiù之zhī，可kě也yě。鄉xiāng鄰lín有yǒu鬭dòu者zhě，被bèi髪fà纓yīng冠guān而ér往wǎng救jiù之zhī，則zé惑huò也yě，雖suī閉bì戶hù可kě也yě。」

Yu and Ji, in an age when the world was being brought back to order, thrice passed their doors without entering them. Confucius praised them. The disciple Yan, in an age of disorder, dwelt in a mean narrow lane, having his single bamboo-cup of rice, and his single gourd-dish of water; other men could not have endured the distress, but he did not allow his joy to be affected by it. Confucius praised him. Mencius said, 'Yu, Ji, and Yan Hui agreed in the principle of their conduct. Yu thought that if any one in the kingdom were drowned, it was as if he drowned him. Ji thought that if any one in the kingdom suffered hunger, it was as if he famished him. It was on this account that they were so earnest. If Yu and Ji, and Yanzi, had exchanged places, each would have done what the other did. Here now in the same apartment with you are people fighting - you ought to part them. Though you part them with your cap simply tied over your unbound hair, your conduct will be allowable. If the fighting be only in the village or neighbourhood, if you go to put an end to it with your cap tied over your hair unbound, you will be in error. Although you should shut your door in such a case, your conduct would be allowable.'