King Hui of Liang II · 孟子 1B.11

Passage 11

齊qí人rén伐fá燕yàn，取qǔ之zhī。諸zhū侯hóu將jiāng謀móu救jiù燕yàn。宣xuān王wáng曰yuē：「諸zhū侯hóu多duō謀móu伐fá寡guǎ人rén者zhě，何hé以yǐ待dài之zhī？」孟mèng子zǐ對duì曰yuē：「臣chén聞wén七qī十shí里lǐ為wéi政zhèng於wū天tiān下xià者zhě，湯tāng是shì也yě。未wèi聞wén以yǐ千qiān里lǐ畏wèi人rén者zhě也yě。書shū曰yuē：『湯tāng一yì征zhēng，自zì葛gě始shǐ。」天tiān下xià信xìn之zhī，東dōng面miàn而ér征zhēng，西xī夷yí怨yuàn；南nán面miàn而ér征zhēng，北běi狄dí怨yuàn曰yuē：『奚xī為wéi後hòu我wǒ？』民mín望wàng之zhī，若ruò大dà旱hàn之zhī望wàng雲yún霓ní也yě。歸guī市shì者zhě不bù止zhǐ，耕gēng者zhě不bú變biàn。誅zhū其qí君jūn而ér弔diào其qí民mín，若ruò時shí雨yǔ降jiàng。民mín大dà悅yuè。書shū曰yuē：『徯xī我wǒ后hòu，后hòu來lái其qí蘇sū。』今jīn燕yàn虐nüè其qí民mín，王wáng往wǎng而ér征zhēng之zhī，民mín以yǐ為wéi將jiāng拯zhěng己jǐ於wū水shuǐ火huǒ之zhī中zhōng也yě，簞dān食shí壺hú漿jiāng以yǐ迎yíng王wáng師shī。若ruò殺shā其qí兄xiōng父fù，係xì累lèi其qí子zǐ弟dì，毀huǐ其qí宗zōng廟miào，遷qiān其qí重zhòng器qì，如rú之zhī何hé其qí可kě也yě？天tiān下xià固gù畏wèi齊qí之zhī強qiáng也yě，今jīn又yòu倍bèi地dì而ér不bù行xíng仁rén政zhèng，是shì動dòng天tiān下xià之zhī兵bīng也yě。王wáng速sù出chū令lìng，反fǎn其qí旄máo倪ní，止zhǐ其qí重zhòng器qì，謀móu於wū燕yàn眾zhòng，置zhì君jūn而ér後hòu去qù之zhī，則zé猶yóu可kě及jí止zhǐ也yě。」

The people of Qi, having smitten Yan, took possession of it, and upon this, the princes of the various States deliberated together, and resolved to deliver Yan from their power. The king Xuan said to Mencius, 'The princes have formed many plans to attack me - how shall I prepare myself for them?' Mencius replied, 'I have heard of one who with seventy li exercised all the functions of government throughout the kingdom. That was Tang. I have never heard of a prince with a thousand li standing in fear of others. It is said in the Book of History, As soon as Tang began his work of executing justice, he commenced with Ge. The whole kingdom had confidence in him. When he pursued his work in the east, the rude tribes on the west murmured. So did those on the north, when he was engaged in the south. Their cry was "Why does he put us last?" Thus, the people looked to him, as we look in a time of great drought to the clouds and rainbows. The frequenters of the markets stopped not. The husbandmen made no change in their operations. While he punished their rulers, he consoled the people. His progress was like the falling of opportune rain, and the people were delighted. It is said again in the Book of History, "We have waited for our prince long; the prince's coming will be our reviving!" 'Now the ruler of Yan was tyrannizing over his people, and your Majesty went and punished him. The people supposed that you were going to deliver them out of the water and the fire, and brought baskets of rice and vessels of congee, to meet your Majesty's host. But you have slain their fathers and elder brothers, and put their sons and younger brothers in confinement. You have pulled down the ancestral temple of the State, and are removing to Qi its precious vessels. How can such a course be deemed proper? The rest of the kingdom is indeed jealously afraid of the strength of Qi; and now, when with a doubled territory you do not put in practice a benevolent government - it is this which sets the arms of the kingdom in in motion. If your Majesty will make haste to issue an ordinance, restoring your captives, old and young, stopping the removal of the precious vessels, and saying that, after consulting with the people of Yen, you will appoint them a ruler, and withdraw from the country - in this way you may still be able to stop the threatened attack.'