King Hui of Liang II · 孟子 1B.6

Passage 06

孟mèng子zǐ謂wèi齊qí宣xuān王wáng，曰yuē：「王wáng之zhī臣chén有yǒu托tuō其qí妻qī子zǐ於wū其qí友yǒu而ér之zhī楚chǔ游yóu者zhě，比bǐ其qí反fǎn也yě，則zé凍dòng餒něi其qí妻qī子zǐ，則zé如rú之zhī何hé？」王wáng曰yuē：「棄qì之zhī。」曰yuē：「士shì師shī不bù能néng治zhì士shì，則zé如rú之zhī何hé？」王wáng曰yuē：「已yǐ之zhī。」曰yuē：「四sì境jìng之zhī內nèi不bú治zhì，則zé如rú之zhī何hé？」王wáng顧gù左zuǒ右yòu而ér言yán他tā。

Mencius said to the king Xuan of Qi, 'Suppose that one of your Majesty's ministers were to entrust his wife and children to the care of his friend, while he himself went into Chu to travel, and that, on his return, he should find that the friend had let his wife and children suffer from cold and hunger - how ought he to deal with him?' The king said, 'He should cast him off.' Mencius proceeded, 'Suppose that the chief criminal judge could not regulate the officers under him, how would you deal with him?' The king said, 'Dismiss him.' Mencius again said, 'If within the four borders of your kingdom there is not good government, what is to be done?' The king looked to the right and left, and spoke of other matters.