King Hui of Liang II · 孟子 1B.7

Passage 07

孟mèng子zǐ見jiàn齊qí宣xuān王wáng，曰yuē：「所suǒ謂wèi故gù國guó者zhě，非fēi謂wèi有yǒu喬qiáo木mù之zhī謂wèi也yě，有yǒu世shì臣chén之zhī謂wèi也yě。王wáng無wú親qīn臣chén矣yǐ，昔xī者zhě所suǒ進jìn，今jīn日rì不bù知zhī其qí亡wáng也yě。」王wáng曰yuē：「吾wú何hé以yǐ識shí其qí不bù才cái而ér捨shě之zhī？」曰yuē：「國guó君jūn進jìn賢xián，如rú不bù得dé已yǐ，將jiāng使shǐ卑bēi逾yú尊zūn，疏shū逾yú戚qī，可kě不bú慎shèn與yǔ？左zuǒ右yòu皆jiē曰yuē賢xián，未wèi可kě也yě；諸zhū大dài夫fu皆jiē曰yuē賢xián，未wèi可kě也yě；國guó人rén皆jiē曰yuē賢xián，然rán後hòu察chá之zhī；見jiàn賢xián焉yān，然rán後hòu用yòng之zhī。左zuǒ右yòu皆jiē曰yuē不bù可kě，勿wù聽tīng；諸zhū大dài夫fu皆jiē曰yuē不bù可kě，勿wù聽tīng；國guó人rén皆jiē曰yuē不bù可kě，然rán後hòu察chá之zhī；見jiàn不bù可kě焉yān，然rán後hòu去qù之zhī。左zuǒ右yòu皆jiē曰yuē可kě殺shā，勿wù聽tīng；諸zhū大dài夫fu皆jiē曰yuē可kě殺shā，勿wù聽tīng；國guó人rén皆jiē曰yuē可kě殺shā，然rán後hòu察chá之zhī，見jiàn可kě殺shā焉yān，然rán後hòu殺shā之zhī。故gù曰yuē，國guó人rén殺shā之zhī也yě。如rú此cǐ，然rán後hòu可kě以yǐ為wéi民mín父fù母mǔ。」

Mencius, having an interview with the king Xuan of Qi, said to him, 'When men speak of "an ancient kingdom," it is not meant thereby that it has lofty trees in it, but that it has ministers sprung from families which have been noted in it for generations. Your Majesty has no intimate ministers even. Those whom you advanced yesterday are gone to-day, and you do not know it.' The king said, 'How shall I know that they have not ability, and so avoid employing them at all?' The reply was, 'The ruler of a State advances to office men of talents and virtue only as a matter of necessity. Since he will thereby cause the low to overstep the honourable, and distant to overstep his near relatives, ought he to do so but with caution? When all those about you say, "This is a man of talents and worth," you may not therefore believe it. When your great officers all say, "This is a man of talents and virtue," neither may you for that believe it. When all the people say, "This is a man of talents and virtue," then examine into the case, and when you find that the man is such, employ him. When all those about you say, "This man won't do," don't listen to them. When all your great officers say, "This man won't do," don't listen to them. When the people all sav, "This man won't do," then examine into the case, and when you find that the man won't do, send him away. When all those about you say, "This man deserves death," don't listen to them. When all your great officers say, "This man deserves death," don't listen to them. When the people all say, "This man deserves death," then inquire into the case, and when you see that the man deserves death, put him to death. In accordance with this we have the saying, "The people killed him." You must act in this way in order to be the parent of the people.'