King Hui of Liang II · 孟子 1B.9

Passage 09

孟mèng子zǐ見jiàn齊qí宣xuān王wáng，曰yuē：「為wéi巨jù室shì，則zé必bì使shǐ工gōng師shī求qiú大dà木mù。工gōng師shī得dé大dà木mù，則zé王wáng喜xǐ，以yǐ為wéi能néng勝shèng其qí任rèn也yě。匠jiàng人rén斫zhuó而ér小xiǎo之zhī，則zé王wáng怒nù，以yǐ為wéi不bú勝shèng其qí任rèn矣yǐ。夫fū人rén幼yòu而ér學xué之zhī，壯zhuàng而ér欲yù行xíng之zhī，王wáng曰yuē：『姑gū捨shě女nǚ所suǒ學xué而ér從cóng我wǒ』，則zé何hé如rú？今jīn有yǒu璞pú玉yù於wū此cǐ，雖suī萬wàn鎰yì，必bì使shǐ玉yù人rén雕diāo琢zhuó之zhī。至zhì於wū治zhì國guó家jiā，則zé曰yuē：『姑gū捨shě女nǚ所suǒ學xué而ér從cóng我wǒ』，則zé何hé以yǐ異yì於wū教jiào玉yù人rén雕diāo琢zhuó玉yù哉zāi？」

Mencius, having an interview with the king Xuan of Qi, said to him, 'If you are going to build a large mansion, you will surely cause the Master of the workmen to look out for large trees, and when he has found such large trees, you will be glad, thinking that they will answer for the intended object. Should the workmen hew them so as to make them too small, then your Majesty will be angry, thinking that they will not answer for the purpose. Now, a man spends his youth in learning the principles of right government, and, being grown up to vigour, he wishes to put them in practice; if your Majesty says to him, "For the present put aside what you have learned, and follow me," what shall we say? Here now you have a gem unwrought, in the stone. Although it may be worth 240,000 taels, you will surely employ a lapidary to cut and polish it. But when you come to the government of the State, then you say, "For the present put aside what you have learned, and follow me." How is it that you herein act so differently from your conduct in calling in the lapidary to cut the gem?'