Teng Wen Gong II · 孟子 3B.6

Passage 06

孟mèng子zǐ謂wèi戴dài不bú勝shèng曰yuē：「子zǐ欲yù子zǐ之zhī王wáng之zhī善shàn與yǔ？我wǒ明míng告gào子zǐ：有yǒu楚chǔ大dài夫fu於wū此cǐ，欲yù其qí子zǐ之zhī齊qí語yǔ也yě，則zé使shǐ齊qí人rén傅fù諸zhū？使shǐ楚chǔ人rén傅fù諸zhū？」曰yuē：「使shǐ齊qí人rén傅fù之zhī。」曰yuē：「一yì齊qí人rén傅fù之zhī，眾zhòng楚chǔ人rén咻xiū之zhī，雖suī日rì撻tà而ér求qiú其qí齊qí也yě，不bù可kě得dé矣yǐ。引yǐn而ér置zhì之zhī莊zhuāng岳yuè之zhī間jiàn數shù年nián，雖suī日rì撻tà而ér求qiú其qí楚chǔ，亦yì不bù可kě得dé矣yǐ。子zǐ謂wèi薛xuē居jū州zhōu，善shàn士shì也yě，使shǐ之zhī居jū於wū王wáng所suǒ。在zài於wū王wáng所suǒ者zhě，長cháng幼yòu卑bēi尊zūn皆jiē薛xuē居jū州zhōu也yě，王wáng誰shuí與yǔ為wéi不bú善shàn？在zài王wáng所suǒ者zhě，長cháng幼yòu卑bēi尊zūn皆jiē非fēi薛xuē居jū州zhōu也yě，王wáng誰shuí與yǔ為wéi善shàn？一yì薛xuē居jū州zhōu，獨dú如rú宋sòng王wáng何hé？」

Mencius said to Dai Bu Sheng, 'I see that you are desiring your king to be virtuous, and will plainly tell you how he may be made so. Suppose that there is a great officer of Chu here, who wishes his son to learn the speech of Qi. Will he in that case employ a man of Qi as his tutor, or a man of Chu?' 'He will employ a man of Qi to teach him,' said Bu Sheng. Mencius went on, 'If but one man of Qi be teaching him, and there be a multitude of men of Chu continually shouting out about him, although his father beat him every day, wishing him to learn the speech of Qi, it will be impossible for him to do so. But in the same way, if he were to be taken and placed for several years in Zhuang or Yue, though his father should beat him, wishing him to speak the language of Chu, it would be impossible for him to do so. You supposed that Xue Ju Zhou was a scholar of virtue, and you have got him placed in attendance on the king. Suppose that all in attendance on the king, old and young, high and low, were Xue Ju Zhous, whom would the king have to do evil with? And suppose that all in attendance on the king, old and young, high and low, are not Xue Ju Zhous, whom will the king gave to do good with? What can one Xue Ju Zhou do alone for the king of Song?'