Teng Wen Gong II · 孟子 3B.8

Passage 08

戴dài盈yíng之zhī曰yuē：「什shén一yī，去qù關guān市shì之zhī征zhēng，今jīn茲zī未wèi能néng。請qǐng輕qīng之zhī，以yǐ待dài來lái年nián，然rán後hòu已yǐ，何hé如rú？」孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「今jīn有yǒu人rén日rì攘rǎng其qí鄰lín之zhī雞jī者zhě，或huò告gào之zhī曰yuē：『是shì非fēi君jūn子zǐ之zhī道dào。』曰yuē：『請qǐng損sǔn之zhī，月yuè攘rǎng一yì雞jī；以yǐ待dài來lái年nián，然rán後hòu已yǐ。』如rú知zhī其qí非fēi義yì，斯sī速sù已yǐ矣yǐ，何hé待dài來lái年nián？」

Dai Ying Zhi said to Mencius, 'I am not able at present and immediately to do with the levying of a tithe only, and abolishing the duties charged at the passes and in the markets. With your leave I will lighten, however, both the tax and the duties, until next year, and will then make an end of them. What do you think of such a course?' Mencius said, 'Here is a man, who every day appropriates some of his neighbour's strayed fowls. Some one says to him, "Such is not the way of a good man;" and he replies, "With your leave I will diminish my appropriations, and will take only one fowl a month, until next year, when I will make an end of the practice." If you know that the thing is unrighteous, then use all despatch in putting an end to it - why wait till next year?'