Wan Zhang I · 孟子 5A.5

Passage 05

萬wàn章zhāng曰yuē：「堯yáo以yǐ天tiān下xià與yǔ舜shùn，有yǒu諸zhū？」孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「否fǒu，天tiān子zǐ不bù能néng以yǐ天tiān下xià與yǔ人rén。」「然rán則zé舜shùn有yǒu天tiān下xià也yě，孰shú與yǔ之zhī？」曰yuē：「天tiān與yǔ之zhī。」「天tiān與yǔ之zhī者zhě，諄zhūn諄zhūn然rán命mìng之zhī乎hū？」曰yuē：「否fǒu，天tiān不bù言yán，以yǐ行xíng與yǔ事shì示shì之zhī而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。」曰yuē：「以yǐ行xíng與yǔ事shì示shì之zhī者zhě，如rú之zhī何hé？」曰yuē：「天tiān子zǐ能néng薦jiàn人rén於wū天tiān，不bù能néng使shǐ天tiān與yǔ之zhī天tiān下xià；諸zhū侯hóu能néng薦jiàn人rén於wū天tiān子zǐ，不bù能néng使shǐ天tiān子zǐ與yǔ之zhī諸zhū侯hóu；大dài夫fu能néng薦jiàn人rén於wū諸zhū侯hóu，不bù能néng使shǐ諸zhū侯hóu與yǔ之zhī大dài夫fu。昔xī者zhě堯yáo薦jiàn舜shùn於wū天tiān而ér天tiān受shòu之zhī，暴bào之zhī於wū民mín而ér民mín受shòu之zhī。故gù曰yuē：天tiān不bù言yán，以yǐ行xíng與yǔ事shì示shì之zhī而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。」曰yuē：「敢gǎn問wèn薦jiàn之zhī於wū天tiān而ér天tiān受shòu之zhī，暴bào之zhī於wū民mín而ér民mín受shòu之zhī，如rú何hé？」曰yuē：「使shǐ之zhī主zhǔ祭jì而ér百bǎi神shén享xiǎng之zhī，是shì天tiān受shòu之zhī。使shǐ之zhī主zhǔ事shì而ér事shì治zhì，百bǎi姓xìng安ān之zhī，是shì民mín受shòu之zhī也yě。天tiān與yǔ之zhī，人rén與yǔ之zhī，故gù曰yuē：天tiān子zǐ不bù能néng以yǐ天tiān下xià與yǔ人rén。舜shùn相xiāng堯yáo，二èr十shí有yǒu八bā載zài，非fēi人rén之zhī所suǒ能néng為wéi也yě，天tiān也yě。堯yáo崩bēng，三sān年nián之zhī喪sāng畢bì，舜shùn避bì堯yáo之zhī子zǐ於wū南nán河hé之zhī南nán。天tiān下xià諸zhū侯hóu朝cháo覲jìn者zhě，不bù之zhī堯yáo之zhī子zǐ而ér之zhī舜shùn；訟sòng獄yù者zhě，不bù之zhī堯yáo之zhī子zǐ而ér之zhī舜shùn；謳ōu歌gē者zhě，不bù謳ōu歌gē堯yáo之zhī子zǐ而ér謳ōu歌gē舜shùn；故gù曰yuē『天tiān』也yě。夫fū然rán後hòu之zhī中zhōng國guó，踐jiàn天tiān子zǐ位wèi焉yān。而ér居jū堯yáo之zhī宮gōng，逼bī堯yáo之zhī子zǐ，是shì『篡cuàn』也yě，非fēi『天tiān與yǔ』也yě。《泰tài誓shì》曰yuē：『天tiān視shì自zì我wǒ民mín視shì，天tiān聽tīng自zì我wǒ民mín聽tīng』，此cǐ之zhī謂wèi也yě。」

Wan Zhang said, 'Was it the case that Yao gave the throne to Shun?' Mencius said, 'No. The sovereign cannot give the throne to another.' 'Yes - but Shun had the throne. Who gave it to him?' 'Heaven gave it to him,' was the answer. '" Heaven gave it to him:" - did Heaven confer its appointment on him with specific injunctions?' Mencius replied, 'No. Heaven does not speak. It simply showed its will by his personal conduct and his conduct of affairs.' "It showed its will by his personal conduct and his conduct of affairs" - how was this?' Mencius's answer was, 'The sovereign can present a man to Heaven, but he cannot make Heaven give that man the throne. A prince can present a man to the sovereign, but he cannot cause the sovereign to make that man a prince. A great officer can present a man to his prince, but he cannot cause the prince to make that man a great officer. Yao presented Shun to Heaven, and Heaven accepted him. He presented him to the people, and the people accepted him. Therefore I say, "Heaven does not speak. It simply indicated its will by his personal conduct and his conduct of affairs."' Zhang said, 'I presume to ask how it was that Yao presented Shun to Heaven, and Heaven accepted him; and that he exhibited him to the people, and the people accepted him.' Mencius replied, 'He caused him to preside over the sacrifices, and all the spirits were well pleased with them; thus Heaven accepted him. He caused him to preside over the conduct of affairs, and affairs were well administered, so that the people reposed under him; thus the people accepted him. Heaven gave the throne to him. The people gave it to him. Therefore I said, "The sovereign cannot give the throne to another. Shun assisted Yao in the government for twenty and eight years - this was more than man could have done, and was from Heaven. After the death of Yao, when the three years' mourning was completed, Shun withdrew from the son of Yao to the south of South river. The princes of the kingdom, however, repairing to court, went not to the son of Yao, but they went to Shun. Litigants went not to the son of Yao, but they went to Shun. Singers sang not the son of Yao, but they sang Shun. Therefore I said, "Heaven gave him the throne." It was after these things that he went to the Middle Kingdom, and occupied the seat of the Son of Heaven. If he had, before these things, taken up his residence in the palace of Yao, and had applied pressure to the son of Yao, it would have been an act of usurpation, and not the gift of Heaven. This sentiment is expressed in the words of The Great Declaration: "Heaven sees according as my people see; Heaven hears according as my people hear."'