Wan Zhang II · 孟子 5B.9

Passage 09

齊qí宣xuān王wáng問wèn卿qīng。孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「王wáng何hé卿qīng之zhī問wèn也yě？」王wáng曰yuē：「卿qīng不bù同tóng乎hū？」曰yuē：「不bù同tóng，有yǒu貴guì戚qī之zhī卿qīng，有yǒu異yì姓xìng之zhī卿qīng。」王wáng曰yuē：「請qǐng問wèn貴guì戚qī之zhī卿qīng。」曰yuē：「君jūn有yǒu大dà過guò則zé諫jiàn，反fǎn覆fù之zhī而ér不bù聽tīng，則zé易yì位wèi。」王wáng勃bó然rán變biàn乎hū色sè。曰yuē：「王wáng勿wù異yì也yě。王wáng問wèn臣chén，臣chén不bù敢gǎn不bù以yǐ正zhèng對duì。」王wáng色sè定dìng，然rán後hòu請qǐng問wèn異yì姓xìng之zhī卿qīng。曰yuē：「君jūn有yǒu過guò則zé諫jiàn，反fǎn覆fù之zhī而ér不bù聽tīng，則zé去qù。」

The king Xuan of Qi asked about the office of high ministers. Mencius said, 'Which high ministers is your Majesty asking about?' 'Are there differences among them?' inquired the king. 'There are' was the reply. 'There are the high ministers who are noble and relatives of the prince, and there are those who are of a different surname.' The king said, 'I beg to ask about the high ministers who are noble and relatives of the prince.' Mencius answered, 'If the prince have great faults, they ought to remonstrate with him, and if he do not listen to them after they have done so again and again, they ought to dethrone him.' The king on this looked moved, and changed countenance. Mencius said, 'Let not your Majesty be offended. You asked me, and I dare not answer but according to truth.' The king's countenance became composed, and he then begged to ask about high ministers who were of a different surname from the prince. Mencius said, 'When the prince has faults, they ought to remonstrate with him; and if he do not listen to them after they have done this again and again, they ought to leave the State.'