Sharing Joy with the People
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
庄暴见孟子,曰:‘暴见于王,王语暴以好乐,暴未有以对也。’曰:‘好乐何如?’
English translation
Zhuang Bao met Mencius and said, ‘When I saw the king, he told me of his love of music. I did not know how to respond.’ He asked, ‘What do you make of a king's love of music?’
Original Chinese text
孟子曰:‘王之好乐甚,则齐国其庶几乎!’
English translation
Mencius said, ‘If the king's love of music runs deep, Qi may yet come close to good order.’
Original Chinese text
他日,见于王曰:‘王尝语庄子以好乐,有诸?’王变乎色,曰:‘寡人非能好先王之乐也,直好世俗之乐耳。’
English translation
On another day, Mencius asked the king, ‘Did Your Majesty tell Master Zhuang that you love music?’ The king's expression changed. ‘I cannot claim to love the music of the former kings,’ he said. ‘I simply enjoy the music people play today.’
Original Chinese text
曰:‘王之好乐甚,则齐其庶几乎!今之乐,犹古之乐也。’曰:‘可得闻与?’
English translation
Mencius said, ‘If Your Majesty truly loves music, there is hope for Qi. The music of today can serve as well as the music of old.’ The king asked, ‘May I hear why?’
Original Chinese text
曰:‘独乐乐,与人乐乐,孰乐?’曰:‘不若与人。’曰:‘与少乐乐,与众乐乐,孰乐?’曰:‘不若与众。’
English translation
Mencius asked, ‘Which brings greater joy: enjoying music alone, or enjoying it with others?’ ‘With others,’ the king replied. ‘And with a few people, or with many?’ ‘With many,’ the king said.
Original Chinese text
‘臣请为王言乐。今王鼓乐于此,百姓闻王钟鼓之声、管龠之音,举疾首蹙頞而相告曰:吾王之好鼓乐,夫何使我至于此极也?父子不相见,兄弟妻子离散。’
English translation
‘Let me speak to Your Majesty about music. Suppose you play it here. When the people hear your bells and drums, your pipes and flutes, they clutch their aching heads and frown. They tell one another: “Our king loves to make music, but why has he brought us to this misery? Fathers and sons cannot meet; brothers, wives, and children are scattered.”’
Original Chinese text
‘今王田猎于此,百姓闻王车马之音,见羽旄之美,举疾首蹙頞而相告曰:吾王之好田猎,夫何使我至于此极也?父子不相见,兄弟妻子离散。此无他,不与民同乐也。’
English translation
‘Suppose you hunt here. The people hear your chariots and horses and see the splendid feathered standards; all ache in the head and frown. They say to one another: “Our king loves hunting, but why has he brought us to this misery? Fathers and sons cannot meet; brothers, wives, and children are scattered.” There is no other reason: you have not shared joy with the people.’
Original Chinese text
‘今王鼓乐于此,百姓闻王钟鼓之声、管龠之音,举欣欣然有喜色而相告曰:吾王庶几无疾病与?何以能鼓乐也?’
English translation
‘Now suppose you play music here and the people hear the bells, drums, and pipes. Their faces brighten, and they say to one another: “Our king must be well. How else could he be making music?”’
Original Chinese text
‘今王田猎于此,百姓闻王车马之音,见羽旄之美,举欣欣然有喜色而相告曰:吾王庶几无疾病与?何以能田猎也?此无他,与民同乐也。今王与百姓同乐,则王矣。’
English translation
‘Suppose you hunt here, and the people hear the chariots and horses and see the standards. Their faces brighten, and they ask one another: “Our king must be well. How else could he be hunting?” That is because you share joy with the people. If Your Majesty does so, you can rule as a true king.’