Mencius Resigns and Returns Home
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
孟子致为臣而归。
English translation
Mencius resigned his position as a minister and returned.
Original Chinese text
王就见孟子曰:「前日愿见而不可得,得侍同朝甚喜。今又弃寡人而归,不识可以继此而得见乎?」
English translation
The king came to see Mencius and said, “Earlier I wished to see you but could not; being able to serve in the same court, I was very pleased. Now you again abandon me, the lone man, and return. I do not know whether after this I may continue to see you?”
Original Chinese text
对曰:「不敢请耳,固所愿也。」
English translation
He replied, “I did not dare to ask; that is all. It was indeed what I wished.”
Original Chinese text
他日王谓时子曰:「我欲中国而授孟子室,养弟子以万锺,使诸大夫国人皆有所矜式。子盍为我言之?」
English translation
Another day the king said to Shi Zi, 'I want to give Mencius a house within the state and support his disciples with ten thousand zhong, so that all the great officers and the people of the state may have something to respect and emulate. Why do you not speak to him for me?'
Original Chinese text
时子因陈子而以告孟子,陈子以时子之言告孟子。
English translation
Shi Zi, through Chen Zi, reported it to Mencius; Chen Zi told Mencius what Shi Zi had said.
Original Chinese text
孟子曰:「然。夫时子恶知其不可也?如使予欲富,辞十万而受万,是为欲富乎?季孙曰:『异哉子叔疑!使己为政,不用,则亦已矣,又使其子弟为卿。人亦孰不欲富贵?而独于富贵之中有私龙断焉。』古之为市也,以其所有易其所无者,有司者治之耳。有贱丈夫焉,必求龙断而登之,以左右望而罔市利。人皆以为贱,故从而征之。征商自此贱丈夫始矣。」
English translation
Mencius said, “Exactly. How could Shi Zi know that this cannot be done? If I sought wealth, would it make sense to refuse a stipend of one hundred thousand zhong but accept ten thousand? Ji Sun said, ‘How strange Zi Shu Yi was! He governed; when he was not appointed, that should have been the end of it. Yet he also had his sons and younger brothers made ministers. Who does not desire wealth and honor? But he sought a private advantage within wealth and office, appropriating the benefit for himself.’ In ancient times, people exchanged what they had for what they lacked, while officials merely administered the market. One lowly man insisted on climbing a raised mound to look around and corner the gains from trade. People despised him for monopolizing those gains, so they taxed him. The levy on merchants began with this lowly man.”