Taking Yan and the Will of Its People
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
齐人伐燕,胜之。宣王问曰:‘或谓寡人勿取,或谓寡人取之。以万乘之国伐万乘之国,五旬而举之,人力不至于此。不取必有天殃。取之何如?’
English translation
Qi attacked Yan and won. King Xuan asked, ‘Some tell me not to take Yan; others tell me to take it. A state of ten thousand chariots attacked another state of ten thousand chariots and took it in fifty days—surely human strength alone did not bring this about. If I do not take it, there will surely be a calamity from Heaven. Should I take it?’
Original Chinese text
孟子对曰:‘取之而燕民悦,则取之。古之人有行之者,武王是也。取之而燕民不悦,则勿取,古之人有行之者,文王是也。’
English translation
Mencius replied, ‘If taking Yan would please its people, take it; King Wu acted on such a principle. If taking Yan would displease them, do not take it; King Wen acted on that principle.’
Original Chinese text
‘以万乘之国伐万乘之国,箪食壶浆以迎王师,岂有他哉?避水火也。如水益深,如火益热,亦运而已矣。’
English translation
‘When one great state attacks another and people welcome the army with baskets of food and jars of drink, why do they do so? They are fleeing hardship as one flees flood and fire. If the flood grows deeper and the fire hotter, they will turn away again.’