Persist in Doing Good
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
滕文公问曰:‘齐人将筑薛,吾甚恐,如之何则可?’
English translation
Duke Wen of Teng asked, ‘Qi is about to fortify Xue, and I am deeply afraid. What can I do?’
Original Chinese text
孟子对曰:‘昔者大王居邠,狄人侵之,去之岐山之下居焉。非择而取之,不得已也。’
English translation
Mencius answered, ‘In former times the Great King lived in Bin. When the Di attacked, he left and settled beneath Mount Qi. He did not choose this as a preferred course; necessity drove him to it.’
Original Chinese text
‘苟为善,后世子孙必有王者矣。君子创业垂统,为可继也。若夫成功,则天也。君如彼何哉?强为善而已矣。’
English translation
‘If one acts well, a descendant will surely rise to achieve kingly rule. A worthy person founds an undertaking and passes on a legacy so that it can be continued. Whether it succeeds is Heaven's affair. What can you do about Qi? Make an effort to do good; that is all.’