Leaving Bin or Standing Fast
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
滕文公问曰:‘滕,小国也;竭力以事大国,则不得免焉,如之何则可?’
English translation
Duke Wen of Teng asked, ‘Teng is small. Even when we do all we can to serve a great state, we cannot escape its demands. What should we do?’
Original Chinese text
孟子对曰:‘昔者大王居邠,狄人侵之。事之以皮币,不得免焉;事之以犬马,不得免焉;事之以珠玉,不得免焉。’
English translation
Mencius replied, ‘The Great King once lived in Bin. When the Di attacked, he offered hides and silk, but the attacks did not cease. He offered dogs and horses, then pearls and jade; neither offering brought relief.’
Original Chinese text
‘乃属其耆老而告之曰:狄人之所欲者,吾土地也。吾闻之也:君子不以其所以养人者害人。二三子何患乎无君?我将去之。’
English translation
‘He gathered the elders and said, “The Di want our land. I have heard that a worthy ruler must not harm people for the sake of what should sustain them. Do not worry that you will be left without a ruler. I shall leave.”’
Original Chinese text
‘去邠,逾梁山,邑于岐山之下居焉。邠人曰:仁人也,不可失也。从之者如归市。’
English translation
‘He left Bin, crossed Mount Liang, and founded a settlement below Mount Qi. The people of Bin said, “He is a humane man; we must not lose him.” They followed him in crowds, as people flock to a market.’
Original Chinese text
‘或曰:世守也,非身之所能为也。效死勿去。君请择于斯二者。’
English translation
‘Others say, “We hold this land in trust through the generations; no one person may decide to abandon it. Stand and defend it even at the cost of life.” Please, my lord, choose between these two courses.’