Choosing Righteousness Over Life
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English translation
Original Chinese text
孟子曰:“鱼,我所欲也;熊掌,亦我所欲也;二者不可得兼,舍鱼而取熊掌者也。生,亦我所欲也;义,亦我所欲也;二者不可得兼,舍生而取义者也。生亦我所欲,所欲有甚于生者,故不为茍得也。死亦我所恶,所恶有甚于死者,故患有所不辟也。如使人之所欲莫甚于生,则凡可以得生者何不用也?使人之所恶莫甚于死者,则凡可以辟患者何不为也?由是则生而有不用也,由是则可以辟患而有不为也。是故所欲有甚于生者,所恶有甚于死者。非独贤者有是心也,人皆有之,贤者能勿丧耳。”
English translation
Mencius said, “Fish is something I desire, and bear’s paw is also something I desire. If I cannot have both, I give up fish and choose bear’s paw. I desire life, and I also desire righteousness; if I cannot have both, I give up life and choose righteousness. I desire life, but there is something I desire more than life, so I will not seek life by improper means. I dislike death, but there is something I dislike more than death, so there are dangers I will not avoid. If people desired nothing more than life, why would they not use every means to stay alive? If they feared nothing more than death, why would they not do anything to escape danger? Yet there are ways to preserve life that people refuse, and ways to avoid danger that they do not take. Thus there is something people desire more than life and something they detest more than death. This heart is not found only in the worthy; everyone has it, and the worthy are simply able not to lose it.”
Original Chinese text
“一箪食,一豆羹,得之则生,弗得则死。呼尔而与之,行道之人弗受;蹴尔而与之,乞人不屑也。万钟则不辨礼义而受之,万钟于我何加焉?为宫室之美、妻妾之奉、所识穷乏者得我与?乡为身死而不受,今为宫室之美为之;乡为身死而不受,今为妻妾之奉为之;乡为身死而不受,今为所识穷乏者得我而为之。是亦不可以已乎?此之谓失其本心。”
English translation
Mencius continued, “A basket of food and a bowl of soup mean life if received and death if refused. Yet a passerby will not accept them if they are offered with contempt, and even a beggar rejects food kicked toward him. Some people, however, accept a great stipend without considering ritual or righteousness. What does such wealth add to me? Is it for luxurious houses, the support of wives and concubines, or the gratitude of poor acquaintances? What one once refused even at the cost of life, one now accepts for a fine house, to provide for one’s wives and concubines, or to win gratitude. Can this conduct not be stopped? This is what it means to lose one’s original heart.”