When Should a Gentleman Serve?
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English translation
Original Chinese text
陈子曰:“古之君子何如则仕?”孟子曰:“所就三,所去三。迎之致敬以有礼,言将行其言也,则就之;礼貌未衰,言弗行也,则去之。其次,虽未行其言也,迎之致敬以有礼,则就之;礼貌衰,则去之。其下,朝不食,夕不食,饥饿不能出门户;君闻之,曰:‘吾大者不能行其道,又不能从其言也,使饥饿于我土地,吾耻之。’周之,亦可受也,免死而已矣。”
English translation
Chen Zi asked how a gentleman of antiquity would accept office. Mencius said there were three grounds for taking office and three for leaving. If welcomed respectfully and with proper rites, with a promise that his counsel would be carried out, he would serve; if courtesy remained but his words were ignored, he would leave. Next, even before his counsel was followed, respectful welcome could lead him to serve; when the courtesy declined, he would leave. In the lowest case, a gentleman might be so hungry that he could not leave his gate. If the ruler, ashamed that he neither followed the Way nor heeded the counsel yet let the man starve in his territory, offered relief, it could be accepted—but only to avoid death.