Ask Without Presumption

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English translation

Original Chinese text

English translation

Gongduzi asked, “Teng Geng studies at your school and seems someone who should be treated with courtesy, yet you do not answer him. Why?” Mencius said, “I do not answer those who ask from a sense of entitlement based on high rank, presumed worth, seniority, meritorious service, or personal connections. Teng Geng relies on two of these.”

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