The Audacious, the Scrupulous, and the False Worthy
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
万章问曰:“孔子在陈,曰:‘盍归乎来!吾党之士狂简,进取不忘其初。’孔子在陈,何思鲁之狂士?”
English translation
Wan Zhang asked, “When Confucius was in Chen, he said, ‘Why not go home? The shi of my home district are ardent yet unpolished; they press forward without forgetting their original aims.’ Why, while in Chen, did he long for such ardent men in Lu?”
Original Chinese text
孟子曰:“孔子‘不得中道而与之,必也狂狷乎!狂者进取;狷者有所不为也。’孔子岂不欲中道哉?不可必得,故思其次也。”
English translation
Mencius said, “Confucius said, ‘If I cannot find people of the middle way to associate with, I must choose the ardent or the scrupulous. The ardent press forward; the scrupulous refuse to do certain things.’ Did Confucius not want people of the middle way? He could not be sure of finding them, so he sought the next best.”
Original Chinese text
“敢问何如斯可谓狂矣?”
English translation
Wan Zhang asked, “What makes someone an ardent person?”
Original Chinese text
曰:“如琴张、曾晳、牧皮者,孔子之所谓狂矣。”
English translation
Mencius replied, “People such as Qin Zhang, Zeng Xi, and Mu Pi were the kind of ardent men Confucius meant.”
Original Chinese text
“何以谓之狂也?”
English translation
Wan Zhang asked, “Why call them ardent?”
Original Chinese text
曰:“其志嘐嘐然,曰:‘古之人,古之人’,夷考其行而不掩焉者也。狂者又不可得;欲得不屑不洁之士而与之,是狷也。是又其次也。孔子曰:‘过我门而不入我室,我不憾焉者,其惟乡原乎!乡原,德之贼也。’”
English translation
Mencius said, “Their aspirations rang out grandly: ‘The people of antiquity! The people of antiquity!’ Yet when their conduct is examined, it does not fully match their words. If even ardent men cannot be found, one may seek those who refuse to do what is unclean; these are the scrupulous, another step down. Confucius said, ‘If someone passes my gate without entering my house, I do not regret it—perhaps only the village conformist. The village conformist is a thief of virtue.’”
Original Chinese text
曰:何如斯可谓之乡原矣?”
English translation
Wan Zhang asked, “What kind of person is a village conformist?”
Original Chinese text
“曰:‘何以是嘐嘐也?言不顾行,行不顾言,则曰:古之人古之人。行何为踽踽凉凉?生斯世也,为斯世也,善斯可矣。’阉然媚于世也者,是乡原也。”
English translation
Mencius replied, “They say, ‘Why speak so loftily? Your words do not match your deeds, yet you keep talking about the ancients. Why behave so oddly and stand apart? Since we live in this age, we should serve this age; whatever passes for good is good enough.’ They secretly flatter the world around them. That is the village conformist.”
Original Chinese text
万章曰:“一乡皆称原人焉,无所往而不为原人;孔子以为德之贼,何哉?”
English translation
Wan Zhang asked, “Everyone in a district calls such a person good, and wherever he goes he is accepted as good. Why did Confucius call him a thief of virtue?”
Original Chinese text
曰:“非之无举也,剌之无剌也;同乎流俗,合乎污世;居之似忠信,行之似廉洁;众皆悦之;自以为是,而不可与入尧舜之道,故曰‘德之贼也’。孔子曰:‘恶似而非者:恶莠,恐其乱苗也;恶佞,恐其乱义也;恶利口,恐其乱信也;恶郑声,恐其乱乐也;恶紫,恐其乱朱也;恶乡原,恐其乱德也。’君子反经而已矣。经正,则庶民兴;庶民兴,斯无邪慝矣。”
English translation
Mencius said, “One can criticize him but point to no obvious fault, and reproach him but find nothing readily condemnable. He follows popular currents and conforms to a corrupt age. He seems loyal and trustworthy, appears upright and honest, and is therefore welcomed by everyone. He considers himself right, yet he cannot be led into the way of Yao and Shun. That is why Confucius called him a thief of virtue. Confucius also said, ‘I detest things that resemble the right but are not right: weeds, because they may be mistaken for seedlings; flatterers, because they blur righteousness; slick tongues, because they blur trust; Zheng music, because it confuses proper music; purple, because it is mistaken for vermilion; and village conformists, because they confuse virtue.’ The noble person need only restore the proper norms. When those norms are correct, the people will be stirred to action, and there will be no crookedness or deceit.”