Ritual and Expediency
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
淳于髡曰:“男女授受不亲,礼与?”
English translation
Chunyu Kun asked, “Is it a rule of ritual that men and women do not hand things directly to one another?”
Original Chinese text
孟子曰:“礼也。”
English translation
Mencius replied, “It is.”
Original Chinese text
曰:“嫂溺则援之以手乎?”
English translation
Chunyu Kun asked, “If one’s sister-in-law were drowning, would one reach out a hand to save her?”
Original Chinese text
曰:“嫂溺不援,是豺狼也。男女授受不亲,礼也;嫂溺援之以手者,权也。”
English translation
Mencius replied, “If a sister-in-law were drowning and one did not reach out to save her, one would be a jackal or wolf. The rule that men and women do not hand things directly to each other is ritual; reaching out to save a drowning sister-in-law is an exercise of discretion.”
Original Chinese text
曰:“今天下溺矣,夫子之不援,何也?”
English translation
Chunyu Kun asked, “Now the whole world is drowning. Why does the Master not reach out to save it?”
Original Chinese text
曰:“天下溺,援之以道;嫂溺,援之以手。子欲手援天下乎?”
English translation
Mencius replied, “When the world is drowning, save it with the Way; when a sister-in-law is drowning, save her with a hand. Would you try to save the world with your hands?”