How Rulers Treat Their Ministers

Text

English translation

孟（mèng）子（zǐ）告（gào）齐（qí）宣（xuān）王（wáng）曰（yuē）：（）“（）君（jūn）之（zhī）视（shì）臣（chén）如（rú）手（shǒu）足（zú），（）则（zé）臣（chén）视（shì）君（jūn）如（rú）腹（fù）心（xīn）；（）君（jūn）之（zhī）视（shì）臣（chén）如（rú）犬（quǎn）马（mǎ），（）则（zé）臣（chén）视（shì）君（jūn）如（rú）国（guó）人（rén）；（）君（jūn）之（zhī）视（shì）臣（chén）如（rú）土（tǔ）芥（jiè），（）则（zé）臣（chén）视（shì）君（jūn）如（rú）寇（kòu）仇（chóu）。（）”（）王（wáng）曰（yuē）：（）“（）礼（lǐ），（）为（wéi）旧（jiù）君（jūn）有（yǒu）服（fú）。（）何（hé）如（rú）斯（sī）可（kě）为（wéi）服（fú）矣（yǐ）？（）”（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）谏（jiàn）行（xíng）言（yán）听（tīng），（）膏（gāo）泽（zé）下（xià）于（yú）民（mín）；（）有（yǒu）故（gù）而（ér）去（qù），（）则（zé）君（jūn）使（shǐ）人（rén）导（dǎo）之（zhī）出（chū）疆（jiāng），（）又（yòu）先（xiān）于（yú）其（qí）所（suǒ）往（wǎng）；（）去（qù）三（sān）年（nián）不（bù）反（fǎn），（）然（rán）后（hòu）收（shōu）其（qí）田（tián）里（lǐ）。（）此（cǐ）之（zhī）谓（wèi）三（sān）有（yǒu）礼（lǐ）焉（yān）。（）如（rú）此（cǐ）则（zé）为（wéi）之（zhī）服（fú）矣（yǐ）。（）今（jīn）也（yě）为（wéi）臣（chén），（）谏（jiàn）则（zé）不（bù）行（xíng），（）言（yán）则（zé）不（bù）听（tīng），（）膏（gāo）泽（zé）不（bù）下（xià）于（yú）民（mín）；（）有（yǒu）故（gù）而（ér）去（qù），（）则（zé）君（jūn）搏（bó）执（zhí）之（zhī），（）又（yòu）极（jí）之（zhī）于（yú）其（qí）所（suǒ）往（wǎng）；（）去（qù）之（zhī）日（rì），（）遂（suì）收（shōu）其（qí）田（tián）里（lǐ）。（）此（cǐ）之（zhī）谓（wèi）寇（kòu）仇（chóu）。（）寇（kòu）仇（chóu）何（hé）服（fú）之（zhī）有（yǒu）？（）”（）

现代汉语解释

孟子对齐宣王说：“君主把臣子看作手足，臣子就把君主看作腹心；君主把臣子看作犬马，臣子就把君主看作普通路人；君主把臣子看作泥土草芥，臣子就把君主看作仇敌。”齐宣王问：“按礼制，臣子为旧君服丧。怎样的君主才值得臣子为他服丧？”孟子答：“臣子劝谏能被采纳，进言能被听从，君主的恩泽施及百姓；臣子因故离去时，君主派人护送他出境，还安排他先到将要前往的地方；离去三年不回来，君主才收回他的田宅。这叫作有三方面的礼遇。这样，臣子才会为他服丧。如今有些君主对待臣子，臣子劝谏不被采纳，进言不被听从，恩泽也没有施及百姓；臣子因故离去，君主却逮捕拘禁他，还派人追逼到他所去的地方；臣子刚离开的当天，就收回他的田宅。这就叫作仇敌。既然是仇敌，还有什么值得服丧的呢？”

Mencius said to King Xuan of Qi, “If a ruler treats his ministers as his own hands and feet, they will regard him as their heart and belly. If he treats them like dogs and horses, they will regard him as an ordinary person. If he treats them like dirt and weeds, they will regard him as an enemy.” The king asked, “Ritual provides mourning dress for a former ruler. What kind of ruler deserves such mourning?” Mencius replied, “A minister’s remonstrance is acted upon and his advice is heard; the ruler’s benefits reach the people. If the minister must leave for some reason, the ruler sends someone to escort him beyond the border and even arranges his onward journey. Only after he has been away for three years without returning does the ruler reclaim his fields and home. This is what it means to observe three forms of courtesy. Only then would a minister mourn for him. Today, a minister’s remonstrance is ignored, his words are not heard, and the ruler’s benefits do not reach the people. If the minister has reason to leave, the ruler seizes and detains him, then pursues him wherever he goes; on the very day he departs, the ruler takes back his fields and home. This is what it means to be an enemy. Why would anyone mourn an enemy?”

Text size

Line spacing

How Rulers Treat Their Ministers

Contents

Text

English translation

Feedback

Text

English translation

Original Chinese text

English translation