Mencius 2A.3
Mencius (孟子), Book 2, Part I: Gong Sun Chou I 公孫丑上
孟子曰：「以力假仁者霸，霸必有大國，以德行仁者王，王不待大。湯以七十里，文王以百里。以力服人者，非心服也，力不贍也；以德服人者，中心悅而誠服也，如七十子之服孔子也。《詩》云：『自西自東，自南自北，無思不服。』此之謂也。」
Mencius said, 'He who, using force, makes a pretence to benevolence is the leader of the princes. A leader of the princes requires a large kingdom. He who, using virtue, practises benevolence is the sovereign of the kingdom. To become the sovereign of the kingdom, a prince need not wait for a large kingdom. Tang did it with only seventy li, and king Wen with only a hundred. When one by force subdues men, they do not submit to him in heart. They submit, because their strength is not adequate to resist. When one subdues men by virtue, in their hearts' core they are pleased, and sincerely submit, as was the case with the seventy disciples in their submission to Confucius. What is said in the Book of Poetry, "From the west, from the east, From the south, from the north, There was not one who thought of refusing submission," is an illustration of this.'
Character glossary
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 力lìstrength, power; capability, influence
- 假jiǎfake, false, deceitful; vacation
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 霸bàtyrant; to usurp, to rule by might
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 國guócountry, nation, state; national
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 王wángking, ruler; royal; surname
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 待dàito entertain, to receive, to treat; to d
- 湯tāngsoup, gravy, broth; hot water
- 七qīseven
- 十shíten, tenth; complete; perfect
- 里lǐunit of distance equal to 0.5km; village
- 文wénculture, literature, writing
- 百bǎione hundred; numerous, many
- 服fúclothes; to dress, to wear; to take medi
- 人rénman, person; people
- 非fēinot, negative, non-; to oppose
- 心xīnheart; mind; soul
- 也yěalso, too
- 贍shànrich, elegant; to support, to provide fo
- 中zhōngcentral; center, middle; amidst; to hit
- 悅yuècontented, gratified, pleased
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 誠chénghonest, sincere, true; actually, really
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 孔kǒngopening, hole, orifice; great
- 詩shīpoetry; poem, verse, ode
- 云yúncloud; to say, to speak
- 自zìself; private, personal; from
- 西xīwest, western, westward
- 東dōngeast, eastern, eastward
- 南nánsouth; southern; southward
- 北běinorth; northern; northward
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 思sīto think, to ponder, to consider; final
- 此cǐthis, these; in this case, then
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
Passages with shared wording
- Mencius 1A.7
- Zhuangzi The Tao of God
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Zhuangzi The Circling Sky
- Zhuangzi Mountain Trees
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.