Mencius 4A.14
Mencius (孟子), Book 4, Part I: Li Lou I 離婁上
孟子曰：「求也為季氏宰，無能改於其德，而賦粟倍他日。孔子曰：『求非我徒也，小子鳴鼓而攻之可也。』由此觀之，君不行仁政而富之，皆棄於孔子者也。況於為之強戰？爭地以戰，殺人盈野；爭城以戰，殺人盈城。此所謂率土地而食人肉，罪不容於死。故善戰者服上刑，連諸侯者次之，辟草萊、任土地者次之。」
Mencius said, 'Qiu acted as chief officer to the head of the Ji family, whose evil ways he was unable to change, while he exacted from the people double the grain formerly paid. Confucius said, "He is no disciple of mine. Little children, beat the drum and assail him." Looking at the subject from this case, we perceive that when a prince was not practising benevolent government, all his ministers who enriched him were rejected by Confucius - how much more would he have rejected those who are vehement to fight for their prince! When contentions about territory are the ground on which they fight, they slaughter men till the fields are filled with them. When some struggle for a city is the ground on which they fight, they slaughter men till the city is filled with them. This is what is called "leading on the land to devour human flesh." Death is not enough for such a crime. Therefore, those who are skilful to fight should suffer the highest punishment. Next to them should be punished those who unite some princes in leagues against others; and next to them, those who take in grassy commons, imposing the cultivation of the ground on the people.'
Character glossary
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 求qiúto seek; to request, to demand; to besee
- 也yěalso, too
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 季jìa quarter-year, a season; surname
- 氏shìclan, family; maiden name
- 宰zǎito slaughter, to butcher; to govern, to
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 改gǎito alter, to change, to improve, to remo
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 賦fùtax; to give, to bestow
- 粟sùoats, millet, barley
- 倍bèito double; to increase or multiply
- 他tāother, another; he, she, it
- 日rìsun; day; daytime
- 孔kǒngopening, hole, orifice; great
- 非fēinot, negative, non-; to oppose
- 我wǒI, me, my; our, us
- 徒túdisciple, follower; only, merely; in vai
- 小xiǎosmall, tiny, insignificant
- 鳴mínga bird call or animal cry; to make a sou
- 鼓gǔdrum; to beat, to strike; to rouse
- 攻gōngto accuse; to assault; to criticize
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 由yóucause, reason; from
- 此cǐthis, these; in this case, then
- 觀guānto observe, to spectate; appearance, vie
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 政zhènggovernment, politics
- 富fùabundant, ample; rich, wealthy
- 皆jiēall, every, everybody
- 棄qìto abandon, to discard, to reject; to de
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 況kuàngcondition, situation; furthermore
- 強qiángstrong, powerful, energetic
- 戰zhànwar, fighting, battle
- 爭zhēngto dispute, to fight, to contend, to str
- 地deearth, ground, soil; land, region; struc
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 殺shāto kill, to murder, to slaughter; to hur
- 人rénman, person; people
- 盈yíngfull, overflowing; surplus; to fill
- 野yěfield, open country; wilderness
- 城chéngcastle, city, town; municipality
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 率lǜto command, to lead; rate, ratio, propor
- 土tǔsoil, earth; items made of earth
- 食shífood; to eat
- 肉ròumeat; flesh
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 11.16
- Zhuangzi The Tao of God
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
- Zhuangzi Tsê Yang
- Mencius 6B.9
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
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.