Mencius 4B.14
Mencius (孟子), Book 4, Part II: Li Lou II 離婁下
孟子曰：「君子深造之以道，欲其自得之也。自得之，則居之安；居之安，則資之深；資之深，則取之左右逢其原，故君子欲其自得之也。」
Mencius said, 'The superior man makes his advances in what he is learning with deep earnestness and by the proper course, wishing to get hold of it as in himself. Having got hold of it in himself, he abides in it calmly and firmly. Abiding in it calmly and firmly, he reposes a deep reliance on it. Reposing a deep reliance on it, he seizes it on the left and right, meeting everywhere with it as a fountain from which things flow. It is on this account that the superior man wishes to get hold of what he is learning as in himself.'
Character glossary
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 深shēndeep, profound; depth
- 造zàoto build, to construct, to invent, to ma
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 自zìself; private, personal; from
- 得déto obtain, to get, to acquire; suitable,
- 也yěalso, too
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 居jūto live, to reside; to dwell; to sit
- 安ānpeaceful, tranquil, quiet
- 資zīwealth, property, capital
- 取qǔto take, to receive, to obtain; to selec
- 左zuǒleft; unorthodox, improper
- 右yòuright; right-wing
- 逢féngto happen to meet; chance meeting, coinc
- 原yuánsource, origin, beginning
- 故gùreason, cause; happening, instance
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
- Zhuangzi The Secret of Life
- Mencius 4A.2
- Mencius 3B.2
- Mencius 3B.10
- Zhuangzi The Great Supreme
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.