Mencius 4B.30
Mencius (孟子), Book 4, Part II: Li Lou II 離婁下
公都子曰:「匡章,通國皆稱不孝焉。夫子與之遊,又從而禮貌之,敢問何也?」孟子曰:「世俗所謂不孝者五:惰其四支,不顧父母之養,一不孝也;博弈好飲酒,不顧父母之養,二不孝也;好貨財,私妻子,不顧父母之養,三不孝也;從耳目之欲,以為父母戮,四不孝也;好勇鬥很,以危父母,五不孝也。章子有一於是乎?夫章子,子父責善而不相遇也。責善,朋友之道也;父子責善,賊恩之大者。夫章子,豈不欲有夫妻子母之屬哉?為得罪於父,不得近。出妻屏子,終身不養焉。其設心以為不若是,是則罪之大者,是則章子已矣。
The disciple Gong Du said, 'Throughout the whole kingdom everybody pronounces Kuang Zhang unfilial. But you, Master, keep company with him, and moreover treat him with politeness. I venture to ask why you do so.'
Mencius replied, 'There are five things which are pronounced in the common usage of the age to be unfilial. The first is laziness in the use of one's four limbs, without attending to the nourishment of his parents. The second is gambling and chess-playing and being fond of wine, without attending to the nourishment of his parents. The third is being fond of goods and money, and selfishly attached to his wife and children, without attending to the nourishment of his parents. The fourth is following the desires of one's ears and eyes, so as to bring his parents to disgrace. The fifth is being fond of bravery, fighting and quarrelling so as to endanger his parents. Is Zhang guilty of any one of these things? Now between Zhang and his father there arose disagreement, he, the son, reproving his father, to urge him to what was good. To urge one another to what is good by reproofs is the way of friends. But such urging between father and son is the greatest injury to the kindness, which should prevail between them. Moreover, did not Zhang wish to have in his family the relationships of husband and wife, child and mother? But because he had offended his father, and was not permitted to approach him, he sent away his wife, and drove forth his son, and all his life receives no cherishing attention from them. He settled it in his mind that if he did not act in this way, his would be one of the greatest of crimes. Such and nothing more is the case of Zhang.'
Character glossary
- 公gōngfair, equitable; public; duke
- 都dōuall, each, entirely, whole; metropolis;
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 匡kuāngto correct, to revise; to restore
- 章zhāngchapter, section, writing; seal
- 通tōngto pass through, to open, to connect; to
- 國guócountry, nation, state; national
- 皆jiēall, every, everybody
- 稱chēngbalanced; name, brand; to say, to call
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 孝xiàofilial piety, obedience; mourning
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
- 夫fūman, husband; worker; those
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 遊yóusto wander, to travel, to roam
- 又yòuand, also, again, in addition
- 從cóngfrom, by, since, whence, through
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 禮lǐcourtesy, manners, social customs
- 貌màocountenance, appearance
- 敢gǎnbold, brave; to dare, to venture
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 也yěalso, too
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 世shìgeneration, era, age; world
- 俗súsocial customs; vulgar, unrefined
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 五wǔfive; surname
- 惰duòlazy, idle, indolent; careless
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 四sìfour
- 支zhīto support, to sustain; to withdraw, to
- 顧gùto look back; to look at; to look after
- 父fùfather, dad
- 母mǔmother; female elders; female
- 養yǎngto raise, to rear, to bring up; to suppo
- 一yīone; a, an; alone
- 博bóto gamble, to play games; to win; rich,
- 弈yìChinese chess
- 好hǎogood, excellent, fine; proper, suitable;
- 飲yǐnto swallow, to drink; a kind of drink
- 酒jiǔwine, spirits, liquor, alcohol
- 二èrtwo; twice
- 貨huòproducts, merchandise; goods, commoditie
- 財cáiriches, wealth, valuables
- 私sīpersonal, private, secret; selfish
- 妻qīwife
- 三sānthree
- 耳ěrear; to hear, to hear of; handle
- 目mùeye; to look, to see; division, topic
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 戮lùto kill, to massacre; to oppress
- 勇yǒngbrave, courageous, fierce
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi The Circling Sky
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Zhuangzi Man Among Men
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Zhuangzi The Evidence of Virtue Complete
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.