Mencius 4B.33
Mencius (孟子), Book 4, Part II: Li Lou II 離婁下
齊人有一妻一妾而處室者,其良人出,則必饜酒肉而後反。其妻問所與飲食者,則盡富貴也。其妻告其妾曰:「良人出,則必饜酒肉而後反;問其與飲食者,盡富貴也,而未嘗有顯者來,吾將瞷良人之所之也。」蚤起,施從良人之所之,遍國中無與立談者。卒之東郭墦閒,之祭者,乞其餘;不足,又顧而之他,此其為饜足之道也。其妻歸,告其妾曰:「良人者,所仰望而終身也。今若此。」與其妾訕其良人,而相泣於中庭。而良人未之知也,施施從外來,驕其妻妾。由君子觀之,則人之所以求富貴利達者,其妻妾不羞也,而不相泣者,幾希矣。
A man of Qi had a wife and a concubine, and lived together with them in his house. When their husband went out, he would get himself well filled with wine and flesh, and then return, and, on his wife's asking him with whom he ate and drank, they were sure to be all wealthy and honourable people. The wife informed the concubine, saying, 'When our good man goes out, he is sure to come back having partaken plentifully of wine and flesh. I asked with whom he ate and drank, and they are all, it seems, wealthy and honourable people. And yet no people of distinction ever come here. I will spy out where our good man goes.'
Accordingly, she got up early in the morning, and privately followed wherever her husband went. Throughout the whole city, there was no one who stood or talked with him. At last, he came to those who were sacrificing among the tombs beyond the outer wall on the east, and begged what they had over. Not being satisfied, he looked about, and went to another party - and this was the way in which he got himself satiated. His wife returned, and informed the concubine, saying, 'It was to our husband that we looked up in hopeful contemplation, with whom our lot is cast for life - and now these are his ways!' On this, along with the concubine she reviled their husband, and they wept together in the middle hall. In the meantime the husband, knowing nothing of all this, came in with a jaunty air, carrying himself proudly to his wife and concubine.
In the view of a superior man, as to the ways by which men seek for riches, honours, gain, and advancement, there are few of their wives and concubines who would not be ashamed and weep together on account of them.
Character glossary
- 齊qíeven, uniform, of equal length
- 人rénman, person; people
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 一yīone; a, an; alone
- 妻qīwife
- 妾qièconcubine
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 處chùto reside at, to live in; place, locale;
- 室shìhouse, home; room, chamber
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 良liánggood, virtuous, respectable
- 出chūto go out, to send out; stand; produce
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 饜yànfull, satiated; to eat one's fill
- 酒jiǔwine, spirits, liquor, alcohol
- 肉ròumeat; flesh
- 後hòuafter; behind, rear; descendants
- 反fǎnreverse, opposite; contrary, anti-
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 飲yǐnto swallow, to drink; a kind of drink
- 食shífood; to eat
- 盡jǐnto exhaust, to use up, to deplete
- 富fùabundant, ample; rich, wealthy
- 貴guìexpensive, costly; valuable, precious
- 也yěalso, too
- 告gàoto tell, to inform, to announce; to accu
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 未wèinot yet; 8th terrestrial branch
- 嘗chángto taste; to experience, to experiment w
- 顯xiǎnclear, evident; prominent; to show
- 來láito arrive, to come, to return; in the fu
- 吾wúI, my, our; to resist, to impede
- 將jiāngthe future, what will be; ready, prepare
- 瞷jiànspy, peep; cornea
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 蚤zǎoflea; louse
- 起qǐto begin, to initiate; to rise, to stand
- 施shīto grant, to bestow; to act; surname
- 從cóngfrom, by, since, whence, through
- 遍biàneverywhere, all over, throughout
- 國guócountry, nation, state; national
- 中zhōngcentral; center, middle; amidst; to hit
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 立lìto stand; to establish, to set up
- 談tánto talk, to chat; conversation; surname
- 卒zúsoldier; servant; at last, finally
- 東dōngeast, eastern, eastward
- 郭guōcity limits; surname
- 墦fántomb
- 閒xiánleisure, idle time; tranquil, peaceful,
- 祭jìto sacrifice to, to worship
- 乞qǐto beg; to request
- 餘yúsurplus, remainder, excess
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 足zúfoot; to attain, to satisfy; enough
- 又yòuand, also, again, in addition
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi Kêng Sang Ch’u
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Zhuangzi The Identity of Contraries
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Zhuangzi Perfect Happiness
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.