Mencius 7A.32
Mencius (孟子), Book 7, Part I: Jin Xin I 盡心上
公孫丑曰：「《詩》曰：『不素餐兮』，君子之不耕而食，何也？」孟子曰：「君子居是國也，其君用之，則安富尊榮；其子弟從之，則孝弟忠信。『不素餐兮』，孰大於是？」
Gong Sun Chou said, 'It is said, in the Book of Poetry, "He will not eat the bread of idleness!" How is it that we see superior men eating without labouring?'
Mencius replied, 'When a superior man resides in a country, if its sovereign employ his counsels, he comes to tranquillity, wealth and glory. If the young in it follow his instructions, they become filial, obedient to their elders, true-hearted, and faithful. What greater example can there be than this of not eating the bread of idleness?'
Character glossary
- 公gōngfair, equitable; public; duke
- 孫sūngrandchild, descendent; surname
- 丑chǒuugly; shameful; comedian, clown
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 詩shīpoetry; poem, verse, ode
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 素sùplain; white; vegetarian; formerly; norm
- 餐cānto eat, to dine; meal, food
- 兮xīexclamatory particle
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 耕gēngto plow, to cultivate
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 食shífood; to eat
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 也yěalso, too
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 居jūto live, to reside; to dwell; to sit
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 國guócountry, nation, state; national
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 用yòngto use, to employ, to apply; use
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 安ānpeaceful, tranquil, quiet
- 富fùabundant, ample; rich, wealthy
- 尊zūnto honor, to respect, to venerate
- 榮róngglory, honor; to flourish, to prosper
- 弟dìyoung brother, junior
- 從cóngfrom, by, since, whence, through
- 孝xiàofilial piety, obedience; mourning
- 忠zhōngloyalty, devotion, fidelity
- 信xìnto trust, to believe; letter, sign
- 孰shúwho? which? what? which one?
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
- Zhuangzi The Tao of God
- Zhuangzi The Evidence of Virtue Complete
- Analects 19.25
- Art of War 9.44
- Mencius 7A.39
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.