Mencius 7B.24
Mencius (孟子), Book 7, Part II: Jin Xin II 盡心下
孟子曰:「口之於味也,目之於色也,耳之於聲也,鼻之於臭也,四肢之於安佚也,性也,有命焉,君子不謂性也。仁之於父子也,義之於君臣也,禮之於賓主也,智之於賢者也,聖人之於天道也,命也,有性焉,君子不謂命也。」
Mencius said, 'For the mouth to desire sweet tastes, the eye to desire beautiful colours, the ear to desire pleasant sounds, the nose to desire fragrant odours, and the four limbs to desire ease and rest - these things are natural. But there is the appointment of Heaven in connexion with them, and the superior man does not say of his pursuit of them, "It is my nature." The exercise of love between father and son, the observance of righteousness between sovereign and minister, the rules of ceremony between guest and host, the display of knowledge in recognising the talented, and the fulfilling the heavenly course by the sage - these are the appointment of Heaven. But there is an adaptation of our nature for them. The superior man does not say, in reference to them, "It is the appointment of Heaven."'
Character glossary
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 口kǒumouth; entrance, gate, opening
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 味wèitaste; smell, odor; delicacy
- 也yěalso, too
- 目mùeye; to look, to see; division, topic
- 色sècolor, tint, hue, shade; beauty, form; s
- 耳ěrear; to hear, to hear of; handle
- 聲shēngsound, noise; voice, tone, music
- 鼻bínose; first
- 臭chòuto reek, to smell, to stink
- 四sìfour
- 肢zhīlimbs
- 安ānpeaceful, tranquil, quiet
- 佚yìto indulge in pleasures; to flee
- 性xìngsex, nature, character; suffix convertin
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 命mìnglife; destiny, fate, luck; an order, ins
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 父fùfather, dad
- 義yìright conduct, propriety; justice
- 臣chénminister, statesman, official, vassal
- 禮lǐcourtesy, manners, social customs
- 賓bīnguest, visitor; surname; submit
- 主zhǔto own; to host; master; host; lord
- 智zhìwisdom, knowledge, intelligence
- 賢xiánvirtuous, worthy; good, able
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 聖shèngholy, sacred; sage, saint
- 人rénman, person; people
- 天tiānsky, heaven; god, celestial
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
Passages with shared wording
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.