Mencius 7B.31
Mencius (孟子), Book 7, Part II: Jin Xin II 盡心下
孟子曰:「人皆有所不忍,達之於其所忍,仁也;人皆有所不為,達之於其所為,義也。人能充無欲害人之心,而仁不可勝用也;人能充無穿踰之心,而義不可勝用也。人能充無受爾汝之實,無所往而不為義也。士未可以言而言,是以言餂之也;可以言而不言,是以不言餂之也,是皆穿踰之類也。」
Mencius said, 'All men have some things which they cannot bear; extend that feeling to what they can bear, and benevolence will be the result. All men have some things which they will not do; extend that feeling to the things which they do, and righteousness will be the result. If a man can give full development to the feeling which makes him shrink from injuring others, his benevolence will be more than can be called into practice. If he can give full development to the feeling which refuses to break through, or jump over, a wall, his righteousness will be more than can be called into practice. If he can give full development to the real feeling of dislike with which he receives the salutation, "Thou," "Thou," he will act righteously in all places and circumstances. When a scholar speaks what he ought not to speak, by guile of speech seeking to gain some end; and when he does not speak what he ought to speak, by guile of silence seeking to gain some end; both these cases are of a piece with breaking through a neighbour's wall.'
Character glossary
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 人rénman, person; people
- 皆jiēall, every, everybody
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 忍rěnto endure, to bear, to suffer, to tolera
- 達dáto reach, to arrive at; intelligent
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 也yěalso, too
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 義yìright conduct, propriety; justice
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 充chōngto fill, to supply; to be full
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 害hàito injure, to harm; to destroy, to kill
- 心xīnheart; mind; soul
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 勝shèngvictory; to excel, to truimph
- 用yòngto use, to employ, to apply; use
- 穿chuānto drill, to pierce; to dress, to wear
- 踰yúexceed, transgress; cross over
- 受shòuto receive, to get, to accept; to bear
- 爾ěryou; that, those; final particle
- 汝rǔyou
- 實shíreal, true; honest, sincere
- 往wǎngto go, to depart; past, former
- 士shìscholar, gentleman; soldier
- 未wèinot yet; 8th terrestrial branch
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 餂tiǎnto obtain by hook
- 類lèicategory, class, group, kind; similar to
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi Man Among Men
- Zhuangzi The Identity of Contraries
- Zhuangzi Kêng Sang Ch’u
- Zhuangzi Autumn Floods
- Mencius 2A.6
- Zhuangzi Knowledge travels North
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.