Mencius 7B.32
Mencius (孟子), Book 7, Part II: Jin Xin II 盡心下
孟子曰：「言近而指遠者，善言也；守約而施博者，善道也。君子之言也，不下帶而道存焉。君子之守，修其身而天下平。人病舍其田而芸人之田，所求於人者重，而所以自任者輕。」
Mencius said, 'Words which are simple, while their meaning is far-reaching, are good words. Principles which, as held, are compendious, while their application is extensive, are good principles. The words of the superior man do not go below the girdle, but great principles are contained in them. The principle which the superior man holds is that of personal cultivation, but the kingdom is thereby tranquillized. The disease of men is this: that they neglect their own fields, and go to weed the fields of others, and that what they require from others is great, while what they lay upon themselves is light.'
Character glossary
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 近jìnto approach; near, close; intimate
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 指zhǐfinger, toe; to point, to indicate
- 遠yuǎndistant, remote, far; profound
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 也yěalso, too
- 守shǒuto defend, to guard, to protect; to cons
- 約yuētreaty, covenant, agreement
- 施shīto grant, to bestow; to act; surname
- 博bóto gamble, to play games; to win; rich,
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 帶dàibelt, strap; band, ribbon; area, zone; t
- 存cúnto exist; to survive, to maintain; to ke
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
- 修xiūto study; to repair; to decorate; to cul
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 身shēnbody, torso; person; pregnancy
- 天tiānsky, heaven; god, celestial
- 平píngflat, level, even; peaceful
- 人rénman, person; people
- 病bìngsickness, illness, disease
- 舍shěhouse, dwelling; to reside, to dwell; to
- 田tiánfield, farm, arable land; cultivated
- 芸yúncommon rue; diverse, varied
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 求qiúto seek; to request, to demand; to besee
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 重zhòngheavy, weighty; to double, to repeat
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 自zìself; private, personal; from
- 任rènto trust, to rely on; to appoint; to bea
- 輕qīnglight, gentle; simple, easy
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi On Declining Power
- Mencius 2A.2
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Zhuangzi On Letting Alone
- Zhuangzi Autumn Floods
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.