Gao Zi II · Passage 15 / 16 · 孟子 6B.15

Mencius 6B.15: life grows from adversity, death from ease

By recalling Shun, Fu Yue, and others, Mencius argues that those capable of great responsibility are often formed through pressure, obstruction.

孟子曰：「舜發於畎畝之中，傅說舉於版筑之間，膠鬲舉於魚鹽之中，管夷吾舉於士，孫叔敖舉於海，百里奚舉於市。故天將降大任於是人也，必先苦其心志，勞其筋骨，餓其體膚，空乏其身，行拂亂其所為；所以動心忍性，曾益其所不能。人恒過，然後能改。困於心，衡於慮，而後作。徵於色，發於聲，而後喻。入則無法家拂士、出則無敵國外患者，國恒亡。然後知生於憂患，而死於安樂也。」

mèng zǐ yuē：「shùn fā wū quǎn mǔ zhī zhōng， fù shuō jǔ wū bǎn zhù zhī jiàn， jiāo gé jǔ wū yú yán zhī zhōng， guǎn yí wú jǔ wū shì， sūn shū áo jǔ wū hǎi， bǎi lǐ xī jǔ wū shì。 gù tiān jiāng jiàng dà rèn wū shì rén yě， bì xiān kǔ qí xīn zhì， láo qí jīn gǔ， è qí tǐ fū， kōng fá qí shēn， xíng fú luàn qí suǒ wéi； suǒ yǐ dòng xīn rěn xìng， céng yì qí suǒ bù néng。 rén héng guò， rán hòu néng gǎi。 kùn wū xīn， héng wū lǜ， ér hòu zuò。 zhǐ wū sè， fā wū shēng， ér hòu yù。 rù zé wú fǎ jiā fú shì、 chū zé wú dí guó wài huàn zhě， guó héng wáng。 rán hòu zhī shēng wū yōu huàn， ér sǐ wū ān lè yě。」

Mencius said, 'Shun rose from among the channelled fields. Fu Yue was called to office from the midst of his building frames; Jiao Ge from his fish and salt; Guan Yi Wu from the hands of his gaoler; Sun Shu Ao from his hiding by the sea-shore; and Bai Li Xi from the market-place. Thus, when Heaven is about to confer a great office on any man, it first exercises his mind with suffering, and his sinews and bones with toil. It exposes his body to hunger, and subjects him to extreme poverty. It confounds his undertakings. By all these methods it stimulates his mind, hardens his nature, and supplies his incompetencies. Men for the most part err, and are afterwards able to reform. They are distressed in mind and perplexed in their thoughts, and then they arise to vigorous reformation. When things have been evidenced in men's looks, and set forth in their words, then they understand them. If a prince have not about his court families attached to the laws and worthy counsellors, and if abroad there are not hostile States or other external calamities, his kingdom will generally come to ruin. From these things we see how life springs from sorrow and calamity, and death from ease and pleasure.'