Li Lou I · Passage 01 / 28 · 孟子 4A.1

Mencius 4A.1: virtue alone is not enough

Mencius rejects both sentiment without institutions and institutions without moral force. Real government joins benevolent intent, inherited standards.

孟子曰：「離婁之明，公輸子之巧，不以規矩，不能成方員。師曠之聰，不以六律，不能正五音。堯舜之道，不以仁政，不能平治天下。今有仁心仁聞而民不被其澤，不可法於後世者，不行先王之道也。故曰：徒善不足以爲政，徒法不能以自行。《詩》云：『不愆不忘，率由舊章。』遵先王之法而過者，未之有也。聖人既竭目力焉，繼之以規矩準繩，以爲方員平直，不可勝用也。既竭耳力焉，繼之以六律正五音，不可勝用也。既竭心思焉，繼之以不忍人之政而仁覆天下矣。故曰：爲髙必因丘陵，爲下必因川澤。爲政不因先王之道，可謂智乎？是以惟仁者宜在髙位。不仁而在髙位，是播其惡於衆也。上無道揆也，下無法守也；朝不信道，工不信度；君子犯義，小人犯刑，國之所存者幸也。故曰：城郭不完，兵甲不多，非國之災也。田野不辟，貨財不聚，非國之害也。上無禮，下無學，賊民興，喪無日矣。《詩》曰：『天之方蹶，無然泄泄。』泄泄猶沓沓也。事君無義，進退無禮，言則非先王之道者，猶沓沓也。故曰：責難於君謂之恭，陳善閉邪謂之敬，吾君不能謂之賊。」

mèng zǐ yuē：「lí lóu zhī míng， gōng shū zǐ zhī qiǎo， bù yǐ guī jǔ， bù néng chéng fāng yuán。 shī kuàng zhī cōng， bù yǐ liù lǜ， bù néng zhèng wǔ yīn。 yáo shùn zhī dào， bù yǐ rén zhèng， bù néng píng zhì tiān xià。 jīn yǒu rén xīn rén wén ér mín bú bèi qí zé， bù kě fǎ wū hòu shì zhě， bù xíng xiān wáng zhī dào yě。 gù yuē： tú shàn bù zú yǐ wéi zhèng， tú fǎ bù néng yǐ zì xíng。《shī》 yún：『bù qiān bú wàng， lǜ yóu jiù zhāng。』 zūn xiān wáng zhī fǎ ér guò zhě， wèi zhī yǒu yě。 shèng rén jì jié mù lì yān， jì zhī yǐ guī jǔ zhǔn shéng， yǐ wéi fāng yuán píng zhí， bù kě shèng yòng yě。 jì jié ěr lì yān， jì zhī yǐ liù lǜ zhèng wǔ yīn， bù kě shèng yòng yě。 jì jié xīn sī yān， jì zhī yǐ bù rěn rén zhī zhèng ér rén fù tiān xià yǐ。 gù yuē： wéi gāo bì yīn qiū líng， wéi xià bì yīn chuān zé。 wéi zhèng bù yīn xiān wáng zhī dào， kě wèi zhì hū？ shì yǐ wéi rén zhě yí zài gāo wèi。 bù rén ér zài gāo wèi， shì bō qí è wū zhòng yě。 shàng wú dào kuí yě， xià wú fǎ shǒu yě； cháo bú xìn dào， gōng bú xìn dù； jūn zǐ fàn yì， xiǎo rén fàn xíng， guó zhī suǒ cún zhě xìng yě。 gù yuē： chéng guō bù wán， bīng jiǎ bù duō， fēi guó zhī zāi yě。 tián yě bú pì， huò cái bú jù， fēi guó zhī hài yě。 shàng wú lǐ， xià wú xué， zéi mín xīng， sāng wú rì yǐ。《shī》 yuē：『tiān zhī fāng juě， wú rán xiè xiè。』 xiè xiè yóu tà tà yě。 shì jūn wú yì， jìn tuì wú lǐ， yán zé fēi xiān wáng zhī dào zhě， yóu tà tà yě。 gù yuē： zé nán wū jūn wèi zhī gōng， chén shàn bì xié wèi zhī jìng， wú jūn bù néng wèi zhī zéi。」

Mencius said, 'The power of vision of Li Lou, and skill of hand of Gong Shu, without the compass and square, could not form squares and circles. The acute ear of the music-master Kuang, without the pitch-tubes, could not determine correctly the five notes. The principles of Yao and Shun, without a benevolent government, could not secure the tranquil order of the kingdom. There are now princes who have benevolent hearts and a reputation for benevolence, while yet the people do not receive any benefits from them, nor will they leave any example to future ages - all because they do not put into practice the ways of the ancient kings. 'Hence we have the saying: "Virtue alone is not sufficient for the exercise of government; laws alone cannot carry themselves into practice." It is said in the Book of Poetry, "Without transgression, without forgetfulness, Following the ancient statutes." Never has any one fallen into error, who followed the laws of the ancient kings. When the sages had used the vigour of their eyes, they called in to their aid the compass, the square, the level, and the line, to make things square, round, level, and straight: the use of the instruments is inexhaustible. When they had used their power of hearing to the utmost, they called in the pitch-tubes to their aid to determine the five notes - the use of those tubes is inexhaustible. When they had exerted to the utmost the thoughts of their hearts, they called in to their aid a government that could not endure to witness the sufferings of men - and their benevolence overspread the kingdom. 'Hence we have the saying: "To raise a thing high, we must begin from the top of a mound or a hill; to dig to a great depth, we must commence in the low ground of a stream or a marsh." Can he be pronounced wise, who, in the exercise of government, does not proceed according to the ways of the former kings? Therefore only the benevolent ought to be in high stations. When a man destitute of benevolence is in a high station, he thereby disseminates his wickedness among all below him. When the prince has no principles by which he examines his administration, and his ministers have no laws by which they keep themselves in the discharge of their duties, then in the court obedience is not paid to principle, and in the office obedience is not paid to rule. Superiors violate the laws of righteousness, and inferiors violate the penal laws. It is only by a fortunate chance that a State in such a case is preserved. 'Therefore it is said, "It is not the exterior and interior walls being incomplete, and the supply of weapons offensive and defensive not being large, which constitutes the calamity of a kingdom. It is not the cultivable area not being extended, and stores and wealth not being accumulated, which occasions the ruin of a State." When superiors do not observe the rules of propriety, and inferiors do not learn, then seditious people spring up, and that State will perish in no time. It is said in the Book of Poetry, "When such an overthrow of Zhou is being produced by Heaven, Be not ye so much at your ease!" " At your ease;" - that is, dilatory. And so dilatory may those officers be deemed, who serve their prince without righteousness, who take office and retire from it without regard to propriety, and who in their words disown the ways of the ancient kings. Therefore it is said, "To urge one's sovereign to difficult achievements may be called showing respect for him. To set before him what is good and repress his perversities may be called showing reverence for him. He who does not do these things, saying to himself, My sovereign is incompetent to this, may be said to play the thief with him."'