Li Lou II · Passage 29 / 33 · 孟子 4B.29

Mencius 4B.29: Yu, Ji, and Yan Hui share one Way

Mencius joins Yu and Ji with Yan Hui to show that one Way can require intense public action in one age and quiet steadfastness in another.

禹、稷當平世，三過其門而不入，孔子賢之。顏子當亂世，居於陋巷，一簞食，一瓢飲，人不堪其憂，顏子不改其樂，孔子賢之。孟子曰：「禹、稷、顏回同道。禹思天下有溺者，由己溺之也；稷思天下有饑者，由己饑之也。是以如是其急也。禹、稷、顏子易地則皆然。今有同室之人鬭者，救之，雖被髪纓冠而救之，可也。鄉鄰有鬭者，被髪纓冠而往救之，則惑也，雖閉戶可也。」

yǔ、 jì dāng píng shì， sān guò qí mén ér bú rù， kǒng zǐ xián zhī。 yán zǐ dāng luàn shì， jū wū lòu xiàng， yì dān shí， yì piáo yǐn， rén bù kān qí yōu， yán zǐ bù gǎi qí lè， kǒng zǐ xián zhī。 mèng zǐ yuē：「yǔ、 jì、 yán huí tóng dào。 yǔ sī tiān xià yǒu nì zhě， yóu jǐ nì zhī yě； jì sī tiān xià yǒu jī zhě， yóu jǐ jī zhī yě。 shì yǐ rú shì qí jí yě。 yǔ、 jì、 yán zǐ yì dì zé jiē rán。 jīn yǒu tóng shì zhī rén dòu zhě， jiù zhī， suī bèi fà yīng guān ér jiù zhī， kě yě。 xiāng lín yǒu dòu zhě， bèi fà yīng guān ér wǎng jiù zhī， zé huò yě， suī bì hù kě yě。」

Yu and Ji, in an age when the world was being brought back to order, thrice passed their doors without entering them. Confucius praised them. The disciple Yan, in an age of disorder, dwelt in a mean narrow lane, having his single bamboo-cup of rice, and his single gourd-dish of water; other men could not have endured the distress, but he did not allow his joy to be affected by it. Confucius praised him. Mencius said, 'Yu, Ji, and Yan Hui agreed in the principle of their conduct. Yu thought that if any one in the kingdom were drowned, it was as if he drowned him. Ji thought that if any one in the kingdom suffered hunger, it was as if he famished him. It was on this account that they were so earnest. If Yu and Ji, and Yanzi, had exchanged places, each would have done what the other did. Here now in the same apartment with you are people fighting - you ought to part them. Though you part them with your cap simply tied over your unbound hair, your conduct will be allowable. If the fighting be only in the village or neighbourhood, if you go to put an end to it with your cap tied over your hair unbound, you will be in error. Although you should shut your door in such a case, your conduct would be allowable.'