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

Mencius 4B.33: shameful success makes even family weep

Mencius uses the story of a man begging among graves yet boasting of noble company to expose the hidden shame behind certain paths to success.

齊人有一妻一妾而處室者，其良人出，則必饜酒肉而後反。其妻問其所與飲食者，則盡富貴也。其妻告其妾曰：「良人出，則必饜酒肉而後反；問其與飲食者，盡富貴也。而未嘗有顯者來。吾將瞷良人之所之也。」早起，施從良人之所之。遍國中，無與立談者。卒之東郭墦間，之祭者，乞其餘；不足，又顧而之他──此其為饜足之道也。其妻歸，告其妾曰：「良人者，所仰望而終身也。今若此！」與其妾訕其良人，而相泣於中庭。而良人未之知也，施施從外來，驕其妻妾。由君子觀之，則人之所以求富貴利達者，其妻妾不羞也而不相泣者，幾希矣！

qí rén yǒu yì qī yí qiè ér chǔ shì zhě， qí liáng rén chū， zé bì yàn jiǔ ròu ér hòu fǎn。 qí qī wèn qí suǒ yǔ yǐn shí zhě， zé jìn fù guì yě。 qí qī gào qí qiè yuē：「liáng rén chū， zé bì yàn jiǔ ròu ér hòu fǎn； wèn qí yǔ yǐn shí zhě， jìn fù guì yě。 ér wèi cháng yǒu xiǎn zhě lái。 wú jiāng jiàn liáng rén zhī suǒ zhī yě。」 zǎo qǐ， shī cóng liáng rén zhī suǒ zhī。 biàn guó zhōng， wú yǔ lì tán zhě。 zú zhī dōng guō fán jiàn， zhī jì zhě， qǐ qí yú； bù zú， yòu gù ér zhī tā ── cǐ qí wéi yàn zú zhī dào yě。 qí qī guī， gào qí qiè yuē：「liáng rén zhě， suǒ yǎng wàng ér zhōng shēn yě。 jīn ruò cǐ！」 yǔ qí qiè shàn qí liáng rén， ér xiāng qì wū zhōng tíng。 ér liáng rén wèi zhī zhī yě， shī shī cóng wài lái， jiāo qí qī qiè。 yóu jūn zǐ guān zhī， zé rén zhī suǒ yǐ qiú fù guì lì dá zhě， qí qī qiè bù xiū yě ér bù xiāng qì zhě， jī xī yǐ！

A man of Qi had a wife and a concubine, and lived together with them in his house. When their husband went out, he would get himself well filled with wine and flesh, and then return, and, on his wife's asking him with whom he ate and drank, they were sure to be all wealthy and honourable people. The wife informed the concubine, saying, 'When our good man goes out, he is sure to come back having partaken plentifully of wine and flesh. I asked with whom he ate and drank, and they are all, it seems, wealthy and honourable people. And yet no people of distinction ever come here. I will spy out where our good man goes.' Accordingly, she got up early in the morning, and privately followed wherever her husband went. Throughout the whole city, there was no one who stood or talked with him. At last, he came to those who were sacrificing among the tombs beyond the outer wall on the east, and begged what they had over. Not being satisfied, he looked about, and went to another party - and this was the way in which he got himself satiated. His wife returned, and informed the concubine, saying, 'It was to our husband that we looked up in hopeful contemplation, with whom our lot is cast for life - and now these are his ways!' On this, along with the concubine she reviled their husband, and they wept together in the middle hall. In the meantime the husband, knowing nothing of all this, came in with a jaunty air, carrying himself proudly to his wife and concubine. In the view of a superior man, as to the ways by which men seek for riches, honours, gain, and advancement, there are few of their wives and concubines who would not be ashamed and weep together on account of them.