King Hui of Liang II · Passage 09 / 16 · 孟子 1B.9

Mencius 1B.9: rule needs trained judgment

Ruling a state cannot discard learned judgment any more than building with great timber or carving jade can dismiss the skilled craftsman.

孟子見齊宣王，曰：「為巨室，則必使工師求大木。工師得大木，則王喜，以為能勝其任也。匠人斫而小之，則王怒，以為不勝其任矣。夫人幼而學之，壯而欲行之，王曰：『姑捨女所學而從我』，則何如？今有璞玉於此，雖萬鎰，必使玉人雕琢之。至於治國家，則曰：『姑捨女所學而從我』，則何以異於教玉人雕琢玉哉？」

mèng zǐ jiàn qí xuān wáng， yuē：「wéi jù shì， zé bì shǐ gōng shī qiú dà mù。 gōng shī dé dà mù， zé wáng xǐ， yǐ wéi néng shèng qí rèn yě。 jiàng rén zhuó ér xiǎo zhī， zé wáng nù， yǐ wéi bú shèng qí rèn yǐ。 fū rén yòu ér xué zhī， zhuàng ér yù xíng zhī， wáng yuē：『gū shě nǚ suǒ xué ér cóng wǒ』， zé hé rú？ jīn yǒu pú yù wū cǐ， suī wàn yì， bì shǐ yù rén diāo zhuó zhī。 zhì wū zhì guó jiā， zé yuē：『gū shě nǚ suǒ xué ér cóng wǒ』， zé hé yǐ yì wū jiào yù rén diāo zhuó yù zāi？」

Mencius, having an interview with the king Xuan of Qi, said to him, 'If you are going to build a large mansion, you will surely cause the Master of the workmen to look out for large trees, and when he has found such large trees, you will be glad, thinking that they will answer for the intended object. Should the workmen hew them so as to make them too small, then your Majesty will be angry, thinking that they will not answer for the purpose. Now, a man spends his youth in learning the principles of right government, and, being grown up to vigour, he wishes to put them in practice; if your Majesty says to him, "For the present put aside what you have learned, and follow me," what shall we say? Here now you have a gem unwrought, in the stone. Although it may be worth 240,000 taels, you will surely employ a lapidary to cut and polish it. But when you come to the government of the State, then you say, "For the present put aside what you have learned, and follow me." How is it that you herein act so differently from your conduct in calling in the lapidary to cut the gem?'