《孟子》中英文版 第十二编 《告子下》(5)
《孟子》中英文版第十二编 《告子下》(5)
第五章送礼不回报
孟子居鄒，季任為任處守，以幣交，受之而不報。處於平陸，儲子為相，以幣交，受之而不報。他日由鄒之任，見季子；由平陸之齊，不見儲子。屋廬子喜曰：“連得閒矣。”問曰：“夫子之任見季子，之齊不見儲子，為其為相與？”
When Mencius was residing in Zou, the younger brother of the chief of Ren, who was guardian of Ren at the time, paid his respects to him by a present of silks, which Mencius received, not going to acknowledge it. When he was sojourning in Ping Lu, Chu, who was prime minister of the State, sent him a similar present, which he received in the same way. Subsequently, going from Zou to Ren, he visited the guardian; but when he went from Ping Lu to the capital of Qi, he did not visit the minister Chu. The disciple Wu Lu was glad, and said, 'I have got an opportunity to obtain some instruction.' He asked accordingly, 'Master, when you went to Ren, you visited the chief's brother; and when you went to Qi, you did not visit Chu. Was it not because he is only the minister?'
曰：“非也。《書》曰：‘享多儀，儀不及物曰不享，惟不役志于享。’為其不成享也。”
Mencius replied, 'No. It is said in the Book of History, "In presenting an offering to a superior, most depends on the demonstrations of respect. If those demonstrations are not equal to the things offeredred, we say there is no offering, that is, there is no act of the will presenting the offering." This is because the things so offered do not constitute an offering to a superior.'
屋廬子悅。或問之。屋廬子曰：“季子不得之鄒，儲子得之平陸。”
Wu Lu was pleased, and when some one asked him what Mencius meant, he said, 'The younger of Ren could not go to Zou, but the minister Chu might have gone to Ping Lu.'
【原文】
孟子居邹，季任为任处守，以币交，受之而不报。处于平陆，储子为相，以币交，受之而不报。他日，由邹之任，见季子；由平陆之齐，不见储子。
屋庐子喜曰：“连得间矣。”问曰：“夫子之任，见季子；之齐，不见储子，为其为相与？”
曰：“非也。《书》曰：‘享多仪，仪不及物曰不享，惟不役志于享。’为其不成享也。”
屋庐子悦。或问之。屋庐子曰：“季子不得之邹，储子得之平陆。”
【译文】
孟子住在家乡邹国，季任留守任国代理国政，送厚礼想接交孟子，孟子收了礼而不回报于礼物。后来孟子住在齐国的平陆城，当时储子担任齐国的卿相，也送厚礼想接交孟子，孟子也是收了礼而不回报于礼物。有一天，孟子从邹国到任国去，拜见了季任；而从平陆到齐国，孟子却不去拜见储子。
屋庐子高兴地说：“我可找到孟子的漏洞了。”于是便问孟子：“先生到任国，拜见了季任；到齐国，却不去拜见储子，就是因为他是卿相吗？”
孟子说：“不是的。《尚书》里说：‘享献之礼多仪节，仪节不够，礼物再多也只能认为没有贡献，因为进献的人并没有把心思放在进献上。’就因为储子不懂享献的规矩。”
屋庐子很愉快。有人问他，他说：“季任不能擅自到邹国，储子可以随便到平陆去。”
【解说】
季任和储子都派人送礼物给孟子，借以沟通和交往。而孟子到任国去拜见了季任回礼，到齐国却不去拜见储子回礼，这是为什么呢？屋庐子弄不明白，还自以为是找到了孟子的漏洞了，这其实是屋庐子不懂得社会行为规范和选择最佳行为方式之间的关系。孟子举了《尚书》的例子，借以说明，享献仪式是以礼仪为主，而不是以礼物为主，虽然礼物够多够丰厚，但没有了仪式，这享献还有什么意义呢？储子所犯的就是这个错误。屋庐子最后弄明白了，原来季任为国君，镇守一方，有保民守土之责，不能随便到什么地方去，因此他派人送礼是可以的。而储子是臣，可以因为国事而去任何地方，但储子也是派人送礼，而不亲自去送礼，这就缺乏相交往的诚意。既然他缺乏诚意，也就没有必要回报于他了。这就是孟子以社会行为规范为标准而选择的行为方式。
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