《孟子》中英文版
第八编 《离娄下》(28)
第二十八章 爱人者人恒爱之
孟子曰：“君子所以異於人者，以其存心也。君子以仁存心，以禮存心。仁者愛人，有禮者敬人。愛人者人恆愛之，敬人者人恆敬之。有人於此，其待我以橫逆，則君子必自反也：我必不仁也，必無禮也，此物奚宜至哉？其自反而仁矣，自反而有禮矣，其橫逆由是也，君子必自反也：我必不忠。自反而忠矣，其橫逆由是也，君子曰：‘此亦妄人也已矣。如此則與禽獸奚擇哉？於禽獸又何難焉？’是故君子有終身之憂，無一朝之患也。乃若所憂則有之：舜人也，我亦人也。舜為法於天下，可傳於後世，我由未免為鄉人也，是則可憂也。憂之如何？如舜而已矣。若夫君子所患則亡矣。非仁無為也，非禮無行也。如有一朝之患，則君子不患矣。”
Mencius said, 'That whereby the superior man is distinguished from other men is what he preserves in his heart - namely, benevolence and propriety. The benevolent man loves others. The man of propriety shows respect to others. He who loves others is constantly loved by them. He who respects others is constantly respected by them. Here is a man, who treats me in a perverse and unreasonable manner. The superior man in such a case will turn round upon himself, "I must have been wanting in benevolence; I must have been wanting in propriety - how should this have happened to me?" He examines himself, and is specially benevolent. He turns round upon himself, and is specially observant of propriety. The perversity and unreasonableness of the other, however, are still the same. The superior man will again turn round on himself, "I must have been failing to do my utmost." He turns round upon himself, and proceeds to do his utmost, but still the perversity and unreasonableness of the other are repeated. On this the superior man says, "This is a man utterly lost indeed! Since he conducts himself so, what is there to choose between him and a brute? Why should I go to contend with a brute?" Thus it is that the superior man has a life-long anxiety and not one morning's calamity. As to what is matter of anxiety to him, that indeed be has. He says, "Shun was a man, and I also am a man. But Shun became an example to all the kingdom, and his conduct was worthy to be handed down to after ages, while I am nothing better than a villager." This indeed is the proper matter of anxiety to him. And in what way is he anxious about it? Just that he maybe like Shun: then only will he stop. As to what the superior man would feel to be a calamity, there is no such thing. He does nothing which is not according to propriety. If there should befall him one morning's calamity, the superior man does not account it a calamity.'
【原文】
孟子曰：“君子所以异于人者，以其存心也。君子以仁存心．以礼存心。仁者爱人，有礼者敬人。爱人者，人恒爱之；敬人者，人恒敬之。有人于此，其待我以横逆①，则君子必自反也：我必不仁也，必无礼也，此物奚宜至哉”？其自反而仁矣，自反而有礼矣，其横逆由③是也，君子必自反也：我必不忠。自反而忠矣，其横道由是也，君子曰：‘此亦妄人也已矣。如此，则与禽兽奚择④哉？于禽兽又河难⑤焉？’是故君子有终身之忧，无一朝之患也。乃若所忧则有之：舜，人也；我，亦人也。舜为法（6）于天下，可传于后世．我由未免为乡人也，是则可忧也。忧之如何？如舜而已矣。若夫君子所患则亡矣。非仁无为也，非礼无行也。如有一朝之患，则君子不患矣。”
【注释】
①横逆：蛮横无礼。
②此物：指上文所说“横逆”的态度。奚宜：怎么应当。
③由：通“犹”。下文“我由未免为乡人也”中的“由”也通“犹”。
④择：区别。
⑤难：责难。
（6）法：楷模。
【译文】
孟子说：“君子与一般人不同的地方在于，他内心所怀的念头不同。君子内心所怀的念头是仁，是礼。仁爱的人爱别人，礼让的人尊敬别人。爱别人的人，别人也经常爱他；尊敬别人的人，别人也经常尊敬他。假定这里有个人，他对我蛮横无礼，那君子必定反躬自问：我一定不仁，一定无礼吧，不然的话，他怎么会对我这样呢？如果反躬自问是仁的，是有礼的，而那人仍然蛮横无礼，君子必定再次反躬自问：我一定不忠吧？如果反躬自问是忠的，而那人仍然蛮横无礼，君子就会说：‘这人不过是个狂人罢了。“这样的人和禽兽有什么区别呢？而对禽兽又有什么可责难的呢？’所以君子有终身的忧虑，但没有一朝一夕的祸患。比如说这样的忧虑是有的：舜是人，我也是人；舜是天下的楷模，名声传于后世，可我却不过是一个普通人而已。这个才是值得忧虑的事。忧虑又怎么办呢？像舜那样做罢了。至于君子别的什么忧患就没有了。不是仁爱的事不于，不合于礼的事不做。即使有一朝一夕的祸患来到，君子也不会感到尤患了。”
【读解】
“爱人者人恒爱之。敬人者人恒敬之。”
这是一段典型的劝人互爱互敬的文字，在论述中又强调了个人修养中的反躬自省。读起来，使人感到与西方基督教的精神有相通之处。
就像我们今天流行的歌曲所唱的那样：
只要人人都献出一点爱，世界将变成美好的人间。
让这世界有真心的爱，让这世界充满情和爱！
道理并不深奥，可以说是不言而喻。关键是要有行动的热情。如果人人都有这种行动的热情，许多人际之间的矛盾纠葛就会没有了，许多事情就要好办得多了，社会的文明程度就会大大提高了。问题是，我们从幼儿园时就接受这种互爱互敬的教育，而实际到底做得怎么样呢？
恐怕也应该接受孟子的建议，来一点反躬自省吧。 |
