《孟子》中英文版
第四编 《公孫丑下》(1)
《公孫丑下 - Gong Sun Chou II》(共十四章)
公孙丑下
本篇除第一章单纯介绍孟子言论外,其余各章兼记孟子的事迹、行为和言论,以立身处世的态度为主,其中有不少名言。全篇原文共14章。
第一章 天时不如地利,地利不如人和
孟子曰:“天時不如地利,地利不如人和。三里之城,七里之郭,環而攻之而不勝。夫環而攻之,必有得天時者矣;然而不勝者,是天時不如地利也。城非不高也,池非不深也,兵革非不堅利也,米粟非不多也;委而去之,是地利不如人和也。故曰:域民不以封疆之界,固國不以山谿之險,威天下不以兵革之利。得道者多助,失道者寡助。寡助之至,親戚畔之;多助之至,天下順之。以天下之所順,攻親戚之所畔;故君子有不戰,戰必勝矣。”
Mencius said, 'Opportunities of time vouchsafed by Heaven are not equal to advantages of situation afforded by the Earth, and advantages of situation afforded by the Earth are not equal to the union arising from the accord of Men. There is a city, with an inner wall of three li in circumference, and an outer wall of seven. The enemy surround and attack it, but they are not able to take it. Now, to surround and attack it, there must have been vouchsafed to them by Heaven the opportunity of time, and in such case their not taking it is because opportunities of time vouchsafed by Heaven are not equal to advantages of situation afforded by the Earth. There is a city, whose walls are distinguished for their height, and whose moats are distinguished for their depth, where the arms of its defenders, offensive and defensive, are distinguished for their strength and sharpness, and the stores of rice and other grain are very large. Yet it is obliged to be given up and abandoned. This is because advantages of situation afforded by the Earth are not equal to the union arising from the accord of Men. In accordance with these principles it is said, "A people is bounded in, not by the limits of dykes and borders; a State is secured, not by the strengths of mountains and rivers; the kingdom is overawed, not by the sharpness and strength of arms." He who finds the proper course has many to assist him. He who loses the proper course has few to assist him. When this - the being assisted by few - reaches its extreme point, his own relations revolt from the prince. When the being assisted by many reaches its highest point, the whole kingdom becomes obedient to the prince. When one to whom the whole kingdom is prepared to be obedient, attacks those from whom their own relations revolt, what must be the result? Therefore, the true ruler will prefer not to fight; but if he do fight, he must overcome.'
【原文】
孟子曰:“天时不如地利,地利不如人和①。三里之城,七里之郭②,环而攻之而不胜。夫环而攻之,必有得天时者矣;然而不胜者,是天时不如地利也。城非不高也,池③非不深也,兵革(4)非不坚利也,米粟非不多也;委⑤而去之,是地利不如人和也。故曰:域(6)民不以封疆之界,固国不以山谿(7)之险,威天下不以兵革之利。得道者多助,失道者寡助。寡助之至,亲戚畔(8)之;多助之至,天下顺之。以天下之所顺,攻亲戚之所畔;故君子有(9)不战,战必胜矣。”
【注释】
①天时、地利、人和:《苟子·王霸篇》说:“农夫朴力而寡能,则上不失天时,下不失地利,中得人和而百事不废。”苟子所指的“天时”指农时,“地利”指土壤肥沃,“人和”是指人的分工。而孟子在这里所说的“天时”则指尖兵作战的时机、气候等;“地利”是指山川险要,城池坚固等;“人和”则指人心所向,内部团结等。
②三里之城,七里之郭:内城叫“城”,外城叫“郭”。内外城比例一般是三里之城,七里之郭。
③池:即护城河。
④兵:武器,指戈矛刀箭等攻击性武器。革:皮革,指甲胄。古代甲胄确皮革做的,也有用铜铁做的。
(5)委:弃。
(6)域民:限制人民。域,界限.
(7)谿:(xi希)《左传·隐公三年》:“涧谿沼沚之毛。”《老子·二十八章》:“知其雄,守其雌,为天下谿。”《荀子·劝学》:“不临深谿,不知地之厚也。”《尔雅·释水·水注》:“川曰谿。李注:‘出于山入于川为谿也。’”《吕氏春秋·察微》:“若高山之与深谿。”《广雅》:“谿,谷也。”这里用为山中出水之溪谷之意。
(8)畔:同“叛”。
(9)有:或,要么。
【译文】
孟子说:“有利的时机和气候不如有利的地势,有利的地势不如人的齐心协力。一个三里内城墙、七里外城墙的小城,四面围攻都不能够攻破。既然四面围攻,总有遇到好时机或好天气的时候,但还是攻不破,这说明有利的时机和气候不如有利的地势。另一种情况是,城墙不是不高,护城河不是不深,兵器和甲胄不是锋利和坚固,粮草也不是不充足,但还是弃城而逃了,这就说明有利的地势不如人的齐心协力。所以说:老百姓不是靠封锁边境线就可以限制住的,国家不是靠山川险阻就可以保住的,扬威天下也不是靠锐利的兵器就可以做到的。拥有道义的人得到的帮助就多,失去道义的人得到的帮助就少。帮助的人少到极点时,连亲戚也会叛离;帮助的人多到极点时,全人下的人都会顺从。以全天下人都顺从的力量去攻打连亲戚都会叛离的人,必然是不战则已,战无不胜的了。”
【读解】
天、地、人三者的关系问题古往今来都是人们所关注的。三者到底谁最重要也就成了人们议论的话题。如我们在注释中所引,荀子曾经从农业生产的角度论述过天时、地利、人和的问题。但他并没有区分谁重要谁不重要,而是三者并重,缺一不可。
孟子在这里则主要是从军事方面来分析论述天时、地利、人和之间关系的,而且是观点鲜明:“天时不如地利,地利不如人和。”三者之中,“人和”是最重要的,起决定作用的因素,“地利”次之,“天时”又次之。这是与他重视人的主观能动性的一贯思想分军开的,同时,也是与他论述天时、地利、人和关系的目的分不开的,同时,也是与他论述天时、地利、人和关系的目的分不开的。正是从强调“人和”的重要性出发,他得出了“得道者多助,失道者寡助”的结论。这就把问题从军事引向了政治,实际上又回到了他那“老生常谈”的“仁政”话题。
按照孟子的看法,老百姓不是靠封锁边境线就可以限制住的,国家也不是靠山川就可以险阻就可以保住的,所以,闭关锁国是没有出路的。要改革,要开放,要提高自己的国力,让老百姓安居乐业。只要做到了这一点,就会“得道者多助”,多助到了极点,全天下的老百姓都会顺从归服。那就必然会出现孔子所说的那种情况——“则四方之民襁负其子而至矣。”(《论语·子路》各国人士都来申请留学,申请经商,甚至携带妻子儿女前来申请移民定居哪里还用得着“封疆之界”呢?只怕是赶也赶不走啊。
“得道者多助,失道者寡助”就这样成了名言,以至于我们为现在还常常用它来评价国际关系,谴责霸权主义者。当然,“天时不如地利,地利不如人和”也同样是名言,而且,还更为广泛地应用于商业竞争、体育比赛尤其是足球比赛的狂热之中。这充分说明它所蕴含的哲理是丰富、深刻而具广阔的延展性的。
所谓“人心齐,泰山移。”谁说“人和”不是最最重要的呢? |