《孟子》中英文版
第二编 《梁惠王下》(5)
第五章 贪财好色怎么办?
齊宣王問曰:“人皆謂我毀明堂。毀諸?已乎?”
The king Xuan of Qi said, 'People all tell me to pull down and remove the Hall of Distinction. Shall I pull it down, or stop the movement for that object?'
孟子對曰:“夫明堂者,王者之堂也。王欲行王政,則勿毀之矣。”
Mencius replied, 'The Hall of Distinction is a Hall appropriate to the sovereigns. If your Majesty wishes to practise the true royal government, then do not pull it down.'
王曰:“王政可得聞與?”
The king said, 'May I hear from you what the true royal government is?'
對曰:“昔者文王之治岐也,耕者九一,仕者世祿,關市譏而不征,澤梁無禁,罪人不孥。老而無妻曰鰥。老而無夫曰寡。老而無子曰獨。幼而無父曰孤。此四者,天下之窮民而無告者。文王發政施仁,必先斯四者。《詩》云:‘哿矣富人,哀此煢獨。’”
'Formerly,' was the reply, 'king Wen's government of Qi was as follows: The husbandmen cultivated for the government one-ninth of the land; the descendants of officers were salaried; at the passes and in the markets, strangers were inspected, but goods were not taxed: there were no prohibitions respecting the ponds and weirs; the wives and children of criminals were not involved in their guilt. There were the old and wifeless, or widowers; the old and husbandless, or widows; the old and childless, or solitaries; the young and fatherless, or orphans - these four classes are the most destitute of the people, and have none to whom they can tell their wants, and king Wen, in the institution of his government with its benevolent action, made them the first objects of his regard, as it is said in the Book of Poetry, "The rich may get through life well; But alas! for the miserable and solitary!"'
王曰:“善哉言乎!”
The king said, 'O excellent words!'
曰:“王如善之,則何為不行?”
Mencius said, 'Since your Majesty deems them excellent, why do you not practise them?'
王曰:“寡人有疾,寡人好貨。”
'I have an infirmity,' said the king; 'I am fond of wealth.'
對曰:“昔者公劉好貨,《詩》云:‘乃積乃倉,乃裹餱糧,于橐于囊。思戢用光。弓矢斯張,干戈戚揚,爰方啟行。’故居者有積倉,行者有裹糧也,然後可以爰方啟行。王如好貨,與百姓同之,於王何有?”
The reply was, 'Formerly, Gong Liu was fond of wealth. It is said in the Book of Poetry, "He reared his ricks, and filled his granaries, He tied up dried provisions and grain, In bottomless bags, and sacks, That he might gather his people together, and glorify his State. With bows and arrows all-displayed, With shields, and spears, and battle-axes, large and small, He commenced his march." In this way those who remained in their old seat had their ricks and granaries, and those who marched had their bags of provisions. It was not till after this that he thought he could begin his march. If your Majesty loves wealth, give the people power to gratify the same feeling, and what difficulty will there be in your attaining the royal sway?'
王曰:“寡人有疾,寡人好色。”
The king said, 'I have an infirmity; I am fond of beauty.'
對曰:“昔者大王好色,愛厥妃。《詩》云:‘古公亶甫,來朝走馬,率西水滸,至于岐下。爰及姜女,聿來胥宇。’當是時也,內無怨女,外無曠夫。王如好色,與百姓同之,於王何有?”
The reply was, 'Formerly, king Tai was fond of beauty, and loved his wife. It is said in the Book of Poetry, "Gu Gong Tan Fu, Came in the morning, galloping his horse, By the banks of the western waters, As far as the foot of Qi hill, Along with the lady of Jiang; They came and together chose the site for their settlement." At that time, in the seclusion of the house, there were no dissatisfied women, and abroad, there were no unmarried men. If your Majesty loves beauty, let the people be able to gratify the same feeling, and what difficulty will there be in your attaining the royal sway?'
【原文】
齐宣王问曰:“人皆谓我毁明堂①。毁诸?已乎②?”
孟子对曰:“夫明堂者,王者之堂也。王欲行王政,则勿毁之矣。”王曰:“王政可得闻与?”
对曰:“昔者文王之治岐③也,耕者九一④,仕者世禄,关市讥而不征⑤,泽梁⑥无禁,罪人不孥⑦。老而无妻曰鳏。老而无夫曰寡。老而无子曰独。幼而无父曰孤。此四者,天下之穷民而无告者。文王发政施仁,必先斯四者。诗云:‘哿矣富人,哀此茕独⑧。’”王曰:“善哉言乎!”
曰:“王如善之,则何为不行?”王曰:“寡人有疾,寡人好货。”
对曰:“昔者公刘⑨好货;《诗》云⑩:‘乃积乃仓,乃裹糇粮⑾,于橐于囊⑿。思戢用光⒀。弓矢斯张,干戈戚扬⒁,爰方启行⒂。’故居者有积仓,行者有裹粮也,然后可以爰方启行。王如好货,与百姓同之,于王何有?”王曰:“寡人有疾,寡人好色。”
对曰:“昔者大王好色,爱厥⒃妃。〈诗〉云⒄:‘古公亶父⒅,来朝走马,率西水浒⒆,至于岐下。爰及姜女⒇,聿来胥宇(21)。’当是时也,内无怨女,外无旷夫(22)。王如好色,与百姓同之,于王何有?”
【注释】
⑴明堂:为天子接见诸侯而设的建筑。这里是指泰山明堂,是周天子东巡时设,至汉代还有遗址。
⑵已:止,不。
⑶岐:地名,在今陕西岐山县一带。
⑷耕者九一:指井田制。把耕地划成井字形,每井九百亩,周围八家各一百亩,属私田,中间一百亩属公田,由八家共同耕种,收入归公家,所以叫九一税制。
⑸关:道路上的关卡,近于现代“海关”的概念。市:集市。讥:稽查。征:征税。
⑹泽梁:在流水中拦鱼的设备。
⑺驽(nu):本指妻子儿女,这里用作动词,不孥即指不牵连妻子儿女。
⑻哿(ge)矣富人,哀此茕(qiong)独:引自《诗经.小雅。正月》。哿,可以。茕:孤单。
⑼公刘:人名,后稷的后代,周朝的创业始祖。
⑽《诗》云:引自《诗经。大雅。公刘》。
⑾堠(hou)粮:干粮。
⑿橐(tuo)囊:都是盛物的东西,囊大橐小。
⒀思:语气词,无义。戢:同“辑”,和睦。用:因而。光:发扬光大。
⒁干戈戚扬:四种兵器。
⒂爰方启行:爰,于是;方,开始;启行:出发。
⒃厥:代词,他的,那个。
⒄《诗》云:引自《诗经。大雅。绵》。
⒅古公亶父:即周文王的祖父周太王。
⒆率:循者。浒:水边。
⒇爰:语首词,无义。姜女:太王的妃子。也称太姜。
(21)聿:语首词,无义。胥:动词,省视,视察。宇:屋宇。
(22)怨女:未出嫁的老处女。旷夫:未娶妻的单身汉。古代女子居内,男子居外,所以以内外代指。
【译文】
齐宣王问道:“别人都建议我拆毁明堂,究竟是拆毁好呢?还是不拆毁好呢?
孟子回答说:“明堂是施行王政的殿堂。大王如果想施行王政,就请不要拆毁它吧。”宣王说:“可以把王政说给我听听吗?”
孟子回答说:“从前周文王治理岐山的时候,对农民的税率是九分抽一;对于做官的人是给予世代承袭的俸禄;在关卡和市场上只稽查,不征税;任何人到湖泊捕鱼都不禁止;对罪犯的处罚不牵连妻子儿女。失去妻子的老年人叫做鳏夫;失去丈夫的老年人叫做寡妇;没有儿女的老年人叫做独老;失去父亲的儿童叫做孤儿。这四种人是天下穷苦无靠的人。文王实行仁政,一定最先考虑到他们。《诗经》说:‘有钱人是可以过得去了,可怜那些无依无靠的孤人吧。”
宣王说:“说得好呀!”
孟子说:“大王如果认为说得好,为什么不这样做呢?”
宣王说:“我有个毛病,我喜爱钱财。”
孟子说:“从前公刘也喜爱钱财。《诗经》说:‘收割粮食装满仓,备好充足的干粮,装进小袋和大囊。紧密团结争荣光,张弓带箭齐武装。盾戈斧铆拿手上,开始动身向前方。’因此留在家里的人有谷,行军的人有干粮,这才能够率领军队前进。大王如果喜爱钱财,能想到老百姓也喜爱钱财,这对施行王政有什么影响呢?”
宣王说:“我还有个毛病,我喜爱女色。”
孟子回答说:“从前周太王也喜爱女色,非常爱他的妃子。《诗经》说:‘周太王古公亶父,一大早驱驰快马。沿着西边的河岸,一直走到岐山下。带着妻子姜氏女,勘察地址建新居。’那时,没有找不到丈夫的老处女,也没有找不到妻子的老光棍。大王如果喜爱女色,能想到老百姓也喜爱女色,这对施行王政有什么影响呢?”
【读解】
孟子在这里所说的王政也就是前面给梁惠王说的王道,王政就是王道之政,用仁德来统一天下的政治,实际上也就是他的另一个术语——仁政。
与孔子一样,孟子也是言必称文、武、周公的。所以,他在这里向齐宣王介绍王道政治时也是以文王治理岐山的政策为依据的。这里的话虽不长,但包含的内容却是很广,牵涉到农业税收、官吏制度、商业政策、渔业开放、刑法制度等等,尤其是最后还重点说到了社会福利的问题。
按照孟子的思想,制国平天下的人不可不重视社会福利事业。敬老院、孤儿院等应大大加强,养老保险、人身保险等等也应该提上议事日程。当然,是不是还应该开设婚姻介绍所,甚至是是老年婚姻介绍所,这就不是孟老夫子所能想象的了。
当孟子描绘出周文王的仁政图景时,齐宣王不由的脱口而出,赞扬孟子所说的是“善哉言呼!”然而,有意思的是,当孟子自以为抓住了时机问齐宣王为什么不向周文王学习,施行仁政时,齐宣王竟然又一次找出遁词来,从上一次孟子劝他采取和平共处外交政策时的“寡人好勇”上升到说“寡人好货”,乃至于“寡人好色”来了。大有自甘堕落,自认是孔子的学生宰我“朽木不可雕也,粪土之墙不可杌也”的味道。用我们今天的话来说:“我贪财好色!”我就是这么不成器,你难道还要我实行你那高深廉洁的王道或仁政吗?殊不知孟子就是孟子,莫说你贪财好色,你就是说你“好杀”,是杀人狂,他也会告诉你说,喜欢杀人杀人不要紧,只要你杀的是十恶不赦的坏人!周武王不就逼杀了殷纣王吗?所以,针对齐宣王说自己“好货”、“好色”的问题,孟子又展开了谈天说地口,同样找出了史证,说周朝的始祖公就“好货”,而文王的祖父古公亶父就“好色”。当然,最关键的两句话依然是:“王如好货,与百姓同之,与王何有?”“王如好色,与百姓同之,与王何有?”一言以蔽之,还是“与民同乐”的思想,或者准确一点说,是“与民同欲”。看来,在孟子的心目中,只要你这做国君的是与老百姓同甘共苦的,干什么都是不会错的!
当然,我们也知道,作为儒家学派主要代表之一的“亚圣”孟子是奉行中庸之道,而不会如此走极端的。他之所以退让,如此纵容齐宣王,任齐宣王说什么他都顺水推舟,打蛇随棍上,其实是采用的欲擒故纵手法,使齐宣王没有退路,难以遁出王道政治的“彀中”。其用心良苦,实在值得我们今天的读书人细心体会。而不要捡了半句就开跑,以“亚圣”孟子曾经说过贪财好色没有关系为依据,使自己成为惟利是图的贪财小人和拈花惹草的好色之徒。
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