《孟子》中英文版
第十二编 《告子下》(6)
第六章 相同的行为规范下，行为方式不必一致
淳于髡曰：“先名實者，為人也；後名實者，自為也。夫子在三卿之中，名實未加於上下而去之，仁者固如此乎？”
Chun Yu Kun said, 'He who makes fame and meritorious services his first objects, acts with a regard to others. He who makes them only secondary objects, acts with a regard to himself. You, master, were ranked among the three chief ministers of the State, but before your fame and services had reached either to the prince or the people, you have left your place. Is this indeed the way of the benevolent?'
孟子曰：“居下位，不以賢事不肖者，伯夷也；五就湯，五就桀者，伊尹也；不惡汙君，不辭小官者，柳下惠也。三子者不同道，其趨一也。一者何也？曰：仁也。君子亦仁而已矣，何必同？”
Mencius replied, 'There was Bo Yi - he abode in an inferior situation, and would not, with his virtue, serve a degenerate prince. There was Yi Yin - he five times went to Tang, and five times went to Jie. There was Hui of Liu Xia - he did not disdain to serve a vile prince, nor did he decline a small office. The courses pursued by those three worthies were different, but their aim was one. And what was their one aim? We must answer "To be perfectly virtuous." And so it is simply after this that superior men strive. Why must they all pursue the same course?'
曰：“魯繆公之時，公儀子為政，子柳、子思為臣，魯之削也滋甚。若是乎賢者之無益於國也！”曰：“虞不用百里奚而亡，秦穆公用之而霸。不用賢則亡，削何可得與？”
Kun pursued, 'In the time of the duke Mu of Lu, the government was in the hands of Gong Yi, while Zi Liu and Zi Si were ministers. And yet, the dismemberment of Lu then increased exceedingly. Such was the case, a specimen how your men of virtue are of no advantage to a kingdom!' Mencius said, 'The prince of Yu did not use Bai Li Xi, and thereby lost his State. The duke Mu of Qin used him, and became chief of all the princes. Ruin is the consequence of not employing men of virtue and talents - how can it rest with dismemberment merely?'
曰：“昔者王豹處於淇，而河西善謳；綿駒處於高唐，而齊右善歌；華周、杞梁之妻善哭其夫，而變國俗。有諸內必形諸外。為其事而無其功者，髡未嘗睹之也。是故無賢者也，有則髡必識之。”
Kun urged again, 'Formerly, when Wang Bao dwelt on the Qi, the people on the west of the Yellow River all became skilful at singing in his abrupt manner. When Mian Ju lived in Gao Tang, the people in the parts of Qi on the west became skilful at singing in his prolonged manner. The wives of Hua Zhou and Qi Liang bewailed their husbands so skilfully, that they changed the manners of the State. When there is the gift within, it manifests itself without. I have never seen the man who could do the deeds of a worthy, and did not realize the work of one. Therefore there are now no men of talents and virtue. If there were, I should know them.'
曰：“孔子為魯司寇，不用，從而祭，燔肉不至，不稅冕而行。不知者以為為肉也。其知者以為為無禮也。乃孔子則欲以微罪行，不欲為苟去。君子之所為，眾人固不識也。”
Mencius answered, 'When Confucius was chief minister of Justice in Lu, the prince came not to follow his counsels. Soon after there was the solstitial sacrifice, and when a part of the flesh presented in sacrifice was not sent to him, he went away even without taking off his cap of ceremony. Those who did not know him supposed it was on account of the flesh. Those who knew him supposed that it was on account of the neglect of the usual ceremony. The fact was, that Confucius wanted to go away on occasion of some small offence, not wishing to do so without some apparent cause. All men cannot be expected to understand the conduct of a superior man.'
【原文】
淳于髡1曰：“先名实者，为人也；后名实者，自为也。夫子在三卿2之中，名实未加于上下而去之，仁者固如此乎？”
孟子曰：“居下位，不以贤事不肖者，伯夷也；五就汤，五就桀者，伊尹也；不恶污君，不辞小官者，柳下惠也。三子者不同道，其趋一也。一者何也？曰，仁也。君子亦仁而已矣，何必同？”
曰：“鲁缪公之时，公仪子3为政，子柳4、子思为臣，鲁之削也滋甚。若是乎，贤者之无益于国也！”
曰：“虞不用百里奚而亡，秦穆公用之而霸。不用贤则亡，削何可得与？”
曰：“昔者王豹5处于淇，而河西善讴；绵驹6处于高唐，而齐右善歌；华周7、杞梁8之妻善哭其夫而变国俗。有诸内，必形诸外。为其事而无其功者，髡未尝睹之也。是故无贤者也，有则髡必识之。”
曰：“孔子为鲁司寇，不用，从而祭，燔肉不至，不税9冕而行。不知者以为为肉也，其知者以为为无礼也。乃孔子则欲以微罪行，不欲为苟去。君子之所为，众人固不识也。”
【注释】
1.淳于髡（kun昆）：人名，战国时期齐国学者，以博学著称。
2.三卿：指上卿、亚卿、下卿。卿是古代高级官员或爵位的称谓。
3.公仪子：人名，鲁国博士。
4.子柳：人名，即泄柳。
5.王豹：人名，卫国人，著名歌唱家。
6.绵驹：人名，齐国人，著名歌唱家。
7.华周：人名，齐国大夫。
8.杞梁：人名，齐国大夫。此二人在齐国和莒国的战争中死亡。
9.税：通“脱”。《左传·成公九年》：“郑人所献楚囚也，使税之。”《墨子·三辩》：“此譬之犹马驾而不税，弓张而不弛。”《韩非子·十过》：“税车而放马，设舍以宿。”《吕氏春秋·慎大》：“乃税马于华山，说收于桃林。”《史记·李斯列传》：“吾未知所税驾也。”这里用为“脱”，也有解脱之意。
【译文】
淳于髡说：“首先注重名位实质的，是为了治理人民；尔后注重名位实质的，是为了自己。先生你在三卿位上，名位实质还没有贡献于上下就离去，仁者都是这样的吗？”
孟子说：“居在较低的职位，不以贤能侍奉不成器的人，是伯夷这类人。五次服务于商汤，五次服务于夏桀，是伊尹这类人。不厌恶昏庸的君主，不推辞小官之位，是柳下惠这类人。这三个人人生道路不同，但目标是一样的。这一样的目标是什么呢？就是建立起人与人之间相互亲爱的关系。君子做到与人相互亲爱而已，何必要走同样的道路？”
淳于髡说：“鲁缪公的时候，公仪子执政，子柳、子思做大臣。可是鲁国日渐削弱很严重。像这样的情况贤能者对于国家没有什么益处。”
孟子说：“虞国当年不用百里奚后来就灭亡了，秦穆公重用百里奚后就成了霸主。不用贤能就灭亡，就是想日渐削弱也能得到吗？”
淳于髡说：“从前王豹住在淇水附近，而河西的人都善于唱歌。绵驹住在高唐，而齐国的西部都善于唱歌。华周、杞梁的妻子因为善于哀哭她们的丈夫，从而使国家的风俗改变。内在有什么内容，外在就会表现出来。行为于某件事情而没有功效，我从来没有见过。所以说齐国没有贤能的人，如果有，我必然认识。”
孟子说：“孔子做了鲁国的司寇，不被重用，跟随国君去祭祀，祭祀的肉也没有得到，于是不脱帽子就离开了。不知者以为孔子是为了一块祭祀的肉，知道内情的人则认为这祭祀不符合社会行为规范。而孔子本人想以承担轻微的罪而离开，不愿意随便离去。君子的所作所为，本来一般人就很难认识到。”
【解说】
这里牵涉到一个问题，即当不当官，当官干不干事，有没有贡献的问题。按照社会行为规范，既然要当官，不论是为民还是为己，都应该干事，都应该有贡献。然而，孟子认为，虽然都要遵守一定的社会行为规范，但人生有不同的道路，人们的所作所为也就不同。不能因为有相同的社会行为规范，人们的行为方式就必须一致。虽然，王豹住在淇水附近，而河西的人都善于唱歌。绵驹住在高唐，而齐国西部的人都善于唱歌。华周、杞梁的妻子因为善于哀哭她们的丈夫，从而使国家的风俗改变。内在有什么内容，外在就会表现出来。但这里面有个同类不同类的问题，不能仅以表面现象来看待内在的实质。
一个社会，有邪恶与贤能两种势力，当邪恶势力占上风时，贤能的势力表现不出来，但这并不代表这个社会环境中没有贤能势力，没有贤能的人。同理，当贤能势力占上风时，也会有邪恶势力存在。从表面现象看，孔子似乎是为了一块祭祀的肉，但实质上这是孔子对不符合社会行为规范的祭祀仪式的一种反对。由于一般人不懂得祭祀仪式的规范，所以就会欣欣然接受祭肉而兴高采烈，或者得不到祭肉而破口大骂。孟子在前面就多次说过，没有规矩不成方圆，国有国法，家有家规，如果人人都为所欲为，置一定的社会行为规范而不顾，岂不乱套了吗？所以，人们应该在遵守一定的社会行为规范下，选择出最适合于自己的，又于国于民有利的行为方式才对。 |
