《孟子》中英文版
第九编 《万章上》(5)
第五章 君权谁授？
萬章曰：“堯以天下與舜，有諸？”
Wan Zhang said, 'Was it the case that Yao gave the throne to Shun?'
孟子曰：“否。天子不能以天下與人。”
Mencius said, 'No. The sovereign cannot give the throne to another.'
“然則舜有天下也，孰與之？”
'Yes - but Shun had the throne. Who gave it to him?'
曰：“天與之。”
'Heaven gave it to him,' was the answer.
“天與之者，諄諄然命之乎？”
'" Heaven gave it to him:" - did Heaven confer its appointment on him with specific injunctions?'
曰：“否。天不言，以行與事示之而已矣。”
Mencius replied, 'No. Heaven does not speak. It simply showed its will by his personal conduct and his conduct of affairs.'
曰：“以行與事示之者如之何？”
"It showed its will by his personal conduct and his conduct of affairs" - how was this?'
曰：“天子能薦人於天，不能使天與之天下；諸侯能薦人於天子，不能使天子與之諸侯；大夫能薦人於諸侯，不能使諸侯與之大夫。昔者堯薦舜於天而天受之，暴之於民而民受之，故曰：天不言，以行與事示之而已矣。”
Mencius's answer was, 'The sovereign can present a man to Heaven, but he cannot make Heaven give that man the throne. A prince can present a man to the sovereign, but he cannot cause the sovereign to make that man a prince. A great officer can present a man to his prince, but he cannot cause the prince to make that man a great officer. Yao presented Shun to Heaven, and Heaven accepted him. He presented him to the people, and the people accepted him. Therefore I say, "Heaven does not speak. It simply indicated its will by his personal conduct and his conduct of affairs."'
曰：“敢問薦之於天而天受之，暴之於民而民受之，如何？”
Zhang said, 'I presume to ask how it was that Yao presented Shun to Heaven, and Heaven accepted him; and that he exhibited him to the people, and the people accepted him.'
曰：“使之主祭而百神享之，是天受之；使之主事而事治，百姓安之，是民受之也。天與之，人與之，故曰：天子不能以天下與人。舜相堯二十有八載，非人之所能為也，天也。堯崩，三年之喪畢，舜避堯之子於南河之南。天下諸侯朝覲者，不之堯之子而之舜；訟獄者，不之堯之子而之舜；謳歌者，不謳歌堯之子而謳歌舜，故曰天也。夫然後之中國，踐天子位焉。而居堯之宮，逼堯之子，是篡也，非天與也。《太誓》曰：‘天視自我民視，天聽自我民聽’，此之謂也。”
Mencius replied, 'He caused him to preside over the sacrifices, and all the spirits were well pleased with them; thus Heaven accepted him. He caused him to preside over the conduct of affairs, and affairs were well administered, so that the people reposed under him; thus the people accepted him. Heaven gave the throne to him. The people gave it to him. Therefore I said, "The sovereign cannot give the throne to another. Shun assisted Yao in the government for twenty and eight years - this was more than man could have done, and was from Heaven. After the death of Yao, when the three years' mourning was completed, Shun withdrew from the son of Yao to the south of South river. The princes of the kingdom, however, repairing to court, went not to the son of Yao, but they went to Shun. Litigants went not to the son of Yao, but they went to Shun. Singers sang not the son of Yao, but they sang Shun. Therefore I said, "Heaven gave him the throne." It was after these things that he went to the Middle Kingdom, and occupied the seat of the Son of Heaven. If he had, before these things, taken up his residence in the palace of Yao, and had applied pressure to the son of Yao, it would have been an act of usurpation, and not the gift of Heaven. This sentiment is expressed in the words of The Great Declaration: "Heaven sees according as my people see; Heaven hears according as my people hear."'
【原文】
万章曰：“尧以天下与舜，有诸？”
孟子曰：“否，天子不能以天下与人。”
“然则舜有天下也，孰与之？”
曰：“天与之。”
“天与之者，谆谆①然命之乎？”
曰：“否，天不言，以行与事示之而已矣。”
曰：“以行与事示之者，如之何？”
曰：“天子能荐人于天，不能使天与之天下；诸侯能荐人于天子，不能使天子与之诸侯；大夫能荐人于诸侯，不能使诸侯与之大夫。昔者，尧荐舜于天，而天受之；暴②之于民，而民受之。故曰，天不言，以行与事示之而已矣。”曰：“敢问荐之于天，而天受之；暴之于民，而民受之，如何？”
曰：“使之主祭，而百神享之，是天受之；使之主事，而事治，百姓安之，是民受之也。天与之，人与之，故曰，天子不能以天下与人。舜相尧二十有八载，非人之所能为也，天也。尧崩，三年之丧毕，舜避尧之子于南河③之南，天下诸侯朝觐者，不之尧之子而之舜；讼狱者，不之尧之子而之舜；沤歌者，不沤歌尧之子而沤歌舜。故曰，天也。夫然后之中国④，践天子位焉。而（5）居尧之宫，逼尧之子，是篡也，非天与也。《太誓》曰：‘天视自我民视，天听自我民听。’此之谓也。”
【注释】
①谆谆（Zhun）：反复叮咛。
②暴（pu）：显露，公开。
③南河：舜避居处，在今山东濮县东二十五里，河在尧都之南，故称南河。
④中国；这里指帝都。
⑤而：如。
【译文】
万章问：“尧拿天下授予舜，有这回事吗？”
孟子说：“不，天子不能够拿天下授予人。”
万章问：“那么舜得到天下，是谁授予他的呢？”
孟子回答说：“天授予的。”
万章问：“天授予他时，反复叮咛告诫他吗？”
孟子说：“不，天不说话，拿行动和事情来表示罢了。”
万章问：“拿行动和事情来表示，是怎样的呢？”
孟子回答说：“天子能够向天推荐人，但不能强迫天把天下授予人；诸侯能够向天子推荐人，但不能强迫天子把诸侯之位授予这人；大夫能够向诸侯推荐人，但不能强迫诸侯把大夫之位授予这人。从前，尧向天推荐了舜，天接受了；又把舜公开介绍给老百姓，老百姓也接受了。所以说，天不说话，拿行动和事情来表示罢了。”
万章说：“请问推荐给天，天接受了；公开介绍给老百姓，老百姓也接受了是怎么回事呢？”
孟子说：“叫他主持祭祀，所有神明都来享用，这是天接受了；叫他主持政事，政事治理得很好，老百姓很满意，这就是老百姓也接受了。天授予他，老百姓授予他，所以说，天子不能够拿天下授予人。舜辅佐尧治理天下二十八年，这不是凭一个人的意志够做得到的，而是天意。尧去世后，舜为他服丧三年，然后便避居于南河的南边去，为的是要让尧的儿子继承天下。可是，天下诸侯朝见天子的，都不到芜的儿子那里去，却到舜那里去；打官司的，都不到尧的儿子那里去，却到舜那里去；歌颂的人，也不歌颂尧的儿子，却歌颂舜。所以你这是天意。这样，舜才回到帝都，登上了天子之位。如果先前舜就占据尧的宫室，逼迫尧的儿子让位，那就是篡夺，而不是天授予他的了。《太誓》说过：‘上天所见来自我们老百姓的所见，上天所听来自我们老百姓的所听。’说的正是这个意思。”
【读解】
君权谁授？
按照一般传统的理解，在禅让制的时代，这一代的君权是由上一代的天子授予的。这也就是孟子的学生万章的看法。
可孟子却做出了与传统看法不一样的回答，认为天子个人并没有权力把天下拿来授予谁，而只有上天和下民（老百姓）才有这个权力。很明显，孟子是脚跨上下两个方面，一只脚跨在上天，有“君权神授”的神秘色彩；另一只脚却跨在民间，有“民约论”的味道。而他的论述，则正好是在这两方面寻求沟通的桥梁，寻找“天意”与“民意”的结合点。所谓“究天人之际”，研究天与人的关系，这是中国古代哲学家、思想家探讨的核心问题，而孟子在这里的探讨，是从政治、君权的角度来进行的，也算是一个重要的课题罢。
事实上，孟子在这里的分析论述，与其说强调“天”的一方面，不如说强调“民”的一方面更为贴切。就以他所分析的舜的情况来看，舜之所以最终“之中国，践天子位”，完全是因为“天下诸侯朝觐者，不之尧之子而之舜；讼狱者，不之尧之子而之舜诓歌者，不诓歌尧之子而怄歌舜”。所以，与其说是“天授”，不如说是“民授”。他最后所引《太誓》上的两句话：“天视自我民视，天听自我民听。”不也一方面说明了“天人之际”的密切联系，另一方面说明了“天意”从根本上说还是来自“民意”吗？
可见，孟子的政治学说里的确怎么也抹不掉“以民为本”的思想。
君权谁授？
从根本上来回答，是民授而不是神授、天授，当然更不是哪个个人所授，即便你是伟大的如尧，也没有那样大的权力。 |
