離婁上
It is said in the Book of Poetry, "Without transgression, without forgetfulness, Following the ancient statutes."
非其君不事，非其民不使。
In the time of Zhou he dwelt on the shores of the North sea, waiting the purification of the kingdom.
離婁下
But when they got their wish, and carried their principles into practice throughout the Middle Kingdom, it was like uniting the two halves of a seal.
萬章上
Was Shun then murmuring against his parents?'
治則進，亂則退。
Therefore when men now hear the character of Bo Yi, the corrupt become pure, and the weak acquire determination. 'Yi Yin said, "Whom may I not serve?
My serving him makes him my sovereign.
What people may I not command?
My commanding them makes them my people."
思與鄉人處，如以朝衣朝冠坐於塗炭也。
He said, "Heaven's plan in the production of mankind is this: that they who are first informed should instruct those who are later in being informed, and they who first apprehend principles should instruct those who are slower in doing so.
萬章下
He could not bear to dwell either in a court from which a lawless government emanated, or among lawless people.
盡心上
When neither a premature death nor long life causes a man any double-mindedness, but he waits in the cultivation of his personal character for whatever issue; this is the way in which he establishes his Heaven-ordained being.'
當紂之時，居北海之濱，以待天下之清也。
I am the one of Heaven's people who has first apprehended; I will take these principles and instruct the people in them."
告子上
If you must do violence and injury to the willow in order to make cups and bowls with it, on your principles you must in the same way do violence and injury to humanity in order to fashion from it benevolence and righteousness!
故聞伯夷之風者，頑夫廉，懦夫有立志。
「伊尹曰：『何事非君？
何使非民？』
He thought that among all the people of the kingdom, even the common men and women, if there were any who did not share in the enjoyment of such benefits as Yao and Shun conferred, it was as if he himself pushed them into a ditch - for he took upon himself the heavy charge of the kingdom.
予，天民之先覺者也；予將以此道覺此民也。』
When dismissed and left without office, he did not murmur.
When straitened by poverty, he did not grieve.
When thrown into the company of village people, he was quite at ease and could not bear to leave them.
告子下
The answer again was, 'The observance of the rules of propriety in the matter is the more important.'
「柳下惠，不羞汙君，不辭小官。
Therefore when men now hear the character of Hui of Liu Xia, the mean become generous, and the niggardly become liberal.
盡心下
Mencius answered, 'The king Hui of Liang, for the matter of territory, tore and destroyed his people, leading them to battle.
Sustaining a great defeat, he would engage again, and afraid lest they should not be able to secure the victory, urged his son whom he loved till he sacrificed him with them.
This is what I call "beginning with what they do not care for, and proceeding to what they care for."
進不隱賢，必以其道。
'When Confucius was leaving Qi, he strained off with his hand the water in which his rice was being rinsed, took the rice, and went away.
When he left Lu, he said, "I will set out by-and-by" - it was right he should leave the country of his parents in this way.
『爾為爾，我為我，雖袒裼裸裎於我側，爾焉能浼我哉？』
Mencius said,'Bo Yi among the sages was the pure one; Yi Yin was the one most inclined to take office; Hui of Liu Xia was the accommodating one; and Confucius was the timeous one.
「孔子之去齊，接淅而行；去魯，曰：『遲遲吾行也。』去父母國之道也。
A complete concert is when the large bell proclaims the commencement of the music, and the ringing stone proclaims its close.
可以速而速，可以久而久，可以處而處，可以仕而仕，孔子也。」
The metal sound commences the blended harmony of all the instruments, and the winding up with the stone terminates that blended harmony.
孟子曰：「伯夷，聖之清者也；伊尹，聖之任者也；柳下惠，聖之和者也；孔子，聖之時者也。
The commencing that harmony is the work of wisdom.
The terminating it is the work of sageness.
集大成也者，金聲而玉振之也。
as in the case of shooting at a mark a hundred paces distant.
That you reach it is owing to your strength, but that you hit the mark is not owing to your strength.'
金聲也者，始條理也；玉振之也者，終條理也。
Bei Gong Qi asked Mencius, saying, 'What was the arrangement of dignities and emoluments determined by the House of Zhou?'