孟子曰：「子能順杞柳之性而以為桮棬乎？
Man's nature is indifferent to good and evil, just as the water is indifferent to the east and west.'
將戕賊杞柳而後以為桮棬也？
Mencius replied, 'Water indeed will flow indifferently to the east or west, but will it flow indifferently up or down?
如將戕賊杞柳而以為桮棬，則亦將戕賊人以為仁義與？
Mencius replied, 'Water indeed will flow indifferently to the east or west, but will it flow indifferently up or down?
率天下之人而禍仁義者，必子之言夫！」
The tendency of man's nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downwards.
告子曰：「性猶湍水也，決諸東方則東流，決諸西方則西流。
There are none but have this tendency to good, just as all water flows downwards.
人性之無分於善不善也，猶水之無分於東西也。」
Now by striking water and causing it to leap up, you may make it go over your forehead, and, by damming and leading it you may force it up a hill - but are such movements according to the nature of water?
孟子曰：「水信無分於東西。
It is the force applied which causes them.
無分於上下乎？
It is the force applied which causes them.
人性之善也，猶水之就下也。
When men are made to do what is not good, their nature is dealt with in this way.'
人無有不善，水無有不下。
The philosopher Gao said, 'Life is what we call nature!'
其勢則然也。
'Yes, I do,' was the reply.
人之可使為不善，其性亦猶是也。」
Mencius added, 'Is the whiteness of a white feather like that of white snow, and the whiteness of white snow like that of white jade?'
孟子曰：「生之謂性也，猶白之謂白與？」
'Very well,' pursued Mencius. 'Is the nature of a dog like the nature of an ox, and the nature of an ox like the nature of a man?'
曰：「然。」
Mencius asked him, 'What is the ground of your saying that benevolence is internal and righteousness external?'
「然則犬之性，猶牛之性；牛之性，猶人之性與？」
He replied, 'There is a man older than I, and I give honour to his age.
It is not that there is first in me a principle of such reverence to age.
It is just as when there is a white man, and I consider him white; according as he is so externally to me.
On this account, I pronounce of righteousness that it is external.'
告子曰：「食色，性也。
Mencius said, 'There is no difference between our pronouncing a white horse to be white and our pronouncing a white man to be white.
But is there no difference between the regard with which we acknowledge the age of an old horse and that with which we acknowledge the age of an old man?
仁，內也，非外也；義，外也，非內也。」
And what is it which is called righteousness?
The fact of a man's being old?
Or the fact of our giving honour to his age?'
孟子曰：「何以謂仁內義外也？」
Gao said, 'There is my younger brother; I love him.
But the younger brother of a man of Qin I do not love: that is, the feeling is determined by myself, and therefore I say that benevolence is internal.
曰：「彼長而我長之，非有長於我也；猶彼白而我白之，從其白於外也，故謂之外也。」
On the other hand, I give honour to an old man of Chu, and I also give honour to an old man of my own people: that is, the feeling is determined by the age, and therefore I say that righteousness is external.'
且謂長者義乎？
Thus, what you insist on takes place also in the case of such things, and will you say likewise that our enjoyment of a roast is external?'
長之者義乎？」
Thus, what you insist on takes place also in the case of such things, and will you say likewise that our enjoyment of a roast is external?'
曰：「吾弟則愛之，秦人之弟則不愛也，是以我為悅者也，故謂之內。
The disciple Meng Ji asked Gong Du, saying, 'On what ground is it said that righteousness is internal?'
長楚人之長，亦長吾之長，是以長為悅者也，故謂之外也。」
Gong Du replied, 'We therein act out our feeling of respect, and therefore it is said to be internal.'
曰：「耆秦人之炙，無以異於耆吾炙。
The other objected, 'Suppose the case of a villager older than your elder brother by one year, to which of them would you show the greater respect?'