知其性，則知天矣。
Therefore, he who has the true idea of what is Heaven's appointment will not stand beneath a precipitous wall.
存其心，養其性，所以事天也。
Death sustained in the discharge of one's duties may correctly be ascribed to the appointment of Heaven.
孟子曰：「莫非命也，順受其正。
Mencius said, 'When we get by our seeking and lose by our neglecting - in that case seeking is of use to getting, and the things sought for are those which are in ourselves.
是故知命者，不立乎巖牆之下。
When the seeking is according to the proper course, and the getting is only as appointed - in that case the seeking is of no use to getting, and the things sought are without ourselves.'
桎梏死者，非正命也。」
There is no greater delight than to be conscious of sincerity on self-examination.
孟子曰：「求則得之，舍則失之，是求有益於得也，求在我者也。
If one acts with a vigorous effort at the law of reciprocity, when he seeks for the realization of perfect virtue, nothing can be closer than his approximation to it.'
求之有道，得之有命，是求無益於得也，求在外者也。」
Mencius said, 'To act without understanding, and to do so habitually without examination, pursuing the proper path all the life without knowing its nature - this is the way of multitudes.'
強恕而行，求仁莫近焉。」
Mencius said, 'The sense of shame is to a man of great importance.
孟子曰：「行之而不著焉，習矣而不察焉，終身由之而不知其道者，眾也。」
Those who form contrivances and versatile schemes distinguished for their artfulness, do not allow their sense of shame to come into action.
孟子曰：「人不可以無恥。
When one differs from other men in not having this sense of shame, what will he have in common with them?'
無恥之恥，無恥矣。」
Mencius said, 'The able and virtuous monarchs of antiquity loved virtue and forgot their power.
And shall an exception be made of the able and virtuous scholars of antiquity, that they did not do the same?
孟子曰：「恥之於人大矣。
They delighted in their own principles, and were oblivious of the power of princes.
為機變之巧者，無所用恥焉。
Therefore, if kings and dukes did not show the utmost respect, and observe all forms of ceremony, they were not permitted to come frequently and visit them.
不恥不若人，何若人有？」
If they thus found it not in their power to pay them frequent visits, how much less could they get to employ them as ministers?'
孟子曰：「古之賢王好善而忘勢，古之賢士何獨不然？
Mencius said, to Sung Gou Jian, “Are you fond, Sir, of travelling to the different courts?
I will tell you about such travelling.
樂其道而忘人之勢。
If a the princes acknowledge you and follow your counsels, be perfectly satisfied.
If no one do so, be the same.”
孟子謂宋句踐曰:「子好遊乎? 吾語子遊。
Therefore, a scholar, though poor, does not let go his righteousness; though prosperous, he does not leave his own path.
人知之, 亦囂囂; 人不知, 亦囂囂。」
Poor and not letting righteousness go - it is thus that the scholar holds possession of himself.
Prosperous and not leaving the proper path - it is thus that the expectations of the people from him are not disappointed.
曰：「何如斯可以囂囂矣？」
When the men of antiquity realized their wishes, benefits were conferred by them on the people.
If they did not realize their wishes, they cultivated their personal character, and became illustrious in the world.
曰：「尊德樂義，則可以囂囂矣。
If poor, they attended to their own virtue in solitude; if advanced to dignity, they made the whole kingdom virtuous as well.'
故士窮不失義，達不離道。
Mencius said, 'The mass of men wait for a king Wen, and then they will receive a rousing impulse.
窮不失義，故士得己焉；達不離道，故民不失望焉。
Scholars distinguished from the mass, without a king Wan, rouse themselves.'
古之人，得志，澤加於民；不得志，脩身見於世。
Mencius said, 'Add to a man the families of Han and Wei.
If he then look upon himself without being elated, he is far beyond the mass of men.'
窮則獨善其身，達則兼善天下。」
Mencius said, 'Let the people be employed in the way which is intended to secure their ease, and though they be toiled, they will not murmur.
Let them be put to death in the way which is intended to preserve their lives, and though they die, they will not murmur at him who puts them to death.'