说苑/子路為蒲令，備水災，與民春修溝瀆，為民煩苦，故予人一簟食，一壺漿。

子路為蒲令，備水災，與民春修溝瀆，為民煩苦，故予人一簟食，一壺漿。

Eric Henry

When Zilu was the governor of Pu, he had the people dig channels every spring and autumn as a safeguard against flooding.

孔子聞之，使子貢復之。

Eric Henry

The people found this tiresome and disliked him for it, so Zilu gave each person a basket of rice and a pot of gruel.

子路忿然不悅，往見夫子曰：「由也以暴雨將至，恐有水災，故與人修溝瀆以備之，而民多匱於食，故人予一簞食一壺漿。

Eric Henry

When Kongzi heard of this, he had Zigong overturn the containers.

而夫子使賜止之，何也？

Eric Henry

Angry and displeased, Zilu went to Kongzi and said, “Because I fear that violent storms will come and cause floods, I had the people prepare for this by digging channels; but many people lacked food, so I gave each person a basket of rice and a pot of gruel.

夫子止由之行仁也。

Eric Henry

But now, sir, you have had Si [Zigong] put a stop to this—why?

夫子以仁教，而禁其行仁也，由也不受。

Eric Henry

You are preventing me from practicing benevolence.

」子曰：「爾以民為餓，何不告於君，發倉廩以給食之，而以爾私饋之，是汝不明君之惠，見汝之德義也。

Eric Henry

You teach benevolence, but now you are forbidding the practice of benevolence.

速已則可矣，否則爾之受罪不久矣。

Eric Henry

I cannot accept this.” “Why don’t you report to the ruler that the people are hungry so that he may open the granaries and supply their need?” asked Kongzi.

」子路心服而退也。

Eric Henry

“Instead of this you are supplying them with food on your own initiative—this amounts to concealing the ruler’s kindness and making an exhibition of your own commitment to righteousness.

Eric Henry

If you stop at once, things will be all right; otherwise you will soon suffer for it.” Zilu accepted the reasonableness of this and withdrew.