」淳于髡曰：「古者所好四，而王所好三焉。
“In former times,” said Chunyu Kun, “they liked horses; Your Majesty also likes horses.
」宣王曰：「古者所好，何與寡人所好？
In former times they liked fine flavors; Your Majesty also likes fine flavors.
」淳于髡曰：「古者好馬，王亦好馬；古者好味，王亦好味，古者好色，王亦好色；古者好士，王獨不好士。
In former times they liked beautiful women; Your Majesty also likes beautiful women. In former times they liked worthy men, but, unlike them, Your Majesty doesn’t like worthy men.” “The state has no such men,” the king retorted.
」宣王曰：「國無士耳，有則寡人亦說之矣。
“If they existed, I also would take pleasure in them.” “In former times,” said Chunyu Kun, “there were fine steeds like Hua Liu and Qi Ji.
」淳于髡曰：「古者有驊騮騏驥，今無有，王選於眾，王好馬矣；古者有豹象之胎，今無有，王選於眾，王好味矣；古者有毛廧、西施，今無有，王選於眾，王好色矣。
Today they don’t exist, but you still select the best among the many available; that shows that Your Majesty likes horses.
王必將待堯、舜、禹、湯之士而後好，則堯、舜、禹、湯之士，亦不好王矣。
In former times there were rare dishes such as leopard and elephant fetuses; today they don’t exist, but you still select the tastiest among the many available; that shows that Your Majesty likes fine flavors.
」宣王嘿然無以應。
In former times there were famous beauties such as Mao Qiang and Xi Shi; today they don’t exist, but you still select the most outstanding among the many available; that shows that Your Majesty likes beautiful women. If you must wait for the officers of Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang to appear before you start liking worthy men, then those officers will have no liking for Your Majesty.” King Xuan was silent and made no answer.