人問其故。
When a person asked him for his reasons, the prince said, “Every man has his proper mate, but Qi is a great state.
太子曰：「人各有偶，齊大，非吾偶也。
A daughter of its ruling house would not be a proper mate for me.
詩云：『自求多福』，在我而已矣。
In the Odes there is a passage that goes, ‘The one who seeks it himself shall enjoy all blessings.’129 This matter rests with me, and that is all.” Later, when the Rong attacked Qi, Qi requested troops from Zheng, whereupon Prince Hu led an army out to rescue Qi and inflicted a great defeat on the Rong.
」後戎伐齊，齊請師於鄭，鄭太子忽率師而救齊，大敗戎師，齊又欲妻之，太子固辭。
Qi again wished to provide him a bride, but Hu firmly declined.
人問其故，對曰：「無事於齊，吾猶不敢。
When a person asked him for his reasons, he said, “I did not dare accept even when I had not yet been of service to Qi.
今以君命救齊之急，受室以歸，人其以我為師婚乎？
I have now accepted my ruler’s command to go to Qi’s rescue.
」終辭之。
If I should now return after having accepted a bride, wouldn’t people say that I led the army out in order to ally myself in marriage with Qi?” He rejected all subsequent overtures.
Qidiao Maren Responds to Kongzi’s Query Concerning the Clan of Zang