Translation:

Fish is what I want; Bear's paw is also what I want. If I can't get both things at the same time, then I'll have to give up fish and choose bear's paw. Life is also what I want. Justice is also what I want. If these two things can't be obtained at the same time, then I have to sacrifice my life and choose morality.

Life is what I love, but there are things I love more than life, so I don't drag out an ignoble existence. I hate death, but there are things I hate more than death, so I don't avoid some disasters. If people love nothing more than life, then what can't be used to survive?

if people hate nothing more than death, then what can't be done with all the bad things that can be used to avoid disaster? You can survive by some means, but some people refuse to use it; A certain method can avoid disaster, but some people refuse to adopt it. Thus, what they love is something more precious than life (that is "righteousness").

But what I hate is more than death. Not only the sages have this nature, but everyone has it. It's just that talented people don't lose it. A bowl of rice, a bowl of soup, you can live if you eat it, or you will starve to death if you don't get it. But the hungry pedestrians are unwilling to accept the contemptuous yelling for people to eat; Kick others to eat, and beggars refuse to accept it because of contempt.

The high official Houlu accepted it without knowing whether it was proper or not. In this way, what good will it do me? Is it because of the splendor of the house, the service of wives and concubines, and the poor people I know? Once upon a time, (someone) died for (morality) rather than accept (charity from others), but accepted it for the splendor of the house.

In the past, (someone) would rather die than accept (charity from others) for (morality), but now (someone) accepts it for the service of wives and concubines; In the past, (some people) would rather die than accept (charity from others) for (morality), but now (some people) accept it in order to make the poor people they know appreciate their kindness.

can't this (behavior) stop? This is called losing the inherent nature of human beings.

Original text:

Fish is what I want; Bear's paw is what I want. You can't have both, and you can take the bear's paw instead of the fish. Life is also what I want; Righteousness is also what I want. You can't have both, and those who give up their lives for righteousness are also. Life is what I want, and I want more than the living, so I don't want to get it; If there is no more than death in disgust, what can be done to avoid the evil that can be used to escape evil?

if people want nothing more than life, why not use those who can live? What makes people worse than the dead, then why not treat the patients who can be cured? If you are right, you will be born with no need, and if you are right, you can make trouble without doing anything. A bowl of rice, a bowl of soup, get it can live, do not get it will starve. But with disdain to drink to eat, the hungry pedestrians are unwilling to accept; To kick others to eat with their feet, the beggars would not accept them.

a mouthful of food, a bean soup, if you get it, you will live, if you get it, you will die. Call for it, and the people on the street will be blessed; It's too much to beg for help. Is it for the splendor of the house, the service of the wives and the poor who know to be grateful to me? For the beauty of the palace, the service of wives and concubines, the poor and needy get me and you?

The hometown is not subject to physical death, and now it is the beauty of the palace; The hometown is not subject to physical death, and now it is regarded as a wife and concubine; The hometown is not subject to physical death, but now it is for those who know the poor and lack me to do it; Is it ok or not? This is called the loss of human nature.

source: I want what I want from the famous philosopher and thinker Mencius in the Warring States Period.

Extended information:

Creative background:

Mencius himself is a rather arrogant person, and his philosophical thoughts belong to subjective idealism, the most representative of which is his "theory of goodness of nature", which holds that people are born with good nature.

There are reasonable elements in Mencius' theory of human nature. He particularly emphasized the influence of acquired environment and education on people and the role of self-cultivation, and asked people to bow down and seek for themselves, "cultivate lofty spirit" and achieve "sacrifice their lives for justice", "wealth can't be immoral, poverty can't be moved, and power can't be bent." He refused to give in and fawn on power. Mencius used to be a guest minister in the state of Qi, but later he disagreed with the king of Qi.

He decided to resign from Qi Qing and go home. The King of Qi asked someone to keep Mencius, on the condition that he was prepared to build a house in the central area of the capital for Mencius to live in, and give Mencius ten thousand bells of grain as the living expenses of his disciples. As a result, Mencius sternly refused. Mencius wrote "I want what I want" to express his spirit of giving up life for righteousness.

I want what I want, which is a masterpiece of Mencius' in-depth discussion on human life and death based on his theory of good nature. Emphasize that "justice" is more important than "life" and advocate giving up life for justice.