Original text

Fish is what I want

"Mencius Gaozi 1"

Fish is what I want; bear's paw , which is also what I want. You can't have both, it's like giving up the fish for the bear's paw. Life is what I want; righteousness is what I want. You can't have both, you have to sacrifice your life for righteousness. Life is what I want, and what I want is more than the living, so I don’t want to get it; death is also what I hate, and what I hate is worse than the dead, so I suffer from it. Not to open up (bì). If there is nothing more that people want than life, then why not use anything that can lead to life? There is nothing more evil than the dead, so why not do whatever can be done to the patients (bì)? Because of this, there is no need to do it, and because of this, you can avoid (bì) troubles but do not do anything (wéi). Therefore, what you want is more than the living, and what you hate is more than the dead. Not only sages have this mind, but everyone has it. A sage will not lose his ears.

A basket (dān) of food (sì), a basket of beans (gēng). If you get it, you will live, if you get it, you will die. If you give it a call (ér), people who practice the Tao will not accept it; if you give it a call (cù) (ér), it will be looked down upon by beggars (xiè). Wan Zhong accepts it without arguing about etiquette and righteousness. How can Wan Zhong add anything to me? For the beauty of the palace (wèi), the support of wives and concubines (qiè), the poor people I know will get (dé) me and (yú)? The hometown is not accepted for the sake of death, but now it is (wèi) that the beauty of the palace is (wéi); the hometown is not accepted for the sake of death, but now the wives and concubines (qiè) are enshrined for it (wéi); the hometown is not accepted for the sake of death. , now (wèi) the poor people who know (wèi) get (dé) me and (wéi) do it for (wéi): Is this not possible? This is called losing one's original intention.

Translation

Fish is what I want, and bear paws are also what I want. If I cannot get these two things at the same time, I will give up the fish. And choose bear paw. Life is also what I want, and righteousness is also what I want. If I cannot get these two things at the same time, I will give up life and choose justice. Life is also what I want, but I also want something more than life, so I don’t want to live in an ignoble way. Death is also what I hate, but there are things that I hate more than death, so I do not avoid certain disasters. If there is nothing that people want more than life, then why not use methods that can be relied upon to preserve life? If there is nothing that people hate more than death, why not do anything that can avoid disaster? According to this principle, there are ways to survive but some people do not adopt this method. According to this principle, there are ways to avoid disasters but some people do not do so. Therefore, there are things that one desires are more precious than life, and there are things that one hates that are more serious than death. Not only talented people have this kind of thinking, everyone has this kind of thinking, but only wise people can not throw it away.

A bowl of rice or a bowl of soup. If you get it, you can live. If you lose it, you will die. If it is given to him with a shout, the hungry people passing by will not accept it; if it is given to others with kicks, beggars will despise it.

Accepting a generous salary regardless of whether it is in line with propriety and righteousness, what benefit does this ten thousand yuan salary bring to me? It is for the beauty of my house, to be served by my wives and concubines, and to make the poor and poor people I know Are you grateful for my kindness? In the past, you would rather die than accept charity from others for the sake of morality, but now you accept it for the beauty of your house. In the past, you would rather die than accept charity from others for the sake of morality, but now you are willing to die for the sake of the service of your wives and concubines. I accepted it; in the past, I would rather die than accept charity from others for the sake of morality, but now I accept it in order to make the poor and poor people I know grateful. Can't this behavior stop? This is called losing one's true nature. ”