Page 150 - 《孟子》(一)中·英对照版
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?孟
子
2.9
孟子见齐宣王曰:“为巨室,则必使工
师求大木。工师得大木,则王喜,以为能胜
其任也。匠人斫[1]而小之,则王怒,以为不
胜其任矣。夫人幼而学之,壮而欲行之。王
曰‘姑舍女所学而从我’,则何如?今有璞
玉于此,虽万镒[2],必使玉人雕琢之。至于
治国家,则曰‘姑舍女所学而从我’,则何
以异于教玉人雕琢玉哉?”
Mencius, having an interview with the king
Xuan of Qi, said to him, “If you are going to build a
large mansion, you will surely cause the Master of
the workmen to look out for large trees, and when he
has found such large trees, you will be glad, thinking
that they will answer for the intended object. Should
the workmen hew them so as to make them too
small, then Your Majesty will be angry, thinking
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