Page 219 - 《孟子》（一）中·英对照版
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公
孙
丑
上
Chou then asked, “What do you say of Boyi
and Yiyin?”
“Their ways were different from mine,” said
Mencius. “Not to serve a prince whom he did not
esteem, nor command a people whom he did not
approve; in a time of good government to take office,
and on the occurrence of confusion to retire—this
was the way of Boyi. To say ‘Whom may I not serve?
My serving him makes him my ruler. What people
may I not command? My commanding them makes
them my people.’ In a time of good government to
take office, and when disorder prevailed, also to
take office—that was the way of Yiyin. When it was
proper to go into office, then to go into it; when it
was proper to keep retired from office, then to keep
retired from it; when it was proper to continue in it
long, then to continue in it long—when it was proper
to withdraw from it quickly, then to withdraw
quickly—that was the way of Confucius. These were
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