Page 67 - 《孟子》（一）中·英对照版
P. 67
梁
惠
王
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How can that be omitted? Change it for a sheep.’ I
do not know whether this incident really occurred.”
The king replied, “It did.”
And then Mencius said, “The heart seen in
this is sufficient to carry you to the royal sway. The
people all supposed that Your Majesty grudged the
animal, but your servant knows surely, that it was
Your Majesty's not being able to bear the sight,
which made you do as you did.”
The king said, “You are right. And yet there
really was an appearance of what the people
condemned. But though Qi be a small and narrow
state, how should I grudge one ox? Indeed it was
because I could not bear its frightened appearance,
as if it were an innocent person going to the place of
death, that therefore I changed it for a sheep.”
Mencius pursued, “Let not Your Majesty deem
it strange that the people should think you were
grudging the animal. When you changed a large one
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