Page 68 - 《孟子》（三）中·英对照版

?孟
子

故仲尼不有天下。继世以有天下，天之所废，
必若桀、纣者也，故益、伊尹、周公不有天下。
伊尹相汤以王于天下，汤崩，太丁［5］未立，
外丙［6］二年，仲壬四年。太甲［7］颠覆汤之典刑，
伊尹放之于桐［8］。三年，太甲悔过，自怨自
艾，于桐处仁迁义。三年，以听伊尹之训己也，
复归于亳［9］。周公之不有天下，犹益之于夏、
伊尹之于殷也。孔子曰：‘唐、虞［10］禅，夏
后殷、周继，其义一也。’”

Wan Zhang asked Mencius, saying, “People
say, ‘When the disposal of the kingdom came to Yu,
his virtue was inferior to that of Yao and Shun, and
he transmitted it not to the worthiest but to his son.’
Was it so?”

Mencius replied, “No; it was not so. When
Heaven gave the kingdom to the worthiest, it was
given to the worthiest. When Heaven gave it to the
son of the preceding sovereign, it was given to him.

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