Page 138 - 《孟子》（二）中·英对照版

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子

the sovereign. Duan Gan Mu leaped over his wall to
avoid the prince. Xie Liu shut his door, and would
not admit the prince. These two, however, carried
their scrupulosity to excess. When a prince is urgent,
it is not improper to see him. Yang Huo wished to
get Confucius to go to see him, but disliked doing so
by any want of propriety. As it is the rule, therefore,
that when a great officer sends a gift to a scholar,
if the latter be not at home to receive it, he must
go to the officer’s to pay his respects, Yang Huo
watched when Confucius was out, and sent him a
roasted pig. Confucius, in his turn, watched when
Huo was out, and went to pay his respects to him.
At that time, Yang Huo had taken the initiative—
how could Confucius decline going to see him?
Zengzi said, ‘They who shrug up their shoulders,
and laugh in a flattering way, toil harder than the
summer labourer in the fields.’ Zi Lu said, ‘There
are those who talk with people with whom they

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