Page 148 - 《孟子》（二）中·英对照版

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子

place where they could settle themselves. In the low
grounds they made nests for themselves on the trees
or raised platforms, and in the high grounds they
made caves. It is said in the Book of History, ‘The
waters in their wild course warned me.’ Those ‘waters
in their wild course’ were the waters of the great
inundation. Shun employed Yu to reduce the waters
to order. Yu dug open their obstructed channels,
and conducted them to the sea. He drove away the
snakes and dragons, and forced them into the grassy
marshes. On this, the waters pursued their course
through the country, even the waters of the Jiang,
the Huai, the He, and the Han, and the dangers
and obstructions which they had occasioned were
removed. The birds and beasts which had injured
the people also disappeared, and after this men
found the plains available for them, and occupied
them.

“After the death of Yao and Shun, the principles

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