Page 183 - 《孟子》(二)中·英对照版
P. 183
离
娄
上
He who does not serve his sovereign as Shun served
Yao, does not respect his sovereign; and he who
does not rule his people as Yao ruled his, injures
his people. Confucius said, ‘There are but two
courses, which can be pursued, that of virtue and
its opposite.’ A ruler who carries the oppression of
his people to the highest pitch, will himself be slain,
and his kingdom will perish. If one stop short of
the highest pitch, his life will notwithstanding be in
danger, and his kingdom will be weakened. He will
be styled ‘The Dark’ or ‘The Cruel,’ and though he
may have filial sons and affectionate grandsons, they
will not be able in a hundred generations to change
the designation. This is what is intended in the
words of the Book of Poetry, ‘The beacon of Yin is
not remote, it is in the time of the sovereign of Xia.’ ”
【注释】[1]幽:昏暗。厉:暴虐。在古代的
谥号中,皆属恶谥。周幽王沉湎于酒色,信
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