Page 301 - 《孟子》(二)中·英对照版
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离
娄
下
8.11
孟子曰:“大人者,言不必信,行不必果,
惟义所在。”
Mencius said, “The great man does not think
beforehand of his words that they may be sincere,
nor of his actions that they may be resolute; —he
simply speaks and does what is right.”
【译文】孟子说:“有德行的人,说话不一定
句句讲信用,做事情不一定非要有结果,只
要合乎道义就可以。”
【解读】诚信是中华民族的传统美德,本章却
说“言不必信”,难道是孟子要冒天下之大
不韪吗?当然不是。本章所言体现了孟子在
君子修身与处世问题上的辩证思想:修身养
性时,主观能动性占据主导,言而有信自然
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