| | 尽心上: |
齐宣王欲短丧。公孙丑曰：“为朞之丧，犹愈于已乎？” |
| Jin Xin I: |
The king Xuan of Qi wanted to shorten the period of mourning. Gong Sun Chou said, 'To have one whole year's mourning is better than doing away with it altogether.' |
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孟子曰：“是犹或紾其兄之臂，子谓之姑徐徐云尔，亦教之孝弟而已矣。” |
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Mencius said, 'That is just as if there were one twisting the arm of his elder brother, and you were merely to say to him "Gently, gently, if you please." Your only course should be to teach such an one filial piety and fraternal duty.' |
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王子有其母死者，其傅为之请数月之丧。公孙丑曰：“若此者，何如也？” |
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At that time, the mother of one of the king's sons had died, and his tutor asked for him that he might be allowed to observe a few months' mourning. Gong Sun Chou asked, 'What do you say of this?' |
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曰：“是欲终之而不可得也。虽加一日愈于已，谓夫莫之禁而弗为者也。” |
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Mencius replied, 'This is a case where the party wishes to complete the whole period, but finds it impossible to do so. The addition of even a single day is better than not mourning at all. I spoke of the case where there was no hindrance, and the party neglected the thing itself.' |
