Mencius’ famous aphorisms

1. Don’t rely on elders, don’t rely on nobles, and don’t rely on brothers to be friends.

2. If it is not contrary to the farming season, the grain will not be enough to eat; if a few grains of grain are not entered into the pond, the fish and turtles will not be enough to eat; if the ax and catty enter the forest at the right time, the wood will not be enough to use. The grain, fish and turtles cannot be eaten, and the wood cannot be used, so that the people can live and die without regret.

3. It is better to have no books than to believe in all the books.

4. Those who have gained the right will receive many help, while those who have lost the right will receive little help.

5. Right, then know the severity; degree, then know the length.

6. Heaven descends upon the people to serve as kings and teachers, only to say that they are helped by God and favored by them.

7. A gentleman does not complain about heaven or others.

8. If the king regards his ministers as his hands and feet, then his ministers will regard him as his heart; if his ministers regard his ministers as dogs and horses, then his ministers will regard him as his fellow countrymen; if his ministers regard his ministers as earth and mustard, then his ministers will regard him as such. foe.

9. Fish is what I want, and bear’s paws are also what I want. You cannot have both, and you would give up fish and take bear’s paws. Life is what I want, and righteousness is also what I want. You cannot have both, and you have to sacrifice life for righteousness.

10. If you say that you are a great person, you will despise it, but do not regard it as majestic.

11. The wise are in office and the capable are in office.

12. Those who enjoy the happiness of the people will also enjoy the happiness of the people; those who worry about the worries of the people will also worry about the worries of the people.

13. Born in sorrow and died in happiness.

14. For a five-acre house with mulberry trees, a person in his fifties can wear silk. Chickens, dolphins, dogs, and pigs are all animals that have not lost their season. Those who are seventy years old can eat meat. If you do not take away a hundred acres of land, then a family of eight will not be hungry. I respect the teachings of Xiangxu, apply the meaning of filial piety and brotherhood, and award the white ones to live up to the road.

15. Those who gain the right will get many help, while those who lose the right will get little help. When there is little help, relatives will be there; when there is much help, the world will follow.

16. If a king is benevolent, he will never be unkind; if a king is righteous, he will never be unjust; if he is upright, he will never be unjust.

17. If the king is benevolent, he will be invincible in the world.

18. The weather is not as good as the right place, and the right place is not as good as the people.

19. Those who rebel against benevolence are called "thieves", and those who rebel against righteousness are called "crippling". Those who are crippled thieves are called "one husband". I have heard of the execution of one husband, Zhou, but I have not heard of regicide.

20. The benevolent are invincible.

21. Right, then determine the severity; degree, then know the length.

22. Born in sorrow and died in happiness.

23. There is fat meat in the kitchen, fat horses in the stables, the people are hungry, and there are people dying of hunger in the wild. This is how animals eat people.

24. A gentleman has three kinds of happiness, but the king of the world does not share them. Having both parents and brothers without any reason is one kind of happiness; looking up to heaven and not being ashamed of others is the second kind of happiness; being able to educate the talented people from all over the world is the third kind of happiness.

25. Respect the virtuous and enable the capable, and the heroes will reign.

26. A wife will insult herself, and then others will insult her; a family will destroy herself, and then others will destroy it; a country will destroy itself, and then others will destroy it.

27. To protect the people and become king, no one can control it.

28. To nourish the heart, don’t be good at having few desires.

29. Those who love others will always be loved by others; those who respect others will always be respected by others.

30. In a prosperous year, the children will be many and unlucky; in a bad year, the children will be many and violent. This is not because of talent sent from heaven, but because of the indulgence in one's heart.