| | 萬章下: |
齊宣王問卿。孟子曰：「王何卿之問也？」 |
| Wan Zhang II: |
The king Xuan of Qi asked about the office of high ministers. Mencius said, 'Which high ministers is your Majesty asking about?' |
| | |
王曰：「卿不同乎？」 |
| |
'Are there differences among them?' inquired the king. |
| | |
曰：「不同。有貴戚之卿，有異姓之卿。」 |
| |
'There are' was the reply. 'There are the high ministers who are noble and relatives of the prince, and there are those who are of a different surname.' |
| | |
王曰：「請問貴戚之卿。」 |
| |
The king said, 'I beg to ask about the high ministers who are noble and relatives of the prince.' |
| | |
曰：「君有大過則諫，反覆之而不聽，則易位。」 |
| |
Mencius answered, 'If the prince have great faults, they ought to remonstrate with him, and if he do not listen to them after they have done so again and again, they ought to dethrone him.' |
| | |
王勃然變乎色。曰：「王勿異也。王問臣，臣不敢不以正對。」 |
| |
The king on this looked moved, and changed countenance. Mencius said, 'Let not your Majesty be offended. You asked me, and I dare not answer but according to truth.' |
| | |
王色定，然後請問異姓之卿。曰：「君有過則諫，反覆之而不聽，則去。」 |
| |
The king's countenance became composed, and he then begged to ask about high ministers who were of a different surname from the prince. Mencius said, 'When the prince has faults, they ought to remonstrate with him; and if he do not listen to them after they have done this again and again, they ought to leave the State.' |
