Gain Support By Being Morally Right, Receive Little Support By Being Morally Wrong
Mencius, 孟子 (mèng zǐ)
Written during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (Spring and Autumn Warring States)
天天 时时 不如不如 地地 利利 ， 地地 利利 不如不如 人人 和和 。 三三 里里 之之 城城 ， 七七 里里 之之 郭郭 ， 环环 而而 攻攻 之之 而而 不胜不胜 。 夫夫 环环 而而 攻攻 之之 ， 必必 有有 得得 天天 时时 者者 矣矣 ， 然而然而 不胜不胜 者者 ， 是是 天天 时时 不如不如 地地 利利 也也 。 城城 非非 不不 高高 也也 ， 池池 非非 不不 深深 也也 ， 兵兵 革革 非非 不不 坚坚 利利 也也 ， 米米 粟粟 非非 不不 多多 也也 ， 委委 而而 去去 之之 ， 是是 地地 利利 不如不如 人人 和和 也也 。 故故 曰曰 ， 域域 民民 不不 以以 封封 疆疆 之之 界界 ， 固固 国国 不不 以以 山山 溪溪 之之 险险 ， 威威 天下天下 不不 以以 兵兵 革革 之之 利利 。 得得 道道 者者 多多 助助 ， 失失 道道 者者 寡寡 助助 ， 寡寡 助助 之之 至至 ， 亲戚亲戚 畔畔 之之 。 多多 助助 之之 至至 ， 天下天下 顺顺 之之 。 以以 天下天下 之之 所所 顺顺 ， 攻攻 亲戚亲戚 之之 所所 畔畔 ， 故故 君子君子 有有 不不 战战 ， 战战 必必 胜胜 矣矣 。
/ day / sky / heaven /
/ time / period /
/ not equal to / not as good as / inferior to / it would be better to /
/ (subor. part. adverbial) / -ly /
/ advantage / benefit / profit / sharp /
/ (subor. part. adverbial) / -ly /
/ advantage / benefit / profit / sharp /
/ not equal to / not as good as / inferior to / it would be better to /
/ man / person / people /
/ and / together with / with / peace / harmony / union /
/ three / 3 /
/ inside / internal / interior /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ city walls / city / town /
/ seven / 7 /
/ inside / internal / interior /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ (surname) / outer city wall /
/ bracelet / ring (not for finger) / to surround / to loop / loop /
/ and / as well as / but (not) / yet (not) / (shows causal relation) / (shows change of state) / (shows contrast) /
/ to attack / to accuse / to study /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ and / as well as / but (not) / yet (not) / (shows causal relation) / (shows change of state) / (shows contrast) /
/ cannot bear or stand / be unequal to / very / extremely /
/ porter /
/ bracelet / ring (not for finger) / to surround / to loop / loop /
/ and / as well as / but (not) / yet (not) / (shows causal relation) / (shows change of state) / (shows contrast) /
/ to attack / to accuse / to study /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ certainly / must / will / necessarily /
/ to have / there is / there are / to exist / to be /
/ obtain / get / gain / proper / suitable / proud / contented / allow / permit / ready / finished /
/ day / sky / heaven /
/ time / period /
/ -ist, -er (person) / person (who does sth) /
/ final part. /
/ however / yet / but /
/ cannot bear or stand / be unequal to / very / extremely /
/ -ist, -er (person) / person (who does sth) /
/ is / are / am / yes / to be /
/ day / sky / heaven /
/ time / period /
/ not equal to / not as good as / inferior to / it would be better to /
/ (subor. part. adverbial) / -ly /
/ advantage / benefit / profit / sharp /
/ also / too /
/ city walls / city / town /
/ non- / not- / un- /
/ (negative prefix) / not / no /
/ high / tall /
/ also / too /
/ pond / reservoir /
/ non- / not- / un- /
/ (negative prefix) / not / no /
/ deep / profound /
/ also / too /
/ soldiers / a force / an army / weapons / arms / military / warlike /
/ leather / remove /
/ non- / not- / un- /
/ (negative prefix) / not / no /
/ strong / solid / firm / unyielding / resolute /
/ advantage / benefit / profit / sharp /
/ also / too /
/ (measure word) meter / rice /
/ grain / millet /
/ non- / not- / un- /
/ (negative prefix) / not / no /
/ many / much / a lot of / numerous / multi- /
/ also / too /
/ crooked /
/ and / as well as / but (not) / yet (not) / (shows causal relation) / (shows change of state) / (shows contrast) /
/ to go / to leave / to remove /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ is / are / am / yes / to be /
/ (subor. part. adverbial) / -ly /
/ advantage / benefit / profit / sharp /
/ not equal to / not as good as / inferior to / it would be better to /
/ man / person / people /
/ and / together with / with / peace / harmony / union /
/ also / too /
/ happening / instance / reason / cause / deceased / old /
/ to speak / to say /
/ field / region / area / domain (taxonomy) /
/ the people / nationality / citizen /
/ (negative prefix) / not / no /
/ to use / according to / so as to / in order to / by / with / because / Israel (abbrev.) /
/ to confer / to grant / to seal / (a measure word) /
/ border / boundary /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ boundary / scope / extent / circles / group / kingdom (taxonomy) /
/ hard / strong / solid / sure /
/ country / state / nation /
/ (negative prefix) / not / no /
/ to use / according to / so as to / in order to / by / with / because / Israel (abbrev.) /
/ mountain / hill /
/ creek /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ danger (ous) / rugged /
/ power / might / prestige /
/ land under heaven / rule / domination /
/ (negative prefix) / not / no /
/ to use / according to / so as to / in order to / by / with / because / Israel (abbrev.) /
/ soldiers / a force / an army / weapons / arms / military / warlike /
/ leather / remove /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ advantage / benefit / profit / sharp /
/ obtain / get / gain / proper / suitable / proud / contented / allow / permit / ready / finished /
/ direction / way / method / road / path / principle / truth / reason / skill / method / Tao (of Taoism) / a measure word / to say / to speak / to talk /
/ -ist, -er (person) / person (who does sth) /
/ many / much / a lot of / numerous / multi- /
/ to help / to assist /
/ to lose / to miss / to fail /
/ direction / way / method / road / path / principle / truth / reason / skill / method / Tao (of Taoism) / a measure word / to say / to speak / to talk /
/ -ist, -er (person) / person (who does sth) /
/ few / widowed /
/ to help / to assist /
/ few / widowed /
/ to help / to assist /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ arrive / most / to / until /
/ (a) relative (i.e. family member) /
/ bank / field-path /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ many / much / a lot of / numerous / multi- /
/ to help / to assist /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ arrive / most / to / until /
/ land under heaven / rule / domination /
/ to obey / to follow / to arrange / to make reasonable / along / favorable /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ to use / according to / so as to / in order to / by / with / because / Israel (abbrev.) /
/ land under heaven / rule / domination /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ actually / place /
/ to obey / to follow / to arrange / to make reasonable / along / favorable /
/ to attack / to accuse / to study /
/ (a) relative (i.e. family member) /
/ (literary equivalent of 的) / (subor. part.) / him / her / it /
/ actually / place /
/ bank / field-path /
/ happening / instance / reason / cause / deceased / old /
/ nobleman / person of noble character /
/ to have / there is / there are / to exist / to be /
/ (negative prefix) / not / no /
/ to fight / fight / war / battle /
/ to fight / fight / war / battle /
/ certainly / must / will / necessarily /
/ (also sheng4) able to do / competent enough to /
/ final part. /
Translation:
Luck is not as good as material advantage, material advantage is not as good as group morale. Three miles of city, seven miles of walls, surrounded and attacked but it could not be won. Men who surround and attack, they must have had luck on their side, when they lose, it is because luck is not as good as material advantage. Yet it is not that the city walls are not tall enough, nor that the moat is not deep enough, nor that the military weapons are not strong enough, nor that plenty of grain is not available, all these factors set aside, material advantage is not as good as group morale. As it could be said, nationalities are not determined by the borders, a strong country is not determined by rugged mountains and rivers, and power over the world is not determined by the advancement of military weapons. One gains support by being morally right, while one receives little support when one is morally wrong, in the case of the one receiving little support, even relatives will betray that person. For the one receiving a lot of support, the world will follow that person's lead. When the world supports a person, as opposed to being betrayed by relatives, although a noble person does not fight, that person will certainly emerge victorious in the war.
得道多助,失道寡助-中文翻译英文
Translated from Chinese to English by HM68.COM
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