The Sayings of Mencius, as compiled by his disciples (tr. James Legge, in Chinese Literature, 1900)

Their wordsSuperiors and inferiors will try to take the profit the one from the other, and the kingdom will be endangered.

Their wordsBeing wise and good, they then have pleasure in these things. If they are not wise and good, though they have these things, they do not find pleasure.

Their wordsWhen men die, you say, 'It is not owing to me; it is owing to the year,' In what does this differ from stabbing a man and killing him, and then saying, 'It was not I; it was the weapon'?

Their wordsIn your stalls there are fat beasts; in your stables there are fat horses. But your people have the look of hunger, and in the fields there are those who have died of famine. This is leading on beasts to devour men.

Their wordsHe who has no pleasure in killing men can so unite it.

Their wordsTherefore your Majesty's not attaining to the Royal sway is because you do not do it, and not because you are not able to do it.

Their wordsThey are only men of education, who, without a certain livelihood, are able to maintain a fixed heart. As to the people, if they have not a certain livelihood, they will be found not to have a fixed heart.

Their wordsWhen they have thus been involved in crime, to follow them up and punish them, is to entrap the people.