CHAPTER X
1. The people of Ch＇î attacked Yen, and conquered it.
2. The king Hsüan asked, saying, ＇Some tell me not to take possession of it for myself, and some tell me to take possession of it. For a kingdom of ten thousand chariots, attacking another of ten thousand chariots, to complete the conquest of it in fifty days, is an achievement beyond mere human strength. If I do not take possession of it, calamities from Heaven will surely come upon me. What do you say to my taking possession of it?＇
3. Mencius replied, ＇If the people of Yen will be pleased with your taking possession of it, then do so.—Among the ancients there was one who acted on this principle, namely king Wû. If the people of Yen will not be pleased with your taking possession of it,then do not do so.—Among the ancients there was one who acted on this principle, namely king Wăn.
4. ＇When, with all the strength of your country of ten thousand chariots,
CHAPTER 10. THE DEPOSAL OF KINGDOMS WITH THE MINDS OF THE PEOPLE. YOX POPULI VOX DEI.
We shall find this doctrine often put forth very forcibly by Mencius. Here the king of Ch＇i insinuates that it was the will of Heaven that he should take Yen,and Mencius sends him to the will of the people, by which only the other could be ascertained.
1. The State of Yen (the 1st tone) lay north-west from Ch＇i, forming part of the present province of Chih-li.Its prince, a poor weakling, had resigned his throne to his prime minister, and great confusion ensued, so that the people welcomed the appearance of the troops of Ch＇i, and made no resistance to them.
2. 举之 is explained as=胜之, ＇to conquer it＇; but 举has not this signification. Literally, we might render＇and up. with it＇.
3. The common saying is that king Wăn 三分天下有其二, ＇had possession of two of the three parts of the kingdom＇. Still he did not think that the people were prepared for the entire extinction of the Yin dynasty,and left the completion of the fortunes of his house to his son, king Wû.
4. 食, read tses, 4th tone, ＇rice＇.
you attacked another country of ten thousand chariots,and the people brought baskets of rice and vessels of congee, to meet your Majesty＇s host, was there any other reason for this but that they hoped to escape out of fire and water? If you make the water more deep and the fire more fierce, they will in like manner make another revolution.＇