记者王娟王晓莹绘画徐进实习生郭致岐

梁惠王曰：“晋国，天下莫强焉，叟之所知也。及寡人之身，东败于齐，长子死焉；西丧地于秦七百里；南辱于楚。寡人耻之，愿比死者壹洒之，如之何则可？”

孟子对曰：“地方百里而可以王。王如施仁政于民，省刑罚，薄税敛，深耕易耨。壮者以暇日修其孝悌忠信，入以事其父兄，出以事其长上，可使制梃以挞秦、楚之坚甲利兵矣。彼夺其民时，使不得耕耨以养其父母，父母冻饿，兄弟妻子离散。彼陷溺其民，王往而征之，夫谁与王敌？故曰：‘仁者无敌。’王请勿疑！”

（出自《孟子·梁惠王上》）

译文：

梁惠王说：“魏国曾一度在天下称强，这是老先生您知道的。可是到了我这时候，东边被齐国打败，连我的大儿子都死掉了；西边丧失了七百里土地给秦国；南边又受楚国的侮辱。我为这些事感到非常羞耻，希望替所有的死难者报仇雪恨，我要怎样做才行呢？”

孟子回答说：“只要有方圆一百里的土地就可以使天下归服。大王如果对老百姓施行仁政，减免刑罚，少收赋税，深耕细作，及时除草；让身强力壮的人抽出时间修养孝顺、尊敬、忠诚、守信的品德，在家侍奉父母兄长，出门尊敬长辈上级。这样就是让他们制作木棒也可以打击那些拥有坚实盔甲锐利刀枪的秦、楚军队了。因为那些秦国、楚国的执政者剥夺了他们老百姓的生产时间，使他们不能够深耕细作来赡养父母。父母受冻挨饿，兄弟妻子东离西散。他们使老百姓陷入深渊之中，大王去征伐他们，有谁来和您抵抗呢？所以说：‘施行仁政的人是无敌于天下的。’大王请不要怀疑！”

KingHuiofLiangsaid,“TherewasnotinthenationstrongerStatethanWei,asyou,venerableSir,know.Butsinceitdescendedtome,ontheeastwehavebeendefeatedbyQi,andthenmyeldestsonperished;onthewestwehavelostsevenhundredliofterritorytoQin;andonthesouthwehavesustaineddisgraceatthehandsofChu.Ihavebroughtshameonmydepartedpredecessors,andwishontheiraccounttowipeitaway,onceforall.Whatcourseistobepursuedtoaccomplishthis?”

Menciusreplied,“Withaterritorywhichisonlyahundredlisquare,itispossibletoattaintotheroyaldignity.IfYourMajestywillindeeddispenseabenevolentgovernmenttothepeople,beingsparingintheuseofpunishmentsandfines,andmakingthetaxesandlevieslight,socausingthatthefieldsshallbeplougheddeep,andtheweedingofthembecarefullyattendedto,andthatthestrong-bodied,duringtheirdaysofleisure,shallcultivatetheirfilialpiety,fraternalrespectfulness,sincerity,andtruthfulness,servingthereby,athome,theirfathersandelderbrothers,and,abroad,theireldersandsuperiors,--youwillthenhaveapeoplewhocanbeemployed,withstickswhichtheyhaveprepared,toopposethestrongmailandsharpweaponsofthetroopsofQinandChu.TherulersofthoseStatesrobtheirpeopleoftheirtime,sothattheycannotploughandweedtheirfields,inordertosupporttheirparents.Theirparentssufferfromcoldandhunger.Brothers,wives,andchildrenareseparatedandscatteredabroad.Thoserulers,asitwere,drivetheirpeopleintopit-falls,ordrownthem.YourMajestywillgotopunishthem.Insuchacase,whowillopposeyourMajesty?Inaccordancewiththisisthesaying,‘Thebenevolenthasnoenemy.’IbegyourMajestynottodoubtwhatIsay.”