Bilingual Sage Wisdom 圣贤智慧|孟子 仁政之⑥：无恒产者无恒心

记者 王娟 王晓莹 绘画 徐进 实习生 郭致岐

王曰：“吾惛，不能进于是矣。愿夫子辅吾志，明以教我。我虽不敏，请尝试之。”

曰：“无恒产而有恒心者，惟士为能。若民，则无恒产，因无恒心。苟无恒心，放辟邪侈，无不为已。及陷于罪，然后从而刑之，是罔民也。焉有仁人在位，罔民而可为也？是故明君制民之产，必使仰足以事父母，俯足以畜妻子；乐岁终身饱，凶年免于死亡。然后驱而之善，故民之从之也轻。

今也制民之产，仰不足以事父母，俯不足以畜妻子；乐岁终身苦，凶年不免于死亡。此惟救死而恐不赡，奚暇治礼义哉？”

（出自《孟子·梁惠王上》）

译文：

齐宣王说：“我算不上聪明，不能达到您说的程度。希望先生辅助我，明明白白地指点我。我虽愚笨，也想试一试。”

孟子说：“没有固定财产却能坚守高尚情操的人，只有那些有修养的士人能做到。至于普通百姓，如果没有固定资产也就失去了其应有的道德观念。一旦丧失了道德观念，只能是完全地放纵自己的私欲邪念，无所不为。等到他们犯了罪再去用刑罚处理他们，就像是先布好了网等着他们去钻一样。有道德的统治者不会这样去陷害百姓，必须让百姓有些剩余，对上可以赡养父母，对下可以养活妻子儿女，年成好时吃饱穿暖，碰到灾年也不至于饿死。在这种情况下再引导百姓提高其道德水平，百姓便很容易听从了。

现在对百姓财产的收敛，使得他们上不能赡养父母，下不能养活妻子儿女，年成好时也是劳碌不止，遇到灾年就只有等着饿死了。这时候人们只想着养活自己不被饿死了，又哪里有空去提高修养呢？”

The king said, “I am stupid, and not able to advance to this. I wish you, my Master, to assist my intentions. Teach me clearly; although I am deficient in intelligence and vigour, I will essay and try to carry your instructions into effect.”

Mencius replied, “They 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, it follows that they will not have a fixed heart. And if they have not a fixed heart, there is nothing which they will not do, in the way of self-abandonment, of moral deflection, of depravity, and of wild license. When they thus have been involved in crime, to follow them up and punish them;-- this is to entrap the people. How can such a thing as entrapping the people be done under the rule of a benevolent man? Therefore an intelligent ruler will regulate the livelihood of the people, so as to make sure that, for those above them, they shall have sufficient wherewith to serve their parents, and, for those below them, sufficient wherewith to support their wives and children; that in good years they shall always be abundantly satisfied, and that in bad years they shall escape the danger of perishing. After this he may urge them, and they will proceed to what is good, for in this case the people will follow after it with ease. Now, the livelihood of the people is so regulated, that, above, they have not sufficient wherewith to serve their parents, and, below, they have not sufficient wherewith to support their wives and children. Notwithstanding good years, their lives are continually embittered, and, in bad years, they do not escape perishing. In such circumstances they only try to save themselves from death, and are afraid they will not succeed. What leisure have they to cultivate propriety and righteousness?”