rge your territories, to have Ts[']in and
Ts[']oo coming to your court, to rule the Middle States, and to
attract to you the barbarous tribes that surround them. But to do what
you do in order to seek for what you desire is like climbing a tree to
seek for fish."

"Is it so bad as that?" said the king. "I apprehend it is worse," was
the reply. "If you climb a tree to seek for fish, although you do not
get the fish, you have no subsequent calamity. But if you do what you
do in order to seek for what you desire, doing it even with all your
heart, you will assuredly afterwards meet with calamities." The king
said, "May I hear what they will be?" Mencius replied, "If the people
of Tsow were fighting with the people of Ts[']oo, which of them does
your Majesty think would conquer?" "The people of Ts[']oo would
conquer," was the answer, and Mencius pursued, "So then, a small State
cannot contend with a great, few cannot contend with many, nor can the
weak contend with the strong. The territory within the seas would
embrace nine divisions, each of a thousand li square. All Ts[']e
together is one of them. If with one part you try to subdue the other
eight, what is the difference between that and Tsow's contending with
Ts[']oo? With the desire which you have, you must turn back to the
proper course for its attainment.

"Now, if your Majesty will institute a government whose action shall
all be benevolent, this will cause all the officers in the kingdom to
wish to stand in your Majesty's court, the farmers all to wish to
plough in your Majesty's fields, the merchants, both travelling and
stationary, all to wish to store their goods in your Majesty's
market-places, travellers and visitors all to wish to travel on your
Majesty's roads, and all under heaven who feel aggrieved by their
rulers to wish to come and complain to your Majesty. When they are so
bent, who will be able to keep them back?"

The king said, "I am stupid and cannot advance to this. But I wish
you, my Master, to assist my intentions. Teach me clearly, and
although I am deficient in intelligence and vigor, I should like to
try at least to institute such a government."

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, they will be found not
to have a fixed heart. And if they have not a fixed heart, there is
nothing which they will not