15.35 子曰：“民之于仁也，甚于水火。水火，吾见蹈而死者矣，未见蹈仁而死者也。”
【译文】
孔子说：“百姓对仁道的需要超过对水火的需要。我看见过踏入水火而死了的，却没见过践行仁道而死了的。”
【YZG解释】
孔子说：“对于百姓来说，仁道比水火更需要。离开水火，身体有害，而离开仁道，则本心丧失。更何况，有时还会看见踏入水火而死了的，却没见过践行仁道而死了的（为何常对仁道加以忌惮呢）。”
【English Translation】
Confucius said: “For the civilians, the benevolence is more necessary than water and fire. Without water and fire, the body is harmed, but without the benevolence, the conscience is lost. What’s more, sometimes we see people dying by stepping into water and fire, but have never seen people dying by practicing the benevolence.”