14.16 子路曰:“桓公杀公子纠,召忽死之,管仲不死1。”曰:“未仁乎?”子曰:“桓公九合诸侯2,不以兵车,管仲之力也。如其仁,如其仁。”

【译文】

子路说:“齐桓公杀了公子纠,召忽因此自杀,管仲却不跟随而死。”他接着问:“管仲不仁吧?”孔子说:“桓公多次召诸侯会盟,不再使用武力,这都是管仲的作用啊。这就是他的仁,这就是他的仁。”

【YZG解释】

子路说:“齐桓公杀了公子纠,召忽因此自杀,管仲却苟且偷生。”他接着问:“管仲这样做算是不仁吧?”孔子说:“桓公多次召诸侯会盟,不再靠武力,而靠威信,这都与管仲的治国能力是分不开的。这就是他的仁,这就是他的仁。”


【English Translation】

Zi Lu1 said: “Because Duke Huan of Qi killed the Prince Jiu, Zhao Hu committed suicide, but Guan Zhong still keep alive without ambition.”2 Then he asked Confucius: “s what Guan Zhong did considered as not benevolent?” Confucius said: “Duke Huan of Qi summon the feudal lords for alliances many times, no longer relying on force but on prestige, and this is inseparable from Guan Zhong’s governing ability. This is his benevolence, this is his benevolence.”

【Note】

注释

  1. “桓公”三句:公子纠是齐桓公的哥哥,与齐桓公都是齐襄公之弟。齐襄公无道,齐桓公由鲍叔牙侍奉逃往莒国。襄公在国内被杀,时公子纠由师傅召忽和管仲侍奉逃往鲁国。其后桓公先回齐国被立为君,并逼鲁国杀了公子纠,召忽自杀,管仲归顺齐桓公,并任宰相。 2

  2. 九合:齐桓公多次与诸侯国会盟,这里的“九”是虚指。 2