16.1 季氏将伐颛臾1。冉有、季路见于孔子曰：“季氏将有事于颛臾2。” 孔子曰：“求！无乃尔是过与3？夫颛臾，昔者先王以为东蒙主4，且在邦域之中矣，是社稷之臣也。何以伐为？” 冉有曰：“夫子欲之，吾二臣者皆不欲也。” 孔子曰：“求！周任有言曰5：‘陈力就列6，不能者止。’危而不持，颠而不扶，则将焉用彼相矣7？且尔言过矣，虎兕出于柙8，龟玉毁于椟中9，是谁之过与？” 冉有曰：“今夫颛臾，固而近于费10。今不取，后世必为子孙忧。” 孔子曰：“求！君子疾夫舍曰欲之而必为之辞。丘也闻有国有家者，不患寡而患不均，不患贫而患不安11。盖均无贫，和无寡，安无倾。夫如是，故远人不服，则修文德以来之。既来之，则安之。今由与求也，相夫子，远人不服，而不能来也；邦分崩离析，而不能守也；而谋动干戈于邦内。吾恐季孙之忧，不在颛臾，而在萧墙之内也12。”
【译文】
季氏准备攻打颛臾。冉有、季路去见孔子，说：“季氏准备对颛臾用兵。” 孔子说：“冉求！这难道不应该责备你吗？那颛臾，上代的君王曾让它主持蒙山的祭祀，况且又在鲁国境域之内，是鲁国国家的臣属。为什么要攻打它呢？” 冉有说：“是季孙想这么做，我们两个人都不赞同。” 孔子说：“冉求！周任说过这样的话：‘能施展才力就任职，如果不行就辞职。’如果一个盲人有危险而不去扶持他，要摔倒了而不去搀扶他，那又何必要那个扶助的人呢？而且你说的话就是错误的，老虎和犀牛从笼中逃出，龟甲和美玉在匣中毁坏，这是谁的过失呢？” 冉有说：“现在那颛臾城墙坚固，离季氏的费邑又很近。现今不将它攻取，以后一定成为子孙的祸患。” 孔子说：“冉求！君子讨厌那种不实说自己的贪欲而另找借口加以掩饰的做法。我所听说的是，有国的诸侯和有家的卿大夫，不担忧贫穷而担忧财富不均，不担忧人口不足而担忧不安定。财富平均就无所谓贫穷，关系和谐就不觉得人口不足，境内安定了也就不会有倾覆之事。做到这样，远方的人还不归服，就修治文德招他们来。他们来了，就让他们安心。如今仲由、冉求你们两人辅助季孙，远方的人不归服，你们不能去招来；国家分崩离析，你们不能保全；反而要在境内使用兵力。恐怕季孙的忧虑不在颛臾，而是在鲁君这里吧。”
【YZG解释】
季氏准备攻打颛臾。冉有、季路去见孔子，说：“季氏准备对颛臾用兵。” 孔子说：“冉求！这难道不是你的过失吗？那颛臾，上代的君王曾让它主持东蒙山的祭祀，况且又在鲁国境域之内，是鲁国国家的附属国。为什么要攻打它呢？” 冉有说：“是季孙想这么做，我们两个人都不赞同。” 孔子说：“冉求！古代良臣周任说过这样的话：‘能施展才力就任职，如果做不了就辞职。’如果一个盲人有危险而不去扶持他，要摔倒了而不去搀扶他，那又何必要那个扶助的人呢？而且你说的话就是错误的，老虎和犀牛从笼中逃出，宝贵的龟甲和美玉在匣中毁坏，这是谁的过失呢？难道不是看守人的问题吗？” 冉有说：“现在颛臾那个地方城墙坚固，有利于防守，离季氏的费邑又很近。现今不将它攻取，以后一定成为子孙的祸患。” 孔子说：“冉求！君子讨厌那些不直说自己想要那样做而偏找另一番理由的人。我听说，无论是诸侯还是大夫，不担忧贫穷而担忧财富不均，不担忧人口不足而担忧不安定。财富平均就无所谓贫穷，关系和谐就无所谓人口不足，境内安定了也就不会有倾覆之事。做到这样，远方的人还不归服，就修治文德招他们来。他们来了，就让他们安居乐业。如今仲由、冉求你们两人辅助季孙，远方的人不归服，你们不能去招来；国家分崩离析，你们不能保全；反而要在境内使用兵力。恐怕季孙的忧虑不在颛臾，而是在鲁国内部吧。”
【English Translation】
Ji’s family1 was preparing to attack Zhuan Yu2. Ran You3 and Zi Lu4 went to see Confucius and said: “Ji family is preparing to attack Zhuan Yu.”
Confucius said: “Ran Qiu! Isn’t this your fault? As for Zhuan Yu, the previous kings used it to preside over the sacrificial ceremony on Mount Dongmeng. Moreover, it is within the territory of the State of Lu and is a vassal State of Lu. Why attack it?”
Ran You said: “It is Ji Sun who wants to do this. Both of us do not agree.”
Confucius said: “Ran Qiu! Zhou Ren, a virtuous official in ancient times, said: ‘Take office if one can exert one’s abilities and resign if one cannot do it.’ If a blind person is in danger and one does not support him, and if he is about to fall and one does not hold him up, then why does it need that person to assist? Moreover, what you said is wrong. When tigers and rhinoceroses escape from their cages, and precious tortoise shells and beautiful jades are damaged in their boxes, whose fault is it? Isn’t it the fault of the keeper?”
Ran You said: “Now the city wall of Zhuan Yu is solid and beneficial for defense. It is also very close to Ji Sun’s Bi county. If we do not capture it now, it will definitely become a disaster for future generations.”
Confucius said: “Ran Qiu! A noble person detests those who do not directly say what they want to do but instead find another excuse. I have heard that whether it is feudal lords or ministers, they do not worry about poverty but about unequal distribution of wealth. They do not worry about insufficient population but about instability. When wealth is equally distributed, there is no such thing as poverty. When relationships are harmonious, there is no concern about insufficient population. When the State is stable inside, there will be no overthrows. Having achieved this, if people from afar do not submit, then cultivate moral culture to attract them. Once they come, let them live and work in peace. Now, Zhong You and Ran Qiu, you two assist Ji Sun. Now the people from afar do not submit, but you cannot attract them. The State is divided and falling apart, but you cannot preserve it. Instead, you use military force within the State. I am afraid that Ji Sun’s worry is not about Zhuan Yu but about the Interior of the State of Lu.”
【Note】