6.26 宰我问曰:“仁者,虽告之曰‘井有仁焉’,其从之也?”子曰:“何为其然也?君子可逝也1,不可陷也;可欺也,不可罔也2。”
【译文】
宰我问道:“一个有仁德的人,如告诉他‘井里掉下去一个仁人’,他会跟着跳下去吗?”孔子说:“为什么这么做呢?君子可以到井边去设法救人,但不可自己也陷入井中;可以受骗前往,但不可被迷惑而跳入井中。”
【YZG解释】
宰我请教:“一个有仁德的人,如告诉他‘井里掉下去一个仁人’,他会跟着跳下去吗?”孔子说:“怎么会这样呢?君子可以到井边去,但不会让自己也陷入井中;可以受骗前往,但不可被迷惑而跳入井中。”
【English Translation】
Zai Wo1 asked Confucius: “If a benevolent person is told that ‘a benevolent person has fallen into a well’, would he jump in following him?” Confucius replied: “How could that be? A noble person would go to the edge of the well, but he will not fall in. He may be deceived into going there, but he will not be misled to jump into the well.”
【Note】
Zai Wo: 3.21