鱼我所欲也 Fish and Bear’s Paw

鱼，我所欲也；熊掌，亦我所欲也。二者不可得兼，舍鱼而取熊掌者也。 yú, wǒ suǒ yù yě; xióng zhǎng, yì wǒ suǒ yù yě. èr zhě bù kě dé jiān, shě yú ér qǔ xióng zhǎng zhě yě.
Fish is something I want, and bear’s paw is also something I want. If I cannot have both, I give up the fish and take the bear’s paw.

生，亦我所欲也；义，亦我所欲也。二者不可得兼，舍生而取义者也。 shēng, yì wǒ suǒ yù yě; yì, yì wǒ suǒ yù yě. èr zhě bù kě dé jiān, shě shēng ér qǔ yì zhě yě.
Life is also something I want, and right conduct is also something I want. If I cannot have both, I give up life and choose what is right.

生亦我所欲，所欲有甚于生者，故不为苟得也；死亦我所恶，所恶有甚于死者，故患有所不辟也。 shēng yì wǒ suǒ yù, suǒ yù yǒu shèn yú shēng zhě, gù bù wéi gǒu dé yě; sǐ yì wǒ suǒ wù, suǒ wù yǒu shèn yú sǐ zhě, gù huàn yǒu suǒ bù bì yě.
I want life, but I want something more than life, so I will not obtain it by any means whatever. I hate death, but I hate something more than death, so there are dangers I will not avoid.

如使人之所欲莫甚于生，则凡可以得生者何不用也？ rú shǐ rén zhī suǒ yù mò shèn yú shēng, zé fán kě yǐ dé shēng zhě hé bù yòng yě?
If people wanted nothing more than life, what means of staying alive would they refuse to use?

使人之所恶莫甚于死者，则凡可以辟患者何不为也？ shǐ rén zhī suǒ wù mò shèn yú sǐ zhě, zé fán kě yǐ bì huàn zhě hé bù wéi yě?
If people hated nothing more than death, what means of avoiding danger would they refuse to take?

由是则生而有不用也，由是则可以辟患而有不为也。 yóu shì zé shēng ér yǒu bù yòng yě, yóu shì zé kě yǐ bì huàn ér yǒu bù wéi yě.
Yet there are means of staying alive that people do not use, and means of avoiding danger that they do not take.

是故所欲有甚于生者，所恶有甚于死者。 shì gù suǒ yù yǒu shèn yú shēng zhě, suǒ wù yǒu shèn yú sǐ zhě.
So there is something they want more than life, and something they hate more than death.

非独贤者有是心也，人皆有之，贤者能勿丧耳。 fēi dú xián zhě yǒu shì xīn yě, rén jiē yǒu zhī, xián zhě néng wù sàng ěr.
This judgement belongs to everyone, not only the worthy; the worthy are able to keep from losing it.

一箪食，一豆羹，得之则生，弗得则死。 yī dān sì, yī dòu gēng, dé zhī zé shēng, fú dé zé sǐ.
A basket of cooked grain and a bowl of soup: getting them means life, and failing to get them means death.

呼尔而与之，行道之人弗受；蹴尔而与之，乞人不屑也。 hū ěr ér yǔ zhī, xíng dào zhī rén fú shòu; cù ěr ér yǔ zhī, qǐ rén bù xiè yě.
Offer it with an insulting shout and a traveller will refuse it; kick it toward him and even a beggar will scorn it.

万钟则不辩礼义而受之，万钟于我何加焉！ wàn zhōng zé bù biàn lǐ yì ér shòu zhī, wàn zhōng yú wǒ hé jiā yān!
Yet a payment of ten thousand measures is accepted without asking whether it accords with ritual and right. What does such a payment add to me?

为宫室之美、妻妾之奉、所识穷乏者得我与？ wèi gōng shì zhī měi, qī qiè zhī fèng, suǒ shí qióng fá zhě dé wǒ yú?
Is it for the beauty of a mansion, the service of wives and concubines, or the gratitude of poor acquaintances?

乡为身死而不受，今为宫室之美为之；乡为身死而不受，今为妻妾之奉为之；乡为身死而不受，今为所识穷乏者得我而为之。 xiàng wèi shēn sǐ ér bù shòu, jīn wèi gōng shì zhī měi wéi zhī; xiàng wèi shēn sǐ ér bù shòu, jīn wèi qī qiè zhī fèng wéi zhī; xiàng wèi shēn sǐ ér bù shòu, jīn wèi suǒ shí qióng fá zhě dé wǒ ér wéi zhī.
Formerly you refused even at the cost of death; now you do it for a beautiful mansion. Formerly you refused even at the cost of death; now you do it for the service of wives and concubines. Formerly you refused even at the cost of death; now you do it for the gratitude of poor acquaintances.

是亦不可以已乎？此之谓失其本心。 shì yì bù kě yǐ yǐ hū? cǐ zhī wèi shī qí běn xīn.
Could this behaviour not also be stopped? This is what it means to lose your original heart.