Mencius. Book VII: Tsin Sin. Part I. Chapter II.
Legge's summary: Man's duty as affected by the decrees or appointments of Heaven. What may be correctly described ascribed thereto and what not.
1. Mencius said, 'There is an appointment for everything. A man should receive submissively what may be correctly ascribed thereto.
2. 'Therefore, he who has the true idea of what is Heaven's appointment will not stand beneath a precipitous wall.
3. 'Death sustained in the discharge of one's duties may correctly be ascribed to the appointment of Heaven.
4. 'Death under handcuffs and fetters cannot correctly be so ascribed.'
Previous chapter main Mencius node Next chapter
Translated by
James Legge, published in 1861 and revised for publication in 1895. Prepared as etext by Stephen R. McIntyre. Noded by
schist. Please msg schist if you have suggestions for useful hard-links.