Mencius. Book 4, Part 1, Chapter 12.
Book 4, Le Low. Part 1.

1. Mencius said, "When those occupying inferior situations do not obtain the confidence of the soveriegn, they cannot succeed in governing the people. There is a way to obtain the confidence of the sovereign: ‹ if one is not trusted by his friends, he will not obtain the confidence of his sovereign. There is a way of being trusted by one's friends: ‹ if one do not serve his parents so as to make them pleased, he will not be trusted by his friends. There is a way to make one's parents pleased: ‹ if one, on turnig his thoughts inward finds a want of sincerity, he will not give pleaure to his parents. There is a way to the attainment of sincerity in one's self: ‹ if a man do not understand what is good, he will not attain sincerity in himself.

2. "Therefore, sincerity is the way of Heaven. To think how to be sincere is the way of man.

3. "Never has there been one possessed of completed sincerity, who did not move others. Never has there been one who had not sincerity who was able to ove others." 3

Text source: The Works of Mencius. Translated by James Legge.

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China - Ancient - Philosophy - Chinese - Chinese translation