《梁惠王下》

Note: This famous Mencius passage on the virtue of benevolent rule plays on the three derivatives of the morphemic root 樂, which linguistic pun reflects the very heart of the Classical era (i.e. Earlier Kings’ era) ideology of achieving elective conformity and concordance in group behavior — and by extension, society — through symphonic rites.

8. 莊暴見孟子，曰：「暴見於王，王語暴以好樂，暴未有以對也。」曰：「好樂何如？」
Zhuang Bao seeing Mencius, said: “(When) Bao was seen by the king, the king opined to Bao regarding liking harmony, Bao was yet to have a reply to be used.” (Zhuang Bao) said: “What follows liking harmony?”

孟子曰：「王之好樂甚，則齊國其庶幾乎！」
Mencius said: “However much (is) the king’s liking of harmony, accordingly that much (in) the Kingdom of Qi it is so!”

他日，見於王曰：「王嘗語莊子以好樂，有諸？」王變乎色，曰：「寡人非能好先王之樂也，直好世俗之樂耳。」
Another day, (Mencius), seen by the king, said: “The king partook to opine to Master Zhuang regarding liking harmony, has (there) such a thing?” The king changing in expression, said: “This lonesome one is not capable of liking the harmony of Earlier Kings, (but) rather likes the harmony of the generation and customs only.”

曰：「王之好樂甚，則齊其庶幾乎！今之樂猶古之樂也。」曰：「可得聞歟？」
(Mencius) said: “However much (is) the king’s liking of harmony, accordingly that much (in) the Kingdom of Qi it is so. The harmony of today likens to the harmony of the past.” (The king) said: “Be (I) allowed to obtain a hearing of it?”

曰：「獨樂樂，與人樂樂，孰樂？」曰：「不若與人。」
(Mencius) said: “Harmonizing harmony solely, (or) harmonizing harmony with others, which is harmonious?” (The king) said: “(Solely) not (as much) as with others.”

曰：「與少樂樂，與眾樂樂，孰樂？」曰：「不若與眾。」
(Mencius) said: “Harmonizing harmony with few, (or) harmonizing harmony with multitude, which is harmonious?” (The king) said: “(With few) not (as much) as with multitude.”

「臣請為王言樂：今王鼓樂於此，百姓聞王鐘鼓之聲，管籥之音，舉疾首蹙頞而相告曰：『吾王之好鼓樂，夫何使我至於此極也？父子不相見，兄弟妻子離散。』今王畋獵於此，百姓聞王車馬之音，見羽旄之美，舉疾首蹙頞而相告曰：『吾王之好畋獵，夫何使我至於此極也？父子不相見，兄弟妻子離散。』此無他，不與民同樂也。」
“This servant asks to treat the king to speaking on harmony: Now were the king to drum and harmonize henceforth, (and) the hundred folks hearing the king’s sounds of chimes and drums, the voices of pipes and flutes, all with ailing heads and narrowed ridges, were to report one after another and have said: ‘My king’s liking of drumming and harmonizing — is that what drives me to reach this brink? Father and son see each other not, brothers elder and younger, wives and children part and scatter.’ (Or) now were the king to poach and hunt henceforth, (and) the hundred folks hearing the king’s noises of chariots and horses, seeing the fineness of feathers and oxtails, all with ailing heads and narrowed ridges, were to report one after another and have said: ‘My king’s liking of poaching and hunting — is that what drives me to reach this brink? Father and son see each other not, brothers elder and younger, wives and children part and scatter.’ This has no other (cause but), not sharing harmony with the people.”

「今王鼓樂於此，百姓聞王鐘鼓之聲，管籥之音，舉欣欣然有喜色而相告曰：『吾王庶幾無疾病歟？何以能鼓樂也？』今王畋獵於此，百姓聞王車馬之音，見羽旄之美，舉欣欣然有喜色而相告曰『吾王庶幾無疾病歟？何以能畋獵也？』此無他，與民同樂也。今王與百姓同樂，則王矣。」
“Now were the king to drum and harmonize henceforth, (and) the hundred folks hearing the king’s sounds of chimes and drums, the voices of pipes and flutes, all admiringly holding delighted expression, were to report one after another and have said: ‘Has my king not much illness or malady? With what capability is (he) drumming and harmonizing?’ (Or) now were the king to poach and hunt henceforth, (and) the hundred folks hearing the king’s noises of chariots and horses, seeing the fineness of feathers and oxtails, all admiringly holding delighted expression, were to report one after another and have said: ‘Has my king not much illness or malady? With what capability is (he) poaching and hunting?’ This has no other (cause but), sharing harmony with the people. Now should the king share harmony with the hundred folks, then accordingly (he) would have reigned supreme.”