Pulling on Sprouts to Help them Grow

As I stare blankly into the screen, wondering what I could blog with the least effort for something passable, I stumble upon this quaint little parable about not rushing things by Mencius.

Mencius believed that goodness is innate within human nature and that one must cultivate one's goodness to be good.  The individual must have the will to cultivate goodness, just like my lazy behind trying to write a good blog post.

One cannot rapidly change one's nature, but one can certainly quickly translate his parable!

 



揠苗助長

孟子 Mencius (around 4th century BC)

宋人有閔其苗

Of the Song people there was one who worried his sprouts

之不長而揠之者，

would not grow, so he pulled them.

芒芒然歸，

uncertain heading home

謂其人曰：

He said to another person.

“今日病矣，予助苗長矣！”

Today they are sick, I will help them grow!

其子趨而往視之，

This person was in a rush and looked at it,

苗則槁矣。

The sprouts all withered.