《孝经》英译（谏诤章）

曾子曰：“若夫慈爱恭敬，安亲扬名，则闻命矣。敢问子从父之令，可谓孝乎？”子曰：“是何言与，是何言与！昔者天子有争臣七人，虽无道，不失其天下；诸侯有争臣五人，虽无道，不失其国；大夫有争臣三人，虽无道，不失其家；士有争友，则身不离于令名；父有争子，则身不陷于不义。故当不义，则子不可以不争于父，臣不可以不争于君；故当不义，则争之。从父之令，又焉得为孝乎！”

Chapter 15

On Remonstrance (Jian)

Master Zeng said, “Parental love (ai), reverence and respect (jing), seeing to the well-being of one’s parents, and raising one’s name (ming) high for posterity—on these topics I have received your instructions. I would presume to ask whether children can be deemed filial simply by obeying every command of their father.”

 “What on earth are you saying? What on earth are you saying?” said the Master. “Of old, an Emperor had seven ministers who would remonstrate with him, so even if he had no vision of the proper way (dao), he still did not lose the empire. The high nobles had five ministers who would remonstrate with them, so even if they had no vision of the proper way (dao), they still did not lose their states. The high officials had three ministers who would remonstrate with them, so even if they had no vision of the proper way (dao), they still did not lose their clans. If the lower officials had just one friend who would remonstrate with them, they were still able to preserve their good names (ming); if a father has a son who will remonstrate with him, he will not behave reprehensively (buyi).

“Thus, if confronted by reprehensible behavior on his father’s part, a son has no choice but to remonstrate with his father, and if confronted by reprehensible behavior on his ruler’s part, a minister has no choice but to remonstrate with his ruler. Hence, remonstrance is the only response to immorality. How could simply obeying the commands of one’s father be deemed filial?”