竊桃李之喻
The Parable of Stealing Peaches and Plums
今有一人，入人園圃，竊其桃李，眾聞則非之，上為政者，得則罰之，此何也？以虧人自利也。至攘人犬豕雞豚，其不義又甚入人園圃竊桃李。是何故也？以虧人愈多，其不仁茲甚，罪益厚。至入人欄廄，取人馬牛者，其不仁義，又甚攘人犬豕雞豚，此何故也？以其虧人愈多。苟虧人愈多，其不仁茲甚，罪益厚。至殺不辜人也，拖其衣裘，取戈劍者，其不義，又甚入人欄廄取人馬牛。此何故也？以其虧人愈多。苟虧人愈多，其不仁茲甚矣，罪益厚。當此，天下之君子皆知而非之，謂之不義。今至大為攻國，則弗知非，從而譽之，謂之義。此可謂知義與不義之別乎？
Suppose there is a man who enters another's orchard and steals his peaches and plums. When the public hears of it, they condemn him; when the authorities catch him, they punish him. Why? Because he harmed others to benefit himself. When it comes to stealing another's dogs, pigs, and chickens, the unrighteousness is even greater than entering another's orchard to steal peaches and plums. Why? Because the harm to others is greater, the inhumanity is more extreme, and the guilt is heavier. When it comes to entering another's stable and taking his horses and cattle, the inhumanity and unrighteousness is even greater than stealing dogs, pigs, and chickens. Why? Because the harm to others is even greater. The greater the harm to others, the more extreme the inhumanity, and the heavier the guilt. When it comes to killing an innocent person, seizing his clothing, and taking his weapons, the unrighteousness is even greater than entering another's stable and taking horses and cattle. Why? Because the harm to others is still greater. At each of these levels, all the gentlemen of the realm recognize it and condemn it, calling it unrighteous. But now when the greatest unrighteousness of all is committed -- attacking a state -- they do not know to condemn it; instead they follow along and praise it, calling it righteous. Can this be called understanding the distinction between righteousness and unrighteousness?
Notes
This famous argument by analogy is one of the most powerful anti-war passages in world philosophy. Mozi demonstrates that the moral logic people apply to small-scale theft should apply equally to large-scale warfare, exposing the inconsistency of praising military conquest.