Mencius said, "Do not deem it strange that the people should think you were grudging the ox. How should they know the reason why you changed a large animal for a small one? And what was there to choose between an ox and a sheep if you felt pained by its being led to death as if it were an innocent man going to the execution ground?"

Mencius pursued, ‘Let not your Majesty deem it strange that the people should think you were grudging the animal. When you changed a large one for a small, how should they know the true reason? If you felt pained by its being led without guilt to the place of death, what was there to choose between an ox and a sheep?’

Mencius said, Do not think it strange, King, that the people thought that the King grudged him; you took the small for the great. How should they know? And if you pitied him, King, going innocent to the death-ground, what choice was there between the ox a

"It isn’t so strange that the people thought you miserly," said Mencius. "You wanted to use a small animal instead of a large one, so how were they to know? If you were so grievedby something innocent going to the executioner, then what’sthe difference between an ox and a sheep?"

(Mencius) replied, it is not to be wondered at (or rather do not wonder) that the people considered your Majesty's having exchanged a large animal for a small as a proof of niggardliness. How could they know that your majesty secretly felt for the innocent animal, when on his way to the place of slaughter? for in this respect, what difference existed between the ox and the sheep (both being equally innocent) ?