Translation: There was a man who stole a chicken from his neighbor’s house every day. Someone advised him, “This is not the morality of a person with upright behavior and noble character.” He replied, “Then let me reduce this behavior and steal a chicken every month. I will not steal next year.” If you know that stealing chickens is wrong, you should correct it immediately. Why wait until next year?
译文：从前有一个每天都要偷邻居家一只鸡的人。有人劝告他说：“这不是行为端正、品德高尚的人所拥有的道德。”他回答说：“那就让我减少这种行为吧，(以后)每个月偷一只鸡，等到明年我就不偷了。”如果知道偷鸡不对，就应该马上改正，为什么还要等到明年呢。
《古代寓言·偷鸡的人》
今有人，日攘邻之鸡者。
或告之曰：“是非君子之道。”
曰：“请损之，月攘一鸡。以待来年，然后已。”
如知其非义，斯速已矣，何待来年？
——《孟子》
The Chicken Thief
There was a man who used to steal a chicken from his neighbours every day.
“It is wrong to steal,” someone told him.
“I’ll cut down on it,” promised the chicken thief. “I shall steal one chicken a month from now on, and stop altogether next year.”
Since he knew he was wrong, he ought to have stopped at once. Why wait for another year?
Mencius
