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Overview The translated histories identify Mr. Never-Was as a named individual and official. This record brings together 9 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.
Names Type English Chinese Pinyin
Personal
Mr. Never-Was
非有先生
Feiyou xiansheng
Identity
Historicity Literary
Identification Named
Sex Male References in the histories Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.
Book of Han, Chapter 76 Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo · 9 passages
又設非有先生之論，其辭曰：
He also composed the dialogue of "Mr. Never-Was," which begins:
非有先生仕於吳，進不稱往古以厲主意，退不能揚君美以顯其功，默然無言者三年矣。
Mr. Never-Was had taken office in Wu. For three years he had not advanced a single precedent to sharpen the king's judgment, nor stepped back to praise his lord and burnish his own service. He had simply held his tongue.
今先生率然高舉，遠集吳地，將以輔治寡人，誠竊嘉之，體不安席，食不甘味，目不視靡曼之色，耳不聽鐘鼓之音，虛心定志欲聞流議者三年於茲矣。
You, sir, came from afar to settle in Wu and promised to help me govern; I welcomed you with all my heart. For three years I have tossed on my mat, found my food tasteless, shut my eyes to silks and dancers, silenced music in my halls, and steadied my mind, longing to hear whatever counsel you would pour forth.
今先生進無以輔治，退不揚主譽，竊不為先生取之也。
Yet you bring no counsel forward and no praise backward. I cannot approve of that, sir.
非有先生伏而唯唯。
Mr. Never-Was bowed low and muttered assent.
先生曰：「於戲！
The gentleman cried, "Alas!
先生試言，寡人將聽焉。」
Speak, sir. I am ready to listen."
先生對曰：「昔者關龍逢深諫於桀，而王子比干直言於紂，此二臣者，皆極慮盡忠，閔王澤不下流，而萬民騷動，故直言其失，切諫其邪者，將以為君之榮，除主之禍也。
The gentleman replied, saying: "Formerly Guan Longpeng remonstrated deeply with Jie, and Prince Bigan spoke straight with Zhou—these two ministers both exhausted thought and fulfilled loyalty, pitied that the king's grace did not flow downward while the myriad people were restless; therefore they spoke straight of his faults and cut remonstrance of his wickedness, intending thereby to be the lord's glory and remove the ruler's disaster.
先生曰：「接輿避世，箕子被髮陽狂，此二人者，皆避濁世以全其身者也。
The gentleman said: "Jieyu avoided the age; Jizi let his hair down and feigned madness—these two men both avoided a turbid age to preserve their persons.