One day, King Hui of Liang met Mencius and said: "What a mess the political states of our neighbouring countries is in! When they govern their states, they never think of the people. But when there is a flood in Nenei, I move the victims of the calamity1 to Henei. I also allocate2 them food for calamity relief. I have really done my best to govern my country."

　　As Mencius heard this, he nodded in agreement.

　　King Hui of Liang went on to say: "Yet my population has not decreased and our neighbouring countries' population has not decreased. Tell me, what exactly is the reason?"

　　Mencius thought this over and replied: "Your Majesty3 likes wars. Please allow me to use war as an analogy4. On the battlefield, the sound of fighting shakes the heavens. The two armies are locked in a stalemate, but there is surely to be either victory or defeat. The defeated soldiers, throwing away their helmets and armour5, flee for their lives. Some of them flee 50 steps and then stop, while others flee 100 steps and stop. Then, those who flee 50 steps laugh at those who flee 100 steps for their cowardice6. Your Majesty, do you think it is right to laugh?"

　　Upon hearing this, King Hui struck the table and said: "Of course not. No matter whether they flee 50 steps or 100 steps, they are deserters just the same."

　　一天， 梁惠王見到孟子，說：“你看看鄰居的政治多么糟糕！他們治國不為老百姓著想，而我每當(dāng)河西鬧了災(zāi)，就把災(zāi)民遷到河?xùn)|；河?xùn)|遭了難，我又把災(zāi)民遷到河西來，還調(diào)撥糧食救濟(jì)他們。對于治理國家，我是盡了自己最大的努力了。”

　　孟子聽了惠王的話，點(diǎn)頭表示贊同。

　　梁惠王接著說：“可是，我的百姓人數(shù)卻沒有增加，而鄰居的百姓人數(shù)也不見得減少呀！你說，這究竟是什么原因？”

　　孟子想了想回答說：“大王喜歡打仗，請?jiān)试S我用打仗來打個比方吧！戰(zhàn)場上，殺聲震天，兩軍對峙，相持不下，但是一定會有勝負(fù)。被打敗的士兵丟盔棄甲，抱頭逃命。其中，有的人逃了五十步就停下來，有的人逃了一百步也停了下來。這時候，逃了五十步的人，嘲笑逃了一百步的人膽小怕死。大王，您說這種嘲笑對不對？”

　　惠王聽了，拍著桌子，說：“當(dāng)然不對，不管逃五十步，還是逃一百步，一樣是逃兵??！”