仆诚赖天之灵，偶有见于良知之学，以为必由此，而后天下可得而治。是以每念斯民之陷溺，则为之戚然痛心，忘其身之不肖，而思以此救之，亦不自知其量者。天下之人见其若是，遂相与非笑而诋斥之，以为是病狂丧心之人耳。呜呼！是奚足恤哉！吾方疾痛之切体，而暇计人之非笑乎？人固有见其父子兄弟之坠溺于深渊者，呼号匍匐，裸跣颠顿，扳悬崖壁而下拯之。士之见者，方相与揖让谈笑于其傍，以为是弃其礼貌衣冠而呼号颠顿若此，是病狂丧心者也。故夫揖让谈笑于溺人之傍而不知救，此惟行路之人，无亲戚骨肉之情者能之，然已谓之无恻隐之心非人矣；若夫在父子兄弟之爱者，则固未有不痛心疾首，狂奔尽气，匍匐而拯之；彼将陷溺之祸有不顾，而况于病狂丧心之讥乎？而又况于蕲人信与不信乎？呜呼！今之人虽谓仆为病狂丧心之人，亦无不可矣。天下之人心，皆吾之心也。天下之人犹有病狂者矣，吾安得而非病狂乎！犹有丧心者矣，吾安得而非丧心乎？
我诚然依赖上天的灵佑，偶然对良知之学有所见，认为必由此而后天下可得而治。所以每当想到这些百姓的陷溺，便为之戚然痛心，忘记自己的不肖，想以此道来救他们，也是不自量力。天下的人见我如此，便相与讥笑诋斥，以为是病狂丧心之人罢了。呜呼！这有什么可怕呢！我正疾痛切体，哪有闲工夫计较别人的讥笑？人固有见父子兄弟坠入深渊的，呼号匍匐、赤脚颠顿，攀着悬崖峭壁下去拯救。旁观的士人，还在一旁揖让谈笑，认为这人抛弃了礼貌衣冠，呼号颠顿成这样，是病狂丧心的人。所以在溺水者旁边还能揖让谈笑而不知救，这只有毫无亲属骨肉之情的过路人才做得到，然而也已算无恻隐之心的非人了；至于有父子兄弟之爱的人，则从来没有不痛心疾首、狂奔尽气、匍匐拯救的。连将要陷溺的祸患都顾不上，何况病狂丧心的讥笑？更何况求人信与不信？呜呼！如今的人即使说我是病狂丧心之人，也无所谓了。天下的人心，都是我的心。天下之人尚且有病狂的，我怎能不病狂！尚且有丧心的，我怎能不丧心！
Truly by heaven's grace I have lit, as it were, upon the learning of innate knowledge, holding that only through it can the world be brought to order. So whenever I think of the people sunk in the mire, my heart aches and grieves; forgetting my own unworthiness, I would fain save them by this Way — measuring myself not at all. The world, seeing me thus, joins in laughter and abuse, deeming me mad and heart-struck. Ah — what is that to heed! The pain is on my own body; what leisure for men's laughter? A man who sees father or brother fallen into a deep pool cries out and scrambles, barefoot and tumbling, down the cliff face to save him. The gentlemen looking on still stand by bowing and chatting, thinking: here is one who has cast off decorum and dress, howling and staggering — mad, heart-struck. To bow and chat beside the drowning and not save — that only a passing stranger without flesh-and-blood feeling could do; yet even he is called less than human, without the pang of compassion. But one who has the love of father and son, brother and brother has never failed to ache to the quick, run himself breathless, scrambled to the rescue — the peril of drowning itself unheeded, let alone the mockery of madness; still less the asking to be believed. Alas! Call me mad and heart-struck — so be it. The hearts of all under heaven are my heart. The world yet holds the mad — how should I not be mad! It yet holds the heart-struck — how should I not be heart-struck!