孟子辟杨、墨至于「无父、无君」。二子亦当时之贤者，使与孟子并世而生，未必不以之为贤。墨子兼爱，行仁而过耳；杨子为我，行义而过耳。此其为说亦岂灭理乱常之甚，而足以眩天下哉？而其流之弊，孟子则比于禽兽、夷狄，所谓以学术杀天下后世也。今世学术之弊，其谓之学仁而过者乎？谓之学义而过者乎？抑谓之学不仁、不义而过者乎？吾不知其于洪水、猛兽何如也。孟子云：「予岂好辩哉？予不得已也。」杨、墨之道塞天下，孟子之时，天下之尊信杨、墨，当不下于今日之崇尚朱之说；而孟子独以一人呶呶于其闲。噫，可哀矣！韩氏云：「佛、老之害甚于杨、墨。」韩愈之贤不及孟子，孟子不能救之于未坏之先，而韩愈乃欲全之于已坏之后，其亦不量其力，且见其身之危莫之救以死也。呜呼！若某者，其尤不量其力，果见其身之危莫之救以死也矣。夫众方嘻嘻之中，而独出涕嗟若；举世恬然以趋，而独疾首蹙额以为忧。此其非病狂丧心，殆必诚有大苦者隐于其中，而非天下之至仁，其孰能察之？
其为《朱子晚年定论》，盖亦不得已而然。中间年岁早晚，诚有所未考；虽不必尽出于晚年，固多出于晚年者矣。然大意在委曲调停，以明此学为重。平生于朱子之说，如神明蓍龟；一旦与之背驰，心诚有所未忍，故不得已而为此。「知我者，谓我心忧。不知我者，谓我何求？」盖不忍抵牾朱子者，其本心也；不得已而与之抵牾者，道固如是。「不直则道不见」也。
执事所谓「决与朱子异」者，仆敢自欺其心哉？夫道，天下之公道也；学，天下之公学也。非朱子可得而私也，非孔子可得而私也。天下之公也，公言之而已矣。故言之而是，虽异于己，乃益于己也；言之而非，虽同于己，适损于己也。益于己者，己必喜之；损于己者，己必恶之。然则某今日之论，虽或于朱子异，未必非其所喜也。「君子之过，如日月之食，其更也，人皆仰之」；而「小人之过也必文」。某虽不肖，固不敢以小人之心事朱子也。
孟子驳斥杨墨至于「无父无君」。杨墨二人也是当时的贤者，假使与孟子并世而生，未必不以他们为贤。墨子兼爱，是行仁过了头；杨子为我，是行义过了头。他们的学说又岂是灭理乱常到极点、足以眩惑天下的？而其流弊，孟子比之于禽兽夷狄，这就是所谓以学术杀天下后世。当世学术之弊，是叫学仁过了头呢？学义过了头呢？还是叫学不仁不义过了头呢？我不知道它与洪水猛兽相比如何。孟子说：「我难道好辩吗？我是不得已啊。」杨墨之道充塞天下，孟子的时代，天下尊信杨墨，应当不亚于今日崇尚朱子之说；而孟子独自一人在其间喋喋不休。唉，可哀啊！韩愈说：「佛老之害甚于杨墨。」韩愈之贤不及孟子，孟子不能在世道未坏之前挽救，而韩愈想在已坏之后保全，也是不自量力，且将见自身之危而无人能救了。呜呼！像我这个人，尤其不自量力，果然要见自身之危而无人能救了。众人正嘻嘻而乐，而独自出涕悲叹；举世恬然而趋，而独自疾首蹙额以为忧。这若不是病狂丧心，就必定是诚有大苦隐藏在心中；而不是天下至仁的人，谁能察觉？
我作《朱子晚年定论》，也是不得已而如此。其中年岁早晚，确实有未及考证的；虽然不必尽出于晚年，但确实多出于晚年。然大意在于委曲调停，以阐明此学为重。我平生对朱子之说，奉如神明蓍龟；一旦与它背道而驰，心中实有所不忍，所以不得已而为此。「知我者谓我心忧，不知我者谓我何求。」不忍与朱子抵触，是我的本心；不得已而与之抵触，是因为道本来如此，「不直则道不见」。
您所谓「决与朱子相异」，我岂敢欺骗自己的心？道是天下的公道，学是天下的公学，不是朱子可以私有的，也不是孔子可以私有的。天下之公物，就公言之罢了。所以言之而对，虽与己异，恰于己有益；言之而错，虽与己同，恰于己有损。有益于己的，己必喜欢；有损于己的，己必厌恶。那么我今日之论，虽或与朱子相异，未必不是他所喜欢的。「君子之过如日月之食，其更也，人皆仰之」；而「小人之过也必文」。我虽不肖，决不敢以小人之心对待朱子。
Mencius carried his attack on Yang Zhu and Mozi to fatherless and rulerless. Those two were worthies of their day; born beside Mencius, they might have passed as such. Mozi's universal love was humaneness overdone; Yang's each-for-himself, rightness overdone. Were their doctrines so wildly unnatural as to dazzle the world? Yet their legacy Mencius ranked with beasts and barbarians — what is called killing posterity with a doctrine. Today's defects of learning — are they humaneness overdone? rightness overdone? or un-humaneness and un-righteousness overdone? I know not how they measure against flood and beast. Mencius: do I love disputation? I cannot do otherwise. Yang's and Mo's ways choked the world; in his day the world honored them no less than it today exalts Zhu Xi — and Mencius alone clamored among them. Ah, sorrow! Han Yu said the harm of Buddha and Laozi exceeds Yang and Mo. Han Yu's worth fell short of Mencius: Mencius could not save the world before its breaking; Han Yu would keep it whole after — misjudging his strength, and would see himself perish unpreserved. Alas! Of myself, still more misjudged in strength, I shall surely see myself perish unpreserved. Amid a world's giggling, one alone weeps and sighs; while all serenely stream along, one alone racks his head and knits his brow. If this is not madness and heart-loss, then truly some great anguish lies hidden within — and who but the utmost-humaneness under heaven could perceive it?
My Final Conclusions of Zhu Xi's Late Years was likewise done under necessity. The dating, early or late, is not everywhere verified; not all of it is from the late years, but much is. The intent was patient mediation, with the lighting of this learning as the weight. All my life I honored Zhu's words as spirits and divining stalks; to run counter to them once — the heart truly could not bear it: hence the book, under necessity. Who knows me says my heart grieves; who knows me not, what do I seek? Not to cross Zhu is my original heart; to cross him under necessity — the Way being such, without directness the Way does not appear.
That I have decisively parted from Zhu — would I deceive my own heart? The Way is the world's common Way; learning the world's common learning — not Zhu's private holding, nor Confucius's. What is common, speak of it commonly. Speech that is right, though it differ from mine, profits me; speech that is wrong, though it agree, damages me. What profits, I must welcome; what damages, must disown. So today, differing from Zhu, I may yet be speaking what he would welcome. The noble person's errors are like eclipses of sun and moon: mended, all look up; the petty person's errors are always masked. Unworthy as I am, I dare not serve Zhu with a petty person's heart.