义利之辨是一个非常古老的命题。有的学者认为:“义利问题最早是由孔子提出的。”其实不然。早在孔子诞生前一个世纪,晋国大臣里克就说:“义者,利之足也。……废义则利不立。”其后,晋文公时的胥臣提出了“义以道利”的论点;周襄王的大夫富辰也说:“夫义所以生利也……不义则利不阜”;晋卿赵衰说:“德、义,利之本也。”这些言论说明,在孔子之前,义利关系早已被提了出来并受到不同时期政治家们的共同注目。 Distinguishing between righteousness and profit is a very old proposition. Some scholars think: “The earliest issue of justice and interest was raised by Confucius.” “Actually not. As early as the century before the birth of Confucius, Rick Jin, Minister of the Jin Dynasty, said: ”The righteous, the profit of the foot also ... ... righteousness is not profitable.“ To Tao Li ”argument; Zhou Xiang Wang Fu-chen, doctor also said: “ husband and children so profit ... ... unjust benefit is not Fu ”; Zhao Jin Zhao Jin said: Also. "These remarks show that prior to Confucius, the relations between justice and interest had already been raised and were commonly noticed by politicians of different periods.