Di Zi Gui (弟子規)

弟子規、聖人訓、首孝、次謹信

This is the teaching left by the sages: first filial piety, then caution and trustworthiness. A passage seems to be missing in the base text here.

愛眾、而親仁、有餘力、則學文

Love all people broadly and draw close to those of humaneness; if you have strength to spare, go on to study the classics. A passage seems to be missing in the base text here.

父母呼、應勿緩、父母命、行勿懶

When your parents call you, answer without delay; when your parents give you instructions, act without laziness.

父母教、須敬聽、父母責、須順承

When your parents teach you, listen respectfully; when your parents scold you, accept it with obedience.

冬則溫、夏則凊、晨則省、昏則定

In winter keep your parents warm, in summer keep them cool; ask after them in the morning, and see them settled at night.

出必告、反必面、居有常、業無變

When going out, always tell them; on returning, always present yourself to them. Keep a regular routine in daily life, and do not change what you do on a whim.

事雖小、勿擅為、苟擅為、子道虧

Even if a matter is small, do not decide it on your own; to decide on your own falls short of a child's duty.

物雖小、勿私藏、苟私藏、親心傷

Even if a thing is small, do not hide it away for yourself; if you hide it, your parents will be hurt when they find out.

親所好、力為具、親所惡、謹為去

What your parents like, do your best to provide; what your parents dislike, carefully get rid of.

身有傷、貽親憂、德有傷、貽親羞

If your body is hurt, your parents will worry; if your virtue is lacking, your parents will be shamed.

親愛我、孝何難、親憎我、孝方賢

When your parents love me, what is hard about being filial? When your parents dislike me, to still be filial is true worth.

親有過、諫使更、怡吾色、柔吾聲

When your parents are at fault, urge them to correct it; when you urge them, keep a gentle face and a soft voice.

諫不入、悅復諫、號泣隨、撻無怨

If they do not listen, wait until they are pleased and urge them again; urge them even in tears, and do not resent it if you are beaten.

親有疾、藥先嘗、晝夜侍、不離床

When your parents are ill, taste the medicine yourself first; keep watch day and night, and do not leave the bedside.

喪三年、常悲咽、居處變、酒肉絕

During the three years of mourning, often grieve and sob; make your living quarters plain, and give up wine and meat entirely.

喪盡禮、祭盡誠、事死者、如事生

Carry out funerals with full propriety and sacrifices with full sincerity; serve your deceased parents as though they were still alive.

兄道友、弟道恭、兄弟睦、孝在中

Elder brothers are kind to younger brothers, and younger brothers respect elder brothers; when brothers are in harmony, filial piety lies within.

財物輕、怨何生、言語忍、忿自泯

Treat wealth lightly, and where would resentment arise? Be yielding in speech, and anger vanishes of itself.

或飲食、或坐走、長者先、幼者後

Whether eating, drinking, sitting or walking, let elders go first and the young come after.

長呼人、即代叫、人不在、己即到

When an elder calls someone, call that person at once on his behalf; if that person is not there, go yourself right away.

稱尊長、勿呼名、對尊長、勿見能

When addressing your elders, do not call them by their given names; in front of your elders, do not show off your abilities.

路遇長、疾趨揖、長無言、退恭立

If you meet an elder on the road, hurry forward and bow; if the elder says nothing, step aside and stand respectfully.

騎下馬、乘下車、過猶待、百步餘

If on horseback, dismount; if in a carriage, get down; wait until the elder has passed, and wait a hundred paces more.

長者立、幼勿坐、長者坐、命乃坐

When an elder is standing, the young should not sit; when an elder sits, sit only when told to.

尊長前、聲要低、低不聞、卻非宜

In front of your elders, keep your voice low; but so low that it cannot be heard is not fitting either.

進必趨、退必遲、問起對、視勿移

When stepping forward, be quick; when withdrawing, be unhurried; when asked a question, rise to answer, and do not let your eyes wander.

事諸父、如事父、事諸兄、如事兄

Serve your father's brothers as you would your father; serve your older male cousins as you would your own elder brothers.

朝起早、夜眠遲、老易至、惜此時

Rise early in the morning and go to bed late at night; people grow old easily, so cherish the time.

晨必盥、兼漱口、便回、輒淨手

In the morning be sure to wash your face and rinse your mouth; after relieving yourself, wash your hands clean. A passage seems to be missing in the base text here.

冠必正、紐必結、襪與履、俱緊切

Wear your cap straight and fasten your buttons; let your socks and shoes all fit snugly.

置冠服、有定位、勿亂頓、致汙穢

Put your cap and clothes in a fixed place; do not toss them about and leave them dirty and messy.

衣貴潔、不貴華、上循分、下稱家

In clothing, value cleanliness over finery; dress to suit your station above and your family's means below.

對飲食、勿揀擇、食適可、勿過則

With food and drink, do not be picky; eat what suits you and do not overeat.

年方少、勿飲酒、飲酒醉、最為醜

While you are still young, do not drink wine; to get drunk on wine is the most unseemly thing.

步從容、立端正、揖深圓、拜恭敬

Walk unhurriedly and stand upright; bow deeply and roundly, and kneel in obeisance with respect.

勿踐閾、勿跛倚、勿箕踞、勿搖髀

Do not step on the threshold, and do not lean to one side; do not sit with your legs spread, and do not shake your thighs.

緩揭簾、勿有聲、寬轉彎、勿觸稜

Lift a curtain slowly and do not make a noise; turn corners with room to spare, and do not bump into edges.

執虛器、如執盈、入虛室、如有人

Carry an empty vessel as carefully as a full one; enter an empty room as though someone were inside.

事勿忙、忙多錯、勿畏難、勿輕略

Do not be hasty in your tasks, for haste brings many mistakes; do not fear difficulty, and do not be careless or negligent.

鬥鬧場、絕勿近、邪僻事、絕勿問

Places of fighting and uproar, never go near; matters that are depraved and improper, never ask about.

將入門、問孰存、將上堂、聲必揚

When about to enter a door, first ask who is inside; when about to go up into the hall, be sure to raise your voice first.

人問誰、對以名、吾與我、不分明

When someone asks who is there, answer with your name; merely saying "It's me" leaves them unable to tell.

用人物、須明求、倘不問、即為偷

When you use another person's belongings, you must ask plainly; if you do not ask, that is theft.

借人物、及時還、

When you have borrowed something from another, return it on time. A passage seems to be missing in the base text here.

凡出言、信為先、詐與妄、奚可焉

Whenever you open your mouth to speak, put trustworthiness first; how can deceit and wild talk be allowed?

話說多、不如少、惟其是、勿佞巧

Rather than speak much, speak little; aim only to speak rightly, and do not use glib and flowery words.

奸巧語、穢汙詞、市井氣、切戒之

Sly and cunning words, filthy and vulgar language, and the manners of the street ruffian, all must be firmly given up.

見未真、勿輕言、知未的、勿輕傳

If you have not seen something clearly, do not lightly speak of it; if you do not know something for certain, do not lightly spread it.

事非宜、勿輕諾、苟輕諾、進退錯

If a matter is not fitting, do not lightly agree to it; once you agree lightly, you are in difficulty whether you advance or retreat.

凡道字、重且舒、勿急疾、勿模糊

In all speech, pronounce words clearly and unhurriedly; do not speak hurriedly and fast, and do not mumble.

彼說長、此說短、不關己、莫閒管

One person speaks of another's strengths, another of his faults; if it has nothing to do with you, do not meddle in others' business.

見人善、即思齊、縱去遠、以漸躋

When you see goodness in another, think of drawing level with him; even if you are still far behind, catch up step by step.

見人惡、即內省、有則改、無加警

When you see wrongdoing in another, examine yourself; if you have it, correct it, and if you do not, be doubly on guard.

唯德學、唯才藝、不如人、當自

Only when you fall short of others in virtue and learning, talent and skill, should you yourself... A passage seems to be missing in the base text here.

若衣服、若飲食、不如人、勿生戚

As for falling short of others in clothing and food, do not let that make you sorrowful.

聞過怒、聞譽樂、損友來、益友卻

If you flare up at hearing of your faults and are pleased at hearing praise, harmful friends will come to you and good friends will draw away.

聞譽恐、聞過欣、直諒士、漸相親

If you are wary on hearing praise and glad on hearing of your faults, upright and sincere people will gradually draw close to you.

無心非、名為錯、有心非、名為惡

A wrong done without intent is called a mistake; a wrong done on purpose is evil.

過能改、歸於無、倘飾、增一辜

If you can correct a fault, it is as if you had none; if you cover it up, you add another offense. A passage seems to be missing in the base text here.

凡是人、皆須愛、天同覆、地同載

All who are human should be loved; we live under the same sky and on the same earth.

行高者、名自高、人所重、非貌高

One of high virtue naturally has a high reputation; what people value is virtue, not appearance.

才大者、望自大、人所服、非言大

One of great ability naturally has great standing; what people admire is ability, not big talk.

己有能、勿自私、人所能、勿輕訾

If you have a skill, do not keep it to yourself; if others have a skill, do not lightly slander it.

勿諂富、勿驕貧、勿厭故、勿喜新

Do not fawn on the rich, and do not look down on the poor; do not tire of old friends, and do not only delight in new ones.

人不閒、勿事攪、人不安、勿話擾

When others are busy, do not trouble them with affairs; when others are unwell, do not disturb them with talk.

人有短、切莫揭、人有私、切莫說

When others have shortcomings, never expose them; when others have private matters, never tell them abroad.

道人善、即是善、人知之、愈思勉

To praise another's good points is itself good; when that person hears of it, he will be more encouraged.

揚人惡、即是惡、疾之甚、禍且作

To publicize another's evil is itself evil; if you hate too much, you will instead bring disaster upon yourself.

善相勸、德皆建、過不規、道兩虧

When people urge each other toward goodness, the virtue of both is established; if faults go unremonstrated, the Way of both is diminished.

凡取與、貴分曉、與宜多、取宜少

In all taking and giving, what matters is to distinguish clearly; give out more, and take in less.

將加人、先問己、己不欲、即速已

Before you impose something on another, first ask yourself; if you yourself would not want it, stop at once.

恩欲報、怨欲忘、報怨短、報恩長

Kindness should be repaid, and resentment forgotten; keep grudges short and repay kindness long.

待婢僕、身貴端、雖貴端、慈而寬

In dealing with maidservants and menservants, what matters is that you yourself be upright; though uprightness matters, be kind and generous as well.

勢服人、心不然、理服人、方無言

If you overpower people with force, their hearts will not submit; if you persuade people with reason, only then will they have nothing to say.

同是人、類不齊、流俗眾、仁者

All are human, yet they are not of one kind; most drift with the current, while those of humaneness... A passage seems to be missing in the base text here.

果仁者、人多畏、言不諱、色不媚

One who is truly humane is held in awe by the crowd; he speaks without concealment, and his expression is free of flattery.

能親仁、無限好、德日進、過日少

If you can draw close to the humane, the benefits cannot be counted; your virtue advances day by day, and your faults decrease day by day.

不親仁、無限害、小人進、百事壞

If you do not draw close to the humane, the harm cannot be counted; petty people will seize the chance to approach, and all affairs will go to ruin.

不力行、但學文、長浮華、成何人

If you are unwilling to put things into earnest practice and only read books, you grow showy and vain; what can you become?

但力行、不學文、任己見、昧理真

If you only put things into earnest practice but do not read books, you follow your own opinions and cannot see the true principle.

讀書法、有三到、心眼口、信皆要

The method of reading has three "arrivals": the heart arrives, the eyes arrive, the mouth arrives; truly all are essential.

方讀此、勿慕彼、此未終、彼勿起

While you are reading this book, do not covet that one; until this one is finished, do not begin that one.

寬為限、緊用功、工夫到、滯塞通

Set your time limit generously, but apply yourself closely; when the effort is put in, blockages clear of themselves.

心有疑、隨札記、就人問、求確義

When you have a doubt in your mind, write it down at once; when you meet someone, ask him, and seek the exact meaning.

房室清、牆壁淨、几案潔、筆硯正

Keep the room tidy and the walls clean; keep the desk neat and the brush and inkstone set straight.

墨磨偏、心不端、字不敬、心先病

If the ink is ground crookedly, the heart is not upright; if the writing is sloppy and disrespectful, the heart has first gone wrong.

列典籍、有定處、讀看畢、還原處

Arrange your books in a fixed place; when you have finished reading, put them back where they were.

雖有急、卷束齊、有缺、就補之

Even when in a hurry, tie up the scrolls neatly; if any are damaged, mend them. A passage seems to be missing in the base text here.

非聖書、屏勿視、蔽聰明、壞心志

Books that are not by sages and worthies, put aside and do not read; they cloud the intelligence and corrupt the will.

勿自暴、勿自棄、聖與賢、可馴致

Do not abandon yourself, and do not give yourself up; sages and worthies can be reached step by step.