Doctrine of the Mean

天命之謂性，率性之謂道，修道之謂教。道也者，不可須臾離也，可離非道也。是故君子戒慎乎其所不睹，恐懼乎其所不聞。莫見乎隱，莫顯乎微。故君子慎其獨也。喜怒哀樂之未發，謂之中；發而皆中節，謂之和；中也者，天下之大本也；和也者，天下之達道也。致中和，天地位焉，萬物育焉。

What Heaven confers on people is called "nature"; following this nature is called the "Way" (Dao); cultivating the Way and extending it to others is called "teaching." The Way cannot be left for even a moment; what can be left is not the Way. Therefore the noble person is cautious even where others cannot see him, and holds reverent awe even where others cannot hear him. Nothing shows itself more readily than what is hidden, and nothing is more evident than what is subtle, so the noble person is especially careful when alone. When joy, anger, sorrow and delight have not yet stirred, this is called the "mean" (zhong); when they have stirred and all accord with due measure, this is called "harmony." The mean is the great root of all things under Heaven; harmony is the great Way that all under Heaven share. Carry the mean and harmony to their utmost, and Heaven and Earth will each settle in their places, and the myriad things will grow and flourish.

仲尼曰：「君子中庸，小人反中庸。君子之中庸也，君子而時中；小人之中庸也，小人而無忌憚也。」

Confucius said: "The noble person accords with the Doctrine of the Mean (zhongyong: keeping to the middle, with neither excess nor shortfall, doing just what is fitting; it is not mediocrity or compromise), while the petty person goes against it. The noble person's practice of the mean is that he can keep to the fitting measure at every moment; the petty person's so-called mean is nothing but acting without restraint."

子曰：「中庸其至矣乎！民鮮能久矣！」

Confucius said: "The Doctrine of the Mean is surely the highest of virtues! Sadly, the common people have rarely been able to achieve it for a long time now."

子曰：「道之不行也，我知之矣：知者過之，愚者不及也。道之不明也，我知之矣：賢者過之，不肖者不及也。人莫不飲食也，鮮能知味也。」

Confucius said: "I understand why the Way of the Mean is not practiced: the clever go beyond it, and the dull fall short of it. I also understand why the Way of the Mean is not made clear: the worthy go beyond it, and the unworthy fall short of it. It is like how there is no one who does not eat and drink, yet few can truly taste the flavor."

子曰：「道其不行矣夫。」

Confucius said: "The Way of the Mean, I suppose, is not going to be practiced!"

子曰：「舜其大知也與！舜好問而好察邇言，隱惡而揚善，執其兩端，用其中於民，其斯以為舜乎！」

Confucius said: "Shun was truly a man of great wisdom! He liked to ask others for advice and was good at examining plain, everyday words; he concealed people's faults and spread word of their good points. He took hold of the two extremes of excess and shortfall, and applied the fitting middle between them among the people. This must be why he was Shun!"

子曰：「人皆曰『予知』，驅而納諸罟擭陷阱之中，而莫之知闢也。人皆曰『予知』，擇乎中庸，而不能期月守也。」

Confucius said: "Everyone says, 'I am wise,' yet when driven into nets, cages and pitfalls, they do not know to avoid them. Everyone says, 'I am wise,' yet even if they choose the Way of the Mean, they cannot hold to it for a whole month."

子曰：「回之為人也，擇乎中庸，得一善，則拳拳服膺而弗失之矣。」

Confucius said: "Yan Hui was the kind of man who chose the Way of the Mean; whenever he gained one good principle, he held it firmly to his breast, took it to heart, and never let it slip away."

子曰：「天下國家可均也，爵祿可辭也，白刃可蹈也，中庸不可能也。」

Confucius said: "The world and its states can be governed and put in order, ranks and salaries can be declined, and a bare white blade can be trodden upon; but the Mean alone is hard to achieve."

子路問強。子曰：「南方之強與？北方之強與？抑而強與？寬柔以教，不報無道，南方之強也，君子居之。衽金革，死而不厭，北方之強也，而強者居之。故君子和而不流，強哉矯！中立而不倚，強哉矯！國有道，不變塞焉，強哉矯！國無道，至死不變，強哉矯！」

Zi Lu asked about strength. Confucius said: "Do you mean the strength of the south? The strength of the north? Or the strength that you yourself should have? To teach people with generosity and gentleness, and not to take revenge on those who treat one unreasonably: this is the strength of the south, and the noble person dwells in it. To sleep on weapons and armor as though on a mat, and not regret dying: this is the strength of the north, and those who like to show off their strength dwell in it. So the noble person is harmonious with others without going along with the current: that is true strength! He stands in the middle way and leans to neither side: that is true strength! When the state is well governed, he does not change the principles he held before he rose to prominence: that is true strength! When the state is in chaos, he does not change even unto death: that is true strength!"

子曰：「素隱行怪，後世有述焉，吾弗為之矣。君子遵道而行，半塗而廢，吾弗能已矣。君子依乎中庸，遁世不見知而不悔，唯聖者能之。

Confucius said: "To seek out obscure doctrines and do strange things, so that later generations may perhaps speak of him: this I will not do. A noble person sets out to follow the Way, yet stops halfway; I cannot stop. A noble person who follows the Mean, even if he withdraws from the world and goes unrecognized all his life, has no regret; only a sage can do this.

君子之道費而隱。夫婦之愚，可以與知焉，及其至也，雖聖人亦有所不知焉；夫婦之不肖，可以能行焉，及其至也，雖聖人亦有所不能焉。天地之大也，人猶有所憾，故君子語大，天下莫能載焉；語小，天下莫能破焉。《詩》云：『鳶飛戾天，魚躍於淵。』言其上下察也。君子之道，造端乎夫婦，及其至也，察乎天地。」

(Confucius continued:) The Way of the noble person is broad in its use yet subtle in its substance. Even ignorant ordinary men and women can understand some part of it, but at its utmost, even a sage has something he does not know; even unworthy ordinary men and women can practice some part of it, but at its utmost, even a sage has something he cannot do. Heaven and Earth are so vast, yet people still find things in them to be dissatisfied with. So when the noble person speaks of the greatness of the Way, nothing in the world can contain it; when he speaks of its smallness, nothing in the world can split it further. The Book of Songs, in the 'Han Lu' ode of the Greater Odes, says: 'The hawk soars up to the sky; the fish leaps in the deep.' This means that the Way is plainly visible above and below. The Way of the noble person begins in the everyday life of ordinary men and women, and at its utmost it shines forth across all of Heaven and Earth."

子曰：「道不遠人。人之為道而遠人，不可以為道。《詩》云：『伐柯伐柯，其則不遠。』執柯以伐柯，睨而視之，猶以為遠。故君子以人治人，改而止。忠恕違道不遠，施諸己而不願，亦勿施於人。君子之道四，丘未能一焉：所求乎子以事父，未能也；所求乎臣以事君，未能也；所求乎弟以事兄，未能也；所求乎朋友先施之，未能也。庸德之行，庸言之謹，有所不足，不敢不勉，有餘不敢盡；言顧行，行顧言，君子胡不慥慥爾！

Confucius said: "The Way is not far from people. If someone seeks the Way yet departs from human feeling, then it cannot be counted as the Way. The Book of Songs, in the 'Fa Ke' ode of the Odes of Bin, says: 'Cutting an axe handle, cutting an axe handle, the pattern is right there, not far away.' One holds an axe handle in hand to cut a new one, and with a sidelong glance sees the pattern, yet people still think it far away. So the noble person governs people with the principles people already have, and stops once they have corrected themselves. Doing one's utmost in heart is called loyalty (zhong), and extending one's own feelings to others is called reciprocity (shu); when you practice loyalty and reciprocity, you are not far from the Way: what you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others. The Way of the noble person has four parts, and I, Qiu, have not managed even one: to serve my father as I would require a son to serve him, I have not managed; to serve my ruler as I would require a minister to serve him, I have not managed; to serve my elder brother as I would require a younger brother to serve him, I have not managed; to be first to extend to friends the kindness I would wish from them, I have not managed either. In ordinary virtue, practice it earnestly; in ordinary words, speak with care; where one falls short, do not dare not to strive; where one has more to say than is warranted, do not dare to say it all. In speaking, keep in mind whether one can do it; in acting, keep in mind what one has said. How could the noble person not be sincere and steadfast!

君子素其位而行，不願乎其外。素富貴，行乎富貴；素貧賤，行乎貧賤；素夷狄，行乎夷狄；素患難，行乎患難：君子無入而不自得焉。在上位不陵下，在下位不援上，正己而不求於人，則無怨。上不怨天，下不尤人。故君子居易以俟命，小人行險以徼倖。」

(Confucius continued:) The noble person is content with his present position and does what is proper to it, and does not covet anything beyond his station. In wealth and honor, he acts as befits wealth and honor; in poverty and lowliness, he acts as befits poverty and lowliness; among the barbarians, he acts as befits life among barbarians; in hardship and distress, he acts as befits hardship and distress. There is no situation in which the noble person is not at ease with himself. In a high position he does not bully his subordinates; in a low position he does not cling to his superiors; he corrects himself and demands nothing of others, and so has no resentment: above, he does not blame Heaven, and below, he does not blame people. Thus the noble person dwells in ease and waits for Heaven's decree, while the petty person takes risks in hope of stumbling into good luck."

子曰：「射有似乎君子，失諸正鵠，反求諸其身。君子之道，闢如行遠必自邇，闢如登高必自卑。《詩》曰：『妻子好合，如鼓瑟琴；兄弟既翕，和樂且耽。宜爾室家，樂爾妻帑。』」子曰：「父母其順矣乎！」

Confucius said: "Archery resembles the noble person in this: when the arrow misses the center of the target, he turns back and looks for the cause in himself. The Way of the noble person is like traveling far: one must start from what is near; like climbing high: one must start from what is low. The Book of Songs, in the 'Chang Di' ode of the Lesser Odes, says: 'When wife and children are in loving accord, it is like the harmony of the zither and the lute; when brothers are in agreement and without distance, there is joy and it lasts long. May your household be at peace and your wife and children be happy.'" Confucius said: "In this way, parents will surely be content and at ease!"

子曰：「鬼神之為德，其盛矣乎！視之而弗見，聽之而弗聞，體物而不可遺。使天下之人齊明盛服，以承祭祀，洋洋乎如在其上，如在其左右。《詩》曰：『神之格思，不可度思！矧可射思！』夫微之顯，誠之不可掩如此夫。」

Confucius said: "How abundant is the virtue of ghosts and spirits! Look for them and you cannot see them; listen for them and you cannot hear them; yet they are embodied in all things, and not one thing is left out. They cause all people under Heaven to fast and purify their hearts, put on their finest garments, and carry out the sacrifices; their presence fills and flows, as though above your head, as though at your left and right. The Book of Songs, in the 'Yi' ode of the Greater Odes, says: 'The coming of the spirits cannot be fathomed! How much less can one be neglectful or weary?' So what is hidden will in the end become manifest; this is how sincerity (cheng: being genuine and free of falsehood) cannot be concealed."

子曰：「舜其大孝也與！德為聖人，尊為天子，富有四海之內。宗廟饗之，子孫保之。故大德必得其位，必得其祿，必得其名，必得其壽。故天之生物，必因其材而篤焉。故栽者培之，傾者覆之。《詩》曰：『嘉樂君子，憲憲令德！宜民宜人，受祿於天。保佑命之，自天申之！』故大德者必受命。」

Confucius said: "Shun was surely a man of great filial piety! In virtue, he was a sage; in rank, he was Son of Heaven; in wealth, he held all within the four seas. He was offered sacrifices in the ancestral temple, and his descendants preserved his heritage for generations. So one of great virtue will surely obtain the corresponding position, the corresponding salary, the corresponding fame, and the corresponding long life. In bringing the myriad things to life, Heaven surely builds on each one's own material: what can be planted it nurtures, and what has already toppled it lets fall. The Book of Songs, in the 'Jia Le' ode of the Greater Odes, says: 'The good and joyful noble person, his virtue is bright and brighter still! He treats the people and his officials fittingly, and so receives blessings and salary from Heaven. Heaven protects him and appoints him, again and again sending down favor from above.' So one of great virtue will surely receive Heaven's mandate."

子曰：「無憂者其惟文王乎！以王季為父，以武王為子，父作之，子述之。武王纘大王、王季、文王之緒，壹戎衣而有天下，身不失天下之顯名；尊為天子，富有四海之內。宗廟饗之，子孫保之。武王末受命，周公成文、武之德，追王大王、王季，上祀先公以天子之禮。斯禮也，達乎諸侯、大夫及士、庶人。父為大夫，子為士，葬以大夫，祭以士。父為士，子為大夫，葬以士，祭以大夫。期之喪，達乎大夫；三年之喪，達乎天子；父母之喪，無貴賤，一也。」

Confucius said: "The one man without sorrow was surely King Wen! He had King Ji as his father and King Wu as his son; the father began the work for him and the son continued it. King Wu took up the unfinished undertakings of Great King, King Ji and King Wen, and the moment he put on his armor, he won the world, without losing the fine reputation the world had given him; in rank, he was Son of Heaven; in wealth, he held all within the four seas. He was offered sacrifices in the ancestral temple, and his descendants preserved his heritage for generations. King Wu received the mandate only in his late years, and the Duke of Zhou completed the virtuous work of Kings Wen and Wu, posthumously honoring Great King and King Ji as kings, and sacrificing to all the earlier ancestral dukes with the rites of the Son of Heaven. This ritual system extended down to the feudal lords, the senior officials, the scholars and the common people: if the father was a senior official and the son a scholar, he was buried with the rites of a senior official and sacrificed to with the rites of a scholar; if the father was a scholar and the son a senior official, he was buried with the rites of a scholar and sacrificed to with the rites of a senior official. The one-year mourning garments extended as far as senior officials; the three-year mourning extended to the Son of Heaven; but mourning for one's parents is the same for all, high or low."

子曰：「武王、周公，其達孝矣乎！夫孝者：善繼人之志，善述人之事者也。春、秋修其祖廟，陳其宗器，設其裳衣，薦其時食。宗廟之禮，所以序昭穆也；序爵，所以辨貴賤也；序事，所以辨賢也；旅酬下為上，所以逮賤也；燕毛，所以序齒也。踐其位，行其禮，奏其樂，敬其所尊，愛其所親，事死如事生，事亡如事存，孝之至也。郊社之禮，所以事上帝也；宗廟之禮，所以祀乎其先也。明乎郊社之禮、禘嘗之義，治國其如示諸掌乎！」

Confucius said: "King Wu and the Duke of Zhou were surely filial sons of the most far-reaching kind! What is called filial piety is to be good at carrying on the aspirations of one's forebears and good at continuing their undertakings. In spring and autumn they repaired the ancestral temples, displayed the heirloom treasures, laid out the ancestors' robes, and presented the foods of the season. The rites of the ancestral temple were for ordering the zhao and mu (the alternating rows of ancestral tablets by generation); arranging by rank was to distinguish the noble from the humble; arranging by duty was to distinguish the worthy and capable; when everyone toasted each other, the lower toasting the higher was to extend kindness to the humble as well; seating by the color of the hair at banquets was to order the old and the young. To stand in the places the forebears had stood, perform the rites they had performed, play the music they had played, revere what they had honored and love what they had held dear; to serve the dead as one serves the living, to serve the departed as one serves those still present: this is the utmost of filial piety. The rites of the suburban sacrifice and the earth sacrifice are for serving Heaven and Earth; the rites of the ancestral temple are for sacrificing to ancestors. One who truly understands the rites of the suburban and earth sacrifices and the meaning of the di and chang sacrifices would find governing a state as easy as looking at his own palm!"

哀公問政。子曰：「文、武之政，布在方策，其人存，則其政舉；其人亡，則其政息。人道敏政，地道敏樹。夫政也者，蒲盧也。故為政在人，取人以身，修身以道，修道以仁。仁者人也，親親為大；義者宜也，尊賢為大。親親之殺，尊賢之等，禮所生也。在下位不獲乎上，民不可得而治矣！故君子不可以不修身；思修身，不可以不事親；思事親，不可以不知人；思知人，不可以不知天。天下之達道五，所以行之者三，曰：君臣也，父子也，夫婦也，昆弟也，朋友之交也，五者天下之達道也。知仁勇三者，天下之達德也，所以行之者一也。或生而知之，或學而知之，或困而知之，及其知之，一也；或安而行之，或利而行之，或勉強而行之，及其成功，一也。」

Duke Ai of Lu asked how to govern. Confucius said: "The decrees of Kings Wen and Wu are all recorded in the books. When such men are present, their government flourishes; when such men are gone, their government ceases. The way of people lies in diligence in government; the way of the earth lies in diligence in growing plants and trees. Government is like the rush and the reed: given the right person, it grows extremely fast. So the key to governing lies in getting the right people; to select people depends on the ruler's own conduct; to cultivate oneself depends on following the Way; to follow the Way depends on humaneness (ren). Humaneness is simply what a person ought to be, and the greatest part of it is loving one's kin; righteousness (yi) is doing everything fittingly, and the greatest part of it is honoring the worthy. Love of kin diminishes by degrees of closeness, and honor for the worthy differs by grades; ritual arises from this. If those in low positions do not gain the trust of their superiors, the people cannot be governed well. Therefore the noble person cannot but cultivate himself; wanting to cultivate himself, he cannot but serve his parents; wanting to serve his parents, he cannot but understand people; wanting to understand people, he cannot but understand Heaven. There are five great ways shared by all under Heaven, and three virtues by which they are practiced. The five are the relations between ruler and minister, father and son, husband and wife, elder and younger brothers, and friends; these five are the great ways shared by all under Heaven. Wisdom, humaneness and courage are the three virtues shared by all under Heaven, and what they are practiced with is a single thing: sincerity (cheng). Some are born knowing it, some know it through learning, some know it through hardship; when they come to know it, it is the same. Some practice it at ease, some practice it for the sake of benefit, some practice it with effort; when they succeed, it is the same."

子曰：「好學近乎知，力行近乎仁，知恥近乎勇。知斯三者，則知所以修身；知所以修身，則知所以治人；知所以治人，則知所以治天下國家矣。凡為天下國家有九經，曰：修身也，尊賢也，親親也，敬大臣也，體群臣也，子庶民也，來百工也，柔遠人也，懷諸侯也。修身則道立，尊賢則不惑，親親則諸父昆弟不怨，敬大臣則不眩，體群臣則士之報禮重，子庶民則百姓勸，來百工則財用足，柔遠人則四方歸之，懷諸侯則天下畏之。齊明盛服，非禮不動，所以修身也；去讒遠色，賤貨而貴德，所以勸賢也；尊其位，重其祿，同其好惡，所以勸親親也；官盛任使，所以勸大臣也；忠信重祿，所以勸士也；時使薄斂，所以勸百姓也；日省月試，既廩稱事，所以勸百工也；送往迎來，嘉善而矜不能，所以柔遠人也；繼絕世，舉廢國，治亂持危，朝聘以時，厚往而薄來，所以懷諸侯也。凡為天下國家有九經，所以行之者一也。」

Confucius said: "Loving to learn is close to wisdom, striving to practice is close to humaneness, and knowing shame is close to courage. One who knows these three knows how to cultivate himself; one who knows how to cultivate himself knows how to govern others; one who knows how to govern others knows how to govern the world and its states. There are nine guiding principles for governing the world and its states: cultivating oneself, honoring the worthy, loving one's kin, respecting the senior ministers, caring for the whole body of officials, treating the people as one's children, drawing in the craftsmen, being generous to travelers from afar, and soothing the feudal lords. When one cultivates oneself, the Way is established; when one honors the worthy, one is not confused in affairs; when one loves one's kin, uncles and brothers do not resent; when one respects the senior ministers, one is not dazzled in handling matters; when one cares for the officials, the scholars repay one with generous ritual regard; when one treats the people as one's children, the people encourage one another; when one draws in the craftsmen, goods and expenses are sufficient; when one is generous to travelers from afar, people from all quarters come to submit; when one soothes the feudal lords, the world stands in awe. To fast and purify the heart, dress with dignity, and do nothing contrary to ritual: this is how one cultivates oneself; to dismiss slander, keep away from beauty, make light of wealth and value virtue: this is how one encourages the worthy; to raise their rank, increase their salary, and share their likes and dislikes: this is how one encourages one's kin; to keep their subordinate officials plentiful and at their disposal: this is how one encourages the senior ministers; to treat them with loyalty and good faith and give them generous salary: this is how one encourages the scholars; to call on them only in the farming off-season and lighten taxes: this is how one encourages the people; to inspect daily and examine monthly, with grain rations matched to the work done: this is how one encourages the craftsmen; to welcome them when they come and see them off when they go, to reward the able and show understanding to the incapable: this is how one is generous to travelers from afar; to continue broken lines of succession, revive states that have perished, set right disorder and support those in peril, to keep fixed times for audiences and embassies, to send generous gifts and accept modest ones: this is how one soothes the feudal lords. These are the nine guiding principles for governing the world and its states, and what they are practiced with is a single thing: sincerity."

「凡事豫則立，不豫則廢。言前定則不跲，事前定則不困，行前定則不疚，道前定則不窮。在下位不獲乎上，民不可得而治矣；獲乎上有道：不信乎朋友，不獲乎上矣；信乎朋友有道：不順乎親，不信乎朋友矣；順乎親有道：反諸身不誠，不順乎親矣；誠身有道：不明乎善，不誠乎身矣。誠者，天之道也；誠之者，人之道也。誠者不勉而中，不思而得，從容中道，聖人也。誠之者，擇善而固執之者也。博學之，審問之，慎思之，明辨之，篤行之。有弗學，學之弗能，弗措也；有弗問，問之弗知，弗措也；有弗思，思之弗得，弗措也；有弗辨，辨之弗明，弗措也，有弗行，行之弗篤，弗措也。人一能之己百之，人十能之己千之。果能此道矣，雖愚必明，雖柔必強。」

In all things, preparation in advance brings success, and lack of preparation brings failure. If words are settled beforehand, one will not stumble in speaking; if affairs are arranged beforehand, one will not be hard-pressed at the last moment; if actions are decided beforehand, one will not feel remorse afterward; if the path is fixed beforehand, one will not reach a dead end. If those in low positions do not gain the trust of their superiors, the people cannot be governed well. There is a way to gain the trust of superiors: if one does not gain the trust of friends, one will not gain the trust of superiors; there is a way to gain the trust of friends: if one cannot comply with one's parents, one will not gain the trust of friends; there is a way to comply with one's parents: if on self-examination one finds oneself not genuine, one cannot comply with one's parents; there is a way to make oneself genuine: if one does not understand what is good, one cannot make oneself genuine. Sincerity is the Way of Heaven; striving to attain sincerity is the way of people. One who is sincere by birth hits the mark without effort and gains without thinking, and accords with the Way at ease; this is the sage. One who strives to attain sincerity is one who chooses the good and holds fast to it. Learn broadly, inquire in detail, think carefully, discern clearly, and practice earnestly. If there is something not yet learned, or learned but not mastered, do not put it down; if there is something not yet asked, or asked but not understood, do not put it down; if there is something not yet thought through, or thought through but not grasped, do not put it down; if there is something not yet discerned, or discerned but not clear, do not put it down; if there is something not yet practiced, or practiced but not solidly, do not put it down. What others can do in one try, I will do in a hundred; what others can do in ten, I will do in a thousand. If one truly follows this path, then however dull, one will surely become clear, and however weak, one will surely become strong.

自誠明，謂之性；自明誠，謂之教。誠則明矣，明則誠矣。唯天下至誠，為能盡其性；能盡其性，則能盡人之性；能盡人之性，則能盡物之性；能盡物之性，則可以贊天地之化育；可以贊天地之化育，則可以與天地參矣。

To understand things naturally from genuineness is called "nature"; to attain genuineness from understanding is called "teaching." With sincerity there is naturally clarity, and with clarity there can naturally be sincerity. Only the one most sincere under Heaven can fully realize his own nature; being able to fully realize his own nature, he can enable others to fully realize their natures; being able to enable others to fully realize their natures, he can enable the myriad things to fully realize their natures; being able to enable the myriad things to fully realize their natures, he can assist Heaven and Earth in nurturing all things; being able to assist Heaven and Earth in nurturing all things, he can stand as a third alongside Heaven and Earth.

其次致曲。曲能有誠，誠則形，形則著，著則明，明則動，動則變，變則化。唯天下至誠為能化。

The next level of person puts effort into a single partial good. Even the partial can have sincerity; with sincerity it takes form outwardly, with form it becomes evident, with evidence it becomes bright, with brightness it can move people, with moving it can bring change, and with change it can transform people quietly. Only the one most sincere under Heaven has this power of transformation.

至誠之道，可以前知。國家將興，必有禎祥；國家將亡，必有妖孽。見乎蓍龜，動乎四體。禍福將至：善，必先知之；不善，必先知之。故至誠如神。

The Way of utmost sincerity can know the future in advance. When a state is about to flourish, there are sure to be auspicious omens; when a state is about to perish, there are sure to be abnormal oddities. These show themselves in divination with milfoil stalks and tortoise shells, and also appear in people's bearing and limbs. When fortune or misfortune is about to arrive, if it is fortune, one will surely know it beforehand; if it is misfortune, one will also surely know it beforehand. Therefore utmost sincerity is like a spirit.

誠者自成也，而道自道也。誠者物之終始，不誠無物。是故君子誠之為貴。誠者非自成己而已也，所以成物也。成己，仁也；成物，知也。性之德也，合外內之道也，故時措之宜也。故至誠無息。不息則久，久則徵，徵則悠遠，悠遠則博厚，博厚則高明。博厚，所以載物也；高明，所以覆物也；悠久，所以成物也。博厚配地，高明配天，悠久無疆。如此者，不見而章，不動而變，無為而成。

Sincerity is the self perfecting itself; the Way is the self guiding itself. Sincerity runs through a thing from beginning to end; without sincerity there would be no such thing. Therefore the exemplary person prizes sincerity above all. Sincerity does not merely perfect oneself; it also perfects other things: perfecting oneself is humaneness (ren), and perfecting other things is wisdom. These are virtues inherent in our nature and the Way that joins inner and outer, so they are fitting whenever they are applied. Therefore utmost sincerity never ceases. Not ceasing, it endures; enduring, it is verified; verified, it reaches far; reaching far, it becomes broad and deep; broad and deep, it becomes lofty and bright. Being broad and deep, it can bear up all things; being lofty and bright, it can cover all things; being far-reaching and enduring, it can bring all things to completion. Its breadth and depth match the earth, its loftiness and brightness match heaven, and its far reach and endurance have no limit. Such a one, without displaying anything, is naturally manifest; without moving, naturally brings about change; without deliberate action, naturally accomplishes.

天地之道，可壹言而盡也。其為物不貳，則其生物不測。天地之道，博也厚也，高也明也，悠也久也。今夫天，斯昭昭之多，及其無窮也，日月星辰系焉，萬物覆焉。今夫地，一撮土之多，及其廣厚，載華嶽而不重，振河海而不洩，萬物載焉。今夫山，一拳石之多，及其廣大，草木生之，禽獸居之，寶藏興焉。今夫水，一勺之多，及其不測，黿鼉、蛟龍、魚鱉生焉，貨財殖焉。《詩》云：「維天之命，於穆不已！」蓋曰天之所以為天也。「於乎不顯！文王之德之純！」蓋曰文王之所以為文也，純亦不已。

The Way of heaven and earth can be summed up in one sentence: as a being it is wholly one and undivided, and so the things it brings forth are too many to measure. The Way of heaven and earth is broad, deep, lofty, bright, far-reaching and enduring. Take heaven: it is merely a small patch of brightness gathered together, but when it becomes boundless, the sun, moon and stars hang from it and all things are covered by it. Take earth: it is merely handfuls of soil gathered together, but when it becomes vast and thick, it carries Mount Hua without feeling its weight, holds the rivers and seas without leaking, and bears all things. Take mountains: they are merely fist-sized stones gathered together, but when they become vast, grass and trees grow on them, birds and beasts dwell on them, and treasures are mined from them. Take water: it is merely spoonfuls gathered together, but when it becomes unfathomably deep, turtles, crocodiles, dragons, fish and terrapins live in it, and wealth multiplies within it. The Book of Songs, in the Hymns of Zhou, "The Mandate of Heaven," says: "The mandate of Heaven, how solemn and profound, never ceasing!" This probably speaks of what makes heaven what it is. "How brilliant and illustrious, the virtue of King Wen, pure and unmixed!" This probably speaks of why King Wen was given the posthumous title "Wen" (the Cultured): his purity likewise never ceased.

大哉，聖人之道！洋洋乎發育萬物，峻極於天。優優大哉！禮儀三百，威儀三千，待其人然後行。故曰：苟不至德，至道不凝焉。故君子尊德性而道問學，致廣大而盡精微，極高明而中庸。溫故而知新，敦厚以崇禮。是故居上不驕，為下不倍；國有道，其言足以興，國無道，其默足以容。《詩》曰：「既明且哲，以保其身。」其此之謂與！

How great is the Way of the sage! It flows vast and overflowing, nurturing all things, and rises high to touch heaven. How abundant and full! There are three hundred major rites and three thousand minor rules of conduct, which must wait for the right person to appear before they can be put into practice. Hence it is said: if there is not the highest virtue, the highest Way will not come together. Therefore the exemplary person honors the virtuous nature and also follows the path of inquiry and learning; seeks breadth and also exhausts the subtle; reaches the heights of brilliance and also stays within the Mean. He reviews the old and so knows the new, and honors ritual with sincere generosity. Therefore in a high position he is not proud, and in a low position he does not rebel; when the state follows the Way, his words are enough to make it flourish; when the state has lost the Way, his silence is enough to preserve himself. The Book of Songs, in the Greater Odes, "Zhong Min," says: "Being both clear-sighted and wise, he protected his own person." This probably means just that!

子曰：「愚而好自用，賤而好自專，生乎今之世，反古之道。如此者，災及其身者也。」非天子，不議禮，不制度，不考文。今天下車同軌，書同文，行同倫。雖有其位，苟無其德，不敢作禮樂焉；雖有其德，苟無其位，亦不敢作禮樂焉。

Confucius said: "One who is ignorant yet likes to act on his own judgment, who is lowly yet likes to decide everything by himself, who lives in the present age yet wants to restore the practices of antiquity: calamity will fall upon such a person." Unless one is the Son of Heaven, one does not deliberate on rites, establish regulations, or examine the written characters. In the world today, carts have the same axle gauge, writing uses the same characters, and conduct follows the same ethics. Even one who holds the position of Son of Heaven dares not create rites and music if he lacks the corresponding virtue; and even one who has such virtue dares not create rites and music if he lacks the position of Son of Heaven.

子曰：「吾說夏禮，杞不足徵也。吾學殷禮，有宋存焉；吾學周禮，今用之，吾從周。」王天下有三重焉，其寡過矣乎！上焉者雖善無徵，無徵不信，不信民弗從；下焉者雖善不尊，不尊不信，不信民弗從。故君子之道本諸身，徵諸庶民，考諸三王而不繆，建諸天地而不悖，質諸鬼神而無疑，百世以俟聖人而不惑。質諸鬼神而無疑，知天也；百世以俟聖人而不惑，知人也。是故君子動而世為天下道，行而世為天下法，言而世為天下則。遠之則有望，近之則不厭。《詩》曰：「在彼無惡，在此無射；庶幾夙夜，以永終譽！」君子未有不如此而蚤有譽於天下者也。

Confucius said: "I can speak of the rites of the Xia dynasty, but the state of Qi cannot provide sufficient evidence for them; I have studied the rites of the Yin dynasty, and the state of Song still preserves some of them; I have studied the rites of the Zhou dynasty, which are in use today, so I follow the Zhou rites." A ruler who does well in the three weighty matters of governing the world will have few faults! The rites of Xia and Shang that came before, though excellent, cannot be verified; what cannot be verified cannot win trust, and what cannot win the people's trust will not be followed. Those in low positions, though good, are not honored; what is not honored cannot win trust, and what cannot win the people's trust will not be followed either. Therefore the Way of the exemplary person is this: it is rooted in his own person, tested among the common people, examined against the systems of the three kings of Xia, Shang and Zhou without error, established between heaven and earth without contradiction, questioned before the spirits without doubt, and would not give rise to doubt even if a sage appeared a hundred generations later. Questioning the spirits without doubt is knowing heaven; waiting a hundred generations for a sage without doubt is knowing humanity. Therefore every movement of the exemplary person becomes, generation after generation, the constant way for the world; his every action becomes a model, and his every word a standard. Those far away look up to him, and those near do not tire of him. The Book of Songs, in the Hymns of Zhou, "The Egrets," says: "There, none dislike him; here, none weary of him; may he be diligent morning and night, and keep this fine reputation forever!" There has never been an exemplary person who did not do this and yet early enjoyed a reputation in the world.

仲尼祖述堯、舜，憲章文、武；上律天時，下襲水土。闢如天地之無不持載，無不復幬，闢如四時之錯行，如日月之代明。萬物並育而不相害，道並行而不相悖，小德川流，大德敦化，此天地之所以為大也。

Confucius carried on the tradition of Yao and Shun and praised it, and closely modeled himself on the institutions of Kings Wen and Wu; above he followed the course of the seasons in heaven, and below he accorded with the conditions of water and land. He is like heaven and earth, in that there is nothing they do not bear and nothing they do not cover; he is like the four seasons alternating in their course, like the sun and moon taking turns to shine. All things grow together without harming one another, and the various Ways run side by side without contradiction; the small virtue is like rivers branching out, each flowing in its own course, and the great virtue is generous and solid, transforming all things. This is exactly why heaven and earth are great.

唯天下至聖，為能聰明睿知，足以有臨也；寬裕溫柔，足以有容也；發強剛毅，足以有執也；齊莊中正，足以有敬也；文理密察，足以有別也。溥博淵泉，而時出之。溥博如天，淵泉如淵。見而民莫不敬，言而民莫不信，行而民莫不說。是以聲名洋溢乎中國，施及蠻貊；舟車所至，人力所通，天之所覆，地之所載，日月所照，霜露所隊；凡有血氣者，莫不尊親，故曰配天。

Only the most sage-like person in the world can be sharp of hearing and clear of sight, wise and penetrating, qualified to hold high position and watch over the people; broad-minded, mild and gentle, qualified to embrace the people; vigorous, firm and resolute, qualified to make decisions and hold fast; solemn, upright and correct, qualified to command respect; meticulous and discerning, qualified to tell right from wrong. His virtue is like a deep spring, vast and flowing, welling up in due season. It is as vast as heaven and as deep as an abyss. When he appears, none of the people fail to respect him; when he speaks, none fail to believe him; when he acts, none fail to be pleased. Therefore his fame overflows through the central states and extends to the remote lands of the Man and Mo tribes. Wherever boats and carts can go, wherever human strength can reach, what heaven covers, what earth bears, what the sun and moon illuminate, where frost and dew fall, all living beings with blood and breath honor and love him; so it is said that his virtue can match heaven.

唯天下至誠，為能經綸天下之大經，立天下之大本，知天地之化育。夫焉有所倚？肫肫其仁！淵淵其淵！浩浩其天！苟不固聰明聖知達天德者，其孰能知之？

Only the most sincere person in the world can order the great constant relationships of the world, establish the great foundation of the world, and understand the principle by which heaven and earth transform and nurture all things. What else would he need to rely on? How earnest and sincere is his humaneness! How profound is his depth, like an abyss without bottom! How vast is his breadth, like the boundless sky! If one were not already sharp of hearing and clear of sight, sage-like in wisdom and penetrating, and reaching up to the virtue of heaven, who could truly know him?

《詩》曰：「衣錦尚絅」，惡其文之著也。故君子之道，闇然而日章；小人之道，的然而日亡。君子之道：淡而不厭，簡而文，溫而理，知遠之近，知風之自，知微之顯，可與入德矣。

The Book of Songs, in the Odes of Wei, "The Fair Lady," says: "She wears a brocade robe, with a thin linen unlined gown thrown over it." This is because she dislikes the pattern of the brocade being too conspicuous. Therefore the Way of the exemplary person looks dim but grows brighter day by day; the way of the petty person looks showy but fades away day by day. The Way of the exemplary person: plain without being tiresome, simple yet refined, mild yet orderly; knowing that the distant comes from the near, knowing where a trend begins, knowing that the hidden will eventually become manifest, one can then enter together the gateway of virtue.

《詩》云：「潛雖伏矣，亦孔之昭！」故君子內省不疚，無惡於志。君子所不可及者，其唯人之所不見乎！

The Book of Songs, in the Lesser Odes, "The First Month," says: "Though the fish lies hidden at the bottom of the water, it is still clearly seen!" Therefore the exemplary person examines himself inwardly and finds nothing to be ashamed of, with not a single thing in his will to be disliked. What makes the exemplary person impossible to catch up with is, perhaps, precisely what others cannot see!

《詩》云：「相在爾室，尚不愧於屋漏。」故君子不動而敬，不言而信。

The Book of Songs, in the Greater Odes, "Yi," says: "See yourself alone in your room, and be without shame even before the dim northwest corner where no one is." Therefore the exemplary person commands respect without needing to move, and inspires trust without needing to speak.

《詩》曰：「奏假無言，時靡有爭。」是故君子不賞而民勸，不怒而民威於鈇鉞。

The Book of Songs, in the Hymns of Shang, "The Illustrious Ancestor," says: "When offerings are presented and the spirits are moved, all is solemn and silent, and at that moment there is no dispute." Therefore the exemplary person needs no rewards, and the people encourage one another; he needs no anger, and the people stand in more awe of him than of the executioner's blade and axe.

《詩》曰：「不顯惟德！百辟其刑之。」是故君子篤恭而天下平。

The Book of Songs, in the Hymns of Zhou, "The Illustrious Ones," says: "How brilliant and illustrious is the virtue! All the feudal lords take it as their model." Therefore the exemplary person need only be sincere and reverent, and the world will naturally be at peace.

《詩》曰：「予懷明德，不大聲以色。」子曰：「聲色之於以化民，末也。」《詩》曰：「德輶如毛」，毛猶有倫；「上天之載，無聲無臭」，至矣！

The Book of Songs, in the Greater Odes, "Huang Yi," says: "I cherish the bright virtue, which does not rely on loud shouting or stern looks." Confucius said: "To use voice and countenance to transform the people is the lowest of means." The Book of Songs, in the Greater Odes, "Zhong Min," says: "Virtue is as light as a hair"; yet a hair, light as it is, still has a form to which it can be compared. "The workings of Heaven have neither sound nor smell": this is the highest realm!