General Preface

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.