Chapter 1: Encouraging Learning; Chapter 2: Cultivating the Self

君子曰：學不可以已。青、取之於藍，而青於藍；冰、水為之，而寒於水。木直中繩，輮以為輪，其曲中規，雖有槁暴，不復挺者，輮使之然也。故木受繩則直，金就礪則利，君子博學而日參省乎己，則知明而行無過矣。故不登高山，不知天之高也；不臨深溪，不知地之厚也；不聞先王之遺言，不知學問之大也。幹、越、夷、貉之子，生而同聲，長而異俗，教使之然也。詩曰："嗟爾君子，無恆安息。靖共爾位，好是正直。神之聽之，介爾景福。"神莫大於化道，福莫長於無禍。

The gentleman says: learning must not stop. Indigo is extracted from the blue plant, yet is bluer than the plant; ice is made from water, yet is colder than water. Wood that is straight enough to fit the ink line, when bent by fire into a wheel, has a curve that fits the compass, and even when dried and sun-baked it will not straighten again, because the bending made it so. So wood that passes the ink line becomes straight, metal put to the whetstone becomes sharp, and a gentleman who learns widely and examines himself daily will be clear in knowledge and faultless in conduct. So if one does not climb a high mountain, one does not know the height of Heaven; if one does not approach a deep stream, one does not know the thickness of Earth; if one does not hear the words left by the former kings, one does not know the greatness of learning. The children of Gan, Yue, the Yi and the Mo are born with the same voice but grow up with different customs, because teaching makes them so. The Book of Songs, Lesser Odes, Xiaoming, says: "Alas, you gentlemen, do not constantly seek rest. Be calm and reverent in your post and love what is upright. The spirits hear this and will grant you great blessing." No spirit is greater than being transformed by the Way, and no blessing is longer lasting than having no calamity.

吾嘗終日而思矣，不如須臾之所學也。吾嘗跂而望矣，不如登高之博見也。登高而招，臂非加長也，而見者遠；順風而呼，聲非加疾也，而聞者彰。假輿馬者，非利足也，而致千里；假舟楫者，非能水也，而絕江河。君子生非異也，善假於物也。

I once thought all day, but it was not as good as what I learned in a moment. I once stood on tiptoe to look far, but it was not as good as climbing high to see broadly. When one climbs high and waves, the arm is no longer, yet those who see it are far away; when one calls with the wind, the voice is no faster, yet those who hear it hear clearly. One who relies on a carriage and horses is not fast of foot, yet can reach a thousand li; one who relies on a boat is not good at swimming, yet can cross rivers. A gentleman is not born different; he is only good at relying on things outside himself.

南方有鳥焉，名曰蒙鳩，以羽為巢，而編之以發，系之葦苕，風至苕折，卵破子死。巢非不完也，所繫者然也。西方有木焉，名曰射干，莖長四寸，生於高山之上，而臨百仞之淵，木莖非能長也，所立者然也。蓬生麻中，不扶而直；白沙在涅，與之俱黑。蘭槐之根是為芷，其漸之滫，君子不近，庶人不服。其質非不美也，所漸者然也。故君子居必擇鄉，遊必就士，所以防邪辟而近中正也。

In the south there is a bird called the mengjiu, which makes its nest from feathers and weaves it with hair, tying it to the ears of reeds; when the wind comes the ear breaks, the eggs are smashed and the young die. The nest is not imperfect; where it is tied makes it so. In the west there is a plant called the shegan, whose stalk is four inches long, growing on a high mountain overlooking a hundred-fathom abyss; the stalk is not able to grow long, where it stands makes it so. Mugwort growing among hemp is straight without support; white sand put in black mud turns black with it. The root of the lan-huai plant is the herb zhi, but if it is soaked in stinking water, the gentleman does not approach it and commoners do not wear it. Its quality is not poor, but what it is soaked in makes it so. So a gentleman must choose the village where he lives and must associate with scholars, in order to guard against what is deviant and draw near what is correct.

物類之起，必有所始。榮辱之來，必象其德。肉腐出蟲，魚枯生蠹。怠慢忘身，禍災乃作。強自取柱，柔自取束。邪穢在身，怨之所構。施薪若一，火就燥也，平地若一，水就溼也。草木疇生，禽獸群焉，物各從其類也。是故質的張，而弓矢至焉；林木茂，而斧斤至焉；樹成蔭，而眾鳥息焉。醯酸，而蚋聚焉。故言有招禍也，行有招辱也，君子慎其所立乎！

The rise of any kind of thing must have a beginning. The coming of honor or disgrace must resemble one's virtue. Meat rots and produces worms, fish dries and produces borers. When one is lax and forgets oneself, calamity breaks out. The hard and strong invites its own breaking, the soft and weak invites its own binding. When filth is on the body, resentment is formed there. Firewood laid out as if alike, yet fire goes to the dry; level ground seeming alike, yet water goes to the damp. Grasses and trees grow in clumps, birds and beasts gather in flocks, and things each follow their kind. So when a target is set up, bows and arrows arrive; when a forest is thick, axes arrive; when trees form shade, birds rest; when vinegar turns sour, gnats gather. So words may invite disaster and conduct may invite disgrace, and a gentleman must be careful of where he stands!

積土成山，風雨興焉；積水成淵，蛟龍生焉；積善成德，而神明自得，聖心備焉。故不積蹞步，無以致千里；不積小流，無以成江海。騏驥一躍，不能十步；駑馬十駕，功在不捨。鍥而舍之，朽木不折；鍥而不捨，金石可鏤。螾無爪牙之利，筋骨之強，上食埃土，下飲黃泉，用心一也。蟹八跪而二螯，非蛇蟺之穴，無可寄託者，用心躁也。是故無冥冥之志者，無昭昭之明；無惛惛之事者，無赫赫之功。行衢道者不至，事兩君者不容。目不能兩視而明，耳不能兩聽而聰。螣蛇無足而飛，梧鼠五技而窮。詩曰："尸鳩在桑，其子七兮。淑人君子，其儀一兮。其儀一兮，心如結兮。"故君子結於一也。

When earth accumulates into a mountain, wind and rain arise there; when water accumulates into an abyss, dragons grow there; when goodness accumulates into virtue, spiritual clarity is naturally obtained and the sage's mind is complete. So without accumulating half-steps, there is no way to reach a thousand li; without accumulating small streams, there is no way to complete rivers and seas. A fine steed leaps and cannot go ten paces; a poor horse walks ten days' journey, and success lies in not giving up. If one carves and puts it down, rotten wood cannot be broken; if one carves and does not give up, metal and stone can be engraved. The earthworm has no sharp claws or teeth or strong sinews and bones, yet above eats dust and below drinks the Yellow Springs, because its mind is single. The crab has eight legs and two claws, and without the holes of snakes and eels it has nowhere to lodge, because its mind is restless. So without a silent, single aim there is no clear understanding; without dim, single devotion to work there is no brilliant achievement. One who takes a fork in the road does not arrive; one who serves two lords is not accepted. The eye cannot see two things at once and still understand, the ear cannot hear two things at once and still be keen. The flying snake has no feet yet flies, the wu rat has five skills yet is at a loss. The Book of Songs, Odes of Cao, Shijiu, says: "The shrike is in the mulberry, its young are seven. The good gentleman's bearing is one. His bearing is one, his heart is as if tied in a knot." So the gentleman ties his heart in oneness.

昔者瓠巴鼓瑟，而流魚出聽；伯牙鼓琴，而六馬仰秣。故聲無小而不聞，行無隱而不形。玉在山而草木潤，淵生珠而崖不枯。為善不積邪，安有不聞者乎！

Formerly when Hu Ba played the zither, fish sunk in the water came out to listen; when Boya played the lute, the six horses pulling the carriage lifted their heads from their fodder. So no sound is so small as not to be heard, no conduct is so hidden as not to show. When jade is in a mountain, the grass and trees are moist; when pearls grow in an abyss, the banks do not dry up. Is it that the doing of good has not yet accumulated? How could it fail to be heard!

學惡乎始？惡乎終？曰：其數則始乎誦經，終乎讀禮；其義則始乎為士，終乎為聖人。真積力久則入。學至乎沒而後止也。故學數有終，若其義則不可須臾舍也。為之人也，舍之禽獸也。故書者、政事之紀也；詩者、中聲之所止也；禮者、法之大兮，類之綱紀也。故學至乎禮而止矣。夫是之謂道德之極。禮之敬文也，樂之中和也，詩書之博也，春秋之微也，在天地之間者畢矣。

Where does learning begin, and where does it end? It is said: in terms of the order of study, it begins with reciting the classics and ends with reading the rites; in terms of its meaning, it begins with becoming a scholar and ends with becoming a sage. With sincere accumulation and long effort, one enters. One learns until death and only then stops. So the order of learning has an end, but its meaning cannot be abandoned even for a moment. To do this is to be a human, to abandon it is to be a bird or beast. So the Documents are the record of government affairs; the Songs are where correct sounds come to rest; ritual is the great division of law (the base text has "xi", an error for "fen") and the guiding thread of categories. So learning ends when it reaches ritual. This is called the utmost of morality. The reverence and refinement of ritual, the harmony of music, the breadth of the Songs and Documents, the subtle words of the Spring and Autumn Annals, all that is between Heaven and Earth is complete.

君子之學也，入乎耳，著乎心，布乎四體，形乎動靜。端而言，蝡而動，一可以為法則。小人之學也，入乎耳，出乎口；口耳之間，則四寸耳，曷足以美七尺之軀哉！古之學者為己，今之學者為人。君子之學也，以美其身；小人之學也，以為禽犢。故不問而告謂之傲，問一而告二謂之囋。傲、非也，囋、非也；君子如向矣。

The gentleman's learning enters the ear, is lodged in the heart, spreads through the four limbs and shows in movement and stillness. Even the slightest speech or stir can be a model. The petty man's learning enters the ear and comes out of the mouth; between mouth and ear there are only four inches, how could that suffice to beautify a body of seven feet! In ancient times people studied for themselves, now people study for others. The gentleman's learning is used to beautify himself; the petty man's learning is treated as a gift of birds and calves. So to speak when not asked is called arrogance, to tell two things when asked about one is called garrulousness. Arrogance is wrong; garrulousness is wrong; the gentleman responds like an echo.

學莫便乎近其人。禮樂法而不說，詩書故而不切，春秋約而不速。方其人之習君子之說，則尊以遍矣，周於世矣。故曰：學莫便乎近其人。

In learning, nothing is more advantageous than being close to the right person. Ritual and music have standards but are not explained in detail, the Songs and Documents are old matters and not close at hand, and the Spring and Autumn Annals is concise and cannot quickly yield its essentials. Modeling oneself on that person and becoming familiar with the gentleman's teachings makes one both honored and comprehensive, and thoroughly acquainted with the world. So it is said: in learning, nothing is more advantageous than being close to the right person.

學之經莫速乎好其人，隆禮次之。上不能好其人，下不能隆禮，安特將學雜識志，順詩書而已耳。則末世窮年，不免為陋儒而已。將原先王，本仁義，則禮正其經緯蹊徑也。若挈裘領，詘五指而頓之，順者不可勝數也。不道禮憲，以詩書為之，譬之猶以指測河也，以戈舂黍也，以錐餐壺也，不可以得之矣。故隆禮，雖未明，法士也；不隆禮，雖察辯，散儒也。

In the path of learning, nothing is faster than loving that person, and honoring ritual comes next. If above one cannot love that person and below one cannot honor ritual, one will only be learning miscellaneous records and talking along the Songs and Documents. Then to the end of one's days one cannot avoid being a mere vulgar scholar. If one traces back to the former kings and roots in benevolence and righteousness, then ritual is the very warp and path. It is like lifting the collar of a fur coat, bending five fingers to shake it, so that those that fall into line are too many to count. Not following ritual and law, only using the Songs and Documents to act, is like measuring a river with a finger, pounding millet with a halberd, or eating from a pot with an awl; it cannot succeed. So one who honors ritual, even if not yet enlightened, is a scholar who keeps the law; one who does not honor ritual, even if shrewd and eloquent, is a scattered scholar.

問楛者，勿告也；告楛者，勿問也；說楛者，勿聽也。有爭氣者，勿與辯也。故必由其道至，然後接之；非其道則避之。故禮恭，而後可與言道之方；辭順，而後可與言道之理；色從而後可與言道之致。故未可與言而言，謂之傲；可與言而不言，謂之隱；不觀氣色而言，謂瞽。故君子不傲、不隱、不瞽，謹順其身。詩曰："匪交匪舒，天子所予。"此之謂也。

Do not tell someone who asks about vulgar and evil things; do not ask someone who tells vulgar and evil things; do not listen to those who speak vulgar and evil things. Do not argue with someone with a spirit of contention. So one must wait until a person comes by way of the Way and then receive him; if it is not that way, avoid him. So when his manners are respectful, one can speak to him about the direction of the Way; when his speech is compliant, one can speak to him about the order of the Way; when his expression is compliant, one can speak to him about the utmost of the Way. So to speak to one to whom one should not speak is called arrogance; not to speak to one to whom one can speak is called concealment; to speak without observing his complexion is called blindness. So the gentleman is neither arrogant, nor concealing, nor blind, and carefully follows the other person himself. The Book of Songs, Lesser Odes, Caishu, says: "Neither hasty nor slack, it is what the Son of Heaven bestows." This is what it means.

百發失一，不足謂善射；千里蹞步不至，不足謂善御；倫類不通，仁義不一，不足謂善學。學也者，固學一之也。一齣焉，一入焉，塗巷之人也；其善者少，不善者多，桀紂盜跖也；全之盡之，然後學者也。

To shoot a hundred times and miss once is not enough to be called a good archer; to travel a thousand li and fall half a step short is not enough to be called a good charioteer; if categories cannot be penetrated and benevolence and righteousness cannot be unified, one is not enough to be called good at learning. Learning is originally learning to be single-minded. One who comes out one moment and goes in the next is an ordinary person of the streets and lanes; one who has little good and much not good is of the kind of Jie, Zhou and Robber Zhi; one who makes it complete and pure and exhausts it is then a scholar.

君子知夫不全不粹之不足以為美也，故誦數以貫之，思索以通之，為其人以處之，除其害者以持養之。使目非是無慾見也，使口非是無慾言也，使心非是無慾慮也。及至其致好之也，目好之五色，耳好之五聲，口好之五味，心利之有天下。是故權利不能傾也，群眾不能移也，天下不能蕩也。生乎由是，死乎由是，夫是之謂德操。德操然後能定，能定然後能應。能定能應，夫是之謂成人。天見其明，地見其光，君子貴其全也。

The gentleman knows that what is incomplete and impure is not enough to be fine, so he recites and counts to penetrate it, thinks to open it, models himself on that person to live and act, and removes what harms in order to nourish it. He makes his eyes not want to see what is not this, his mouth not want to speak what is not this, his mind not want to think what is not this. When his love for it reaches the utmost, his eyes love it as five colors, his ears love it as five sounds, his mouth loves it as five flavors, and his heart takes it as profit as if he held the world. So power cannot overturn him, crowds cannot move him, and the world cannot shake him. In life he follows this, and in death he follows this, and this is called moral integrity. With moral integrity he can be steady, being steady he can respond. One who can be steady and respond is called a complete person. Heaven shows its brightness, Earth shows its light, and the gentleman values completeness.

見善，修然必以自存也；見不善，愀然必以自省也。善在身，介然必以自好也；不善在身，菑然必以自惡也。故非我而當者，吾師也；是我而當者，吾友也；諂諛我者，吾賊也。故君子隆師而親友，以致惡其賊。好善無厭，受諫而能誡，雖欲無進，得乎哉！小人反是：致亂而惡人之非己也；致不肖而欲人之賢己也；心如虎狼，行如禽獸，而又惡人之賊己也。諂諛者親，諫爭者疏，修正為笑，至忠為賊，雖欲無滅亡，得乎哉！詩曰："嗡嗡呰呰，亦孔之哀。謀之其臧，則具是違；謀之不臧，則具是依。"此之謂也。

When he sees good, he is alert and must use it to preserve himself; when he sees what is not good, he is fearful and must use it to examine himself. When good is in himself, he must firmly like it himself; when what is not good is in himself, he must loathe it like a calamity. So one who criticizes me aptly is my teacher; one who affirms me aptly is my friend; one who flatters me is one who harms me. So the gentleman honors teachers, draws near to friends, and extremely hates those who harm him. Loving good without being satisfied and accepting remonstrance and taking warning, even if he wanted not to advance, could he do so! The petty man is the reverse: he is utterly confused himself yet hates others criticizing him; he is utterly unworthy himself yet wants others to take him as worthy; his heart is like a tiger or wolf and his conduct like a beast, yet he hates others pointing out that he is harmful. He draws near flatterers and keeps remonstrators distant, takes corrective words as jokes and the utmost loyalty as harm; even if he wanted not to perish, could he avoid it! The Book of Songs, Lesser Odes, Xiaomin, says: "They fawn and slander, also very lamentable. When the plans are good, all go against them; when the plans are bad, all follow them." This is what it means.

扁善之度－－以治氣養生，則後彭祖；以修身自名，則配堯禹。宜於時通，利以處窮，禮信是也。凡用血氣、志意、知慮，由禮則治通，不由禮則勃亂提僈；食飲，衣服、居處、動靜，由禮則和節，不由禮則觸陷生疾；容貌、態度、進退、趨行，由禮則雅，不由禮則夷固、僻違、庸眾而野。故人無禮則不生，事無禮則不成，國家無禮則不寧。詩曰："禮儀卒度，笑語卒獲。"此之謂也。

The universal law of doing good: used to govern qi and nourish life, one can outlive Peng Zu; used to cultivate oneself and seek fame, one can match Yao and Yu. What suits times of success and also benefits times of hardship is ritual and trustworthiness. In all uses of blood and qi, will and intention, knowledge and thought, following ritual makes them penetrating and orderly, not following ritual makes them confused and lax; in food and drink, clothing, dwelling, movement and stillness, following ritual makes them harmonious and measured, not following ritual makes one offend, fall into excess and fall ill; in appearance, manner, advancing and retreating, and hurrying, following ritual makes them elegant, not following ritual makes them arrogant and crude, deviant and unreasonable, and mediocre and vulgar. So a person without ritual cannot live, an affair without ritual cannot succeed, and a state without ritual cannot be at peace. The Book of Songs, Lesser Odes, Chuci, says: "Rites and manners all fit the measure, laughter and speech all suit." This is what it means.

以善先人者謂之教，以善和人者謂之順；以不善先人者謂之諂，以不善和人者謂之諛。是是非非謂之知，非是是非謂之愚。傷良曰讒，害良曰賊。是謂是，非謂非曰直。竊貨曰盜，匿行曰詐，易言曰誕。趣舍無定謂之無常。保利棄義謂之至賊。多聞曰博，少聞曰淺。多見曰閒，少見曰陋。難進曰偍，易忘曰漏。少而理曰治，多而亂曰秏。

One who leads others with good is called teaching, one who accords with others with good is called compliance; one who leads others with what is not good is called flattery, one who accords with others with what is not good is called fawning. To take right as right and wrong as wrong is called knowing; to take right as wrong and wrong as right is called foolishness. To injure a good person is called slander, to ruin a good person is called harming. To say right when right and wrong when wrong is called straightness. Stealing goods is called theft, concealing conduct is called deceit, speaking lightly is called boasting. Taking and leaving without constancy is called inconstant. To preserve profit and abandon righteousness is called the utmost of harm. Hearing much is called broad, hearing little is called shallow. Seeing much is called well-practiced, seeing little is called crude. Hard to advance is called slow, easy to forget is called leaky. Few and orderly is called well-governed, many and confused is called wasteful disorder.

治氣養心之術：血氣剛強，則柔之以調和；知慮漸深，則一之以易良；勇膽猛戾，則輔之以道順；齊給便利，則節之以動止；狹隘褊小，則廓之以廣大；卑溼重遲貪利，則抗之以高志；庸眾駑散，則劫之以師友；怠慢僄棄，則照之以禍災；愚款端愨，則合之以禮樂，通之以思索。凡治氣養心之術，莫徑由禮，莫要得師，莫神一好。夫是之謂治氣養心之術也。

The method of governing qi and nourishing the mind: if blood and qi are hard and strong, use harmony to soften them; if knowledge and thought are too deep and brooding, use ease and goodness to make them single; if bold and violent, use the guidance of the Way to help it; if quick and nimble, use movement and rest to temper it; if narrow and petty, use breadth to open it; if lowly, slow and greedy, use high aims to lift it; if mediocre, dull and scattered, use teachers and friends to bind it; if lax, careless and abandoned, use calamity to mirror it; if foolish, simple and cautious, use ritual and music to harmonize it and thought to penetrate it. In all methods of governing qi and nourishing the mind, none is more direct than following ritual, none more essential than getting a teacher, none more divine than being single-minded in what one loves. This is called the method of governing qi and nourishing the mind.

志意修則驕富貴，道義重則輕王公；內省而外物輕矣。傳曰："君子役物，小人役於物。"此之謂矣。身勞而心安，為之；利少而義多，為之；事亂君而通，不如事窮君而順焉。故良農不為水旱不耕，良賈不為折閱不市，士君子不為貧窮怠乎道。

When will and intention are cultivated, one looks down on wealth and honor; when the Way and righteousness are weighty, one looks lightly on kings and dukes; when one examines oneself inwardly, outer things are light. The Commentary says: "The gentleman employs things; the petty man is employed by things." This is what it means. If the body toils but the mind is at ease, do it; if profit is small but righteousness is great, do it; to serve a chaotic ruler and be successful is not as good as serving an impoverished ruler and being in accord with the Way. So a good farmer does not stop plowing because of flood or drought, a good merchant does not stop trading because of losses, and a scholar-gentleman does not become lazy about the Way because of poverty.

體恭敬而心忠信，術禮義而情愛人；橫行天下，雖困四夷，人莫不貴。勞苦之事則爭先，饒樂之事則能讓，端愨誠信，拘守而詳；橫行天下，雖困四夷，人莫不任。體倨固而心埶詐，術順墨而精雜汙；橫行天下，雖達四方，人莫不賤。勞苦之事則偷儒轉脫，饒樂之事則佞兌而不曲，辟違而不愨，程役而不錄：橫行天下，雖達四方，人莫不棄。

One who is respectful in body and loyal and trustworthy in heart, who takes ritual and righteousness as his model and loves people by nature, can roam the world, and even if hemmed in among the four barbarians there will be no one who does not value him. In toilsome affairs he vies to go first, in affairs of abundance and ease he can yield, he is careful and trustworthy, restrained and thorough; he can roam the world, and even if hemmed in among the four barbarians there will be no one who does not trust him. One who is arrogant and stubborn in body and mercenary and deceitful in heart, who takes Shen Dao and Mo Di as his model and whose spirit is mixed and foul, can roam the world, and even if he reaches everywhere, there will be no one who does not despise him. In toilsome affairs he is lazy and timid and twists to escape, in affairs of abundance and ease he is cunning, flattering and quick and does not yield, deviant and unreasonable and not careful, he weighs affairs without restraint: he can roam the world, and even if he reaches everywhere, there will be no one who does not cast him off.

行而供冀，非漬淖也；行而俯項，非擊戾也；偶視而先俯，非恐懼也。然夫士欲獨修其身，不以得罪於比俗之人也。

Walking with respect and caution is not out of fear of muddy mire; walking with the neck bowed is not out of fear of collision; lowering the head first when meeting eyes is not out of fear. In this way a scholar only wants to cultivate himself alone, and is not afraid of offending those who follow popular customs.

夫驥一日而千里，駑馬十駕，則亦及之矣。將以窮無窮，逐無極與？其折骨絕筋，終身不可以相及也。將有所止之，則千里雖遠，亦或遲、或速、或先、或後，胡為乎其不可以相及也！不識步道者，將以窮無窮，逐無極與？意亦有所止之與？夫"堅白"、"同異"、"有厚無厚"之察，非不察也，然而君子不辯，止之也。倚魁之行，非不難也，然而君子不行，止之也。故學曰遲。彼止而待我，我行而就之，則亦或遲、或速、或先、或後，胡為乎其不可以同至也！故蹞步而不休，跛鱉千里；累土而不輟，丘山崇成。厭其源，開其瀆，江河可竭。一進一退，一左一右，六驥不致。彼人之才性之相縣也，豈若跛鱉之與六驥足哉！然而跛鱉致之，六驥不致，是無它故焉，或為之，或不為爾！道雖邇，不行不至；事雖小，不為不成。其為人也多暇日者，其出入不遠矣。

A fine steed runs a thousand li a day, and a poor horse running ten days' journey will also catch up. Is one going to use this to exhaust the endless and chase the limitless? Then the bones will break and sinews snap and one will never catch up in all one's life. If there is to be a stopping point, then though a thousand li is far, it is only a matter of slow or fast, early or late; why could one not catch up! I do not know whether those walkers want to exhaust the endless and chase the limitless, or whether they also have a stopping point. The examinations of "hard and white," "same and different," and "having thickness and having no thickness" are not unclear, yet the gentleman does not debate them, because there is a place to stop. Strange and extreme conduct is not unachievable, yet the gentleman does not do it, because there is a place to stop. So pursuing learning is called walking slowly. That stopping point waits for me there, and as I walk and approach it, it is only slow or fast, early or late; why can we not all arrive alike! So if one does not stop for half a step, even a lame turtle can go a thousand li; if one piles up earth without stopping, hills and mountains can be built. Block its source and open its channels, and rivers can run dry. Advancing once and retreating once, left once and right once, even six steeds cannot arrive. How can the differences in people's talent be like the gap between a lame turtle and the legs of six steeds! Yet the lame turtle arrives and the six steeds do not, for no other reason than that one does and the other does not! Though the Way is near, if one does not walk one does not arrive; though a task is small, if one does not do it, it is not completed. One who has many idle days will not achieve much in his goings and comings.

好法而行，士也；篤志而體，君子也；齊明而不竭，聖人也。人無法，則倀倀然；有法而無志其義，則渠渠然；依乎法，而又深其類，然後溫溫然。

One who loves the law and practices it is a scholar; one whose aim is sincere and who acts in person is a gentleman; one who is solemn, clear-sighted and inexhaustible is a sage. A person without law is at a loss; one with law who does not know its meaning is uneasy; one who follows law and also deeply penetrates its categories is then at ease.

禮者、所以正身也，師者、所以正禮也。無禮何以正身？無師吾安知禮之為是也？禮然而然，則是情安禮也；師云而云，則是知若師也。情安禮，知若師，則是聖人也。故非禮，是無法也；非師，是無師也。不是師法，而好自用，譬之是猶以盲辨色，以聾辨聲也，舍亂妄無為也。故學也者，禮法也。夫師、以身為正儀，而貴自安者也。詩云："不識不知，順帝之則。"此之謂也。

Ritual is what rectifies one's person; the teacher is what rectifies ritual. Without ritual, with what would one rectify one's person? Without a teacher, how would I know that ritual is just so? If one does as ritual prescribes, that is one's disposition resting easily in ritual; if one speaks as the teacher speaks, that is one's understanding resembling the teacher's. When disposition rests in ritual and understanding resembles the teacher, that is a sage. So to go against ritual is to be without law; to go against the teacher is to be without a teacher. To not regard the teacher's model as right and to like to act on one's own, is like using the blind to distinguish colors or the deaf to distinguish sounds; there is nothing to do but muddle and act wildly. So learning is ritual and law. The teacher is one who makes himself the correct model, and values being at ease in such a way. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, "Huang Yi," says: "Without knowing or understanding, following the rule of the Lord on High." This is what it means.

端愨順弟，則可謂善少者矣；加好學遜敏焉，則有鈞無上，可以為君子者矣。偷儒憚事，無廉恥而嗜乎飲食，則可謂惡少者矣；加愓悍而不順，險賊而不弟焉，則可謂不詳少者矣，雖陷刑戮可也。老老而壯者歸焉，不窮窮而通者積焉，行乎冥冥而施乎無報，而賢不肖一焉。人有此三行，雖有大過，天其不遂乎！

One who is upright and careful and follows the way of brotherly respect can be called a good youth; if he adds love of learning, modesty and quickness, then he is merely equal to others and none is above him, and he can become a gentleman. One who is lazy, timid and afraid of affairs, without shame, and fond of food and drink, can be called a bad youth; if he adds dissoluteness, ferocity and disobedience, malice, cruelty and lack of brotherly respect, he can be called an ill-omened youth (the received text writes "not detailed," where "detailed" is an error for "auspicious"), and even to fall into punishment and execution would be fitting. Respect the old, and men in their prime will come to attach themselves; do not leave those in hardship in hardship, and successful people will come and gather; act in secret and give without seeking return, and the worthy and unworthy will be equal. If a person has these three kinds of conduct, even if he has great faults, Heaven would probably not make him fail!

君子之求利也略，其遠害也早，其避辱也懼，其行道理也勇。君子貧窮而志廣，富貴而體恭，安燕而血氣不惰，勞倦而容貌不枯，怒不過奪，喜不過予。君子貧窮而志廣，隆仁也；富貴而體恭，殺埶也；安燕而血氣不衰，柬理也；勞倦而容貌不枯，好交也；怒不過奪，喜不過予，是法勝私也。書曰："無有作好，遵王之道。無有作惡，遵王之路。"此言君子之能以公義勝私慾也。

The gentleman is brief in seeking profit, early in keeping far from harm, fearful in avoiding disgrace, and bold in practicing principle. The gentleman is poor yet broad in aims, rich and noble yet reverent in person, at ease yet with blood and qi not lazy, weary yet with his appearance not withered, angry yet never beyond deprivation, pleased yet never beyond giving. That the gentleman is poor yet broad in aims is honoring humaneness; that he is rich and noble yet reverent in person is reducing power; that he is at ease yet his blood and qi do not decline is choosing principle; that he is weary yet his appearance is not withered is loving refinement (the received text writes "jiao," an error for "wen"); that he is angry yet never beyond deprivation and pleased yet never beyond giving is law overcoming the private. The Book of Documents says: "Have no private likes, follow the king's Way. Have no private dislikes, follow the king's road." This says that the gentleman can overcome private desires with public righteousness.

君子行不貴苟難，說不貴苟察，名不貴苟傳，唯其當之為貴。故懷負石而投河，是行之難為者也，而申徒狄能之；然而君子不貴者，非禮義之中也。"山淵平"，"天地比"，"齊秦襲"，"入乎耳，出乎口"，"鉤有須"，"卵有毛"，是說之難持者也，而惠施鄧析能之。然而君子不貴者，非禮義之中也。盜跖貪兇，名聲若日月，與舜禹俱傳而不息；然而君子不貴者，非禮義之中也。故曰：君子行不貴苟難，說不貴苟察，名不貴苟傳，唯其當之為貴。詩曰："物其有矣，惟其時矣。"此之謂也。

The gentleman's conduct does not prize casual difficulty, his teachings do not prize casual acuteness, and his reputation does not prize casual spread; he prizes only what is fitting. Thus carrying a stone in the arms and throwing oneself into a river is a hard thing to do in conduct, and Shentu Di could do it; yet the gentleman does not value it, because it is not within ritual and righteousness. "Mountains and abysses are level," "Heaven and Earth are equal," "Qi and Qin are united," "entering through the ear and coming out of the mouth," "women have beards," "eggs have feathers," are hard doctrines to maintain, and Hui Shi and Deng Xi could maintain them. Yet the gentleman does not value them, because they are not within ritual and righteousness. Robber Zhi was greedy and vicious, and his name is like the sun and moon, handed down without end together with Shun and Yu; yet the gentleman does not value it, because it is not within ritual and righteousness. So it is said: the gentleman's conduct does not prize casual difficulty, his teachings do not prize casual acuteness, and his reputation does not prize casual spread; he prizes only what is fitting. The Book of Songs, Lesser Odes, "Yu Li," says: "Things are already there, it only depends on the right time." This is what it means.

君子易知而難狎，易懼而難脅，畏患而不避義死，欲利而不為所非，交親而不比，言辯而不辭，蕩蕩乎其有以殊於世也。

The gentleman is easy to befriend but hard to treat with familiarity, easy to alarm but hard to coerce, fears misfortune but does not avoid dying for righteousness, wants profit but does not do what he should not do, is close in association but does not form cliques, is eloquent in speech but does not drift into mere words; how broad-minded, he has that by which he differs from the common run.

君子能亦好，不能亦好；小人能亦醜，不能亦醜。君子能則寬容易直以開道人，不能則恭敬繜絀以畏事人；小人能則倨傲僻違以驕溢人，不能則妒嫉怨誹以傾覆人。故曰：君子能則人榮學焉，不能則人樂告之；小人能則人賤學焉，不能則人羞告之。是君子小人之分也。

A gentleman with ability is admirable, and without ability is also admirable; a petty man with ability is ugly, and without ability is also ugly. A gentleman with ability is generous and straightforward in guiding people, and without ability is respectful and modest in serving others; a petty man with ability is arrogant and crooked in lording over people, and without ability is jealous, resentful and slanderous in overturning people. So it is said: if a gentleman has ability, people consider it an honor to learn from him; if he lacks ability, people are glad to tell him. If a petty man has ability, people consider it base to learn from him; if he lacks ability, people are ashamed to tell him. This is the distinction between a gentleman and a petty man.

君子寬而不僈，廉而不劌，辯而不爭，察而不激，直立而不勝，堅強而不暴，柔從而不流，恭敬謹慎而容。夫是之謂至文。詩曰："溫溫恭人，惟德之基。"此之謂也。

The gentleman is relaxed but not negligent, has edges but does not cut, is eloquent but does not contend, is discerning but not extreme, is upright in standing but not overbearing, is firm but not violent, is yielding but does not drift with the tide, and is reverent and careful yet tolerant. This is called the utmost refinement. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, "Yi," says: "The gentle and reverent man is the foundation of virtue." This is what it means.

君子崇人之德，揚人之美，非諂諛也；正義直指，舉人之過，非毀疵也；言己之光美，擬於舜禹，參於天地，非夸誕也；與時屈伸，柔從若蒲葦，非懾怯也；剛強猛毅，靡所不信，非驕暴也；以義變應，知當曲直故也。詩曰："左之左之，君子宜之；右之右之，君子有之。"此言君子以義屈信變應故也。

The gentleman honors others' virtue and extols others' excellence, and this is not flattery; he holds to right principle and points straight out, citing others' faults, and this is not slander or fault-finding; he speaks of his own splendor, compares himself with Shun and Yu and matches himself with Heaven and Earth, and this is not boasting; he bends and stretches with the times, yielding like reeds, and this is not cowardice; he is firm and fierce, with nowhere he does not extend himself, and this is not arrogance and violence; he responds to change with righteousness, because he knows when to bend and when to be straight. The Book of Songs, Lesser Odes, "Chang Chang Zhe Hua," says: "To the left, to the left, the gentleman is fitting; to the right, to the right, the gentleman has it." This says that the gentleman bends, stretches and responds to change with righteousness.

君子小人之反也：君子大心則敬天而道，小心則畏義而節；知則明通而類，愚則端愨而法；見由則恭而止，見閉則敬而齊；喜則和而理，憂則靜而理；通則文而明，窮則約而詳。小人則不然：大心則慢而暴，小心則淫而傾；知則攫盜而漸，愚則毒賊而亂；見由則兌而倨，見閉則怨而險；喜則輕而翾，憂則挫而懾；通則驕而偏，窮則棄而儑。傳曰："君子兩進，小人兩廢。"此之謂也。

The gentleman and the petty man are opposites: when the gentleman's aims are great he reveres Heaven and follows the Way; when his aims are small he fears righteousness and has restraint; if wise he is clear and penetrating and can reason by analogy; if foolish he is upright and careful and keeps the law; when employed he is reverent and has limits; when shut out he is respectful and orderly; when pleased he is harmonious and orderly; when worried he is calm and orderly; when successful he has refinement and is manifest; when in hardship he is concise and thorough. The petty man is not like this: when his aims are great he is arrogant and violent; when his aims are small he is dissolute, crooked and dangerous; if wise he grabs, steals and deceives; if foolish he poisons and harms and creates disorder; when employed he is clever, pleasing and haughty; when shut out he is resentful and sinister; when pleased he is frivolous and rash; when worried he is crushed and fearful; when successful he is arrogant and biased; when in hardship he gives up on himself and is distressed. The records say: "The gentleman advances in both situations, and the petty man decays in both situations." This is what it means.

君子治治，非治亂也。曷謂邪？曰：禮義之謂治，非禮義之謂亂也。故君子者，治禮義者也，非治非禮義者也。然則國亂將弗治與？曰：國亂而治之者，非案亂而治之之謂也。去亂而被之以治。人汙而修之者，非案汙而修之之謂也，去汙而易之以修。故去亂而非治亂也，去汙而非修汙也。治之為名，猶曰君子為治而不為亂，為修而不為汙也。

The gentleman governs what is orderly, not what is disorderly. What does this mean? It says: ritual and righteousness are called order, and what is not ritual and righteousness is called disorder. So the gentleman is one who governs ritual and righteousness and does not govern what is not ritual and righteousness. Then, if the state is in disorder, will he not govern it? It says: when the state is in disorder and one governs it, this does not mean going along with the disorder to govern the disorder. It means removing the disorder and covering it with order. When a person is dirty and one tidies him, it does not mean going along with the dirt to tidy the dirt; it means removing the dirt and replacing it with tidiness. So removing disorder is not governing disorder, and removing dirt is not tidying dirt. Order as a name is like saying that the gentleman makes order and does not make disorder, makes tidiness and does not make dirt.

君子絜其身而同焉者合矣，善其言而類焉者應矣。故馬鳴而馬應之，牛鳴而牛應之，非知也，其埶然也。故新浴者振其衣，新沐者彈其冠，人之情也。其誰能以己之潐潐，受人之掝掝者哉！

When the gentleman cleans himself, those of his kind come to join him; when he perfects his words, those of his kind come to respond. So when a horse neighs, horses respond to it; when an ox lows, oxen respond to it; this is not wisdom but the way circumstances work. So one who has just bathed shakes out his clothes and one who has just washed his hair flicks his cap; this is human nature. Who could take his own whiteness and accept the dirt of others!

君子養心莫善於誠，致誠則無它事矣。惟仁之為守，惟義之為行。誠心守仁則形，形則神，神則能化矣。誠心行義則理，理則明，明則能變矣。變化代興，謂之天德。天不言而人推其高焉，地不言而人推其厚焉，四時不言而百姓期焉。夫此有常，以至其誠者也。君子至德，嘿然而喻，未施而親，不怒而威：夫此順命，以慎其獨者也。善之為道者，不誠則不獨，不獨則不形，不形則雖作於心，見於色，出於言，民猶若未從也；雖從必疑。天地為大矣，不誠則不能化萬物；聖人為知矣，不誠則不能化萬民；父子為親矣，不誠則疏；君上為尊矣，不誠則卑。夫誠者，君子之所守也，而政事之本也，唯所居以其類至。操之則得之，舍之則失之。操而得之則輕，輕則獨行，獨行而不捨，則濟矣。濟而材盡，長遷而不反其初，則化矣。

In nourishing the heart, nothing is better than sincerity; when sincerity is carried to the utmost there is nothing else to do. One only holds to humaneness and only practices righteousness. When one is sincere in holding to humaneness, it appears; when it appears, it is divine; when it is divine, one can transform and nurture. When one is sincere in practicing righteousness, it is orderly; when it is orderly, it is clear; when it is clear, one can change. Transformation and change taking turns arising is called the virtue of Heaven. Heaven does not speak and people credit its height; Earth does not speak and people credit its thickness; the four seasons do not speak and the people wait for them at their times. These have constancy because sincerity is carried to the utmost. The gentleman's supreme virtue is that in silence he makes people understand, without bestowing he makes them draw near, without anger he has awe: this is following Heaven's mandate in order to be careful about his solitude. For one who takes goodness as the Way, without sincerity he cannot be careful in solitude, and if he cannot be careful in solitude he cannot show himself; if he does not show himself, then even if it stirs in his heart, appears in his face, and is spoken in his words, the people will still seem not to follow; and even if they follow, they will surely doubt. Heaven and Earth are great enough, but without sincerity they cannot transform and nurture the ten thousand things; sages are wise enough, but without sincerity they cannot transform and nurture the ten thousand people; father and son are close enough, but without sincerity they grow distant; rulers are honored enough, but without sincerity they are base. That sincerity is what the gentleman holds to, and it is also the root of government affairs; just look at where one dwells, and one's own kind will arrive. Hold it and you get it; abandon it and you lose it. Holding it and getting it is easy; being easy, one acts alone; acting alone without abandoning it, one succeeds. Having succeeded, one exhausts one's nature and talent, shifts long without returning to the beginning, and thus transforms.

君子位尊而志恭，心小而道大；所聽視者近，而所聞見者遠。是何邪？則操術然也。故千人萬人之情，一人之情也。天地始者，今日是也。百王之道，后王是也。君子審后王之道，而論百王之前，若端拜而議。推禮義之統，分是非之分，總天下之要，治海內之眾，若使一人。故操彌約，而事彌大。五寸之矩，盡天下之方也。故君子不下室堂，而海內之情舉積此者，則操術然也。

The gentleman has a noble position and a reverent will, a small heart and a great way; what he hears and sees is near, but what he learns and perceives is far. Why is this? It is because of the method he holds. So the feelings of a thousand and ten thousand people are the feelings of one person. The state of things at the beginning of Heaven and Earth is just as it is today. The Way of the hundred kings is just as it is with the later kings. The gentleman examines the Way of the later kings, and discusses the time before the hundred kings as if bowing upright and discussing. He extends the threads of ritual and righteousness, clarifies the boundaries of right and wrong, sums up the essentials of the world, and governs the people within the seas, as if directing one person. So the more simply he holds it, the greater his enterprise. A five-inch carpenter's square can exhaust all the squares of the world. So the gentleman does not go down from his hall, yet the conditions within the seas are gathered here; this is because of the method he holds.

有通士者，有公士者，有直士者，有愨士者，有小人者。上則能尊君，下則能愛民，物至而應，事起而辨，若是則可謂通士矣。不下比以闇上，不上同以疾下，分爭於中，不以私害之，若是則可謂公士矣。身之所長，上雖不知，不以悖君；身之所短，上雖不知，不以取賞；長短不飾，以情自竭，若是則可謂直士矣。庸言必信之，庸行必慎之，畏法流俗，而不敢以其所獨甚，若是則可謂愨士矣。言無常信，行無常貞，唯利所在，無所不傾，若是則可謂小人矣。

There are the penetrating scholar, the public-minded scholar, the straightforward scholar, the sincere scholar and the petty man. One who above can honor his ruler and below can love the people, who can respond when things arrive and discern when matters arise, can be called a penetrating scholar. One who does not collude below to deceive those above, does not curry favor above to envy and harm those below, who in the middle judges disputes and does not harm them out of private interest, can be called a public-minded scholar. One whose own strengths, even if those above do not know them, he does not use to rebel against the ruler; whose own shortcomings, even if those above do not know them, he does not use to seek rewards; who does not adorn strengths or shortcomings but speaks the facts completely himself, can be called a straightforward scholar. One whose ordinary words are certainly trustworthy and ordinary conduct certainly careful, who fears imitating the common run and does not dare to impose on others what he alone thinks right, can be called a sincere scholar. One whose speech has no constant good faith and whose conduct has no constant steadfastness, who looks only at where profit lies and never fails to lean toward it, can be called a petty man.

公生明，偏生闇，端愨生通，詐偽生塞，誠信生神，夸誕生惑。此六生者，君子慎之，而禹桀所以分也。

Impartiality gives rise to discernment, partiality gives rise to darkness, carefulness gives rise to penetration, deceit gives rise to blockage, sincerity gives rise to the divine, and boasting gives rise to confusion. The gentleman should be careful about these six that arise, and this is also where Yu and Jie are distinguished.

欲惡取捨之權：見其可欲也，則必前後慮其可惡也者；見其可利也，則必前後慮其可害也者，而兼權之，孰計之，然後定其欲惡取捨。如是則常不失陷矣。凡人之患，偏傷之也。見其可欲也，則不慮其可惡也者；見其可利也，則不慮其可害也者。是以動則必陷，為則必辱，是偏傷之患也。

The weighing of desires, aversions, taking and leaving: when one sees what is desirable, one must consider what is hateful in it before and after; when one sees what is profitable, one must consider what is harmful in it before and after; weighing both sides and calculating carefully, one then decides on desires, aversions, taking and leaving. In this way one can constantly avoid falling into loss. The misfortune of ordinary people is that bias harms them. They see what is desirable and do not consider what is hateful; they see what is profitable and do not consider what is harmful. So every move surely falls in and every deed surely brings disgrace; this is the misfortune of bias and harm.

人之所惡者，吾亦惡之。夫富貴者，則類傲之；夫貧賤者，則求柔之。是非仁人之情也，是奸人將以盜名於晻世者也，險莫大焉。故曰：盜名不如盜貨。田仲史不如盜也。

What others hate, I also hate. Toward the rich and noble, one looks down on them all; toward the poor and lowly, one is gentle to them all. This is not the feeling of a humane person; it is that of a treacherous person who is about to steal a name in a dark age, and there is no greater wickedness than this. So it is said: stealing a name is worse than stealing goods. Tian Zhong and Shi (a rare character in the received text, lost in transcription) are not as good as robbers.