天命之谓性,率性之谓道,修道之谓教。道也者,不可须臾 ① 离也。可离非道也。
【注释】
①须臾(yú):极短的时间,片刻。
【参考译文】
上天所赋予人的叫做本性,循着本性而为就叫做道,修明循着本性的正道就是教化。道这个东西,是不能片刻离开的;如果能够离开,它就不是道。
What Heaven imparts to man is called human nature.To follow our nature is called the Way.Cultivating the Way is called education.The Way may not be left for an instant.If it could be left,it would not be the Way.
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君子戒慎乎其所不睹,恐惧乎其所不闻。莫见乎隐,莫显乎微,故君子慎其独也。
何玉如 69×138cm
【参考译文】
君子在没有人能看到的时候也能谨慎守道,在没有人能听见的时候也唯恐背道。越是隐蔽的地方越是明显,越是细微的地方越是显著,所以君子在独处的时候会更谨慎守道。
The noble person is cautious over what others cannot see and apprehensive over what others cannot hear.There is nothing more visible than what is hidden and nothing more manifest than what is minute.Therefore the noble person is watchful over himself when he is alone.
喜怒哀乐之未发,谓之中;发而皆中节,谓之和。中也者,天下之大本也;和也者,天下之达道也。致中和,天地位焉,万物育焉。
【参考译文】
自觉地摆脱情绪干扰的超越境界叫做中,表现出来而都符合一定的节度叫做和。中这种状态,是天下万事万物的根本。和这种状态,是天下万事万物通行的大道。达到中、和的境界,天地间的一切事物各安其所,万物发育流行。
Before the feelings of pleasure,anger,sorrow and joy are aroused,it is called Equilibrium.When those feelings are aroused,and they act in their due degree,it is called Harmony.This Equilibrium is the great root of the world,and this Harmony is the universal path which they all should pursue.When equilibrium is sustained and harmony is fully realized,heaven and earth will attain their proper order and all things will flourish.
何玉如 69×138cm
子曰:“道之不行也,我知之矣,知者过之,愚者不及也。道之不明也,我知之矣,贤者过之,不肖者不及也。”
何玉如 69×138cm
【参考译文】
孔子说:“道不能实行,我明白原因了,聪明的人做过了头,愚笨的人达不到。道不能彰明,我知道原因了,贤能的人做过了头,不够格的人达不到要求。”
Confucius said:“I know why the Way is not pursued:The wise go beyond it while the stupid do not come up to it.I know why the Way is not understood:The men of talents and virtue go beyond it while the unworthy do not come up to it.
舜好问而好察迩言,隐恶而扬善,执其两端,用其中于民。
【参考译文】
舜喜好请教别人而又善于分辨身边人的言论,隐藏他们的短处而传扬他们的长处,能把握一切事物的正反两面,以中庸之道管理人民。
Shun loved to question others and to examine their words,though they might be shallow.He concealed what was bad in them and displayed what was good.He took hold of their two extremes,determined the Mean,and employed it in his government of the people.
何玉如 69×138cm
子曰:“道不远人,人之为道而远人,不可以为道。”
何玉如 69×138cm
【参考译文】
孔子说:“道不离人的本性,人追求道而离开人的本性,以为常道不足行,专门希求高远的,那便不是道了。”
Confucius said:“The Way is not far from man.Some pursue the Way and yet remains away from man,This cannot be considered as the Way.
忠恕违道不远,施诸己而不愿,亦勿施于人。
【参考译文】
如果能做到忠、恕,离道的境界就不远了,不愿意施加在自己身上的,也不要施加在别人身上。
Loyalty and forgiveness are not far from the Way.What you do not like when done to yourself,do not do to others.
何玉如 69×138cm
言顾行,行顾言,君子胡不慥慥 ① 尔!
何玉如 69×138cm
【注释】
① 慥慥(zào):笃实,言行相应之貌。
【参考译文】
言论要顾及到自己的行为,行为要顾及是否与言论相符,君子怎能不努力笃行实践呢!
His words correspond to his actions and his actions correspond to his words.Is it not just an entire sincerity which marks the noble person?
正己而不求于人则无怨。上不怨天,下不尤人,故君子居易以俟命,小人行险以徼幸 ① 。
【注释】
①徼(jiǎo)幸:追求非分的利益。
【参考译文】
端正自身,对他人无所求,这样就不会有怨恨。上不怨恨天命,下不怨恨人事,因此君子处于平易的状态而等待命运的变化,小人却冒险去追求非分的利益。
He rectifies himself,and seeks for nothing from others,so that he has no dissatisfactions.He does not murmur against fate,nor grumble against men.Thus it is that the noble person is quiet and calm,waiting for his destiny,while the tricky person walks in dangerous paths,looking for lucky occurrences.
韩铁城 69×138cm
子曰:“射有似乎君子,失诸正鹄 ① ,反求诸其身。”
韩铁城 69×138cm
【注释】
①鹄(gǔ):箭靶的中心。
【参考译文】
孔子说:“射箭就像君子的做人之道,射箭之时没有射中靶心,先反过来在自己身上找原因(而不是责怪别人)。”
Confucius said:“In archery we have something resembling the way of the noble person.When the archer misses the center of the target,he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure within himself.”
君子之道,辟如行远必自迩,辟如登高必自卑。
【参考译文】
君子所遵循的道,就好比要去远方一定要从近处出发,好比要登上高处一定要从低处开始。
The Way of the noble person can be compared to traveling to a distant place:one must start from the underfooting road.It can be compared to ascending a height:one must start from below.
韩铁城 69×138cm
为政在人,取人以身,修身以道,修道以仁。
韩铁城 69×138cm
【参考译文】
治理国家在于获得人才,获得人才要靠(君主)自身的修养,提高自身修养要靠天下人普遍遵守的道德法则,而修道要根据人的仁义德行。
The administration of government depends upon the men.The right men are obtained by the ruler’s personal character.The cultivation of the person is to be done through the Way,and the cultivation of the Way is to be done through humanity.
仁者,人也,亲亲为大。义者,宜也,尊贤为大。亲亲之杀,尊贤之等,礼所生也。
【参考译文】
所谓仁,是指人的天性,这其中以亲爱自己的亲人为最重要。所谓义,是指应当做的事情,这其中以尊敬贤者为最重要。亲爱亲人而有远近之分,尊敬贤者而区分贵贱等级,礼就是这样产生的。
Humanity means to love people,and the great humanity is to love one’s own relatives.Rightness means to treat things properly,and the great rightness is to honor wise and virtuous persons.To love one’s relatives,a man should take their relation to himself into consideration;to value wise and virtuous persons,he should take their rank into consideration.These give rise to the rites.
韩铁城 69×138cm
天下之达道五,所以行之者三,曰:君臣也,父子也,夫妇也,昆弟也,朋友之交也。五者,天下之达道也。知、仁、勇三者,天下之达德也,所以行之者一也。
韩铁城 69×138cm
【参考译文】
天下常行的道有五种,用来实行的德性有三项。就是:君臣之道,父子之道,夫妇之道,兄弟之道,朋友交往之道。这五种,是天下的常行之道。智慧、仁德、勇敢这三项,是天下的通行之德,都一样用来实现五种常行之道。
There are five universal ways,and the way by which they are practiced is three.The five are the relationships between ruler and minister,between father and son,between husband and wife,between elder and younger brothers,and between friends.These five are universal ways in the world.Wisdom,humanity,and courage,these are the universal virtues.The way by which they are practiced is one.
或生而知之,或学而知之,或困而知之,及其知之一也。或安而行之,或利而行之,或勉强而行之,及其成功一也。
【参考译文】
(关于五达道、三达德)有的人生来就知道,有的人通过学习而知道,有的人要经过困难的磨练才能知道:他们虽然一开始不一样,但等他们都知道了以后,都是一样的。(对于五达道、三达德)有的人心安理得地去实行,有的人因为利益而实行,有的人勉强自己去实行:他们虽然一开始不一样,等到他们成功实行之后,都是一样的。
Some are born with the knowledge(of those virtues);some know them by study;and some acquire the knowledge after a painful feeling of their ignorance.But when the knowledge is acquired,it comes to the same thing.Some practice them with a natural ease;some practice them for their advantage;and some practice them with effort and difficulty.But the achievement is made,it comes to the same thing.
韩铁城 69×138cm
子曰:“好学近乎知 ① ,力行近乎仁,知耻近乎勇。知斯三者,则知所以修身;知所以修身,则知所以治人;知所以治人,则知所以治天下国家矣。”
韩铁城 69×138cm
【注释】
①知(zhì,智):智慧。
【参考译文】
孔子说:“勤奋好学接近于智,努力实践接近于仁,知道廉耻接近于勇。知道这三点,就知道修养自身的方法;知道修养自身的方法,就知道治理人民的方法;知道治理人民的方法,就知道治理天下国家的方法了。”
Confucius said:“To be fond of learning is to be near to wisdom.To practice with vigor is to be near to humanity.To possess the feeling of shame is to be near to courage.He who knows these three things knows how to cultivate his own character.Knowing how to cultivate his own character,he knows how to govern other men.Knowing how to govern other men,he knows how to govern the kingdom with all its states and families.”
凡事豫则立,不豫则废。
【参考译文】
任何事情预先有所准备就能成功,预先没有准备就要失败。
In all matters if there is preparation you will succeed;if there is no preparation,you will fail.
韩铁城 69×138cm
博学之,审问之,慎思之,明辨之,笃 ① 行之。
韩铁城 69×138cm
【注释】
①笃(dǔ):坚实,专一。
【参考译文】
广博地学习,精审地求教,慎重地思考,明确地辨析,踏实地行动。
Study the way extensively,inquire into it accurately,think over it carefully,analyze it clearly,and practice it earnestly.
人一能之,己百之;人十能之,己千之。果能此道矣,虽愚必明,虽柔必强。
【参考译文】
别人付出一分努力就学会的东西,自己付出百分的努力;别人付出十分努力能学会的东西,自己付出千分的努力。如果能够做到这样,即使愚笨的人也会变得聪明,即使软弱的人也会变得刚强。
If others succeed by making one ounce of effort,I will make a hundred times as much effort,If others succeed by making ten ounce of effort,I will make a thousand times as much effort.If one really follows this principle,though stupid,he will surely become intelligent,and though weak,will surely become strong.
韩铁城 69×138cm
唯天下之至诚,为能尽其性。能尽其性,则能尽人之性;能尽人之性,则能尽物之性;能尽物之性,则可以赞天地之化育;可以赞天地之化育,则可以与天地参矣。
韩铁城 69×138cm
【参考译文】
只有心地纯然无杂的圣人,才能充分圆满地实现自己的本性;能充分圆满地实现自己的本性,就能充分圆满地实现他人的本性;能充分圆满地实现他人的本性,就能充分圆满地实现万物的本性;能充分圆满实现万物的本性,就可以辅助天地万物的生长流行;可以辅助天地万物的生长流行,就可以成为天地生长出来的“第三者”,与天地有同样的地位。
Only those who are absolutely sincere can fully develop their nature.If they can fully develop their nature,then they can fully develop the nature of others.If they can fully develop the nature of others,then they can fully develop the natures of all things on earth.If they can fully develop the nature of all things on earth,they can assist in the transforming and nourishing process of Heaven and Earth.If they can assist in the transforming and nourishing process of Heaven and Earth,they may with Heaven and Earth form a ternion.
君子尊德性而道问学,致广大而尽精微,极高明而道中庸,温故而知新,敦厚以崇礼。
【参考译文】
君子恭敬地奉持着禀受于天的性理,又致力于学问;追求广大又力求精深微妙;虽然达到极其高明的境界,却又遵循至正恒常的中庸之道;温习旧学而增进新知;为人忠诚仁厚而又崇尚礼节。
The noble person honors his virtuous nature,and maintains constant inquiry and study.He achieves breadth and greatness and pursues the re{ned and subtle to the limit.He seeks to reach the greatest height and brilliancy and follows the path of the Mean.He gets to know the new by revising the old.He is earnest and highly respects all propriety.
韩铁城 69×138cm
万物并育而不相害,道并行而不相悖,小德川流,大德敦化,此天地之所以为大也。
韩铁城 69×138cm
【参考译文】
万物共同生长而不互相妨碍,各种道理共同运行而不互相违背,小德如河水般川流不息,大德敦厚而化育,这就是天地伟大的原因。
All things are nourished together without their injuring one another.The courses of the seasons,and of the sun and moon,are pursued without any collision among them.The smaller virtues are like river currents;the greater virtues are seen in mighty transformation.This is what makes heaven and earth so great.
君子之道,淡而不厌,简而文,温而理,知远之近,知风之自,知微之显,可与入德矣。
【参考译文】
君子之道,平淡而不令人厌烦,简约而有文采,温和而严整,知道到远处要从近处开始,知道风形成的根源,知道最微细的意念可以产生最显著的行为,已经可以进入德的境界了。
The way of the noble person is light but tasteful,simple but full of talent,gentle but orderly.He can distinguish far from near,important from unimportant,apparent from obscure.In this way,he attains the best virtues.
韩铁城 69×138cm