欲路上事 ① ,毋乐其便而姑为染指,一染指便深入万仞;理路上事 ② ,毋惮其难而稍为退步,一退步便远隔千山。
① 欲路上事:物质上的追求。
② 理路上事:对真理的探索。
追求物质利益时,切不可为图一时之便而姑妄为之,一旦放纵涉事就会跌入万丈深渊。
在探索真理的过程中,切不可因为有畏难情绪而退缩,一旦退缩就会和真理相去千山万水。
When you pursue material gains, do not act willfully for the love of convenience. If you do, you will surely fall into an abyss of one hundred thousand feet.
When you seek the truth, do not flinch for fear of difficulties. If you do, you will inevitably be separated from the truth by a thousand mountains.
念头浓者 ① ,自待厚,待人亦厚,处处皆浓;念头淡者 ② ,自待薄,待人亦薄,事事皆淡。故君子居常嗜好,不可太浓艳,亦不宜太枯寂。
① 念头浓者:凡事总图个讲究的人。
② 念头淡者:凡事皆不讲究的人。
做事上心的人,善待自己,也善待别人,做什么都十分讲究,非尽善尽美不肯罢休;做事不上心的人,对自己马虎,对别人也马虎,做什么都随随便便,心不在焉。由此我们得以明白:君子平素的喜好,既不可太过讲究,也不可太不讲究。
A man striving for exquisiteness has a habit to be considerate towards himself and towards others as well; wherever he goes, he intends to go in an exquisite manner. Whereas, a casual-minded man has a habit to be indifferent to himself and to others as well; whatever he does, he just does it with casualness.Therefore, a smart gentleman should be neither too particular about exquisiteness nor too casual-minded in his daily life and personal addictions.