The Master said, “T’ai-po may be said to have reached the highest point of virtuous1 action. Thrice he declined the kingdom, and the people in ignorance of his motives2 could not express their approbation3 of his conduct.”
The Master said, “Respectfulness, without the rules of propriety4, becomes laborious5 bustle6; carefulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes timidity; boldness, without the rules of propriety, becomes insubordination; straightforwardness7, without the rules of propriety, becomes rudeness.
“When those who are in high stations perform well all their duties to their relations, the people are aroused to virtue8. When old friends are not neglected by them, the people are preserved from meanness.”
The philosopher Tsang being ill, he cared to him the disciples9 of his school, and said, “Uncover my feet, uncover my hands. It is said in the Book of Poetry, ‘We should be apprehensive10 and cautious, as if on the brink11 of a deep gulf12, as if treading on thin ice, I and so have I been. Now and hereafter, I know my escape from all injury to my person. O ye, my little children.”
The philosopher Tsang being ill, Meng Chang went to ask how he was.
Tsang said to him, “When a bird is about to die, its notes are mournful; when a man is about to die, his words are good.
“There are three principles of conduct which the man of high rank should consider specially13 important:-that in his deportment and manner he keep from violence and heedlessness; that in regulating his countenance14 he keep near to sincerity15; and that in his words and tones he keep far from lowness and impropriety. As to such matters as attending to the sacrificial vessels16, there are the proper officers for them.”
The philosopher Tsang said, “Gifted with ability, and yet putting questions to those who were not so; possessed17 of much, and yet putting questions to those possessed of little; having, as though he had not; full, and yet counting himself as empty; offended against, and yet entering into no altercation18; formerly19 I had a friend who pursued this style of conduct.”
The philosopher Tsang said, “Suppose that there is an individual who can be entrusted20 with the charge of a young orphan21 prince, and can be commissioned with authority over a state of a hundred li, and whom no emergency however great can drive from his principles:-is such a man a superior man? He is a superior man indeed.”
The philosopher Tsang said, “The officer may not be without breadth of mind and vigorous endurance. His burden is heavy and his course is long.
“Perfect virtue is the burden which he considers it is his to sustain;-is it not heavy? Only with death does his course stop;-is it not long?
The Master said, “It is by the Odes that the mind is aroused.
“It is by the Rules of Propriety that the character is established.
“It is from Music that the finish is received.”
The Master said, “The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it.”
The Master said, “The man who is fond of daring and is dissatisfied with poverty, will proceed to insubordination. So will the man who is not virtuous, when you carry your dislike of him to an extreme.”
The Master said, “Though a man have abilities as admirable as those of the Duke of Chau, yet if he be proud and niggardly22, those other things are really not worth being looked at.”
The Master said, “It is not easy to find a man who has learned for three years without coming to be good.”
The Master said, “With sincere faith he unites the love of learning; holding firm to death, he is perfecting the excellence23 of his course.
“Such an one will not enter a tottering24 state, nor dwell in a disorganized one. When right principles of government prevail in the kingdom, he will show himself; when they are prostrated25, he will keep concealed26.
“When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honor are things to be ashamed of.”
The Master said, “He who is not in any particular office has nothing to do with plans for the administration of its duties.”
The Master said, “When the music master Chih first entered on his office, the finish of the Kwan Tsu was magnificent;-how it filled the ears!”
The Master said, “Ardent and yet not upright, stupid and yet not attentive28; simple and yet not sincere:-such persons I do not understand.”
The Master said, “Learn as if you could not reach your object, and were always fearing also lest you should lose it.”
The Master said, “How majestic29 was the manner in which Shun30 and Yu held possession of the empire, as if it were nothing to them!
The Master said, “Great indeed was Yao as a sovereign! How majestic was he! It is only Heaven that is grand, and only Yao corresponded to it. How vast was his virtue! The people could find no name for it.
“How majestic was he in the works which he accomplished31! How glorious in the elegant regulations which he instituted!”
Shun had five ministers, and the empire was well governed.
King Wu said, “I have ten able ministers.”
Confucius said, “Is not the saying that talents are difficult to find, true? Only when the dynasties of T’ang and Yu met, were they more abundant than in this of Chau, yet there was a woman among them. The able ministers were no more than nine men.
“King Wan27 possessed two of the three parts of the empire, and with those he served the dynasty of Yin. The virtue of the house of Chau may be said to have reached the highest point indeed.”
The Master said, “I can find no flaw in the character of Yu. He used himself coarse food and drink, but displayed the utmost filial piety32 towards the spirits. His ordinary garments were poor, but he displayed the utmost elegance33 in his sacrificial cap and apron34. He lived in a low, mean house, but expended35 all his strength on the ditches and water channels. I can find nothing like a flaw in Yu.”
收听单词发音 |
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virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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laborious
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| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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straightforwardness
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| n.坦白，率直 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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disciples
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| n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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apprehensive
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| adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的 | |
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brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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altercation
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| n.争吵，争论 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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niggardly
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| adj.吝啬的，很少的 | |
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excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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tottering
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| adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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prostrated
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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shun
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| vt.避开，回避，避免 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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