| Chinese Text Project |
《勸學 - Encouragement of Learning》 | English translation: AI and Chinese Text Project users [?] | Books referencing 《勸學》 Library Resources |
| 1 | 勸學: | 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，則智明而行無過矣。 |
| The gentleman said: "Learning cannot be stopped." Blue, taken from indigo, is yet bluer than indigo; Ice, made from water, is yet colder than water. Wood that is straight and meets the standard of a plumb line, when bent into a wheel, will curve in accordance with the compass. Though it may be dried out and exposed to the sun, it will no longer return to its straight form; this is because bending has made it so. Therefore, wood subjected to the plumb line becomes straight, and metal placed on a whetstone becomes sharp. A gentleman who extensively studies and daily examines himself will become wise and his conduct free of error. | ||
| 2 | 勸學: | 故不登高山，不知天之高也；不臨深谿，不知地之厚也；不聞先王之遺言，不知學問之大也。干、越、夷、貉之子，生而同聲，長而異俗，教使之然也。 |
| Therefore, one who does not climb a high mountain does not know the height of heaven; one who does not approach a deep ravine does not know the depth of the earth; one who does not hear the legacy words of the former kings does not know the greatness of learning. The sons of Gàn, Yuè, Yí, and Hé, are born with the same voice but grow up to have different customs; this is due to education making them so. | ||
| 3 | 勸學: | 《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 Shi says: "Alas, you gentlemen, do not remain in perpetual ease and rest. Be diligent in your posts, and cherish uprightness and integrity." The gods will hear this, and bestow great blessings upon you." No god is greater than the Way of transformation; no blessing is longer-lasting than being free from misfortune. | ||
| 4 | 勸學: | 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 have often spent an entire day in thought, yet it is not as effective as a moment's worth of learning. I have often stood on tiptoe to look afar, yet it is not as beneficial as ascending a height for broad vision. To raise one's hand while standing on high ground does not make the arm any longer, yet those who see it are far away; to call out with the wind at one's back does not make the voice any louder, yet those who hear it do so clearly. Those who use chariots and horses are not necessarily swift-footed, yet they can reach a thousand li; Those who use boats and oars are not necessarily skilled in swimming, yet they can cross rivers and streams. A gentleman is not born different; he is merely good at making use of external aids. | ||
| 5 | 勸學: | 南方有鳥焉，名曰蒙鳩，以羽為巢，而編之以髮，繫之葦苕，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。 |
| There is a bird in the south, named Mengjiu, which builds its nest with feathers and weaves it together with hair, fastening it to reed sprouts. When the wind comes, the sprouts break, the eggs crack, and the young die. The nest is not imperfect; it is the nature of what it is fastened to that causes this outcome. There is a tree in the west, named Shegan, whose stem grows to four cun. It grows on high mountains and overlooks a hundred-ren deep abyss. The plant's stem is not inherently tall; it is its location that makes it so. When the pengan grows among hemp, it stands straight without support; when white sand is in filth, it becomes black along with it. The roots of the lanhuai plant are called zhi; if they are gradually soaked in sewage, even gentlemen will not approach them and common people will not wear them. Their nature is not inherently unattractive; it is the gradual influence of their environment that causes this result. | ||
| 6 | 勸學: | 故君子居必擇鄉，遊必就士，所以防邪辟而近中正也。 |
| Therefore, a gentleman must always choose his place of residence carefully and associate with learned men when traveling; this is how he guards against evil influences and remains close to what is upright and just. | ||
| 7 | 勸學: | 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。 |
| The arising of things in the world must have a beginning. Honor and disgrace that come to one must reflect his virtue. Decaying meat produces insects, and dried fish gives rise to worms. Neglect and carelessness toward one's own conduct give rise to misfortune and disaster. Rigidity brings about its own breaking, and softness invites being bound. Evil and filth within oneself give rise to the grievances of others. If firewood appears the same, fire will go toward what is dry; if a flat land seems uniform, water will flow to where it is wet. Grasses and trees grow in clusters, birds and beasts live in groups—things each follow their own kind. | ||
| 8 | 勸學: | 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！ |
| Therefore, when the target is set up, arrows will come to it; when trees are lush, axes and hatchets will come to them; When a tree provides shade, many birds will rest in it. Vinegar becomes sour, and gnats gather around it. Therefore, words may invite disaster, and actions may bring disgrace; a gentleman must be cautious about where he stands! | ||
| 9 | 勸學: | 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，功在不舍。鍥而舍之，朽木不折；鍥而不舍，金石可鏤。 |
| Accumulated earth becomes a mountain, from which winds and rains arise; accumulated water becomes a deep pool, in which dragons are born; Accumulated virtue becomes moral excellence, and through this, one naturally attains wisdom and clarity, with the mind of a sage fully prepared. Therefore, without accumulating small steps, one cannot reach a thousand li; without accumulating small streams, one cannot form rivers and seas. A Qiji leaps once but cannot cover ten paces; a slow horse driven for ten days achieves much through not stopping. To carve and then give up, even rotten wood will not break; to persist in carving without giving up, even metal and stone can be engraved. | ||
| 10 | 勸學: | 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。 |
| The earthworm has no sharp claws or strong bones; it feeds on dust above and drinks from the yellow springs below—this is because of its single-minded focus. The crab has eight legs and two pincers, yet without the burrow of a snake or eel, it has nowhere to take refuge—this is due to its restless mind. Therefore, those without deep and resolute aspirations cannot attain clear and bright understanding; those who do not engage in quiet and diligent efforts will achieve no great or remarkable accomplishments. Those who walk along forked roads never reach their destination, and those who serve two masters are not accepted by either. The eye cannot look in two directions at once and still see clearly; the ear cannot listen to two sounds at once and still hear distinctly. The tenseshe has no feet yet can fly, while the wushu possesses five skills yet ends in distress. The Shi says: "The shijiu is on the mulberry tree, with seven young ones." A virtuous and gentlemanly person maintains a single, consistent manner. To maintain a single, consistent manner—his heart is as resolute as a knot." Therefore, a gentleman focuses his whole being on one purpose. | ||
| 11 | 勸學: | 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！ |
| In the past, Huba played the se, and fish in the stream surfaced to listen; Boyá played the qin, and six horses raised their heads to eat. Therefore, no sound is too small to go unheard, and no action is so concealed as to leave no trace. Jade in the mountain makes the grass and trees moist; pearls born in deep pools keep the cliffs from drying up. Is it not a failure to accumulate good deeds that causes one's virtue to go unnoticed? How could there be someone whose goodness remains unheard of! | ||
| 12 | 勸學: |
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、法之大分， 群1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 should learning begin? Where should it end? It is said: In terms of method, learning begins with reciting the classics and ends with studying the rites; in terms of meaning, it begins with becoming a learned man and ends with becoming a sage. Genuine accumulation and sustained effort will eventually lead to true understanding. Learning continues until death and only then comes to an end. Therefore, the methods of learning have their conclusion, but as for its meaning, it cannot be abandoned even for a moment. To pursue this is to become human; to abandon it is to descend to the level of beasts. Therefore, books are records of political affairs; poetry is where the harmonious sounds come to rest; rites are the great divisions of law, and the principles governing social groups. Therefore, learning culminates in the study of rites. This is called the ultimate attainment of morality and virtue. The reverence in rites, the harmony in music, the breadth in Shi and Shu, and the subtlety in Chunqiu—all things between heaven and earth are fully encompassed within these.
1. 群 : Deleted. 王念孫《讀書雜志》：「元刻無『群』字，元刻是也」。 | ||
| 13 | 勸學: | 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；君子如嚮矣。 |
| A gentleman's learning enters the ear, takes root in the heart, spreads to the four limbs, and manifests in his actions and stillness. He speaks with clarity and moves with deliberation—his every action can serve as a model. The learning of the petty person enters through the ear, yet exits immediately from the mouth; the distance between the mouth and the ear is but four cun—how can this be sufficient to adorn a seven chi tall body! Ancient scholars studied for themselves, while modern scholars study for others. A gentleman's learning is aimed at perfecting himself; The petty person's learning is used to serve others, like a beast of burden. To tell someone something without being asked is called arrogance; to answer with two points when only one was asked is called verbosity. Arrogance is wrong, and verbosity is also wrong; a gentleman follows the proper way. | ||
| 14 | 勸學: | 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。 |
| There is no better way to learn than by being close to a virtuous person. Rites and music are methodical but not explanatory; the Shi and Shu contain historical records but may lack immediacy; the Chunqiu is concise but not quick to understand. When one studies under a person who has mastered the teachings of the gentleman, then reverence becomes all-encompassing and wisdom permeates the world. Therefore it is said: There is no better way to learn than being close to a virtuous person." | ||
| 15 | 勸學: | 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。 |
| The most effective path in learning is to love and emulate the virtuous person; next in importance is the reverence for rites. If one above cannot admire the virtuous, and one below cannot revere rites, then learning will amount to nothing more than a haphazard accumulation of knowledge and memorizing the Shi and Shu. Then, even after a lifetime in later ages, one cannot escape being merely an ignorant scholar. To follow the former kings and take benevolence and righteousness as fundamentals, rites serve to establish their proper patterns and paths. It is like lifting the collar of a coat and bending five fingers to shake it—what follows in order is beyond count. To disregard rites and laws, yet rely solely on the Shi and Shu, is like using one's fingers to measure a river, using a halberd to pound millet, or using an awl to eat from a pot—such methods cannot possibly lead to success. Therefore, to revere rites—even if one's understanding is not yet complete—one becomes a law-abiding scholar; To disregard rites, even with keen insight and eloquence, makes one merely a superficial scholar. | ||
| 16 | 勸學: | 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，謂之瞽。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。 |
| Those who ask about coarse materials should not be informed; Those who are told about coarse materials should not expect to be questioned further; Those who speak of coarse matters should not be listened to. Those who are argumentative in spirit should not be engaged in debate. Therefore, one must follow the proper path to arrive, and only then can they be received; If it is not through the proper path, then one should avoid it. Therefore, only when there is respectful courtesy can one discuss the principles of the Way; Only when words are well-spoken can one discuss the reasoning behind the Way; Only when one's demeanor is respectful and compliant can one speak of the essence of the Way. To speak before it is appropriate to do so is called arrogance; To remain silent when one could and should speak is called concealment; To speak without observing the other's demeanor is called blindness. Therefore, a gentleman does not act with arrogance, concealment, or blindness, but carefully conducts himself in accordance with propriety. The Shi says: "Neither hasty nor relaxed, such is the way the Son of Heaven bestows his favor." This is what it means. | ||
| 17 | 勸學: | 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。一出焉，一入焉，涂巷之人也；其善者少，不善者多，桀紂盜跖也；全之盡之，然後學者也。 |
| A hundred shots with one miss are not enough to be called skillful shooting; A journey of a thousand li, if the final step is not taken, cannot be called skillful driving; If one does not understand categories and relationships, and benevolence and righteousness are not unified in thought, it is insufficient to be considered good learning. Learning is indeed about mastering unity—about attaining oneness. To go out in one direction and come in another is to be like a common person of the streets; Among them, the virtuous are few, and the wicked are many—such as Jie, Zhou, and Dazhi. Only when one is fully devoted and complete in his conduct can he be considered a true scholar. | ||
| 18 | 勸學: | 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。使目非是無欲見也，使耳非是無欲聞也，使口非是無欲言也，使心非是無欲慮也。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 without completeness and refinement, one cannot be considered virtuous; therefore, he recites and reviews to integrate knowledge, reflects deeply to understand it, emulates the worthy to embody its principles, and removes harmful influences to nurture his moral cultivation. He ensures that the eyes do not desire to see anything improper, that the ears do not desire to hear anything improper, that the mouth does not desire to speak improperly, and that the mind does not desire to dwell on improper thoughts. When one reaches a state of true devotion, the eyes desire the five colors, the ears delight in the five sounds, the mouth enjoys the five flavors, and the heart is drawn by the prospect of possessing all under heaven. Therefore, power and profit cannot sway him, the masses cannot move him, and even the whole world cannot shake his resolve. He lives by this principle and dies by it—this is called moral integrity. With moral integrity, one can attain stability; with stability, one can respond appropriately. To possess stability and the ability to respond appropriately—this is called being a complete person. Heaven reveals its brightness, Earth shows its radiance; the gentleman values wholeness above all. |
URN: ctp:xunzi/quan-xue