中 庸 Zhongyong – The Doctrine of the Mean

子曰：「愚而好自用，賤而好自專，生乎今之世，反古之道。如此者，災及其身者也。」

原文 107

The Master said, "Let a man who is ignorant be fond of using his own judgment; let a man without rank be fond of assuming a directing power to himself; let a man who is living in the present age go back to the ways of antiquity;– on the persons of all who act thus calamities will be sure to come."

Legge XXVIII.1.

不是天子不议论礼的是非，不制定法度，不考论文字。

白话翻译

非天子，不議禮，不制度，不考文。

原文 108

To no one but the Son of Heaven does it belong to order ceremonies, to fix the measures, and to determine the written characters.

Legge XXVIII.2.

现在的天下，车辆同一轨迹，书写的文字同一形体，行为品德同一规范。

白话翻译

今天下車同軌，書同文，行同倫。

原文 109

Now over the kingdom, carriages have all wheels, of the-same size; all writing is with the same characters; and for conduct there are the same rules.

Legge XXVIII.3.

纵有那高位，如果没有那样的道德，便不敢制礼作乐；纵有那样的道德，如果没有那高位，也不敢制礼作乐。

白话翻译

雖有其位，苟無其德，不敢作禮樂焉；雖有其德，苟無其位，亦不敢作禮樂焉。

原文 110

One may occupy the throne, but if he have not the proper virtue, he may not dare to make ceremonies or music. One may have the virtue, but if he do not occupy the throne, he may not presume to make ceremonies or music.

Legge XXVIII.4.

孔子说：“我讲夏代的礼，夏的后裔杞国不能引用它来作证明；我学殷商的礼，还有商的后代宋国在，可供参考；我学周的礼仪，现在用的就是，我赞成周代的礼仪。”

白话翻译

子曰：「吾說夏禮，杞不足徵也；吾學殷禮，有宋存焉；吾學周禮，今用之，吾從周。」

原文 111

The Master said, "I may describe the ceremonies of the Hsiâ dynasty, but Chî cannot sufficiently attest my words. I have learned the ceremonies of the Yin dynasty, and in Sung they still continue. I have learned the ceremonies of Châu, which are now used, and I follow Châu."

Legge XXVIII.5.

以道德统一天下而为天子，有三个重要任务

白话翻译