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Zhongyong Introduction Table of content – The Doctrine of the Mean

Confucius' grandson comments about the Way and human nature. Tr. Legge (en)

I
II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII
XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI
XXII XXIII XXIV XXV XXVI XXVII XXVIII XXIX XXX XXXI XXXII
XXXIII

XX. On government: showing principally how it depends on the character of the officers administering it, and how that depends on the character of the sovereign himself.

Zhongyong XX. 1.

The duke Âi asked about government.

Legge XX.1.

孔子答道:“文王、武王的主张,书籍上都记载着。贤能之人当政,那政见便被执行;贤能之人不当政,那政见便被废弃。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 2.

The Master said, "The government of Wan and Wû is displayed in the records,– the tablets of wood and bamboo. Let there be the men and the government will flourish; but without the men, their government decays and ceases.

Legge XX.2.

人民对政治最敏感,犹如树木对土地最敏感一样。政治好比水边的蒲苇,易生易长。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 3.

"With the right men the growth of government is rapid, just as vegetation is rapid in the earth; and, moreover, their government might be called an easily-growing rush.

Legge XX.3.

所以掌管政治在于当政的人。选取当政的人要靠自身有修养,修养自身要凭借道德,修养道德要依靠仁德。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 4.

"Therefore the administration of government lies in getting proper men. Such men are to be got by means of the ruler's own character. That character is to be cultivated by his treading in the ways of duty. And the treading those ways of duty is to be cultivated by the cherishing of benevolence.

Legge XX.4.

仁德是人和人之间不可少的准则,以亲爱亲族长辈为第一义;义是合宜的意思,以尊贤人为第一义。由亲到疏,亲近的程度也逐渐下降;由最贤到稍贤,尊敬的程度也逐渐不同,礼节便由此产生。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 5.

"Benevolence is the characteristic element of humanity, and the great exercise of it is in loving relatives. Righteousness is the accordance of actions with what is right, and the great exercise of it is in honoring the worthy. The decreasing measures of the love due to relatives, and the steps in the honor due to the worthy, are produced by the principle of propriety.

Legge XX.5.

Zhongyong XX. 6.

"When those in inferior situations do not possess the confidence of their superiors, they cannot retain the government of the people.

Legge XX.6.

所以君子不可以不修养自身。想要修养自身,不可以不事奉亲族长辈;想要事奉亲族长辈,不可以不了解人;想要了解人,不可以不知道天地间的自然法则。”

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 7.

"Hence the sovereign may not neglect the cultivation of his own character. Wishing to cultivate his character, he may not neglect to serve his parents. In order to serve his parents, he may not neglect to acquire knowledge of men. In order to know men, he may not dispense with a knowledge of Heaven.

Legge XX.7.

“天下公认的关系有五种,作为行为的准则有三种。君臣、父子、夫妇、兄弟、朋友。这五种关系是普天之下难于避免的。智慧、仁爱、勇敢这三种是普天之下都应具有的品德。用这三种品德来协调这五种关系,完全是同样必要的。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 8.

"The duties of universal obligation are five, and the virtues wherewith they are practiced are three. The duties are those between sovereign and minister, between father and son, between husband and wife, between elder brother and younger, and those belonging to the intercourse of friends. Those five are the duties of universal obligation. Knowledge, magnanimity, and energy, these three, are the virtues universally binding. And the means by which they carry the duties into practice is singleness.

Legge XX.8.

对此,有的人生下来就懂得,有的人学习了便懂得,有的人在遇到困难时才想方设法懂得,到了懂得时,那效果是同样的。有的人安心去这样子,不这样干就于心不安;有的人认为这样对他有长远利益,便这样干;有的人迫于环境才勉强这样干,干成功了,那结果也是同样的。”

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 9.

"Some are born with the knowledge of those duties; some know them by study; and some acquire the knowledge after a painful feeling of their ignorance. But the knowledge being possessed, it comes to the same thing. Some practice them with a natural ease; some from a desire for their advantages; and some by strenuous effort. But the achievement being made, it comes to the same thing."

Legge XX.9.

孔子说:“喜好学问接近智慧,努力行善接近仁德,知道耻辱接近勇敢,

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 10.

The Master said, "To be fond of learning is to be near to knowledge. To practice with vigor is to be near to magnanimity. To possess the feeling of shame is to be near to energy.

Legge XX.10.

懂得这三种,便知道怎样修养自身了;知道怎样修养自身,便知道怎样管理别人了;知道怎样管理别人,就知道怎样治理天下和国家了。”

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 11.

"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.

Legge XX.11.

“治理天下国家永恒不变的项目有九条:即修养自身、尊重贤人、亲爱亲族、恭敬大臣、体贴一般臣子、爱护百姓、招致各种工匠、安抚境外人民、感召各国诸侯。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 12.

"All who have the government of the kingdom with its States and families have nine standard rules to follow;– viz. the cultivation of their own characters; the honoring of men of virtue and talents; affection towards their relatives; respect towards the great ministers; kind and considerate treatment of the whole body of officers; dealing with the mass of the people as children; encouraging the resort of all classes of artisans; indulgent treatment of men from a distance; and the kindly cherishing of the princes of the States.

Legge XX.12.

自身修养了,道德便能树立;尊重贤人,就不致遇事迷惑;亲爱亲族,那么父辈和兄弟们就不致怨恨;恭敬大臣,就不致受人迷乱;体贴一般臣子,他们对你的报答就会厚重;爱护百姓,百姓就会互相劝勉;招致各种工匠,财富用品就会充足;安抚境外人民,四方百姓就会归服;感召各国诸侯,天下就会害怕你。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 13.

"By the ruler's cultivation of his own character, the duties of universal obligation are set forth. By honoring men of virtue and talents, he is preserved from errors of judgment. By showing affection to his relatives, there is no grumbling nor resentment among his uncles and brethren. By respecting the great ministers, he is kept from errors in the practice of government. By kind and considerate treatment of the whole body of officers, they are led to make the most grateful return for his courtesies. By dealing with the mass of the people as his children, they are led to exhort one another to what is good. By encouraging the resort of all classes of artisans, his resources for expenditure are rendered ample. By indulgent treatment of men from a distance, they are brought to resort to him from all quarters. And by kindly cherishing the princes of the states, the whole kingdom is brought to revere him.

Legge XX.13.

斋戒洁净,穿戴整齐,不合礼法的行为不干,这样就是修养自身;斥退谗言毁谤挑拨离间的人,不贪喜漂亮女色;轻视财货,重视品德,这是使贤人得到劝勉的方法;提高官位,丰厚俸禄,他们所喜好所厌恶的,我也和他们一样,这是劝勉亲爱亲属的方法;大臣下属多,足够他差使命令,这是劝勉大臣的方法;诚恳相待,给以信任而且俸禄优厚,这是劝勉一般官吏的办法;按一年季节使唤,赋税很低,这是劝勉百姓的方法;每天省察,按月考核。按工作成果给予酬金,这是劝勉各种工匠的方法;护送去的,欢迎来的,奖励能力高强的,同情能力薄弱的,这是安抚境外远方之人的方法;承续世系已断的诸侯,振兴政事已经废驰的国家,为他们平靖祸乱,扶持倾危,按照朝贡聘问,送去礼品丰厚,而收受礼品不嫌菲薄,这是感召诸侯的方法。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 14.

"Self-adjustment and purification, with careful regulation of his dress, and the not making a movement contrary to the rules of propriety:– this is the way for a ruler to cultivate his person. Discarding slanderers, and keeping himself from the seductions of beauty; making light of riches, and giving honor to virtue:– this is the way for him to encourage men of worth and talents. Giving them places of honor and large emolument. and sharing with them in their likes and dislikes:– this is the way for him to encourage his relatives to love him. Giving them numerous officers to discharge their orders and commissions:– this is the way for him to encourage the great ministers. According to them a generous confidence, and making their emoluments large:– this is the way to encourage the body of officers. Employing them only at the proper times, and making the imposts light:– this is the way to encourage the people. By daily examinations and monthly trials, and by making their rations in accordance with their labors:– this is the way to encourage the classes of artisans. To escort them on their departure and meet them on their coming; to commend the good among them, and show compassion to the incompetent:– this is the way to treat indulgently men from a distance. To restore families whose line of succession has been broken, and to revive states that have been extinguished; to reduce to order States that are in confusion, and support those which are in peril; to have fixed times for their own reception at court, and the reception of their envoys; to send them away after liberal treatment, and welcome their coming with small contributions:– this is the way to cherish the princes of the States.

Legge XX.14.

一切治理天下国家的方法有九项,但实行起来只有一个‘诚’字。”

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 15.

"All who have the government of the kingdom with its States and families have the above nine standard rules. And the means by which they are carried into practice is singleness.

Legge XX.15.

“任何事情,有准备就能成功,没有准备就会失败。话语先准备好了,就不致词穷理屈;办事情先准备好了,就不致处于困境;行动先准备好了,就不致自感惭愧;履行做人的原则,有准备,就不致有滞碍。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 16.

"In all things success depends on previous preparation, and without such previous preparation there is sure to be failure. If what is to be spoken be previously determined, there will be no stumbling. If affairs be previously determined, there will be no difficulty with them. If one's actions have been previously determined, there will be no sorrow in connection with them. If principles of conduct have been previously determined, the practice of them will be inexhaustible.

Legge XX.16.

在低下的岗位上,得不到上级信任,百姓便不可能得到治理了;得到上级信任有方法,若朋友不信任你,也得不到上级的信任了;得到朋友信任有方法,若不孝顺于父母,就得到不朋友信任了;孝顺父母有方法,问问自己,若对双亲不是诚心诚意,也就不可能孝顺父母了;诚心诚意有方法,若不彻底明白什么是善良,自身也就难以诚心诚意了。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 17.

"When those in inferior situations do not obtain the confidence of the sovereign, they cannot succeed in governing the people. There is a way to obtain the confidence of the sovereign;– if one is not trusted by his friends, he will not get the confidence of his sovereign. There is a way to being trusted by one's friends;– if one is not obedient to his parents, he will not be true to friends. There is a way to being obedient to one's parents;– if one, on turning his thoughts in upon himself, finds a want of sincerity, he will not be obedient to his parents. There is a way to the attainment of sincerity in one's self;– if a man do not understand what is good, he will not attain sincerity in himself.

Legge XX.17.

诚,是宇宙的自然法则,使自己做到诚,是做人的法则。实行诚的自然法则,不必勉强而事事合于中道,不用思虑而能得到所求之理,从容不迫地做到事事合于中道,这是圣人。使自己做到诚,就是要选择善良的要义而紧紧把握着。”

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 18.

"Sincerity is the way of Heaven. The attainment of sincerity is the way of men. He who possesses sincerity is he who, without an effort, hits what is right, and apprehends, without the exercise of thought;– he is the sage who naturally and easily embodies the right way. He who attains to sincerity is he who chooses what is good, and firmly holds it fast.

Legge XX.18.

广博地学习,周详地求教,慎重地思考,明白地辨别,踏踏实实地实行。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 19.

"To this attainment there are requisite the extensive study of what is good, accurate inquiry about it, careful reflection on it, the clear discrimination of it, and the earnest practice of it.

Legge XX.19.

有没有学过的,去学,没有学好,不停止;有没有问过的,去过,没有问明白,不停止;有没有思考过的,去思考,没有思考到,不停止;有没有辨别过的,去辨别,没有辨别明白,不停止;有没有实行过的,去干,干得不踏实,不停止。别人一次就能做到的,我反复一百次;别人十次就能做到的,我反复一千次。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 20.

"The superior man, while there is anything he has not studied, or while in what he has studied there is anything he cannot understand, Will not intermit his labor. While there is anything he has not inquired about, or anything in what he has inquired about which he does not know, he will not intermit his labor. While there is anything which he has not reflected on, or anything in what he has reflected on which he does not apprehend, he will not intermit his labor. While there is anything which he has not discriminated or his discrimination is not clear, he will not intermit his labor. If there be anything which he has not practiced, or his practice fails in earnestness, he will not intermit his labor. If another man succeed by one effort, he will use a hundred efforts. If another man succeed by ten efforts, he will use a thousand.

Legge XX.20.

果真能够这样,纵使愚蠢,也一定会明白;纵使柔弱,也一定会刚强。

白话翻译

Zhongyong XX. 21.

"Let a man proceed in this way, and, though dull, he will surely become intelligent; though weak, he will surely become strong."

Legge XX.21.

从诚心到明白,这是出于天性;从明白到诚心,这是由于教化,有至诚之人就能明白圣人之道了;能明白圣人之道就有至诚之心人。

白话翻译

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The Doctrine of the Mean – Zhongyong XX – Chinese on/offFrançais/English
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