Four Books and Five Classics: The collective name of the Four Books and the Five Classics refers to the Confucian classics.
The four books refer to the Analects, Mencius, the University, and the Mean;
The Five Classics refer to the Book of Songs, the Book of Rites, the Book of Rites, the Book of Changes, and the Spring and Autumn Period, and are referred to as "Poems, Books, Rites, Changes, and Spring and Autumn".
There is also a "Book of Music", collectively known as "Poetry, Books, Rites, Music, Yi, Spring and Autumn", these six books are also called "Six Classics", of which "Music" later died, and became the Five Classics.
The Four Books and Five Classics is the basic bibliography of Confucianism after the Southern Song Dynasty, and it is a must-read for Confucian students.
01
《University》
1. Everything has a beginning and an end. If you know what to do, you will be short.
Translation: Everything in the world has a beginning and an end, and if we know their order, we will be close to the law of the development of things.
2. Those who want to be clear and virtuous in the world will rule their country first. Those who want to rule their country must first gather their families, those who want to gather their families must first cultivate their bodies, those who want to cultivate their bodies must first correct their hearts, those who want to correct their hearts must first be sincere with their intentions, those who want to be sincere with their intentions, those who want to be sincere with their intentions, first know their knowledge, and know what they are doing.
Translation: In ancient times, if you wanted to make all the people in the world carry forward the virtue of being upright and upright, you must first govern your own country well, if you want to govern your country well, you must first manage your own family, if you want to manage your family well, you must first cultivate your body and mind, if you want to cultivate your body and mind, you must first correct your mind, if you want to correct your mind, you must first prove your sincerity, if you want to prove your sincerity, you must enrich your knowledge, and to enrich your knowledge lies in studying the principles of things in depth.
3. Tang Zhi's "Pan Ming" said: "Gou is new, every day is new, and every day is new." "Kanghe" said: "Be a new people." "Poem" said: "Although Zhou is an old state, its life is renewed." "That's why a gentleman does everything.
Translation: The proverb engraved on the bath by King Shang Tang says, "If it can be new every day, it should be kept new every day, and when it is new, it must be renewed." "Kanghe" said: "Inspire people to abandon the old and make the new." The Book of Songs says, "Although the Zhou Dynasty was an old country, it received a new mandate of heaven." Therefore, people of high moral character always seek perfection.
4. Furun House, Derun Body, Broad Heart and Fat Body.
Translation: The rooms of the rich are richly decorated, and the benevolent people are relaxed in their hearts and their bodies are naturally comfortable.
5. A gentleman has a way, and he will be faithful to gain it, and be proud to lose it.
Translation: A gentleman has a great principle, that is, he must use loyalty and faithfulness to win the hearts of the people, and arrogance and extravagance will lose the hearts of the people.
6. There is a way to generate wealth, those who live are many, those who eat are few, those who are sick for it, and those who use it are comfortable, then the wealth is enough.
Translation: There is a great principle for wealth creation: more people produce, few people consume, create quickly, and use it slowly, so that the wealth of the country can always be sufficient.
7. What the good do evil, and what the wicked do is good, is the nature of the man, and he will be arrested.
Translation: To like what people hate, to hate what people like, is to go against man's nature, and disaster will surely befall him.
8. A gentleman has all for himself and then asks for others, and has nothing for himself and then is not for others. What is hidden is unforgiving, but can speak to others, there is no such thing.
Translation: A gentleman should have his own advantages before asking others for his own advantages, and for his shortcomings, he should not criticize others later. What you have in yourself is not forgiveness, but you can teach others, you have never had.
9. Those who are sincere do not deceive themselves. Such as a foul smell, such as lustful, this is called self-humility. Therefore, a gentleman must be cautious of his independence.
Translation: To make one's mind sincere means to say, do not deceive yourself. As much as you hate the smell of rancidity, as you love beautiful women, everything comes from the heart. Therefore, a person of high moral character must be cautious even when he is alone.
02
"Mean"
1. The predicate of the Mandate of Heaven is sexuality, the predicate of spontaneity is the Tao, and the predicate of cultivation is teaching.
Translation: The virtue given by God is called "sex", following the nature of things is called "Tao", and making people cultivate and follow the Tao is called "teaching".
2. Be inquisitive and observant, conceal evil and promote good, hold on to both ends of it, and use it for the people.
Translation: He likes to ask others for advice and to observe people's simple words, to eliminate negative things and promote people's good deeds, and to grasp the two extremes of things and apply them to the people in appropriate ways.
3. Erudition, inquiry, prudence, discernment, and practice.
Translation: Acquire knowledge extensively, inquire in detail about the reasons for the development of things, think carefully, distinguish right from wrong clearly, and practice in a down-to-earth manner.
4. Self-sincerity and sincerity are the nature of the teaching. Honesty is clear, and clarity is sincerity.
Translation: It is called nature to understand things because of sincerity, and to be sincere because of understanding things is the result of education. If you are sincere, you will understand the reason, and if you can understand the reason, you will be able to be sincere.
5. Those who are in the middle are also the great capital of the world. Those who are harmonious are also the way of the world.
Translation: "Zhong" is the great origin of the world, and "harmony" is the universal law of the world.
6. The countries of the world can be equal, the lords can resign, the white blade can be done, and the moderation is impossible.
Translation: The world and the country can be pacified, the title and the title can be resigned, and the bright knife can be trampled, but the golden mean is difficult to do.
7. A gentleman walks in accordance with the way, and half-painted and wasted, I am already in power.
Translation: A gentleman acts according to the golden mean, and some people give up halfway, but I can't stop halfway.
8. The upper part does not complain about the sky, and the lower part does not complain about the people. Therefore, the gentleman is easy to live, and the villain is lucky to take risks.
Translation: Don't complain about God, don't blame others. So, the gentleman is in a safe position and waits for the destiny of heaven, and the villain takes risks in the hope of getting away with it.
9. Eagerness to learn is close to knowledge, practice is close to benevolence, and shame is close to courage.
Translation: To learn tirelessly is to be wise, to strive to do good is to be close to righteousness, and to know shame is to be brave.
10. Erudite, inquisitive, thoughtful, discerning, and deserving.
Translation: Study extensively, ask carefully, think carefully, discern clearly, and perform with sincerity.
11. Foolish and self-serving, cheap and self-authorized.
Translation: Stupid people like to do things according to their own will, and lowly people like to act arbitrarily.
03
The Analects
1. Reviewing the past and learning the new can be a teacher.
Translation: A person who reviews old knowledge and then understands new knowledge can become a teacher.
2. Isn't it fun to learn from afar?
Translation: Isn't it a joy to learn knowledge and be able to review and practice it often? Isn't it also a joy to have friends from afar?
3. My day and three self-reflections: seek for others but not be faithful, make friends without trust, and pass on not habits?
Translation: I do self-reflection many times a day: Have I done my best for others, have I been honest and trustworthy in my dealings with friends, and have I been careful about reviewing my teachers' knowledge?
4. Clever words, fresh and benevolent!
Translation: Rhetoric, pretending to be kind, such people are rarely benevolent!
5. A gentleman should be born from his roots. Filial piety is also the foundation of benevolence!
Translation: When a gentleman's commitment to the fundamental, the fundamental thing is established, and benevolence is born. Filial piety to parents and respect for brothers is the foundation of benevolence!
6. To know is to know, not to know is not to know, and to know is to know.
Translation: Those who know admit that they know, and those who do not know do not know, this is the correct attitude towards things.
7. If you learn without thinking, you will be reckless, and if you don't learn, you will die.
Translation: If you only read books without thinking, you will feel lost and gain nothing, and if you just think without reading, you will sometimes have empty dreams and doubts.
8. Thirty and stand, forty and not confused, fifty and know the destiny of heaven, sixty and obedient, seventy and do what the heart wants, and do not exceed the rules.
Translation: At the age of 30, he began to be self-reliant, at the age of 40 he could understand the truth of everything without being confused, at the age of 50 he understood the natural principles of the universe, at the age of 60 he could distinguish right from wrong what he said to others, and at the age of 70 he could do whatever he wanted, but all his actions would not exceed the rules and regulations.
9. The gentleman is not compared, and the villain is not compared.
Translation: Gentlemen are intimate and united without thinking of collusion, and villains collude with each other without intimacy and unity.
10. Don't talk about what happened, don't tell what happened, and don't blame the past.
Translation: Don't explain what has already been done, don't discourage what has already been done, and don't pursue what has already passed.
11. The gentleman is righteous, and the villain is profitable.
Translation: What a gentleman knows is morality, and what a villain understands is wealth.
12. Rotten wood shall not be carved, nor shall the wall of dung be destroyed.
Translation: Decaying wood is not to be used for carving, and decaying walls are not to be painted.
13. Sensitive and studious, not ashamed to ask questions.
Translation: Wise and fond of learning, and not ashamed to ask for advice from those who are inferior to themselves in status and knowledge.
14. Think twice before you act.
Translation: Everything has to be considered many times before it is acted.
15. Those who know are happy with water, and those who are benevolent are happy with mountains. Those who know move, and those who are benevolent are quiet. Those who know are happy, and those who are benevolent are long.
Translation: A wise man loves water, and a virtuous man loves mountains. The wise are active, and the virtuous are quiet. The wise are happy, and the virtuous live long.
16. If you are a threesome, you will have my teacher. Choose those who are good and follow them, and change those who are not good.
Translation: The three of them walked all the way, and there must be someone among them who could be my teacher, choose their good places to learn from them, and correct their bad points if they have them.
17. The deceased is like a husband, who does not give up day and night.
Translation: Passing time is like flowing water, day and night flow without stopping.
18. The three armies can win the commandery, but the horseman cannot win the ambition.
Translation: The commander of the three armies can be taken away, but the ambition of a man cannot be forcibly changed.
19. The year is cold, and then the pine and cypress are withered!
Translation: If it weren't for the cold weather, you wouldn't know that pine trees and cypress trees are the least deciduous trees.
20. Those who know are not confused, those who are benevolent are not worried, and those who are brave are not afraid.
Translation: The wise do not deceive, the virtuous do not grieve, and the brave have no fear.
21. Where it comes, it is at peace.
Translation: The original meaning was to settle them down since they had been brought here. Since the latter finger is here, he must settle down here.
22. If you want to do a good job, you must first sharpen your tools.
Translation: If you want to do something better, you first have to prepare your tools.
23. Never get tired of learning, never tire of teaching.
Translation: To be a human being, we should keep learning and not get bored, and teach students to be patient and not get tired.
04
Mencius
1. The old and the old, and the young, and the young.
Translation: Respect one's own elders, and thus respect others, and love one's own children, thus extend to love the children of others.
2. Those who are happy with the people, the people are happy, and those who are worried about the people, the people are also worried.
Translation: Whoever takes the happiness of the people for himself will have his happiness for himself, and the people will be sorrowful for his own sorrow, and the people will be sorrowful for his sorrow.
3. Out of its kind, it is the best of the best, and it has not flourished in Confucius since the birth of the people.
Translation: They arose in this group, but far beyond their kind, much higher than their group. Since the beginning of mankind, there has been no greater man than Confucius.
4. The heart of compassion is the end of benevolence, the heart of shame is the end of righteousness, the heart of resignation, the end of courtesy, the heart of right and wrong, and the end of wisdom. There are four ends of human beings, and there are four bodies.
Translation: Compassion is the beginning of benevolence, shame is the beginning of righteousness, resignation is the beginning of propriety, and right and wrong is the beginning of wisdom. Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom are the four beginnings, just as I already have, and man has these four beginnings, just as he has limbs.
5. When people tell them that they have done something, they rejoice.
Translation: Be glad to hear others point out your faults.
6. Be kind to others, self-sacrificing and obeying others, and taking pleasure from others as good.
Translation: For doing good, there is no distinction between others and oneself, abandoning one's own wrongs, accepting what others are right, and being very happy to absorb the good qualities of others to do good deeds.
7. Therefore the heavens will descend upon the people, and they must first suffer their minds, strain their muscles and bones, starve their bodies and skins, empty their bodies, and act disorderly.
Translation: Therefore the great task of heaven will fall on this man, and he must first make his mind miserable, his muscles and bones tired, his body hungry, his body poor, and every act of his life always unsatisfactory, so as to stir his heart, strengthen his temperament, and increase his talents.
8. Those who have attained the Tao will have much help, and those who have lost the Tao will have little help.
Translation: Those who practice benevolence will help him in abundance, but those who practice benevolence will help him in little.
9. There will be those who are good above, and there will be those who are terrible.
Translation: What hobbies are there in the upper position, and those who are below must have more hobbies.
10. Those who work hard govern people, those who work hard govern others, those who govern others eat people, those who govern people eat people, and the common sense of the world is also.
Translation: It is a common principle of the world that the intellectual worker rules over others, and the manual laborer is ruled by others, and that the ruled support others, and the rulers depend on others for support.
11. Fathers and sons are related, kings and ministers are righteous, husbands and wives are different, young and old are orderly, and friends are faithful.
Translation: There should be love between father and son, courtesy and righteousness between kings and ministers, love between husband and wife but there must be differences between inside and outside, there should be an order of respect and humility between the old and the young, and there must be honesty and virtue between friends.
12. The rich and the rich cannot be lewd, the poor and the lowly cannot be moved, and the mighty cannot be bowed, this is a great husband.
Translation: Wealth cannot confuse my mind, poverty cannot make me change my will, and power cannot make me submit to moderation.
13. Loving a person is not kind, but is benevolent, treating a person is not curing, but is contrary to wisdom, and being polite is not answering, but respecting.
Translation: If I love others but they are not close to me, then I have to ask myself, is my love not enough? I manage others, but they are not under my control, so I have to ask myself, is my wisdom and knowledge not enough? I treat others politely, but I don't get a corresponding answer, so I have to ask myself, is my respect not enough?
14. The lady shall insult herself, and then the man shall insult her, and the house shall destroy herself, and the posterity shall destroy it, and the kingdom shall destroy herself, and the latter shall destroy her.
Translation: A man must first insult himself before others can insult him, a family must first have an element of self-destruction before others can destroy it, and a country must first have a reason why it is being attacked before others can attack it.
15. Fish I want, bear's paw as I want, and neither can both, and he who takes the bear's paw instead of the fish. Life is also what I want, righteousness is also what I want, and I cannot have both, and he who sacrifices his life to take righteousness.
Translation: Fish is what I like, bear's paw is also what I like, you can't have both things at the same time, so give up fish to get bear's paw. Life is what I like, and righteousness is what I like, and if you can't have both things at the same time, give up your life to get righteousness.
05
The Book of Songs
1. Guan Guan Ju Dove, in the river island. My Fair Lady, Gentleman.
Translation: Ju Dove Pass is sung opposite each other, on a small island in the Amphibious River. A pure, beautiful and good girl is exactly the object of my heart.
2. Hold the hand of the son and grow old with the son.
Translation: Hold your hand tightly, willing to grow old together.
3. Zhan Bi Qiao, green bamboo. There are bandit gentlemen, such as cutting and learning, such as grinding, stinging, and stinging.
Translation: Look at the bend of the water, the green bamboo forest is connected. Mr. Gao Ya is a gentleman, more exquisite in learning, and more virtuous in character. The demeanor is solemn and broad-minded, and the status is prominent and majestic.
4. Not seen for a day, like three autumns.
Translation: If you don't see your sweetheart for a day, it's like three autumns have passed!
5. The dying woman is a paradise.
Translation: I have resolved to leave you and go to the ideal new land.
6. The leaves are pale, and the white dew is frost. The so-called Iraqi people are on the water side.
Translation: The reeds on the riverside are white, and the dew condenses into frost at night. The man I miss is on the other side of the river.
7. The heart is loved, and it is not said that it is hidden!
Translation: If you love him so much in your heart, why don't you boldly tell him/her that the seeds of love are buried deep in your heart, when can you forget them and not be tormented?
8. In the past, I went back, and the willows followed. Now I think about it, the rain and snow are falling.
Translation: When I left home, it was the spring of the willows, and now I have returned from the war, braving the snowflakes.
06
Shangshu
1. Silence is mediocre, like a monstrous sky.
Translation: Rhetoric, yang and yin, seemingly respectful, in fact contemptuous and disrespectful to the heavens.
2. Insulting oneself and losing morality.
Translation: To despise the people, to be arrogant, to violate the right path, to corrupt morality.
3. Don't listen to nonsense, don't ask for advice.
Translation: Don't be gullible if you haven't verified it, and don't use it lightly if you haven't consulted everyone.
4. Sight is far away, listen to virtue and wisdom.
Translation: To be able to see in the distance is to have a sharp vision, and to be able to listen to good words is to have a keen sense of hearing.
5. If the network is in place, it is orderly and orderly.
Translation: It's like putting a net on the outline, so that it can be organized and not disorderly.
6. Playing with people is demoralized, and playthings are demoralizing.
Translation: Playing with people will lose virtue, and playing with things will lose ambition.
7. For the nine blades of the mountain, the achievement falls short.
Translation: For example, if a mountain of earth is nine feet high, and only one basket of soil is missing, it is still not completed.
07
The Book of Rites
The Book of Rites usually includes three rites, namely the Rites, the Rites of the Week, and the Book of Rites.
1. Ao can't grow, you can't follow your desires, you can't be satisfied, and you can't be happy.
Translation: Pride must not grow, lust must not be indulged, noble aspirations must not be satisfied, pleasures must not end.
2. The sage respects it, fears it and loves it. Love and know its evil, hate and know its good.
Translation: Be close to and respect a person of virtue and ability, and be fearful and adorable to him. For those you love, you must be able to know his shortcomings, and for those you hate, you must be able to see the good in him.
3. Erudite and knowledgeable, good deeds and not slack, called a gentleman.
Translation: Those who can read and remember strongly, and can be courteous, self-cultivation and good deeds, and do not slack off, can be called gentlemen.
4. If you know the son of man, then you can be a father, if you know a man, then you can be a king, and if you know a man, you can make a man.
Translation: To be a good son, then to be a good father; Know how to be a good subordinate, then you can be a good monarch, know how to do things for others, and then you can call others.
5. If jade is not cut, it will not be made, and people will not learn and do not know.
Translation: If jade is not carved, it cannot become a good instrument, and if people do not learn, they will not understand the truth.
6. Those who are good at singing make people follow their voices, and those who are good at teaching make people follow their aspirations.
Translation: A person who is good at singing can immerse people in his singing, and a person who is good at teaching can make people inherit his aspirations.
7. If it's a millimeter, it's a thousand miles.
Translation: Although there is only a slight difference at the beginning, it is a mistake of thousands of miles later.
08
I Ching
1. Tianxingjian, a gentleman is constantly striving for self-improvement.
Translation: Heaven is strong, and a gentleman takes heaven as the law, so he is constantly striving for self-improvement.
2. The terrain is good, and the gentleman carries things with virtue.
Translation: The character of the earth is Kun, and when a gentleman sees the Kun hexagram, he must eliminate the tolerance of the earth and be virtuous
3. A gentleman learns to gather, asks to argue, is lenient to live, and benevolent to act.
Translation: A gentleman accumulates knowledge by studying, distinguishes right from wrong by asking more questions, treats others with tolerance, and acts with benevolence.
4. Two people are of the same heart, and their profits are cut off. With one heart, it stinks like an orchid.
Translation: The two are concentric, as sharp as knives, and can cut through metal. If you are concentric, it will be as fragrant as an orchid.
5. If you are poor, you will change, and if you change, you will be able to do it for a long time.
Translation: When the Tao doesn't work, it has to change, and when it changes, it will suddenly open, and if it works, it will last for a long time.
6. The world has the same end but different paths, the same and all kinds of considerations.
Translation: All the people of the world will return to the same place, but the road is different; To achieve the same goal, but with many thoughts.
7. If you don't accumulate good, you won't be able to become famous, and if you don't accumulate evil, you're not enough to perish.
Translation: Without accumulating good deeds, you cannot achieve fame, and without accumulating evil deeds, you cannot achieve extinction.
8. If you see good, you will move, and if you have done well, you will change.
Translation: When you see goodness, you learn from him, and if you have a mistake, you change it.
9. Be at the top without being arrogant, and be at the bottom without worrying.
Translation: Do not be proud in a position of exaltation, and do not be anxious in a position of subterranety.
10. What is the disadvantage of a gentleman hiding his weapons in his body and waiting for the time to move?
Translation: A gentleman has great talents, and he does not show off his skills. It's about seeing the right time to show your talent or skill.
11. The great man is in harmony with the heavens and the earth, with the sun and the moon, with the four seasons, and with the ghosts and gods. The congenital and the heavens are violated, and the day after tomorrow is the time of worship.
Translation: For "extraordinary people", it conforms to the will of heaven and earth, has the brilliance of the sun and the moon, conforms to the order of the four seasons, and also conforms to the good fortune of gods and ghosts. If you act before the will of God, the will of God will not go against him, and if you act after the will of God, you will conform to the principles of God.
09
"Spring and Autumn"
Due to the abbreviation of the text, "Spring and Autumn" is usually published together with "Zuo Chuan", "Ram Chuan" and "Gu Liang Biography", which explain "Spring and Autumn", among which "Zuo Chuan" is the most popular.
1. He who commits many acts of injustice shall be killed.
Translation: If you do much unrighteousness, you will surely perish yourself.
2. Treat it with virtue and do what you can.
Translation: Determine how virtuous you are, so that you can decide how you should deal with things; Measure your strength to decide what to do.
3. Frugal, the common virtue, extravagant, evil is also great.
Translation: Frugality is the greatest of all virtues, and luxury is the greatest of all evils.
4. 辅车相依,唇亡齿寒。
Translation: The cheeks and gum bones are interdependent, and if you lose your lips, your teeth will be exposed to the cold.
5. Whoever has no fault, can change it, and the good is great.
Translation: Who has not made a mistake, and it is the greatest good thing to be able to correct a mistake.
6. Do not lose morality, reward does not lose effort.
Translation: Recommend talents, don't leave out moral people; Reward the lords, and do not forget the meritorious ones.
7. Be prepared for danger in times of peace, be prepared, and be prepared.
Translation: Be vigilant in a comfortable environment, think of possible dangers, be prepared when you think of them, and be prepared to avoid disasters.
8. The end must be broken, and the tail will not fall.
Translation: If the treetop is larger than the trunk, the tree will break, and if the tail is large, it must not be able to swing flexibly.
9. The tree is as virtuous as it is, and the disease is as good as it is gone.
Translation: The most valuable thing in establishing virtue is to make it grow, and the best thing to get rid of is to get rid of it cleanly.
100 essences, classics, worthy of praise!
Source: WeChat public account "Tang Poetry and Song Ci World"
Editor: Star City
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