四書 The Four Books
《大學》 The Great Learning
《中庸》 The Doctrine of the Mean
《論語》 The Confucian Analects
《孟子》 The Works of Mencius
《論語》The Confucian Analects
學而時習之，不亦說乎？
It is indeed a pleasure to acquire knowledge and, as you go on acquiring, to put into practice what you have acquired.
有朋自遠方來，不亦樂乎?
A greater pleasure still it is when friends of congenial minds come from afar to seek you because of your attainments.
溫故而知新，可以為師矣。
If a man will constantly go over what he has acquired and keep continually adding to it new acquirements, he may become a teacher of men.
學而不思則罔，思而不學則殆。
Study without thinking is labor lost. Thinking without study is perilous.
君子周而不比，小人比而不周。
A wise man is impartial, not neutral. A fool is neutral but not impartial.
知之為知之，不知為不知，是知也。
To know what it is that you know, and to know what it is that you do not know, —that is understanding.辜鴻銘 譯
《孟子》The Works of Mencius
故天將降大任于斯人也，必先苦其心志，勞其筋骨、餓其體膚，空乏其身，行拂亂其所為，所以動心忍性，曾益其所不能。
Thus when Heaven is going to give a great responsibility to someone, it first makes his mind endure suffering. It makes his sinews and bones experience toil, and his body to suffer hunger. It inflicts him with poverty and knocks down everything he tries to build. In this way Heaven stimulates his mind, stabilizes his temper and develops his weak points.
愛人者，人恒愛之；敬人者，人恒敬之。
He who loves others is constantly loved by them. He who respects others is constantly respected by them.理雅各 譯
五經 The Five Classics
《詩經》 The Book of Songs/The Book of Odes
《書經》（《尚書》） The Book of History
《易經》（《周易》） The Book of Changes
《禮記》 The Book of Rites
《春秋》 The Spring-Autumn Annals
《詩經》The Book of Songs
《關睢》節選 GUAN JU
關關雎鳩，在河之洲。
窈宨淑女，君子好逑。
Guan-guan go the ospreys,
On the islet in the river.
The modest, retiring, virtuous, young lady :
–For our prince a good mate she.
《子衿》ZI JIN
青青子衿，悠悠我心。
縱我不往，子寧不嗣音。
青青子佩，悠悠我思。
縱我不往，子寧不來。
挑兮達兮，在城闕兮。
一日不見，如三月兮。
O you , with the blue collar,
Prolonged is the anxiety of my heart.
Although I do not go [to you],
Why do you not continue your messages [to me]?
O you with the blue [strings to your] girdle-gems,Long , long do I think of you.
Although I do not go [to you],
Why do you not come [to me]?
How volatile are you and dissipated,
By the look-out tower on the wall!
One day without the sight of you,
Is like three months.
《擊鼓》節選 JI GU
死生契闊，與子成說。
執子之手，與子偕老。
For life or for death, however separated,
To our wives we pledged our word.
We held their hands;
—We were to grow old together with them.
理雅各 譯
典籍名著 Ancient Books
《史記》 Records of the Historian
《山海經》 The Classic of Mountains and Rivers
《本草綱目》 Compendium of Materia Medica
《資治通鑒》 History Retold as a Mirror for Rulers
《西廂記》The Romance of West Chamber
《三國演義》 Romance of the Three Kingdoms
《水滸傳》 Outlaws of the Marsh
《西游記》 Journey to the West
《紅樓夢》 A Dream of Red Mansions
《聊齋志異》Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio
《史記》Records of the Historian
桃李不言下自成蹊?！妒酚?李將軍傳》
The peach and the plum do not speak, yet a path is born beneath them.
燕雀安知鴻鵠之志哉! 《史記?陳涉世家》
Can a sparrow know a wild swan’s ambition?楊憲益 譯
《紅樓夢》A Dream of Red Mansions
淚光點點，嬌喘微微。
閑靜時如姣花照水，
行動處似弱柳扶風。
Her eyes sparkled with tears,
her breath was soft and faint.
In repose she was like a lovely flower mirrored in the water;
in motion, pliant willow swaying in the wind.
楊憲益、戴乃迭 譯
《西廂記》The Romance of West Chamber
霎時間杯盤狼藉，車兒投東，馬兒向西
They remove in a moment dish and cupThe cab goes down, the horse goes up.
曉來誰染霜林醉? 總是離人淚。
Why like wine-flushed face is frosted forest red? It 's dyed in tears the parting lovers shed.許淵沖 譯
《弟子規》Standard for Students
弟子規 圣人訓 首孝悌 次謹信
These standards for students are guidelines,
handed down to us by Ancient Stages.
First, obey and care for your parents,
and then practice true brotherhood.
泛愛眾 而親仁 有余力 則學文
Learn to be careful and honest,
and cherish all living beings.
Draw near to good-hearted people,
and study whenever you can.
父母呼 應勿緩 父母命 行勿懶
When mother and father are calling,
answer them right away.
When they give you instructions,
obey them without hesitation.
父母教 須敬聽 父母責 須順承
When your parents need to instruct you,
respectfully do as you’re told.
Whenever your parents must scold you,
acknowledge your errors and faults.
冬則溫 夏則凊 晨則省 昏則定
In the winter make sure they are warm,
in the summer make sure they are cool.
Each morning cheerfully greet them,
at night see their rest is secure.
佚名 譯
《三字經》Three-character scripture
人之初，性本善。性相近，習相遠。
Man on earth, good at birth.
The same nature, varies on nurture.
茍不教，性乃遷。教之道，貴以專。
With no education, there'd be aberration.
To teach well, you deeply dwell.
昔孟母，擇鄰處，子不學，斷機杼。
Then Mencius' mother, chose her neighbor.
At Mencius sloth, she cut th' cloth.
養不教，父之過。教不嚴，師之惰。
What's a father? A good teacher.
What's a teacher? A strict preacher.
玉不琢，不成器。人不學，不知義。
No jade crude, shows craft good.
Unless you learn, brute you'll turn.
為人子，方少時，親師友，習禮儀。
Son of man, mature you can.
Teacher or peer, hold them dear.
融四歲，能讓梨。弟于長，宜先知。
Aged four years, Rong proffered pears.
Bear in mind, fraternally be kind.
頭懸梁，錐刺股。彼不教，自勤苦。
Head hung high!
Needled his thigh! Not pushed,
they kept working away.
趙彥春 譯
于21世紀英文報
