劝学 Encouraging Learning
君子曰：学不可以已。青，取之于蓝，而青于蓝；冰，水为之，而寒于水。The gentleman says: Learning should never stop. Indigo is extracted from the indigo plant, yet it is bluer than the plant itself; ice is made from water, yet it is colder than water.
木直中绳，輮以为轮，其曲中规，虽有槁暴，不复挺者，輮使之然也。A piece of wood may be as straight as a plumb line. But when it is steamed and bent to make a wheel, its curvature will fit the compass. Even if it dries in the sun and becomes parched, it will not straighten again, for this is the result of the steaming and bending process.
故木受绳则直，金就砺则利，君子博学而日参省乎己，则知明而行无过矣。Therefore, when wood is pressed against a plumb line, it becomes straight; when metal is ground on a whetstone, it becomes sharp. If a gentleman studies extensively and examines himself daily, he will become wise and his actions will be without fault.
故不登高山，不知天之高也；不临深溪，不知地之厚也；不闻先王之遗言，不知学问之大也。Thus, if one does not climb a high mountain, one will not know the height of the sky; if one does not approach a deep stream, one will not know the thickness of the earth; if one does not hear the words of the former kings, one will not know the greatness of learning.
干、越、夷、貉之子，生而同声，长而异俗，教使之然也。The children of the states of Gan, Yue, and the Yi and Mo tribes are the same in cry when they are born, but as they grow up, their customs become different. It is education that makes them so.
《诗》曰：“嗟尔君子，无恒安息。靖共尔位，好是正直。神之听之，介尔景福。”The Book of Songs says, "Alas, you gentlemen, do not always seek ease. Devote yourselves to your positions, love integrity. If the gods hear this, they will bestow great blessings upon you."
神莫大于化道，福莫长于无祸。There is no greater state of the spirit than to be transformed by the Way, and no greater good fortune than to be free from misfortune.
吾尝终日而思矣，不如须臾之所学也；吾尝跂而望矣，不如登高之博见也。I have spent whole days in thought, yet it is not as good as a moment of learning. I have stood on tiptoe to look into the distance, yet it is not as good as climbing to a high place to see further.
登高而招，臂非加长也，而见者远；顺风而呼，声非加疾也，而闻者彰。When one climbs to a high place and waves, one's arm does not become longer, yet people can see it from afar; when one shouts against the wind, one's voice does not become louder, yet it can be heard more clearly.
假舆马者，非利足也，而致千里；假舟楫者，非能水也，而绝江河。Those who use carriages and horses are not especially swift - footed, yet they can travel a thousand li; those who use boats and oars cannot swim, yet they can cross rivers and seas.
君子生非异也，善假于物也。The gentleman is not born different from others. He is simply good at making use of things.
南方有鸟焉，名曰蒙鸠。In the south, there is a kind of bird called the montagu's harrier.
以羽为巢，而编之以发，系之苇苕，风至苕折，卵破子死。巢非不完也，所系者然也。It makes a nest with feathers, weaves it with hair, and ties it to the tip of a reed. When the wind blows, the reed breaks, the eggs crack, and the chicks die. It's not that the nest is not well - made, but the place where it is tied causes this.
西方有木焉，名曰射干，茎长四寸，生于高山之上，而临百仞之渊。木茎非能长也，所立者然也。In the west, there is a kind of tree called the blackberry lily. Its stem is only four inches long, yet it grows on top of a high mountain, overlooking an abyss hundreds of feet deep. It's not that the stem can grow so long, but the place where it stands makes it seem so.
蓬生麻中，不扶而直；白沙在涅，与之俱黑。The fleabane grows among hemp plants. Without support, it grows straight. White sand mixed with black mud turns black.
兰槐之根是为芷，其渐之滫，君子不近，庶人不服。The root of the fragrant plantain lily is called angelica. If it is soaked in urine, gentlemen will not approach it, and common people will not wear it.
其质非不美也，所渐者然也。It's not that its nature is not good, but what it is soaked in causes this.
故君子居必择乡，游必就士，所以防邪僻而近中正也。Therefore, a gentleman must choose his neighborhood when living and associate with scholars when traveling, in order to prevent himself from being deviant and to approach what is right.
物类之起，必有所始；荣辱之来，必象其德。All things have their beginnings. Honor and disgrace come in accordance with one's virtue.
肉腐出虫，鱼枯生蠹。怠慢忘身，祸灾乃作。When meat rots, worms appear. When fish dry up, moths are born. If one is negligent and forgets about self - preservation, disasters will occur.
强自取柱，柔自取束。邪秽在身，怨之所构。Hard things are prone to being used as supports, and soft things are likely to be tied up. If one has evil and filth on oneself, it will invite resentment.
施薪若一，火就燥也；平地若一，水就湿也。If firewood is arranged in the same way, fire will go to the drier part. If the ground is flat, water will flow to the wetter part.
草木畴生，禽兽群焉，物各从其类也。Plants grow in groups, and animals live in herds. Everything follows its own kind.
是故质的张而弓矢至焉，林木茂而斧斤至焉，树成荫而众鸟息焉，醯酸而蜹聚焉。Therefore, when a target is set up, arrows will come towards it. When the forest is lush, axes will come to it. When a tree provides shade, many birds will rest on it. When vinegar turns sour, mosquitoes will gather around it.
故言有召祸也，行有招辱也。君子慎其所立乎！Thus, words can invite disasters, and actions can bring disgrace. A gentleman should be cautious about what he stands for!
积土成山，风雨兴焉；积水成渊，蛟龙生焉；Heap up earth and it becomes a mountain, where wind and rain rise. Gather water and it becomes a deep pool, where dragons and sea-serpents are born.
积善成德，而神明自得，圣心备焉。Accumulate good deeds and form virtue, and then one will gain spiritual enlightenment and have the mind of a sage.
故不积跬步，无以至千里；不积小流，无以成江海。Therefore, without accumulating small steps, one cannot reach a thousand li; without gathering small streams, one cannot form a river or a sea.
骐骥一跃，不能十步；驽马十驾，功在不舍。A fine horse can leap, but not more than ten steps at a time. An inferior horse can travel a long distance in ten days of continuous driving, and the key is perseverance.
锲而舍之，朽木不折；锲而不舍，金石可镂。If you carve something and then give up, a rotten piece of wood will not break. But if you keep carving without stopping, even metal and stone can be engraved.
蚓无爪牙之利，筋骨之强，上食埃土，下饮黄泉，用心一也；The earthworm has no sharp claws or teeth, nor strong muscles and bones, yet it can eat dirt above and drink from the underground spring below because it is focused.
蟹六跪而二螯，非蛇、鳝之穴无可寄托者，用心躁也。The crab has six legs and two claws, but without the holes of snakes or eels, it has nowhere to live because it is restless.
是故无冥冥之志者，无昭昭之明；无惛惛之事者，无赫赫之功。Therefore, those without a firm will cannot achieve great understanding. Those who do not work with dedication cannot achieve great success.
行衢道者不至，事两君者不容。目不能两视而明，耳不能两听而聪。Those who take a fork in the road will not reach their destination. Those who serve two masters will not be tolerated. The eyes cannot see clearly when looking at two things at the same time, and the ears cannot hear clearly when listening to two sounds simultaneously.
螣蛇无足而飞，鼫鼠五技而穷。The flying snake can fly without feet, while the mole - rat has five skills but still gets into trouble.
《诗》曰：“尸鸠在桑，其子七兮；淑人君子，其仪一兮；其仪一兮，心如结兮。”The Book of Songs says, "The cuckoo is in the mulberry tree, and it has seven chicks. The virtuous gentleman is consistent in his deportment. Being consistent in his deportment, his heart is as firm as a knot."
故君子结于一也。Therefore, a gentleman focuses on one thing.
