昔者瓠巴鼓瑟而沉鱼出听，伯牙鼓琴而六马仰秣。In ancient times, when Hu Ba played the se (a plucked string instrument), the fish in the deep water would come out to listen. When Bo Ya played the qin (a plucked seven - string instrument), the six horses would raise their heads from eating to listen.
故声无小而不闻，行无隐而不形。Therefore, no sound is too small to be heard, and no action is too hidden to be manifested.
玉在山而草木润，渊生珠而崖不枯。When jade is in the mountain, the plants and trees there will be moist. When pearls are produced in the abyss, the cliffs nearby will not wither.
为善不积邪，安有不闻者乎？Is it because one doesn't accumulate good deeds? How could there be those who do good but remain unknown?
学恶乎始？恶乎终？Where does learning begin? And where does it end?
曰：其数则始乎诵经，终乎读礼；其义则始乎为士，终乎为圣人。It is said that in terms of its sequence, it begins with reciting the classics and ends with studying the rites. In terms of its essence, it begins with aspiring to be a scholar and ends with becoming a sage.
真积力久则入，学至乎没而后止也。故学数有终，若其义则不可须臾舍也。
With sincere accumulation and long-term effort, one can penetrate into learning. One should keep learning until death. So, the sequence of learning has an end, but its essence cannot be abandoned for a moment.
为之，人也；舍之，禽兽也。Pursuing learning makes one human; giving it up makes one no different from a beast.
故《书》者，政事之纪也；《诗》者，中声之所止也；Therefore, the Book of Documents records government affairs. The Book of Songs represents the repository of harmonious sounds.
《礼》者，法之大分，类之纲纪也；故学至乎《礼》而止矣！夫是之谓道德之极。The Book of Rites is the fundamental division of laws and the guiding principle of categories. So, learning reaches its culmination when one masters the Book of Rites. This is what is called the acme of virtue and morality.
《礼》之敬文也，《乐》之中和也，《诗》、《书》之博也，《春秋》之微也，在天地之间者毕矣。The Book of Rites emphasizes respect and formality. Music embodies harmony. The Book of Songs and the Book of Documents are extensive in knowledge. The Spring and Autumn Annals are profound in implication. All that exists between heaven and earth is encompassed therein.
君子之学也，入乎耳，箸乎心，布乎四体，形乎动静；端而言，蠕而动，一可以为法则。A gentleman's learning enters through the ears, is fixed in the heart, spreads to the four limbs, and is manifested in actions and stillness. Even the slightest words and the most subtle movements can serve as a model.
小人之学也，入乎耳，出乎口。口、耳之间则四寸耳，曷足以美七尺之躯哉？A petty person's learning enters through the ears and exits through the mouth. The distance between the mouth and the ears is only four inches. How can this beautify a seven - foot - tall body?
古之学者为己，今之学者为人。君子之学也，以美其身；小人之学也，以为禽犊。Scholars in ancient times learned for self-improvement, while scholars today learn for the sake of impressing others. A gentleman's learning is to perfect himself. A petty person's learning is merely for show.
故不问而告谓之傲，问一而告二谓之囋。傲，非也；囋，非也；君子如向矣。Therefore, telling others without being asked is called arrogance. Answering two questions when only one is asked is called garrulousness. Arrogance is wrong; garrulousness is wrong. A gentleman should respond appropriately.
学莫便乎近其人。礼乐法而不说，诗书故而不切，春秋约而不速。Nothing is more convenient for learning than getting close to a virtuous person. The rites and music have their regulations but lack detailed explanations. The Book of Songs and the Book of Documents record past events but are not directly relevant to the present. The Spring and Autumn Annals are concise and not easily understood quickly.
方其人之习君子之说，则尊以遍矣，周于世矣。。When one follows a virtuous person to study the words of a gentleman, one can become noble and well-rounded, and be well - versed in the ways of the world.
故曰学莫便乎近其人So, it is said that nothing is more convenient for learning than getting close to a virtuous person.
学之经莫速乎好其人，隆礼次之。The fastest way in learning is to admire a virtuous person, and esteeming the rites comes second.
上不能好其人，下不能隆礼，安特将学杂识志，顺《诗》、《书》而已耳，
则末世穷年，不免为陋儒而已！If one fails to admire a virtuous person above and does not esteem the rites below, one will merely learn miscellaneous knowledge and recite the Book of Songs and the Book of Documents. In the end, throughout one's life, one will only end up as a shallow Confucian scholar.
将原先王，本仁义，则礼正其经纬、蹊径也。When exploring the ways of the former kings and basing on benevolence and righteousness, the rites are the proper guidelines and paths.
若挈裘领，诎五指而顿之，顺者不可胜数也。It is like grasping the collar of a fur coat. By bending five fingers and shaking it, countless hairs will fall into place.
不道礼、宪，以《诗》、《书》为之，譬之犹以指测河也，以戈舂黍也，以锥餐壶也，不可以得之矣。If one does not follow the rites and laws but only relies on the Book of Songs and the Book of Documents, it is like measuring the depth of a river with a finger, pounding millet with a halberd, or eating from a pot with a awl. One will not achieve the desired result.
故隆礼，虽未明，法士也；不隆礼，虽察辩，散儒也。Therefore, those who esteem the rites, even if they have not fully understood, are still scholars of law. Those who do not esteem the rites, even if they are shrewd and argumentative, are merely scattered Confucian scholars.
问楛者，勿告也；告楛者，勿问也；说楛者，勿听也；有争气者，勿与辩也。Do not answer those who ask inappropriate questions. Do not ask those who give inappropriate answers. Do not listen to those who talk about inappropriate things. Do not argue with those who are contentious.
故必由其道至，然后接之；非其道则避之。Therefore, one should only interact with those who come by the proper way. If they do not come by the proper way, avoid them.
故礼恭，而后可与言道之方；辞顺，而后可与言道之理；Only when a person is respectful in etiquette can one discuss with him the principles of the Way. Only when his words are submissive can one discuss with him the reasoning of the Way.
色从，而后可与言道之致。Only when his expression is compliant can one discuss with him the subtleties of the Way.
故未可与言而言谓之傲，可与言而不言谓之隐，不观气色而言谓之瞽。Therefore, speaking to those who are not ready to listen is called arrogance. Not speaking to those who are ready to listen is called concealment. Speaking without observing the other person's expression is called blindness.
故君子不傲、不隐、不瞽，谨顺其身。Therefore, a gentleman is neither arrogant, nor concealing, nor blind. He is cautious and conforms to the proper way.
《诗》曰：“匪交匪舒，天子所予。” 此之谓也。The Book of Songs says, "Neither over - familiar nor slow, thus the emperor bestows." This is what it means.
百发失一，不足谓善射。千里跬步不至，不足谓善御。Missing one shot out of a hundred does not make one a good archer. Failing to reach a thousand - li journey by even a single step does not make one a good charioteer.
伦类不通，仁义不一，不足谓善学。学也者，固学一之也。If one fails to understand the categories of things and is inconsistent in benevolence and righteousness, one cannot be called a good learner. Learning indeed means learning to be consistent.
一出焉，一入焉，涂巷之人也。Those who are half-hearted in learning are no different from ordinary people in the streets.
其善者少，不善者多，桀、纣、盗跖也。全之尽之，然后学者也。Those with few good deeds and many bad deeds are like Jie, Zhou, and Zhi (notorious figures in ancient times). Only by being comprehensive and thorough can one be considered a true learner.
君子知夫不全不粹之不足以为美也。A gentleman knows that incompleteness and impurity are not worthy of being considered beautiful.
故诵数以贯之，思索以通之，为其人以处之，除其害者以持养之。Therefore, he recites repeatedly to string knowledge together, thinks to understand it thoroughly, emulates the virtuous to put it into practice, and eliminates harmful things to cultivate himself.
使目非是无欲见也，使耳非是无欲闻也，使口非是无欲言也，使心非是无欲虑也。He makes his eyes not want to see anything other than what is good, his ears not want to hear anything other than what is good, his mouth not want to say anything other than what is good, and his heart not want to think about anything other than what is good.
及至其致好之也，目好之五色，耳好之五声，口好之五味，心利之有天下。
When he comes to love learning extremely, his eyes delight in the five colors, his ears delight in the five sounds, his mouth delights in the five flavors, and his heart desires to possess the world.
是故权利不能倾也，群众不能移也，天下不能荡也。Therefore, power and profit cannot sway him, the multitude cannot change him, and the world cannot unsettle him.
生乎由是，死乎由是，夫是之谓德操。Living by this and dying by this is what is called moral integrity.
德操然后能定，能定然后能应。能定能应，夫是之谓成人。With moral integrity, one can be stable. Being stable, one can respond to things. Being able to be stable and respond is what is called being a mature person.
天见其明，地见其光，君子贵其全也。Heaven shows its brightness, the earth shows its vastness, and a gentleman values his comprehensiveness.
