可贵可贱也，可富可贫也，可杀而不可使为奸也。Noble or humble, rich or poor, a gentleman would rather be killed than be persuaded to do evils.

克勤于邦，克俭于家。Work diligently for the country and frugally for the family.

劳而不伐，有功而不德，厚之至也。He is the modest man of all 

the modest who toils but does not boast it and succeeds but does not credit it.

劳苦之事则争先，饶乐之事则能让。Strive to be the first to bear hardness, and retreat to the last for enjoyment.

老吾老以及人之老，幼吾幼以及人之幼。Respect the aged in one’s own family as well as the aged in other families，and love the young in one，s own family as well as the young in other families.

乐民之乐者，民亦乐其乐;忧民之忧者，民亦忧其忧。乐以天下，忧 以天下，然而不王者未之有也。When one rejoices in the joy of his people, they will also rejoice in his joy； when one grieves at the sorrow of his people, they do the same. He who rules his country is one who occupies himself with concerns for the pleasure and sorrow of all his people.

礼尚往来。往而不来，非礼也；来而不往，亦非礼也。Propriety demands reciprocity. It is not propriety to give but not to receive, or vice versa.

两情若是长久时，又岂在朝朝暮暮。If love between both sides can last for aye，why need they stay together night and day?

令则行，禁则止。Act when ordered, and stop when prohibited.

路漫漫其修远兮，吾将上下而求索。The way ahead is long and has no ending； yet high and low I’ll search with my will unbending.

乱则国危，治则国安。Disorder brings peril to a country, while order brings peace to it.

民为贵，社稷次之，君为轻。The people are the most important element in a state； next are the gods of land and grain; least is the ruler himself.

敏而好学，不耻下问。Quick-minded and eager to learn, he is never ashamed to consult his inferiors.

明而动，晦而休，无日以怠。Work as day breaks, and rest as night falls; never will a day slip away without any accomplishment. 

朴素而天下莫能与之争美。Nothing in the world excels in beauty as simplicity does.

千丈之堤，以蝼蚁之穴溃;百尺之室，以突隙之烟焚。A long dike will collapse because of an ant-hole in it； a tall building will be burned down because of a spark from a chimney's chink.

鐵而舍之，朽木不折;锲而不舍，金石可镂。If you carve but give up half way, even a decayed piece of wood will not break; if you carve without a break, even metal and stone can be engraved.

曲则全，枉则直;洼则盈，敝则新;少则得，多则惑。To be part is to be whole； to be bent is to be straight； to be hollow is to be filled； to be dilapidated is to be renewed； to have less is to gain； to have more is to be confused.

人惰而侈则穷，力而俭则富。Laziness and extravagance make a poor man, while diligence and frugality a rich man.