天生万物,唯人为贵。Man is the most valuable among all the things that heaven fosters.
天生我才必有用。Heaven has endowed me with talents for eventual use.
天时不如地利,地利不如人和。Opportunities vouchsafed by Heaven are outmatched by terrestrial advantages, which in turn are outmatched by the harmony among people.
天行健,君子以自强不息。As Heaven’s movement is ever vigorous, so must a gentleman ceaselessly strive along.
听不审不聪,不审不聪则缪;视不察不明,不察不明则过;虑不得不 知,不得不知则昏。Listening without attention is not hearing; then falsehood follows. Looking without examination is not seeing; then errors follow. Considering without intention is not knowing; then confusion follows.
听其言必责其用,观其行必求其功。Words are to be judged from their function; and deeds are to be observed from their effects.
温故而知新,可以为师矣。He who is able to reach new understanding by reviewing the old knowledge is qualified to be a teacher.
无为其所不为,无欲其所不欲。Don’t do what should not be done? don't desire what should not be desired.
吾日三省吾身;为人谋而不忠乎?与朋友交而不信乎?传而不习 乎? Every day I examine myself time and again: Have I been unfaithful in giving counsels to others? Have I been insincere in getting along with my friends? Have I failed to review what I have been taught?
物格而后知至,知至而后意诚;意诚而后心正,心正而后身修;身修 而后家齐,家齐而后治国,国治而后天下平。Things investigated,genuine knowledge acquired; genuine knowledge acquired, thoughts purified; thoughts purified, hearts rectified;hearts rectified, personalities cultivated; personalities cultivated, families regulated? families regulated, the states well governed; the states well governed, the whole world will be in peace and tranquility.
相见时难别亦难。It is unbearable to meet as well as to depart.
相知无远近,万里尚为邻。Distance cannot separate true friends who feel so close even when they are thousands of miles apart.
小人以小善为无益而弗为也,以小恶为无伤而弗去也,故恶积而不 可掩,罪大而不可解。A mean man thinks that small virtues are useless and does not practice them, and small vices are harmless and does not abandon them. Hence his vices accumulate till they can not be covered,and his guilt becomes great till it can not be freed from.
信言不美,善者不辩。True words need not be fine-sounding; the good man does not prove by argument.