Translation
When meeting rich and powerful people, it is shameful to show flattery; when meeting poor people, it is shameful to show contempt for pride. Look, this kind of behavior is the most despicable.
From "Zhu Xi's Maxims on Family Governance".
The full text of Zhu Xi’s mottos on housekeeping
Get up at dawn and sweep the courtyard to make sure it is tidy both inside and outside. As soon as you feel faint, you will rest. If you lock the door, you must check it yourself. A porridge and a meal, when you think about where you came from is not easy. Half a thread and half a strand, Heng Nian is struggling with material resources. It is better to prepare before it rains and not to dig a well when thirsty. You must be frugal in your self-respect, and do not linger over banquets. The utensils are of pure quality, and the earthenware fou is better than gold and jade. The diet is simple but refined, and the garden vegetables are the best. Do not build luxurious houses or seek fertile land.
The three aunts and the six wives are matchmakers for prostitutes and thieves. A beautiful maid and a charming concubine are not the blessings of a boudoir. Servants should not be handsome, and wives and concubines should not use colorful makeup. Although the ancestors are far away, the sacrifices must not be dishonest. No matter how foolish your descendants are, they must read the scriptures. Live in a simple and simple way, and teach your children in a righteous way. Don't be greedy for unexpected wealth, and don't drink too much wine.
Don’t take advantage when trading with Jian Tiao. When you see your poor relatives and neighbors, you must show compassion. If you are mean and start a family, you will not be able to enjoy it for a long time. If one's morals are often erroneous, they will soon perish. Brothers, uncles and nephews must share more to benefit the widow. Both young and old, inside and outside, should be strict with the law. How can he be a husband who listens to his wife and behaves like his own flesh and blood? He who values ??his property but despises his parents is not a good son. When you marry a daughter, choose a good son-in-law, and don’t ask for a high salary. When marrying a daughter-in-law, don’t consider a generous dowry.
It is the most shameful thing to slander someone who sees wealth and honor. There is nothing worse than being arrogant when faced with poverty. Avoid litigation at home, as litigation will end in disaster. Be careful not to talk too much in life. Talking too much will lead to mistakes. Do not rely on power to bully the orphans and widows; do not be greedy for food and drink but kill animals and birds. If you are eccentric, you will regret and make many mistakes. If you are lazy and willing to accept it, your family fortune will be difficult to achieve. If you have little intimacy, you will suffer from it for a long time. Qu Zhi is old and mature, but he can rely on each other when he is in a hurry. Listen carefully to what is said, be aware of the inhuman accusations, and be patient and think twice. When we fight over things, we should know that it is not our fault, and we must be calm about the secret thoughts.
Don’t think about giving favors, and don’t forget the favors received. You should leave room for everything, and you should not go back to where you are proud. When people are happy, they should not be jealous. When people are in trouble, they should not be happy. Seeking kindness is not true kindness. It is a great evil to fear that others will know it. If you see lust and have lustful thoughts, you will repay it to your wife and daughter. Hiding grudges and using hidden arrows will bring disaster to future generations.
The family is harmonious, and although the food and drinks are no longer good, there is still happiness. When the national classes are finished early, there will be no money left and I will be happy. When studying, one aspires to be a sage; when serving as an official, one aspires to the kingdom. Keep your peace and order, and listen to the weather. If you behave like this, you will be close to common people.
Full text translation
Get up at dawn and clean the yard, both inside and outside the house. Go home when it gets dark and don't stay outside. Lock the doors and windows before going to bed at night, and be sure to check them yourself. Whether it is a grain of rice or a mouthful of porridge, you must remember that it is not easy to obtain. Each grain is the result of the hard work of farmers; even if it is half a piece of cloth, you must cherish the difficulty of material resources. (Cherishing blessings is as important as cultivating blessings)
Everything should be prepared in advance. Don’t wait until it rains before you think of repairing your house; when you are thirsty, you only think of digging a well to get water. As for your daily needs, you should strive to be frugal and simple and not wasteful. When attending a banquet, go home after the banquet is over. Don't be immersed in the lively atmosphere of the banquet and be reluctant to leave. As long as the tableware for daily study is practical and clean, even ordinary pots and bowls are better than expensive but impractical utensils; the diet must be natural and simple, nutritionally balanced and hygienic. As a rule, you can’t be picky about your food. Even ordinary vegetables grown in your own garden are better than rare and precious delicacies (delicacies from the mountains and sea are not easy to digest). Don't build gorgeous mansions, don't seek fertile land, and focus solely on accumulating property.
Those who behave improperly, talk about right and wrong, and like to sow dissension are the three aunts and the six wives. They are also the medium for lewdness and theft; beautiful maids and coquettish concubines are not a blessing for the boudoir. When choosing servants for work, do not choose those with good looks (this is not a beauty pageant). Wives and concubines are most afraid of wearing heavy makeup and competing for the beauty of the family. (It’s easy to be jealous, compete for luxury, and cause trouble for the family.)
Although our ancestors are far away from us, when we drink water, we always remember the virtues of our ancestors, and when we worship our ancestors during festivals, we must be sincere and respectful; even if our descendants No matter how stupid he is, he must be taught to read the Bible, and he should be given the opportunity to accept the teachings of the sages. We must be frugal and simple in our conduct in life; we must educate our children in accordance with their aptitude, use appropriate methods, and be consistent with principles and principles. Don't be greedy for unexpected (lucky) money, and drink in moderation and not excessively (alcohol can mess up the sex, and drunkenness can lead to disaster, as has been heard from time to time, so don't be careless!).
When dealing with hawkers who carry goods on their shoulders, you should understand that it is difficult for them to make a living through physical strength, and do not be careless and greedy for petty gains. When you see relatives or neighbors who are living in poverty, you must give gentle care and attention.
Those who start a business with harsh intentions (realistic, snobbish) will never enjoy long-term blessings. A family that violates ethics and morals (the father does not have the father, the son does not have the son) will soon lead to decline. perish. Brothers, uncles, nephews and other close relatives must help the orphans and widows to share more in the distribution of property. The elders and younger ones should be organized and internal and external responsibilities should be clearly distinguished. Family rules must be strict and clear, and their implementation must be strict and conscientious. Listening to the words of an unreasonable wife can cause discord or even separation between father, son, and brothers. Isn’t it what a man should do? Paying too much attention to money and treating your parents badly is unfilial and unqualified to be a son. When choosing a son-in-law when marrying a daughter, one should pay attention to moral character, and should not be greedy for money and material enjoyment, and ask for generous betrothal gifts. When marrying a daughter-in-law, one should seek a virtuous and virtuous woman, and do not care about whether the dowry is rich or not. (Only a virtuous woman can support her husband and teach her children, and help her husband start a family and build a career).
It is shameful to behave in a flattering manner when meeting rich and powerful people; it is the most despicable behavior to act contemptuously and proud when meeting poor people. . In the village (tribe), you should avoid fighting with others or even going to court. Litigation will have no good results in the end; (it wastes people and money, and loses harmony.) You should avoid talking too much when dealing with others, because talking too much will lead to mistakes (the so-called: talkers Unintentionally, the listener intends to avoid hurting others by talking too much). Do not rely on your power to bully orphans and widows; do not kill animals arbitrarily for the sake of food and drink (gluttony). People who are eccentric, withdrawn, unsociable, and self-righteous will definitely make many mistakes and regrets; people who are decadent, depressed, and self-indulgent will have difficulty achieving success in their careers.
If you like to get close to bad boys and make friends with gangsters, you will definitely be implicated over time; if you make friends with mature and prudent people who can restrain themselves (manage their emotions), you can get his guidance and help when you encounter emergencies. .
If you easily listen to other people’s opinions without verification, how do you know that the other party is not taking the opportunity to make false accusations and sow discord? You should be patient, think over and verify again and again, so as to clearly distinguish right from wrong, good and evil; and argue with others because of things. How do you know it's not your fault? You must think clearly and calmly and don't act out of emotion. Don't keep it in mind when you do good things to others; don't forget the kindness you receive from others, and always have a heart to repay. Don't overdo anything, do it in moderation, and remember the ancient saying that "fullness will bring harm and modesty will benefit." When you are proud, you must know how to be humble, and you must not be complacent, persistent, or reluctant to let go.
When someone is having a good time, you should sincerely bless them, and you should not be jealous. Doing good deeds in the hope that others will see you is not really good; doing bad deeds in the hope that others will see you is a great evil. If you have lustful thoughts after seeing beautiful women, you should be careful that your wife and daughter will suffer the same external situation; hiding resentment in your heart, pretending as if nothing has happened on the outside, but secretly harming others is the most damaging thing to your moral character and will bring disaster. It will affect future generations. As long as the family can live in harmony and live a peaceful and smooth life, they will feel happy even if they have three meals a day; the taxes that should be paid have been paid early, and even if there is no money left in their pockets, they will still feel at ease and happy.
Study to learn from the saints, and be an official with your thoughts on the people of the country; stick to your duties, be content with your destiny, and do not ask for anything extravagantly, and do everything in accordance with the current situation and the laws of nature. If you can do this, you can almost approach the realm of a sage.