Common famous sayings in "Book of Rites" and "Mencius"

1. Parrots can speak and cannot be separated from birds; orangutans can speak and cannot be separated from beasts. ("Book of Rites: Qu Li 1")

Translation: Although parrots can talk, they are still birds; although orangutans can talk, they are still animals.

2. Reciprocate courtesy. It is impolite to go but not come; it is impolite to come but not go. ("Book of Rites·Qu Li 1")

What the translation of rites advocates is that there must be going and coming. It is not in line with etiquette to receive favors but not repay them; it is also not in line with etiquette to receive favors but not to repay them.

3. When entering the country, ask about the taboos, when entering the country, ask about the customs, and when entering the country, ask about the taboos. ("Book of Rites·Qu Li 1")

Translation: When you go to a place, you should ask about the local taboos. When you go to a country, you should ask about the local customs. When you go to other people's homes, you should ask about the local customs. taboo.

4. Confucius said: "A harsh government is more fierce than a tiger!" ("Book of Rites: Tan Gong Xia") It’s awesome!”

5. Confucius said: “The way of the great road is to select the wise and capable, to cultivate trust and harmony” ("Book of Rites: Liyun")

Translation: Confucius said: "In an era when the great road prevails, the world is fair and selfless. Talented people are selected to preside over political affairs, pay attention to credibility, and promote harmony."

6. If jade is not polished, it will not become a useful tool; If people don’t learn, they don’t know. ("Book of Rites·Xue Ji")

Translation: If jade is not carved, it will not become a good utensil; if a person does not learn, he will not understand the truth.

7. Although there are fine dishes, you cannot eat them without knowing their purpose; although there are great ways, you cannot learn them and do not know their goodness. ("Book of Rites·Xue Ji")

Although there is delicious food in the translation, if you don't eat it, you won't know its deliciousness; although there are extremely brilliant principles, if you don't study it, you won't know its benefits.

8. After learning, you will know your shortcomings; after teaching, you will know your difficulties; if you know your shortcomings, you will be able to reflect on yourself; if you know your difficulties, you will be able to improve yourself. Therefore, it is said that teaching and learning complement each other. ("Book of Rites·Xue Ji")

After learning the translation, you will know the shortcomings, and after teaching, you will know the difficulties; knowing the shortcomings, you can in turn demand yourself; knowing the difficulties, you can constantly strive for self-improvement. So teaching and learning are mutually beneficial.

9. To study alone without friends is to be lonely and ill-informed. ("Book of Rites·Xue Ji")

Translation If a person studies alone without friends to discuss with him, his knowledge will be short-term and his knowledge will not be broad.

10. Relaxation without relaxation is the way of civil and military affairs. Relaxation without relaxation is the way of civil and military affairs. ("Book of Rites·Miscellaneous Notes")

If the translation is only tense but not relaxed, even King Wen and King Wu of Zhou will not be able to do it; if the translation is only relaxed but not tense, King Wen and King Wu of Zhou will not be able to do this There is tension and relaxation. This is how King Wen and King Wu of Zhou governed the people. ( "Book of Rites: Doctrine of the Mean")

Translation: When you are in a high position, do not bully those below you; when you are in a low position, do not cling to those above you; be correct in yourself and do not be harsh on others, so that there will be no complaints. When things happen, don’t resent God, and don’t blame others.

12. Everything will be successful if it is predicted, and it will be ruined if it is not predicted. ("Book of Rites: Doctrine of the Mean")

Translation: In anything, if you are prepared in advance, you will succeed, if you are not prepared, you will fail.

13. Learn it extensively, interrogate it, think carefully, discern it clearly, and practice it sincerely. ("Book of Rites: Doctrine of the Mean")

The translation requires extensive study, detailed inquiry, careful thinking; clear identification and practical implementation.

14. The king relies on the people to survive, but also to destroy the people. " ("Book of Rites·缁衣")

Translation: The monarch exists because of the people, and also perishes because of the rebellion of the people.

15. Confucius said: "There are things in words. Actions have rules, so if you are alive, you cannot take away ambition, and if you die, you cannot take away fame.

"("Book of Rites·缁衣")

Translation Confucius said: "If one speaks truthfully and acts according to law, his ambition will be firm and unswerving while alive, and his good reputation will not be affected after death. ”

16. Confucianism can be loved but cannot be robbed, can be approached but cannot be forced, and can be killed but cannot be humiliated. ("Book of Rites·Confucianism")

Translation Confucians can be close but not threatening, can be approached but not forced, and can be killed but not insulted.

17. Internal praise does not lead to kinship, and external promotion does not lead to resentment ("Book of Rites·Confucianism")

The translation recommendation does not exclude one’s own relatives internally, and does not exclude those who are resentful of oneself externally.”

18. A prosperous house, a healthy body with virtue, a broad mind and a fat body. Therefore, a gentleman must be sincere in what he means. ("Book of Rites·University")

Translation Wealth can decorate a house, but morality can cultivate the body and mind. With a broad mind, your body and mind will naturally feel comfortable and healthy, so a gentleman must make his thoughts sincere.

19. To govern a country, one must first bring order to the family. If the family cannot be taught but can teach others, there will be no such thing. ("Book of Rites·University")

Translation: If you want to govern the country well, you must first manage your own family well. If you cannot discipline your family members well, but you can discipline others well, this is not possible.

20. What the people like well and what the people dislike are evil, these are called the parents of the people. ("Book of Rites·University")

Translation He also likes what the people like, and hates what the people hate. Only in this way can he be called the parents of the people.

21. Virtue is the foundation; wealth is the end. ("Book of Rites·University")

Translation Morality is the foundation, wealth is just a detail.

22. There is a way to make money. If there are many people to live, few to eat, those to eat will be sick, and those who use them will be comfortable, then the wealth will be sufficient. ("Book of Rites·University")

To gather wealth, one must follow a general principle: more people should produce and fewer people should consume money; those who seek wealth should be diligent, and those who use money should be frugal , so that wealth will always remain abundant.

Selected translations of famous quotes from "Mencius"

1. Therefore, when Heaven is about to entrust a great responsibility to a person, he must first suffer from hardships in his mind and body, strain his muscles and bones, starve his body and skin, and make him feel empty. His body is disturbed by his actions, so his mind and forbearance have been beneficial to what he could not do.

Translation: Therefore, when God is going to entrust this person with a major historical task, he must first test his mind, exhaust his muscles and bones, starve his body and skin, and exhaust his body. Everything he does is always disturbed by interference, which shakes his mind and makes his temperament stronger and increases his abilities that he originally did not possess.

2. Confucius climbed the Dongshan Mountain and made Lu small, and climbed the Taishan Mountain and made the world small.

Translation: Confucius felt that the country of Lu had become smaller when he climbed Dongshan Mountain, and felt that the world had become smaller when he climbed Mount Tai.

3. To be happy alone (yüè), to be happy (lè), to be happy with others, which one is happy?

Translation: A person is happy to listen to music alone, or he is happy to listen to music with others. Which one is happier?

4. What the Master said is deeply felt in my heart

Translation: What you said made my mind suddenly clear. (Qi Qi: looking moved)

5. If you are poor, you can benefit yourself; if you are rich, you can help the world.

Translation: When you are poor, cultivate your moral character; when you are successful, help people all over the world follow a good path.

6. I am an old person, and I am an old person, and I am a young person, and I am an old person, and I am an old person, and I am an old person.

Translation: Respect one's parents, and extend this feeling to other people's parents; love one's own children, and extend this feeling to other people's children.

7. The weather is not as good as the right place, and the right place is not as good as the people.

Translation: Getting the right time is not as good as getting the convenience of the terrain, and getting the convenience of the terrain is not as good as getting a gentle heart.

8. Those who have gained the right will receive many help, while those who have lost the right will receive little help.

Translation: A person who gains morality will have more people to help him; a person who has lost morality will have fewer people to help him.

9. The people are the most important, the country is the second most important, and the king is the least important.

Translation: The people are the most important, the country and the country are second to the people, and the monarch should be the last.

10. Born in sorrow and died in happiness.

Translation: Survive in sorrow and die in happiness.

11. Wealth cannot be fornicated, poverty cannot be moved, power cannot be surrendered, this is called a true man.

Translation: Wealth cannot make me indulge in pleasure, poverty and lowliness cannot make me change my ambitions, and power cannot make me grovel. Only such a person can be called a man.

12. It is better to have no book at all than to believe in the book.

Translation: If you completely believe in "The Book" (referring to "The Book of Documents"), it would be better not to have the "Book".

13. Life is what I want; righteousness is also what I want; you cannot have both, and you have to sacrifice life for righteousness.

14. If I want to rule the world peacefully, who else can I do in this world?

Translation: If you want to bring peace to the world, in today's world, who else can do it but me?

15. A gentleman has three kinds of happiness: having both parents and brothers without any reason is the first kind of happiness; looking up to the sky and not being ashamed of it, being bowed down and not being sullen is the second kind of happiness. Obtaining the world's talents and educating them are the three pleasures.

Translation: A gentleman has three happy things, (but) conquering the world with virtue is not one of them. My parents are alive and my brothers are not sick. This is the first happy thing. I don’t feel guilty when I look up to the sky, and I don’t feel ashamed when I bow my head to others. This is the second happy thing. I get outstanding talents from the world and educate them. , this is the third happy thing. There are three things that make a gentleman happy, and conquering the world with virtue is not one of them.

16. If you don’t follow the rules, you can’t make a circle