1. The original text of "Mozi: Self-cultivation":
(1) Although a gentleman fights with wisdom, courage is the foundation; although mourning is polite, mourning is the foundation; a scholar has the foundation. Although there is learning, the behavior is fundamental. Therefore, those who are uneasy about their roots have no business of being prosperous; if they are not close to those who are close, they have no business of seeking far away; if they are not attached to relatives, they have no business of diplomacy; if things have no beginning and end, there is no business of many undertakings; if they raise things in the dark, they have no business of being knowledgeable.
(2) Therefore, when the former kings governed the world, they must observe the near and far, and the gentleman observes the near and cultivates the near. If you don't practice, your body will be destroyed and your body will be destroyed. This is how you practice practice by avoiding resentment. The slanderous words cannot enter the ears; the voices of criticism and defense cannot come out of the mouth; the children who kill and hurt others have no intention to survive. Although there are people who criticize, they have nothing to rely on.
(3) Therefore, if a gentleman's strength is getting stronger day by day, he is willing to have more and more desires day by day, so that he can prosper day by day. The way of a gentleman: poverty leads to integrity, wealth leads to righteousness, life leads to love, and death leads to sorrow; the four conducts must not be false, as they are contrary to the body. What is hidden in the heart cannot be exhausted; what is moved in the body cannot be exhausted; what comes out of the mouth cannot be exhausted. The four branches are smooth, connected to the skin, and the hair is brilliant, but still has no body, this is the only saint!
(4) Those who do not have strong ambitions will not be wise; those who do not believe in their words will not achieve results; those who cannot distinguish between people according to their wealth will not be friends; those who do not adhere to the truth, do not know everything about things, and do not understand right and wrong when arguing. Those who lack and swim. Those who are not solid at the beginning will eventually become a few; those who are strong but not cultivated will be lazy in the future; those who are originally turbid will not be able to flow clearly; those who practice unbelief will have a lazy reputation. Fame does not come in vain and reputation does not grow in vain. Success comes with success, reputation must not be false, as it will be counterfeit. Be careful to speak but act slowly. Even if you argue, you will not listen. If you exert more effort and gain merit, you will not be able to achieve anything even though you work hard. A wise man can argue with his heart without making too many comments, and exert more effort without losing merit. This will make his reputation known to the world. It is said that Wuwu means more but Wuwu means wisdom; Wuwu means literature but Wuwu means observation. Therefore, he is a person who has no understanding of his wisdom and is emotionally attached to his body, and goes against his own path. Good deeds that have no owner in the heart will not be retained, and deeds that cannot be justified in the body will not be established. Names cannot be created simply, reputations cannot be established by coincidence, and a gentleman wears deeds with his body. There are few people who think about their interests and look for them, but who forget their names and forget their names and can become a scholar in the world.
2. Notes:
(1) This article mainly discusses the issues of moral cultivation and gentleman's personality, emphasizing that moral character is the foundation for governing a country, and a gentleman must focus on moral cultivation. proposed in the article. "The Way of a Gentleman" should include "poverty leads to integrity, wealth leads to righteousness, life leads to love, and death leads to sorrow" as well as being aware of right and wrong, paying attention to credit, and paying attention to reality, etc.
(2) Chen: Same as "formation".
(3) Children: Bi Hangyun: "It should be read like the root of the root."
(4) Bian: Same as "bian".
(5) He: Borrowing means "not". Love: It is the form of "lazy".
(6) Dai: Same as "Zai".
3. Translation:
(1) Although a gentleman uses battle formations, he must be brave in battle; although he pays attention to etiquette in funerals, he must be based on grief; in serving as an official, he must be based on grief. We talk about talents and knowledge, but we must conduct ourselves based on virtue. Therefore, if the foundation is not strong, there is no need to pay attention to the prosperity of the branches; if the people around you cannot be close, there is no need to pay attention to attracting people from far away; if relatives cannot make them join, there is no need to pay attention to recruiting outsiders; if you do something that has a beginning and an end, there is no need to talk about it. Start engaging in a variety of careers; if you still can't understand one thing, there is no need to pursue broad knowledge.
(2) Therefore, when the former kings governed the world, they must clearly observe the left and right and attract people from far away. If a gentleman can clearly understand the left and right, the people on the left and right will also be able to cultivate their own character. If a gentleman cannot cultivate his own character and is slandered by others, he should reflect on himself, so that he will complain less and improve his character day by day. Slanderous and slanderous words should not enter your ears, words that attack others should not come out of your mouth, and thoughts of hurting others should not exist in your heart. In this way, even if you encounter someone who likes to slander and attack, you will not be able to use them.
(3) Therefore, the gentleman’s own strength is getting stronger day by day, his ambition is becoming more and more lofty, and his solemn conduct is getting better and better day by day. The way of a gentleman (should include the following aspects): show integrity when you are poor, show kindness when you are rich, show kindness to the living, and show grief to the dead. These four qualities cannot be faked, but must be possessed by oneself. Whatever exists in the heart is infinite kindness; what is carried in the body is incomparable humility; what is spoken in the mouth is incomparable gentleness. (Let the above four qualities) spread freely to the limbs and skin, and still refuse to give up until the head is gray and bald, probably only a saint!
(4) Those who are not strong-willed will not be very wise; those who are not trustworthy in their words will not be courageous in their actions; those who have wealth but refuse to share it with others are not worth making friends with; those who are not firm in their ways will , who has not experienced a wide range of things and does not know the difference between right and wrong, it is not worth communicating with him. If it is not strong at all, its branches will be in danger. Those who are brave without paying attention to moral cultivation will be lazy in the future. If the source is unclear, the reputation of those who act untrustworthy will be damaged. Reputation will not arise and grow on its own for no reason. Success will inevitably lead to fame, reputation cannot be false, and reputation must be sought instead. He talks but is slow to act. Although he can talk, no one listens to him. It is not advisable to boast of one's merits even though one has worked hard. A wise man understands in his heart without saying too much, works hard without boasting about his achievements, and thus his reputation spreads throughout the world. The speech should not be complicated but should be wise, and the speech should not be elegant but should be clear. Therefore, without wisdom and inability to examine, and coupled with laziness, one must deviate from the right path. Good deeds cannot be retained if they are not born from the original mind. Deeds cannot be established if they are not judged by oneself. Fame will not be achieved by being simple, and reputation will not be established by deceit. A gentleman's words and deeds are one. There has never been a person who put profit first and neglected establishing a reputation and could become a wise man in the world.