1. Original text: At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, Confucius' disciples "Confucius Family Sayings" Confucius said: "After my death, business will become more and more important, and gifts will also be lost." Zengzi said: "What is it?" Said: "If you do good business with someone who is virtuous, give him good advice and say he is not as good as yourself. If you don't know his son, you will treat him as his father. If you don't know his person, you will treat him as a friend. If you don't know his king, you will treat him as his leader. If you don't know his land, you will treat him as his boss. Plants and trees. Therefore, it is said: "Living with good people is like entering a house of orchid. If you don't smell its fragrance for a long time, you will be transformed by it." Living with unwholesome people is like entering an abalone house. If you don't smell the smell for a long time, you will be transformed by it. What is hidden in elixir is red, and what is hidden in lacquer is black. Therefore, a gentleman must be careful about where he puts it. ”

2. Translation: Confucius said: “After me, Zixia will make further progress than before, while Zigong will retreat than before.” Zengzi asked: “Why?” Confucius said: "Zixia likes to be with people who are wiser than himself, (so his moral cultivation will be improved day by day); Zigong likes to be with people who are not as talented as him, (so his moral cultivation will be gradually lost) ). If you don’t know how a child is, just look at the child’s father. If you don’t know yourself, just look at the friends around him. If you don’t know your master, just look at the envoys he sends. If you don’t know the local people, just look at the envoys he sends. It just depends on the local vegetation. Therefore, being with people of high moral character is like bathing in a fragrant room filled with orchids. After a long time, you will no longer smell the fragrance, but it is already full of fragrance. Being with people of low moral character is like bathing in a room full of fragrance. When I go to a shop selling salted fish, I no longer smell the smell after a long time, and I have integrated into the environment; the place where the elixir is hidden will turn red over time, and the place where the lacquer is hidden will turn black over time, so it is truly A gentleman must choose his environment carefully.

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