The original sentence is clear in observing others, but dark in observing oneself. This is a common problem in the world. Those who can see the end of a small hair cannot see their eyelashes; those who lift a thousand catties of weight cannot lift their own bodies. ——Lv Zuqian, an acting scholar in the Song Dynasty

Translation Wenming understands the art of knowing people (the method of recognizing the essence of people by observing their behavior and performance), (but) does not understand the method of understanding oneself and seeing oneself clearly. This is a common worry shared by everyone in the world. (Human vision can) see extremely small things like the tips of the new hairs of birds and animals in autumn, (but) they cannot see their own eyelashes; (human strength can) lift things weighing a thousand kilograms, (but) but) cannot lift himself up.

Notes

1. Observing people: knowing people, recognizing people, etc. It refers to recognizing the essence of people by observing their behavior and performance. "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals" summarizes the eight methods of "observing people": observe what they like when they are still, observe what they support when they are rich, observe what they progress when they are noble, observe what they do when listening, observe what they say when they are accustomed, If you are poor, watch what you don't accept; if you are humble, watch what you don't do.

2. Observe oneself: that is, self-knowledge. It means being able to understand and recognize oneself.

3. Public trouble: a common worry; a common disaster. "Xunzi · Fu Guo": "Mozi's words clearly mean that the world is worried about insufficiency. The insufficiency of husbands is not a public problem for the world, but Mozi's private worries." "Han Feizi · Gu Ang": "Wan Chengzhi. The trouble is that the ministers are too heavy; the trouble of thousands of times is too much trust in the left and right; this is the public trouble of the master." Wang Xianshen explained: "Public training is the first," "Xunzi·Jieye" "This is the public trouble of the mind." ', the sentence is the same. Yang's note 'Gong, ***ye' is the proof. "Song Dynasty Wang Anshi's "The Emperor's Book of Ten Thousand Words": "Because of the power of the world, we can generate wealth from the world and take the wealth from the world. , To provide for the expenses of the world. Since ancient times, insufficient wealth has never been a public problem for the world. "

4. The end of autumn: birds and animals grow new in autumn. The tip of the fine hair. A metaphor for very small things or very subtle places. "Mencius · King Hui of Liang 1": "The light is enough to see the end of the hair, but not the hair."

5. The weight of a thousand catties: something weighing a thousand catties.

6. Body: oneself.

Explanation

Chapter 33 of "Laozi": "He who knows others is wise, and he who knows himself is wise. He who conquers others is powerful, and he who conquers himself is strong. Those who are contented are rich, and those who are forceful are ambitious and unyielding. The one who loses his place will live long, and the one who dies without dying will live longer. "Another version says: "The one who knows others is wise, the one who knows himself is wise. The one who conquers others is powerful, the one who conquers himself is strong. Those who live longer, those who die but live longer.” The general meaning is the same. This passage shows that understanding yourself is far more difficult than understanding others.