Zhuge Liang

Famous aphorisms: The journey of a husband and a gentleman is to cultivate one's morality through tranquility and cultivate one's virtue through frugality. It is not indifferent and it is not possible to make one's ambition clear. It is not tranquil and it is impossible to reach far. It is not learning and it is not possible to broaden one's talents. Learning without ambition can lead to learning. From "The Book of Commandments" by Zhuge Liang (selected from "The Collection of Zhuge Liang")

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Original text:

The journey of a husband and a gentleman is to cultivate one's character in tranquility and to be thrifty. Cultivate virtue. Without indifference, there is no clear ambition; without tranquility, there is no far-reaching goal. Learning requires tranquility, and talent requires learning. Without learning, there is no way to expand talents, and without ambition, there is no way to achieve learning. If you are arrogant and slow, you will not be able to stimulate your essence, and if you are dangerous and impetuous, you will not be able to cultivate your nature. Years go with the times, thoughts go with the sun, and they become withered and withered. Many people do not take on the world, and they stay in the poor house with sadness. How will they be able to get back to you!

Full text translation

People with moral cultivation use meditation and reflection to perfect themselves, and they cultivate their noble character through frugality and saving money. Your ambitions are clear and firm. If you are not stable and quiet, you will not be able to work hard for a long time and achieve your lofty ideals. To know true knowledge, we must make our body and mind study and explore in tranquility. People's talents are accumulated from continuous learning. Without learning, it is difficult to increase talents, and without determination, it is difficult to achieve success in learning. Indulgence and debauchery, negativity and neglect cannot encourage the mind and spirit; risk-taking and recklessness, impatience and restlessness cannot cultivate the temperament and ennoble moral conduct. Years go by with time, and will wears away with time, and eventually it will age like a dead branch and a leaf. Such people will not be beneficial to society and be used by society. They will only be sadly trapped in their own poor family and ruins. By then it will be too late to regret it.