100 famous quotes from Zizhi Tongjian and their translations are as follows:

1. If the heart of the wood is not straight, then the pulse and texture will be wrong, and although the bow is strong, the arrow will not be straight. ——"Zizhi Tongjian? Tang Ji"

Translation:

If the core of the wood is not straight, its texture will be crooked. Although a bow made of this kind of wood, It is powerful, but the arrows fired will not hit the target. It is a metaphor that if your mind is not right, what you do will not go the right way.

2. If you can choose those who are good and follow them, beauty will come to you. ——"Zizhi Tongjian? Song Ji"

Translation:

If you can choose the strengths of others and learn from them, this strength will naturally belong to you.

3. When virtue exceeds talent, we call him a gentleman; when talent exceeds virtue, we call him a villain. ——"Zi Zhi Tong Jian? Tang Ji"

Translation:

If virtue exceeds talent, he is called a gentleman; if talent exceeds virtue, he is called a villain.

4. If you are not sincere in front of you and warn others behind you, everyone will doubt it and not believe it. ——"Zizhi Tongjian? Tang Ji"

Translation:

Being dishonest beforehand but claiming to be honest afterwards will inevitably arouse people's suspicion and make people not believe in themselves .

5. Being competitive with others, being ashamed of one's faults, being arrogant and arrogant, being clever, being severe and majestic, and being willful and unruly. These six things are the disadvantages of a ruler. ——"Zi Zhi Tong Jian? Tang Ji"

Translation:

Strong and competitive, unwilling to hear others mention shortcomings, like to let go of the tip of his tongue and express his eloquence, showing Clever, too harsh on others, stubborn and self-righteous. These six points are all shortcomings that monarchs should be particularly vigilant against.

6. A powerful crossbow cannot be fired by a mouse; a bell made of thousands of stones cannot be struck by a stick. ——"Zi Zhi Tong Jian? Han Ji"

Translation:

A crossbow that weighs thousands of stones will not be fired just to shoot a mouse; a bell that weighs ten thousand stones will not be used to shoot a mouse. , there will be no sound caused by the collision of a grass stem. It means that big things cannot be used in small places, and big things will not be started by small movements.

7. Those who are smart and popular should be careful about being too careful; those who are ignorant and rare should be careful about being blocked. ——"Zi Zhi Tong Jian? Han Ji"

Translation:

Smart and knowledgeable people should be wary of being too observant; people who hear little and see little should avoid being closed-minded and ignorant.

8. If I gain wealth but do nothing, I will not take it. ——"Zi Zhi Tong Jian? Chen Ji"

Translation:

Obtaining property but losing virtue (obtaining ill-gotten gains), I will not do such a thing .

9. If you follow the way, you can be called a gentleman. ——"Zizhi Tongjian? Jin Ji"

Translation:

If you leave your position or continue to stay in it, you can do it for the right reasons. This is a noble person.

10. The husband ascends to advance to suppress mediocrity, and deposes to retreat to punish mistakes. The two are used repeatedly, and the logic is like a cycle. ——"Zizhi Tongjian? Tang Ji"

Translation:

Promoting him is to reward his merits; removing him is to punish his mistakes. These two aspects are often used interchangeably.

11. A promise made by a husband is not easy to make. ——"Zizhi Tongjian? Tang Ji"

Translation:

If a man promises others, he will not change it even if he promises a thousand pieces of gold.

12. Mortal feelings, when you are poor, you want to change. ——"Zizhi Tongjian? Tang Ji"

Translation:

Human nature is to try to change the status quo when there is no other way.

13. If the husband's expression is distorted, the scenery will be evil; if the source is pure, the flow will be clean. ——"Zi Zhi Tong Jian? Han Ji"

Translation:

If the benchmark is crooked, its shadow must also be crooked. If the source is clear, the water flow must also be clean. of.

14. If the old crops are not killed early, the remaining crops will become dirty and fertile fields. ——"Zi Zhi Tong Jian? Chen Ji"

Translation:

If the first-season rice remaining in the ground is not cut off early, the rice grains it will fall will inevitably make the fertile fields barren. .

15. Those who have made meritorious deeds suffer from a lack of integrity and a lack of reputation. ——"Zizhi Tongjian? Jin Ji"

Translation:

Those who have done meritorious service are worried that their integrity is not obvious, but they do not have to worry about their reputation and status being low.