1 临渊羡鱼,不如退而结网。—— 董仲舒·《元光之年举贤良对策》
Better go back and make a net than long for the fish by merely staring into the water.
(尹邦彦 译)
2 利天下者,天下启之;害天下者,天下闭之。——《六韬·发启》
If you benefit the people of the world, you will attain their support. If you harm the people of the world, you will face their opposition.
(聂送来 译)
3 君子之事上也,进思尽忠,退思补过。——《孝经·事君章》
In serving his sovereign the man of the talent and virtue considers how to discharge his duty faithfully while in office; when he retires, he considers how to make up for his own errors.
(刘瑞祥、林之鹤 译)
4 夫争天下者,必先争人。明大数者,得人;审小计者,失人。——《管子·霸言》
Whoever competes for the authority over the world should compete for the support of the people. The most sensible persons will win over the people. The sharp-witted but petty-minded ones will lose the support of the people.
(翟江月 译)
5 人欲见其所不见,视人所不窥;欲得其所不得,修人所不为。——《列子·仲尼》
If you want to see what you cannot see, you should watch with care what is neglected by others; if you want to get what is beyond your reach, you must do what others are unwilling to do.
6 物无非彼,物无非是。自彼则不见,自知则知之。——《庄子·齐物论》
Everything in the world has its "that side"; everything in the world has its "this side". What is ignored from "that side" may be perceived from "this side".
(汪榕培 译)
7 尺有所短,寸有所长;物有所不足,智有所不明。——《屈原·卜居》
A foot may be too short for something long; For something weak an inch is strong. Everything has its weak points; Sometimes a wise man disappoints.
(许渊冲 译)
8 有缘千里来相会,无缘对面不相逢。——施耐庵:《水浒传》
If fated, men come together though a thousand li apart; if not, they miss each other though they meet face to face.
(Sidney Shapiro 译)
9 扫除心上垢,洗净耳边尘。不受苦中苦,难为人上人。——吴承恩·《西游记》
Wipe the dust off your mind, /Wash out the dirt from your ear. /Without the most terrible suffering /You cannot be a great man.
(W. J. F. Jenner 译)
10 老吾老,以及人之老,幼吾幼,以及人之幼。——《孟子·梁惠王上》
Respecting my own elders, and extending this respect to the elders of others; caring for my own children, and extending this care to the children of others.
(选自 Comparative Literature and China)