疾风怒雨，禽鸟戚戚；霁日光风，草木欣欣。可见天地不可一日无和气，人心不可一日无喜神。

 

【译文】在狂风暴雨中，飞禽走兽会感到忧伤惶惶不安；风和日丽会使花草树木者充满欣欣向荣的生机。从这些自然现象中可看到，天地间不可以一天没有祥和安宁之气，人的心中不能够一天没有愉快喜悦的心情。 

 

【英文译文】When the wind rages and the rain beats down, even the birds seem woebegone. But when the rain ceases to pelt and the wind subsides, the very grass and trees bloom luxuriantly in the fresh sunshine. So, if the world cannot do without a period of sanctified peace during a day’s time, then men can definitely not tolerate a single day with their hearts totally bereft of joy.

（保罗·怀特 译）

 

When the wind rages and the rain pours down, even the birds and beasts are caught in tragedy. But when the sun comes out shining and the wind turns mild, the very grasses and trees are all immersed in delightfulness. Thus it can be seen that in Nature—not a single day could pass peacefully unless celestial and terrestrial forces go in harmony; and in the world of men—not a single day could be spent well if people are deprived of happy mood.

（周文标 译）

 

 

耳中常闻逆耳之言，心中常有拂心之事，才是进德修身的砥石。若言言悦耳，事事快心，便把生埋在鸩毒中矣。

 

【译文】耳中能够经常听到一些不中听的话，心中常想到一些不顺心的事，这样才是修身养性提高道行的磨砺方法；如果听到的句句话都是顺耳的，遇到的件件事都顺心，那就等于把自己的一生葬送在毒酒中了。 

 

【英文译文】The frequent hearing of what we do not want to hear, and the frequent pondering of what troubles the mind act like a whetstone upon which we refine our nature and conduct. If everything we hear is pleasant to the ear, and everything we contemplate is pleasant to the mind, that is no different from steeping our lives in poisoned wine.

（保罗·怀特 译）

 

Constantly hearing words unpleasant to the ear and constantly meditating on things unpleasant to the mind are worth a whetstone upon which we cultivate our moral characters and refine our temperaments. If we always contemplate ever word we hear being pleasant to the ear and everything we come into contact with pleasant to the mind, it would be no more than soaking ourselves in poisoned wine.

（周文标 译）

 

 

 涉世浅，点染亦浅；历世深，机械亦深。故君子与其练达，不若朴鲁；与其曲谨，不若疏狂。

 

【译文】一个刚踏入社会的人阅历很浅，所以沾染各种社会不良习惯的机会也较少；一个饱经世事的人，经历的事情多了，城府也随着加深。所以君子与其 处事圆滑，不如保持朴实的个性：与其事事小心谨慎委曲求全，倒不如豁达 一些才不会丧失纯真的本性。

 

【英文译文】A man with only slight experience of the world will likewise be only slightly stained with its impurities. A man well-versed in the ways of the world will likewise be replete with its tricks and treacheries. Therefore, it is better for the upright man to preserve the plainness of his inborn nature than to take pains to acquire worldly wisdom. It is also better for him to remain uninhibited and straightforward than to be equivocal and compromising.

（Paul White 译）

 

Those who mind the world lightly are also lightly stained by it; those who enter deeply into worldly affairs are mired in its calculating ways. Thus noble persons would rather be naïve than clever, relaxed rather than bent upon trifles.

（Robert Aitken & Daniel W. Y. Kwok 译）

 

A person who is less experienced in the world will equally be less stained with its undesirable trends. A person who has seen more of the world will equally be more trickery and crafty. It is therefore worthwhile for a man of moral integrity to remain honest and straightforward rather than become scheming and calculating, and remain large-mined and unrestrained rather than become overcautious and fainthearted.

（周文标 译）

 

One who has known little of the world will be little infected with its bad ways; one who has gained much experience of life will gain much worldly wisdom. Thus rather than experienced and worldly-wise, the junzi gentleman would be simple and slow-witted; rather than conciliatory and overcautious, he would be unrestrained and bold.

（蒋坚松 译）