四书 The Four Books
《大学》 The Great Learning
《中庸》 The Doctrine of the Mean
《论语》 The Confucian Analects
《孟子》 The Works of Mencius
《论语》The Confucian Analects
学而时习之，不亦说乎？
It is indeed a pleasure to acquire knowledge and, as you go on acquiring, to put into practice what you have acquired.
有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎?
A greater pleasure still it is when friends of congenial minds come from afar to seek you because of your attainments.
温故而知新，可以为师矣。
If a man will constantly go over what he has acquired and keep continually adding to it new acquirements, he may become a teacher of men.
学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。
Study without thinking is labor lost. Thinking without study is perilous.
君子周而不比，小人比而不周。
A wise man is impartial, not neutral. A fool is neutral but not impartial.
知之为知之，不知为不知，是知也。
To know what it is that you know, and to know what it is that you do not know, —that is understanding.辜鸿铭 译
《孟子》The Works of Mencius
故天将降大任于斯人也，必先苦其心志，劳其筋骨、饿其体肤，空乏其身，行拂乱其所为，所以动心忍性，曾益其所不能。
Thus when Heaven is going to give a great responsibility to someone, it first makes his mind endure suffering. It makes his sinews and bones experience toil, and his body to suffer hunger. It inflicts him with poverty and knocks down everything he tries to build. In this way Heaven stimulates his mind, stabilizes his temper and develops his weak points.
爱人者，人恒爱之；敬人者，人恒敬之。
He who loves others is constantly loved by them. He who respects others is constantly respected by them.理雅各 译
五经 The Five Classics
《诗经》 The Book of Songs/The Book of Odes
《书经》（《尚书》） The Book of History
《易经》（《周易》） The Book of Changes
《礼记》 The Book of Rites
《春秋》 The Spring-Autumn Annals
《诗经》The Book of Songs
《关睢》节选 GUAN JU
关关雎鸠，在河之洲。
窈宨淑女，君子好逑。
Guan-guan go the ospreys,
On the islet in the river.
The modest, retiring, virtuous, young lady :
–For our prince a good mate she.
《子衿》ZI JIN
青青子衿，悠悠我心。
纵我不往，子宁不嗣音。
青青子佩，悠悠我思。
纵我不往，子宁不来。
挑兮达兮，在城阙兮。
一日不见，如三月兮。
O you , with the blue collar,
Prolonged is the anxiety of my heart.
Although I do not go [to you],
Why do you not continue your messages [to me]?
O you with the blue [strings to your] girdle-gems,Long , long do I think of you.
Although I do not go [to you],
Why do you not come [to me]?
How volatile are you and dissipated,
By the look-out tower on the wall!
One day without the sight of you,
Is like three months.
《击鼓》节选 JI GU
死生契阔，与子成说。
执子之手，与子偕老。
For life or for death, however separated,
To our wives we pledged our word.
We held their hands;
—We were to grow old together with them.
理雅各 译
典籍名著 Ancient Books
《史记》 Records of the Historian
《山海经》 The Classic of Mountains and Rivers
《本草纲目》 Compendium of Materia Medica
《资治通鉴》 History Retold as a Mirror for Rulers
《西厢记》The Romance of West Chamber
《三国演义》 Romance of the Three Kingdoms
《水浒传》 Outlaws of the Marsh
《西游记》 Journey to the West
《红楼梦》 A Dream of Red Mansions
《聊斋志异》Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio
《史记》Records of the Historian
桃李不言下自成蹊。《史记•李将军传》
The peach and the plum do not speak, yet a path is born beneath them.
燕雀安知鸿鹄之志哉! 《史记•陈涉世家》
Can a sparrow know a wild swan’s ambition?杨宪益 译
《红楼梦》A Dream of Red Mansions
泪光点点，娇喘微微。
闲静时如姣花照水，
行动处似弱柳扶风。
Her eyes sparkled with tears,
her breath was soft and faint.
In repose she was like a lovely flower mirrored in the water;
in motion, pliant willow swaying in the wind.
杨宪益、戴乃迭 译
《西厢记》The Romance of West Chamber
霎时间杯盘狼藉，车儿投东，马儿向西
They remove in a moment dish and cupThe cab goes down, the horse goes up.
晓来谁染霜林醉? 总是离人泪。
Why like wine-flushed face is frosted forest red? It ‘s dyed in tears the parting lovers shed.许渊冲 译
《弟子规》Standard for Students
弟子规 圣人训 首孝悌 次谨信
These standards for students are guidelines,
handed down to us by Ancient Stages.
First, obey and care for your parents,
and then practice true brotherhood.
泛爱众 而亲仁 有余力 则学文
Learn to be careful and honest,
and cherish all living beings.
Draw near to good-hearted people,
and study whenever you can.
父母呼 应勿缓 父母命 行勿懒
When mother and father are calling,
answer them right away.
When they give you instructions,
obey them without hesitation.
父母教 须敬听 父母责 须顺承
When your parents need to instruct you,
respectfully do as you’re told.
Whenever your parents must scold you,
acknowledge your errors and faults.
冬则温 夏则凊 晨则省 昏则定
In the winter make sure they are warm,
in the summer make sure they are cool.
Each morning cheerfully greet them,
at night see their rest is secure.
佚名 译
《三字经》Three-character Scripture
人之初，性本善。性相近，习相远。
Man on earth, good at birth.
The same nature, varies on nurture.
苟不教，性乃迁。教之道，贵以专。
With no education, there‘d be aberration.
To teach well, you deeply dwell.
昔孟母，择邻处，子不学，断机杼。
Then Mencius‘ mother, chose her neighbor.
At Mencius sloth, she cut th‘ cloth.
养不教，父之过。教不严，师之惰。
What‘s a father? A good teacher.
What‘s a teacher? A strict preacher.
玉不琢，不成器。人不学，不知义。
No jade crude, shows craft good.
Unless you learn, brute you‘ll turn.
为人子，方少时，亲师友，习礼仪。
Son of man, mature you can.
Teacher or peer, hold them dear.
融四岁，能让梨。弟于长，宜先知。
Aged four years, Rong proffered pears.
Bear in mind, fraternally be kind.
头悬梁，锥刺股。彼不教，自勤苦。
Head hung high!
Needled his thigh! Not pushed,
they kept working away.