《菜根谭》英译（闻逆耳言、怀拂心事）

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。

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）