《中庸》英译（三十三）

诗曰：“衣锦尚絅。”恶其文之著也。故君子之道，暗然而日章；小人之道，的然而日亡。君子之道，淡而不厌，简而文，温而理；知远之近，知风之自，知微之显，可与入德矣。

诗云：“潜虽伏矣，亦孔之昭。”故君子内省不疚，无恶于志。君子之所不可及者，其唯人之所不见乎！  

诗云：“相在尔室，尚不愧于屋漏。”故君子不动而敬，不言而信。

诗曰：“奏假无言，时靡有争。”是故君子不赏而民劝，不怒而民威于鈇钺。

诗曰：“不显惟德！百辟其刑之。”是故君子笃恭而天下平。

诗云：“予怀明德，不大声以色。”子曰：“声色之于以化民，末也。”诗曰：“德輶如毛。”毛犹有伦。“上天之载，无声无臭。”至矣。

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XXXIII.

 

In the Book of Songs it is said:

“Over her brocaded robe.”

She wore a plain and simple dress, --in that way showing her dislike of the loudness of its colour and magnificence. Thus the life of the moral man is unobtrusive and yet it grows more and more in significance; whereas the life of the vulgar person is ostentatious but it loses more and more in significance until it becomes nothingness.

The life of the moral man is plain and yet not unattractive; it is simple and yet full of grace; it is easy and yet methodical. He knows that accomplishment of great things consists in doing little things well. He knows that great effects are produced by small causes. He knows the evidence and reality of what cannot be perceived by the senses. Thus he is enabled to enter into the world of ideas and morals.

 

In the Book of Songs it is said:

“How deep the fish may dive below,

And yet it is quite clearly seen.”

 

Therefore the moral man must examine into his own heart and see that he has no cause for self-reproach, that he has no evil thought in his mind. Wherein the more man is superior to other men consists even in that which is not seen by men.

 

In the Book of Songs it is said:

“In your secret chamber even you are judged;

See you do nothing to blush for,

Though but the ceiling looks down upon you.

 

Therefore the moral man, even when he is not doing anything, is serious; and, even when he does not speak, is truthful.

 

In the Book of Songs it is said: “All through the solemn rite not a word was spoken,

And yet all strife was banished from their hearts. ”

 

Hence the moral man, without the inducement of rewards, is able to make the people good; and without the show of anger, to awe them into fear more than if he had used the most dreadful instruments of punishment.

 

In the Book of Songs it is said:

“He makes no show of his moral worth,

Yet all the princes follow in his steps.”

 

Hence the moral man by living a life of simple truth and earnestness alone can help to bring peace and order in the world.

 

In the Book of Songs it is said:

“I’ll keep in mind the fine moral qualities which make no great noise or show.” Confucius remarked, “Among the means for the regeneration of mankind, those made with noise and show, are of the least importance.” In another place in the Book of Songs it is said, “His virtue is light as hair.” Still a hair is something material. “The workings of almighty God have neither sound nor smell.” There is nothing higher than that.