執天子之器則上衡，國君則平衡，大夫則綏之，士則提之。
When a thing is carried with both hands, it should be held on a level with the heart; when with one hand, on a level with the girdle.
An article belonging to the son of Heaven should be held higher than the heart; one belonging to a ruler of a state, on a level with it; one belonging to a Great officer, lower than it; and one belonging to an (inferior) officer should be carried lower still.
聘禮，上公七介，侯、伯五介，子、男三介，所以明貴賤也。
According to the ceremonies in missions, a duke of the highest grade sent seven attendants with (his representative); a marquis or earl, five; and a count or baron, three.
The difference in number served to show the difference in rank of their principals.
凡執主器，執輕如不克。
When one is holding an article belonging to his lord, though it may be light, he should seem unable to sustain it.
In the case of a piece of silk, or a rank-symbol of jade, square or round, he should keep his left hand over it.
He should not lift his feet in walking, but trail his heels like the wheels of a carriage.
執主器，操幣圭璧，則尚左手，行不舉足，車輪曳踵。
When one is holding an article belonging to his lord, though it may be light, he should seem unable to sustain it.
In the case of a piece of silk, or a rank-symbol of jade, square or round, he should keep his left hand over it.
He should not lift his feet in walking, but trail his heels like the wheels of a carriage.
至於家，入門左，升自西階，殯東，西面坐，哭盡哀，括髮袒，降堂東即位，西鄉哭，成踴，襲絰于序東，絞帶。
When he came to the house, he entered the gate at the left side of it, (passed through the court), and ascended to the hall by the steps on the west.
He knelt on the east of the coffin, with his face to the west, and wailed, giving full vent to his grief.
He (then) tied up his hair in a knot, bared his arms, and went down from the hall, proceeding to his place on the east, where he wailed towards the west.
Having completed the leaping, he covered his arms and put on his sash of sackcloth in the corridor on the east; and after tucking up the ends of his sash, he returned to his place.
He bowed to the visitors, leaping with them, and escorted them (to the gate), returning (afterwards) to his place.
When other visitors arrived, he bowed to them, leaped with them, and escorted them - all in the same way. (After this), all the principal mourners, with their cousins, went out at the gate, stopping there while they wailed.
The gate was then closed, and the director told them to go to the mourning shed.
反位，拜賓成踴，送賓，反位；有賓後至者，則拜之，成踴、送賓皆如初。
When he came to the house, he entered the gate at the left side of it, (passed through the court), and ascended to the hall by the steps on the west.
He knelt on the east of the coffin, with his face to the west, and wailed, giving full vent to his grief.
He (then) tied up his hair in a knot, bared his arms, and went down from the hall, proceeding to his place on the east, where he wailed towards the west.
Having completed the leaping, he covered his arms and put on his sash of sackcloth in the corridor on the east; and after tucking up the ends of his sash, he returned to his place.
He bowed to the visitors, leaping with them, and escorted them (to the gate), returning (afterwards) to his place.
When other visitors arrived, he bowed to them, leaped with them, and escorted them - all in the same way. (After this), all the principal mourners, with their cousins, went out at the gate, stopping there while they wailed.
The gate was then closed, and the director told them to go to the mourning shed.
眾主人兄弟皆出門，出門哭止；闔門，相者告就次。
When he came to the house, he entered the gate at the left side of it, (passed through the court), and ascended to the hall by the steps on the west.
He knelt on the east of the coffin, with his face to the west, and wailed, giving full vent to his grief.
He (then) tied up his hair in a knot, bared his arms, and went down from the hall, proceeding to his place on the east, where he wailed towards the west.
Having completed the leaping, he covered his arms and put on his sash of sackcloth in the corridor on the east; and after tucking up the ends of his sash, he returned to his place.
He bowed to the visitors, leaping with them, and escorted them (to the gate), returning (afterwards) to his place.
When other visitors arrived, he bowed to them, leaped with them, and escorted them - all in the same way. (After this), all the principal mourners, with their cousins, went out at the gate, stopping there while they wailed.
The gate was then closed, and the director told them to go to the mourning shed.
君於大夫，將葬，吊於宮；及出，命引之，三步則止。
When a Great officer of a state was about to be buried, its ruler (went to) condole with (his son) in the hall where the coffin was.
When it was being taken out, he ordered some one to draw the (bier-carriage) for him.
This moved on for three paces and stopped; in all for three times; afterwhich the ruler retired.
The same proceeding was gone through, when the bier entered the ancestral temple, and also at the place of (special) grief.
如是者三，君退；朝亦如之，哀次亦如之。
When a Great officer of a state was about to be buried, its ruler (went to) condole with (his son) in the hall where the coffin was.
When it was being taken out, he ordered some one to draw the (bier-carriage) for him.
This moved on for three paces and stopped; in all for three times; afterwhich the ruler retired.
The same proceeding was gone through, when the bier entered the ancestral temple, and also at the place of (special) grief.
立則磬折垂佩。
(A minister) should stand (with his back) curved in the manner of a sounding-stone, and his girdle-pendants hanging down.
Where his lord has his pendants hanging at his side, his should be hanging down in front; where his lord has them hanging in front, his should descend to the ground.
When one is holding any symbol of jade (to present it), if it be on a mat, he leaves it so exposed; if there be no mat, he covers it with (the sleeve of) his outer robe.
主佩倚，則臣佩垂。
(A minister) should stand (with his back) curved in the manner of a sounding-stone, and his girdle-pendants hanging down.
Where his lord has his pendants hanging at his side, his should be hanging down in front; where his lord has them hanging in front, his should descend to the ground.
When one is holding any symbol of jade (to present it), if it be on a mat, he leaves it so exposed; if there be no mat, he covers it with (the sleeve of) his outer robe.
主佩垂，則臣佩委。
(A minister) should stand (with his back) curved in the manner of a sounding-stone, and his girdle-pendants hanging down.
Where his lord has his pendants hanging at his side, his should be hanging down in front; where his lord has them hanging in front, his should descend to the ground.
When one is holding any symbol of jade (to present it), if it be on a mat, he leaves it so exposed; if there be no mat, he covers it with (the sleeve of) his outer robe.
執玉，其有藉者則裼；無藉者則襲。
(A minister) should stand (with his back) curved in the manner of a sounding-stone, and his girdle-pendants hanging down.
Where his lord has his pendants hanging at his side, his should be hanging down in front; where his lord has them hanging in front, his should descend to the ground.
When one is holding any symbol of jade (to present it), if it be on a mat, he leaves it so exposed; if there be no mat, he covers it with (the sleeve of) his outer robe.
是故古者天子以射選諸侯、卿、大夫、士。
Therefore, anciently, the son of Heaven chose the feudal lords, the dignitaries who were Great officers, and the officers, from their skill in archery.
Archery is specially the business of males, and there were added to it the embellishments of ceremonies and music.
Hence among the things which may afford the most complete illustration of ceremonies and music, and the frequent performance of which may serve to establish virtue and good conduct, there is nothing equal to archery: and therefore the ancient kings paid much attention to it.
射者，男子之事也，因而飾之以禮樂也。
Therefore, anciently, the son of Heaven chose the feudal lords, the dignitaries who were Great officers, and the officers, from their skill in archery.
Archery is specially the business of males, and there were added to it the embellishments of ceremonies and music.
Hence among the things which may afford the most complete illustration of ceremonies and music, and the frequent performance of which may serve to establish virtue and good conduct, there is nothing equal to archery: and therefore the ancient kings paid much attention to it.
故事之盡禮樂，而可數為，以立德行者，莫若射，故聖王務焉。
Therefore, anciently, the son of Heaven chose the feudal lords, the dignitaries who were Great officers, and the officers, from their skill in archery.
Archery is specially the business of males, and there were added to it the embellishments of ceremonies and music.
Hence among the things which may afford the most complete illustration of ceremonies and music, and the frequent performance of which may serve to establish virtue and good conduct, there is nothing equal to archery: and therefore the ancient kings paid much attention to it.
國君不名卿老世婦，大夫不名世臣侄娣，士不名家相長妾。
The ruler of a state should not call by their names his highest ministers, nor the two noble ladies of her surname, who accompanied his wife to the harem.
A Great officer should not call in that way an officer who had been employed by his father, nor the niece and younger sister of his wife (members of his harem). (Another) officer should not call by name the steward of his family, nor his principal concubine.
The son of a Great officer (of the king, himself equal to) a ruler, should not presume to speak of himself as 'I, the little son.
The son of a Great officer or (other) officer (of a state) should not presume to speak of himself as 'I, the inheriting son, so-and-so.' They should not so presume to speak of themselves as their heir-sons do.
君大夫之子，不敢自稱曰「余小子」；大夫士之子，不敢自稱曰「嗣子某」，不敢與世子同名。
The ruler of a state should not call by their names his highest ministers, nor the two noble ladies of her surname, who accompanied his wife to the harem.
A Great officer should not call in that way an officer who had been employed by his father, nor the niece and younger sister of his wife (members of his harem). (Another) officer should not call by name the steward of his family, nor his principal concubine.
The son of a Great officer (of the king, himself equal to) a ruler, should not presume to speak of himself as 'I, the little son.
The son of a Great officer or (other) officer (of a state) should not presume to speak of himself as 'I, the inheriting son, so-and-so.' They should not so presume to speak of themselves as their heir-sons do.
君使士射，不能，則辭以疾；言曰：「某有負薪之憂。」
When his ruler wishes an officer to take a place at an archery (meeting), and he is unable to do so, he should decline on the ground of being, ill, and say, 'I, so-and-so, am suffering from carrying firewood.'
儒有居處齊難，其坐起恭敬，言必先信，行必中正，道涂不爭險易之利，冬夏不爭陰陽之和，愛其死以有待也，養其身以有為也。
'The scholar, wherever he resides, ordinarily or only for a time, is grave as if he were apprehensive of difficulties; when seated or on foot, he is courteous and respectful; in speaking, his object is, first of all, to be sincere; in acting, he wishes to be exact and correct; on the road, he does not strive about the most difficult or easiest places; in winter and summer, he does not strive about the temperature, the light and shade; he guards against death that he may be in waiting (for whatever he may be called to); he attends well to his person that he maybe ready for action - such are his preparations and precautions for the future.
其備豫有如此者。
'The scholar, wherever he resides, ordinarily or only for a time, is grave as if he were apprehensive of difficulties; when seated or on foot, he is courteous and respectful; in speaking, his object is, first of all, to be sincere; in acting, he wishes to be exact and correct; on the road, he does not strive about the most difficult or easiest places; in winter and summer, he does not strive about the temperature, the light and shade; he guards against death that he may be in waiting (for whatever he may be called to); he attends well to his person that he maybe ready for action - such are his preparations and precautions for the future.
子夏曰：「敢問何謂三無私？」孔子曰：「天無私覆，地無私載，日月無私照。
Zi-xia said, 'Allow me to ask what you call the "Three Impartialities."' Confucius said, 'Heaven overspreads all without partiality; Earth sustains and contains all without partiality; the Sun and Moon shine on all without partiality.
Reverently displaying these three characteristics and thereby comforting all under heaven under the toils which they imposed, is what is called "the Three Impartialities." It is said in the Book of Poetry (IV, iii, ode 4, 3), "God in His favour Tang's House would not leave, And then Tang rose that favour to receive.
Tang's birth was not from Xie too far removed, His sagely reverence daily greater proved.
For long to Heaven his brilliant influence rose, And while his acts the fear of God disclose, God Tang as model fit for the nine regions chose" - such was the virtue of Tang.
奉斯三者以勞天下，此之謂三無私。
Zi-xia said, 'Allow me to ask what you call the "Three Impartialities."' Confucius said, 'Heaven overspreads all without partiality; Earth sustains and contains all without partiality; the Sun and Moon shine on all without partiality.
Reverently displaying these three characteristics and thereby comforting all under heaven under the toils which they imposed, is what is called "the Three Impartialities." It is said in the Book of Poetry (IV, iii, ode 4, 3), "God in His favour Tang's House would not leave, And then Tang rose that favour to receive.
Tang's birth was not from Xie too far removed, His sagely reverence daily greater proved.
For long to Heaven his brilliant influence rose, And while his acts the fear of God disclose, God Tang as model fit for the nine regions chose" - such was the virtue of Tang.
其在《詩》曰：『帝命不違，至於湯齊。
Zi-xia said, 'Allow me to ask what you call the "Three Impartialities."' Confucius said, 'Heaven overspreads all without partiality; Earth sustains and contains all without partiality; the Sun and Moon shine on all without partiality.
Reverently displaying these three characteristics and thereby comforting all under heaven under the toils which they imposed, is what is called "the Three Impartialities." It is said in the Book of Poetry (IV, iii, ode 4, 3), "God in His favour Tang's House would not leave, And then Tang rose that favour to receive.
Tang's birth was not from Xie too far removed, His sagely reverence daily greater proved.
For long to Heaven his brilliant influence rose, And while his acts the fear of God disclose, God Tang as model fit for the nine regions chose" - such was the virtue of Tang.