禮有五經，莫重於祭。
Of all the methods for the good ordering of men, there is none more urgent than the use of ceremonies.
Ceremonies are of five kinds, and there is none of them more important than sacrifices.
Sacrifice is not a thing coming to a man from without; it issues from within him, and has its birth in his heart.
When the heart is deeply moved, expression is given to it by ceremonies; and hence, only men of ability and virtue can give complete exhibition to the idea of sacrifice.
夫祭者，非物自外至者也，自中出生於心也；心怵而奉之以禮。
Of all the methods for the good ordering of men, there is none more urgent than the use of ceremonies.
Ceremonies are of five kinds, and there is none of them more important than sacrifices.
Sacrifice is not a thing coming to a man from without; it issues from within him, and has its birth in his heart.
When the heart is deeply moved, expression is given to it by ceremonies; and hence, only men of ability and virtue can give complete exhibition to the idea of sacrifice.
是故，唯賢者能盡祭之義。
Of all the methods for the good ordering of men, there is none more urgent than the use of ceremonies.
Ceremonies are of five kinds, and there is none of them more important than sacrifices.
Sacrifice is not a thing coming to a man from without; it issues from within him, and has its birth in his heart.
When the heart is deeply moved, expression is given to it by ceremonies; and hence, only men of ability and virtue can give complete exhibition to the idea of sacrifice.
祭者，所以追養繼孝也。
It is by sacrifice that the nourishment of parents is followed up and filial duty to them Perpetuated.
The filial heart is a storehouse (of all filial duties).
Compliance with everything that can mark his course, and be no violation of the relation (between parent and child) - the keeping of this is why we call it a storehouse.
Therefore in three ways is a filial son's service of his parents shown - while they are alive, by nourishing them; when they are dead, by all the rites of mourning; and when the mourning is over by sacrificing to them.
In his nourishing them we see his natural obedience; in his funeral rites we see his sorrow; in his sacrifices we see his reverence and observance of the (proper) seasons.
In these three ways we see the practice of a filial son.
孝者畜也。
It is by sacrifice that the nourishment of parents is followed up and filial duty to them Perpetuated.
The filial heart is a storehouse (of all filial duties).
Compliance with everything that can mark his course, and be no violation of the relation (between parent and child) - the keeping of this is why we call it a storehouse.
Therefore in three ways is a filial son's service of his parents shown - while they are alive, by nourishing them; when they are dead, by all the rites of mourning; and when the mourning is over by sacrificing to them.
In his nourishing them we see his natural obedience; in his funeral rites we see his sorrow; in his sacrifices we see his reverence and observance of the (proper) seasons.
In these three ways we see the practice of a filial son.
順於道不逆於倫，是之謂畜。
It is by sacrifice that the nourishment of parents is followed up and filial duty to them Perpetuated.
The filial heart is a storehouse (of all filial duties).
Compliance with everything that can mark his course, and be no violation of the relation (between parent and child) - the keeping of this is why we call it a storehouse.
Therefore in three ways is a filial son's service of his parents shown - while they are alive, by nourishing them; when they are dead, by all the rites of mourning; and when the mourning is over by sacrificing to them.
In his nourishing them we see his natural obedience; in his funeral rites we see his sorrow; in his sacrifices we see his reverence and observance of the (proper) seasons.
In these three ways we see the practice of a filial son.
是故，孝子之事親也，有三道焉：生則養，沒則喪，喪畢則祭。
It is by sacrifice that the nourishment of parents is followed up and filial duty to them Perpetuated.
The filial heart is a storehouse (of all filial duties).
Compliance with everything that can mark his course, and be no violation of the relation (between parent and child) - the keeping of this is why we call it a storehouse.
Therefore in three ways is a filial son's service of his parents shown - while they are alive, by nourishing them; when they are dead, by all the rites of mourning; and when the mourning is over by sacrificing to them.
In his nourishing them we see his natural obedience; in his funeral rites we see his sorrow; in his sacrifices we see his reverence and observance of the (proper) seasons.
In these three ways we see the practice of a filial son.
養則觀其順也，喪則觀其哀也，祭則觀其敬而時也。
It is by sacrifice that the nourishment of parents is followed up and filial duty to them Perpetuated.
The filial heart is a storehouse (of all filial duties).
Compliance with everything that can mark his course, and be no violation of the relation (between parent and child) - the keeping of this is why we call it a storehouse.
Therefore in three ways is a filial son's service of his parents shown - while they are alive, by nourishing them; when they are dead, by all the rites of mourning; and when the mourning is over by sacrificing to them.
In his nourishing them we see his natural obedience; in his funeral rites we see his sorrow; in his sacrifices we see his reverence and observance of the (proper) seasons.
In these three ways we see the practice of a filial son.
盡此三道者，孝子之行也。
It is by sacrifice that the nourishment of parents is followed up and filial duty to them Perpetuated.
The filial heart is a storehouse (of all filial duties).
Compliance with everything that can mark his course, and be no violation of the relation (between parent and child) - the keeping of this is why we call it a storehouse.
Therefore in three ways is a filial son's service of his parents shown - while they are alive, by nourishing them; when they are dead, by all the rites of mourning; and when the mourning is over by sacrificing to them.
In his nourishing them we see his natural obedience; in his funeral rites we see his sorrow; in his sacrifices we see his reverence and observance of the (proper) seasons.
In these three ways we see the practice of a filial son.
子曰：「禹立三年，百姓以仁遂焉，豈必盡仁？
The Master said, 'When Yu had been on the throne three years, the humanity of the common people was in accordance with his - was it necessary that all (at court) should be perfectly virtuous?
It is said in the Book of Poetry (II, v, ode 7, 1), "Awe-inspiring are you, O (Grand-)Master Yin, And the people all look up to you." It is said in the Punishments of Fu (V, xxvii, 13), "I, the One man, will have felicity, and the millions of the people will look to you as their sure dependence." It is said in the Da Ya (III, i, ode 9, 3), "King Wu secured the people's faith, And gave to all the law."'
《詩》云：『赫赫師尹，民具爾瞻。』《甫刑》曰：『一人有慶，兆民賴之。』《大雅》曰：『成王之孚，下土之式。』」
The Master said, 'When Yu had been on the throne three years, the humanity of the common people was in accordance with his - was it necessary that all (at court) should be perfectly virtuous?
It is said in the Book of Poetry (II, v, ode 7, 1), "Awe-inspiring are you, O (Grand-)Master Yin, And the people all look up to you." It is said in the Punishments of Fu (V, xxvii, 13), "I, the One man, will have felicity, and the millions of the people will look to you as their sure dependence." It is said in the Da Ya (III, i, ode 9, 3), "King Wu secured the people's faith, And gave to all the law."'
鼓：○□○○□□○□○○□。
[This appears to be a representation of the progress of a game by means of small circles and squares.
The circles indicating blows on a small drum called phi, and the squares blows on the larger drum (gu) - according, we may suppose, to certain events in the game.
The 'drum' marks are followed by what are called 'halves' or semis.]
半：○□○□○○○□□○□○。
[This appears to be a representation of the progress of a game by means of small circles and squares.
The circles indicating blows on a small drum called phi, and the squares blows on the larger drum (gu) - according, we may suppose, to certain events in the game.
The 'drum' marks are followed by what are called 'halves' or semis.]
魯鼓。
[This appears to be a representation of the progress of a game by means of small circles and squares.
The circles indicating blows on a small drum called phi, and the squares blows on the larger drum (gu) - according, we may suppose, to certain events in the game.
The 'drum' marks are followed by what are called 'halves' or semis.]
○□○○○□□○□○○□□○□○○□□○。
[This appears to be a representation of the progress of a game by means of small circles and squares.
The circles indicating blows on a small drum called phi, and the squares blows on the larger drum (gu) - according, we may suppose, to certain events in the game.
The 'drum' marks are followed by what are called 'halves' or semis.]
半：○□○○○□□○。
[This appears to be a representation of the progress of a game by means of small circles and squares.
The circles indicating blows on a small drum called phi, and the squares blows on the larger drum (gu) - according, we may suppose, to certain events in the game.
The 'drum' marks are followed by what are called 'halves' or semis.]
薛鼓。
[This appears to be a representation of the progress of a game by means of small circles and squares.
The circles indicating blows on a small drum called phi, and the squares blows on the larger drum (gu) - according, we may suppose, to certain events in the game.
The 'drum' marks are followed by what are called 'halves' or semis.]
取半以下為投壺禮，盡用之為射禮。
[This appears to be a representation of the progress of a game by means of small circles and squares.
The circles indicating blows on a small drum called phi, and the squares blows on the larger drum (gu) - according, we may suppose, to certain events in the game.
The 'drum' marks are followed by what are called 'halves' or semis.]
是以古者婦人先嫁三月，祖禰未毀，教于公宮，祖禰既毀，教于宗室，教以婦德、婦言、婦容、婦功。
Therefore, anciently, for three months before the marriage of a young lady, if the temple of the high ancestor (of her surname) were still standing (and she had admission to it), she was taught in it, as the public hall (of the members of her surname); if it were no longer standing (for her), she was taught in the public hall of the Head of that branch of the surname to which she belonged - she was taught there the virtue, the speech, the carriage, and the work of a wife.
When the teaching was accomplished, she offered a sacrifice (to the ancestor), using fish for the victim, and soups made of duckweed and pondweed.
So was she trained to the obedience of a wife.
教成祭之，牲用魚，芼之以蘋藻，所以成婦順也。
Therefore, anciently, for three months before the marriage of a young lady, if the temple of the high ancestor (of her surname) were still standing (and she had admission to it), she was taught in it, as the public hall (of the members of her surname); if it were no longer standing (for her), she was taught in the public hall of the Head of that branch of the surname to which she belonged - she was taught there the virtue, the speech, the carriage, and the work of a wife.
When the teaching was accomplished, she offered a sacrifice (to the ancestor), using fish for the victim, and soups made of duckweed and pondweed.
So was she trained to the obedience of a wife.
司射、庭長及冠士立者皆屬賓黨，樂人及使者、童子皆屬主黨。
The superintendent of the archery, the overseer of the courtyard, and the capped officers who stood by, all belonged to the party of the guest.
The musicians and the boys who acted as attendants, all belonged to the party of the host.
Source: Chinese Text Project http://ctext.org/liji.
English translation "Sacred Books of the East, volume 28, part 4: The Li Ki", James Legge, 1885
人生而靜，天之性也；感於物而動，性之欲也。
It belongs to the nature of man, as from Heaven, to be still at his birth.
His activity shows itself as he is acted on by external things, and developes the desires incident to his nature.
Things come to him more and more, and his knowledge is increased.
Then arise the manifestations of liking and disliking.
When these are not regulated by anything within, and growing knowledge leads more astray without, he cannot come back to himself, and his Heavenly principle is extinguished.
物至知知，然後好惡形焉。
It belongs to the nature of man, as from Heaven, to be still at his birth.
His activity shows itself as he is acted on by external things, and developes the desires incident to his nature.
Things come to him more and more, and his knowledge is increased.
Then arise the manifestations of liking and disliking.
When these are not regulated by anything within, and growing knowledge leads more astray without, he cannot come back to himself, and his Heavenly principle is extinguished.
好惡無節於內，知誘於外，不能反躬，天理滅矣。
It belongs to the nature of man, as from Heaven, to be still at his birth.
His activity shows itself as he is acted on by external things, and developes the desires incident to his nature.
Things come to him more and more, and his knowledge is increased.
Then arise the manifestations of liking and disliking.
When these are not regulated by anything within, and growing knowledge leads more astray without, he cannot come back to himself, and his Heavenly principle is extinguished.