道也者，不可須臾離也，可離非道也。
What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance with this nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path is called Instruction.
The path may not be left for an instant.
If it could be left, it would not be the path.
On this account, the superior man does not wait till he sees things, to be cautious, nor till he hears things, to be apprehensive.
There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute.
Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.
While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, the mind may be said to be in the state of Equilibrium.
When those feelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, there ensues what may be called the state of Harmony.
This Equilibrium is the great root from which grow all the human actings in the world, and this Harmony is the universal path which they all should pursue.
Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.
是故君子戒慎乎其所不睹，恐懼乎其所不聞。
What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance with this nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path is called Instruction.
The path may not be left for an instant.
If it could be left, it would not be the path.
On this account, the superior man does not wait till he sees things, to be cautious, nor till he hears things, to be apprehensive.
There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute.
Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.
While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, the mind may be said to be in the state of Equilibrium.
When those feelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, there ensues what may be called the state of Harmony.
This Equilibrium is the great root from which grow all the human actings in the world, and this Harmony is the universal path which they all should pursue.
Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.
莫見乎隱，莫顯乎微。
What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance with this nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path is called Instruction.
The path may not be left for an instant.
If it could be left, it would not be the path.
On this account, the superior man does not wait till he sees things, to be cautious, nor till he hears things, to be apprehensive.
There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute.
Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.
While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, the mind may be said to be in the state of Equilibrium.
When those feelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, there ensues what may be called the state of Harmony.
This Equilibrium is the great root from which grow all the human actings in the world, and this Harmony is the universal path which they all should pursue.
Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.
故君子慎其獨也。
What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance with this nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path is called Instruction.
The path may not be left for an instant.
If it could be left, it would not be the path.
On this account, the superior man does not wait till he sees things, to be cautious, nor till he hears things, to be apprehensive.
There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute.
Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.
While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, the mind may be said to be in the state of Equilibrium.
When those feelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, there ensues what may be called the state of Harmony.
This Equilibrium is the great root from which grow all the human actings in the world, and this Harmony is the universal path which they all should pursue.
Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.
喜怒哀樂之未發，謂之中；發而皆中節，謂之和；中也者，天下之大本也；和也者，天下之達道也。
What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance with this nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path is called Instruction.
The path may not be left for an instant.
If it could be left, it would not be the path.
On this account, the superior man does not wait till he sees things, to be cautious, nor till he hears things, to be apprehensive.
There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute.
Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.
While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, the mind may be said to be in the state of Equilibrium.
When those feelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, there ensues what may be called the state of Harmony.
This Equilibrium is the great root from which grow all the human actings in the world, and this Harmony is the universal path which they all should pursue.
Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.
致中和，天地位焉，萬物育焉。
What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance with this nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path is called Instruction.
The path may not be left for an instant.
If it could be left, it would not be the path.
On this account, the superior man does not wait till he sees things, to be cautious, nor till he hears things, to be apprehensive.
There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute.
Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.
While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, the mind may be said to be in the state of Equilibrium.
When those feelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, there ensues what may be called the state of Harmony.
This Equilibrium is the great root from which grow all the human actings in the world, and this Harmony is the universal path which they all should pursue.
Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.
先王之立禮也，有本有文。
The rules as instituted by the ancient kings had their radical element and their outward and elegant form.
A true heart and good faith are their radical element.
The characteristics of each according to the idea of what is right in it are its outward and elegant form: Without the radical element, they could not have been established; without the elegant form, they could not have been put in practice.
忠信，禮之本也；義理，禮之文也。
The rules as instituted by the ancient kings had their radical element and their outward and elegant form.
A true heart and good faith are their radical element.
The characteristics of each according to the idea of what is right in it are its outward and elegant form: Without the radical element, they could not have been established; without the elegant form, they could not have been put in practice.
無本不正，無文不行。
The rules as instituted by the ancient kings had their radical element and their outward and elegant form.
A true heart and good faith are their radical element.
The characteristics of each according to the idea of what is right in it are its outward and elegant form: Without the radical element, they could not have been established; without the elegant form, they could not have been put in practice.
子曰：「君子不失足於人，不失色於人，不失口於人，是故君子貌足畏也，色足憚也，言足信也。
The Master said, 'The superior man takes no erroneous step before men, nor errs in the expression of his countenance, nor in the language of his speech.
Therefore his demeanour induces awe, his countenance induces fear, and his words produce confidence.
It is said in The Punishments of Fu (The Shu, V, xxvii, ii): "They were all reverence and caution.
They had no occasion to make choice of words in reference to their conduct."'
《甫刑》曰：『敬忌而罔有擇言在躬。』」
The Master said, 'The superior man takes no erroneous step before men, nor errs in the expression of his countenance, nor in the language of his speech.
Therefore his demeanour induces awe, his countenance induces fear, and his words produce confidence.
It is said in The Punishments of Fu (The Shu, V, xxvii, ii): "They were all reverence and caution.
They had no occasion to make choice of words in reference to their conduct."'
仲尼曰：「君子中庸，小人反中庸。
Zhong-ni said, "The superior man embodies the course of the Mean; the mean man acts contrary to the course of the Mean.
The superior man's embodying the course of the Mean is because he is a superior man, and so always maintains the Mean.
The mean man's acting contrary to the course of the Mean is because he is a mean man, and has no caution."
君子之中庸也，君子而時中；小人之中庸也，小人而無忌憚也。」
Zhong-ni said, "The superior man embodies the course of the Mean; the mean man acts contrary to the course of the Mean.
The superior man's embodying the course of the Mean is because he is a superior man, and so always maintains the Mean.
The mean man's acting contrary to the course of the Mean is because he is a mean man, and has no caution."
奔喪者非主人，則主人為之拜賓送賓。
If he who has hurried to be present at the rites were not the presiding mourner on the occasion, then that presiding mourner, instead of him, bowed to the visitors and escorted them.
君卷冕立於阼，夫人副褘立于房中。
The ruler, in his dragon-figured robe and cap with pendants, stood at the eastern steps; and his wife, in her head-dress and embroidered robe, stood in her room.
The ruler, with shoulder bared, met the victim at the gate; his wife brought in the stands for the dishes.
The ministers and Great officers assisted the ruler; their wives assisted his wife.
Each one discharged the duty proper to him or her.
Any officer who neglected his duty was severely punished; and throughout the kingdom there was a great acknowledgment of, and submission to, (the worth of the duke of Zhou).
君肉袒迎牲于門；夫人薦豆籩。
The ruler, in his dragon-figured robe and cap with pendants, stood at the eastern steps; and his wife, in her head-dress and embroidered robe, stood in her room.
The ruler, with shoulder bared, met the victim at the gate; his wife brought in the stands for the dishes.
The ministers and Great officers assisted the ruler; their wives assisted his wife.
Each one discharged the duty proper to him or her.
Any officer who neglected his duty was severely punished; and throughout the kingdom there was a great acknowledgment of, and submission to, (the worth of the duke of Zhou).
卿、大夫贊君，命婦贊夫人：各揚其職。
The ruler, in his dragon-figured robe and cap with pendants, stood at the eastern steps; and his wife, in her head-dress and embroidered robe, stood in her room.
The ruler, with shoulder bared, met the victim at the gate; his wife brought in the stands for the dishes.
The ministers and Great officers assisted the ruler; their wives assisted his wife.
Each one discharged the duty proper to him or her.
Any officer who neglected his duty was severely punished; and throughout the kingdom there was a great acknowledgment of, and submission to, (the worth of the duke of Zhou).
百官廢職服大刑，而天下大服。
The ruler, in his dragon-figured robe and cap with pendants, stood at the eastern steps; and his wife, in her head-dress and embroidered robe, stood in her room.
The ruler, with shoulder bared, met the victim at the gate; his wife brought in the stands for the dishes.
The ministers and Great officers assisted the ruler; their wives assisted his wife.
Each one discharged the duty proper to him or her.
Any officer who neglected his duty was severely punished; and throughout the kingdom there was a great acknowledgment of, and submission to, (the worth of the duke of Zhou).
禮從宜，使從俗。
In (observing) the rules of propriety, what is right (for the time and in the circumstances) should be followed.
In discharging a mission (to another state), its customs are to be observed.
禮，有以多為貴者：天子七廟，諸侯五，大夫三，士一。
In some ceremonial usages the multitude of things formed the mark of distinction, The son of Heaven had 7 shrines in his ancestral temple; the prince of a state, 5; Great officers, 3; and other officers, 1.
The dishes of the son of Heaven on stands were 26; of a duke, 16; of another prince, 12; of a Great officer of the upper class, 8; of one of the lower class, 6, To a prince there were given 7 attendants and 7 oxen; and to a Great officer, 5 of each, The son of Heaven sat on 5 mats placed over one another; a prince, on 3; and a Great officer, on 2.
When the son of Heaven died, he was buried after 7 months, in a fivefold coffin, with 8 plumes; a prince was buried after 5 months, in a threefold coffin, with 6 plumes; a Great officer after 3 months, in a twofold coffin, with 4 Plumes.
In these cases, the multitude of things was the mark of distinction.
天子之豆二十有六，諸公十有六，諸侯十有二，上大夫八，下大夫六。
In some ceremonial usages the multitude of things formed the mark of distinction, The son of Heaven had 7 shrines in his ancestral temple; the prince of a state, 5; Great officers, 3; and other officers, 1.
The dishes of the son of Heaven on stands were 26; of a duke, 16; of another prince, 12; of a Great officer of the upper class, 8; of one of the lower class, 6, To a prince there were given 7 attendants and 7 oxen; and to a Great officer, 5 of each, The son of Heaven sat on 5 mats placed over one another; a prince, on 3; and a Great officer, on 2.
When the son of Heaven died, he was buried after 7 months, in a fivefold coffin, with 8 plumes; a prince was buried after 5 months, in a threefold coffin, with 6 plumes; a Great officer after 3 months, in a twofold coffin, with 4 Plumes.
In these cases, the multitude of things was the mark of distinction.
諸侯七介七牢，大夫五介五牢。
In some ceremonial usages the multitude of things formed the mark of distinction, The son of Heaven had 7 shrines in his ancestral temple; the prince of a state, 5; Great officers, 3; and other officers, 1.
The dishes of the son of Heaven on stands were 26; of a duke, 16; of another prince, 12; of a Great officer of the upper class, 8; of one of the lower class, 6, To a prince there were given 7 attendants and 7 oxen; and to a Great officer, 5 of each, The son of Heaven sat on 5 mats placed over one another; a prince, on 3; and a Great officer, on 2.
When the son of Heaven died, he was buried after 7 months, in a fivefold coffin, with 8 plumes; a prince was buried after 5 months, in a threefold coffin, with 6 plumes; a Great officer after 3 months, in a twofold coffin, with 4 Plumes.
In these cases, the multitude of things was the mark of distinction.
天子之席五重，諸侯之席三重，大夫再重。
In some ceremonial usages the multitude of things formed the mark of distinction, The son of Heaven had 7 shrines in his ancestral temple; the prince of a state, 5; Great officers, 3; and other officers, 1.
The dishes of the son of Heaven on stands were 26; of a duke, 16; of another prince, 12; of a Great officer of the upper class, 8; of one of the lower class, 6, To a prince there were given 7 attendants and 7 oxen; and to a Great officer, 5 of each, The son of Heaven sat on 5 mats placed over one another; a prince, on 3; and a Great officer, on 2.
When the son of Heaven died, he was buried after 7 months, in a fivefold coffin, with 8 plumes; a prince was buried after 5 months, in a threefold coffin, with 6 plumes; a Great officer after 3 months, in a twofold coffin, with 4 Plumes.
In these cases, the multitude of things was the mark of distinction.
天子崩，七月而葬，五重八翣；諸侯五月而葬，三重六翣；大夫三月而葬，再重四翣。
In some ceremonial usages the multitude of things formed the mark of distinction, The son of Heaven had 7 shrines in his ancestral temple; the prince of a state, 5; Great officers, 3; and other officers, 1.
The dishes of the son of Heaven on stands were 26; of a duke, 16; of another prince, 12; of a Great officer of the upper class, 8; of one of the lower class, 6, To a prince there were given 7 attendants and 7 oxen; and to a Great officer, 5 of each, The son of Heaven sat on 5 mats placed over one another; a prince, on 3; and a Great officer, on 2.
When the son of Heaven died, he was buried after 7 months, in a fivefold coffin, with 8 plumes; a prince was buried after 5 months, in a threefold coffin, with 6 plumes; a Great officer after 3 months, in a twofold coffin, with 4 Plumes.
In these cases, the multitude of things was the mark of distinction.