说苑/孔子曰：「鯉，君子不可以不學，見人不可以不飾。

孔子曰：「鯉，君子不可以不學，見人不可以不飾。

Eric Henry

Kongzi said, “Li, a man of quality cannot but engage in study and, in meeting people, cannot but groom himself correctly.

不飾則無根，無根則失理，失理則不忠，不忠則失禮，失禮則不立。

Eric Henry

If he does not do this, he will lack countenance; if he lacks countenance, he will not achieve intimacy; if he does not achieve intimacy, he will be lacking in steadfastness; if he lacks steadfastness, he will fail in meeting his ritually prescribed obligations; and, if he fails in these obligations, he will not establish himself.

夫遠而有光者飾也；近而逾明者學也。

Eric Henry

That which produces an excellent effect at a distance, let us note, is grooming, whereas that which makes a man attractive at close range is study.

譬之如污池，水潦注焉，菅蒲生焉，從上觀之，誰知其非源也。」

Eric Henry

To use drainage fields as an example, rain water pours in and collects in such places, and fresh green reeds spring up in them.

Eric Henry

Looking at them from above, who would know that they had no fresh-water springs?