曾子曰：「吾無顏氏之才，何以告汝。
Zengzi said, “I am not gifted like Master Yan32—what can I tell you?
雖無能，君子務益。
A man of quality, even if ungifted, strives to improve himself.
夫華多實少者，天也；言多行少者，人也。
That many flowers will bloom but few fruits form, please note, is due to Heaven’s nature; that many speeches will be made but few actions performed is due to human nature.
夫飛鳥以山為卑，而層巢其巔；魚鱉以淵為淺，而穿穴其中；然所以得者，餌也。
Birds in the air take mountains to be low and build multiple nests in their peaks; fish and turtles take watery abysses to be shallow and hollow out lairs in their depths, but one can still obtain them with tempting bait.
君子苟能無以利害身，則辱安從至乎！
If a man of standing is able to avoid allowing his desire for profit to harm his person, then how can he suffer disgrace?
官怠於宦成，病加於少愈，禍生於懈惰，孝衰於妻子：察此四者，慎終如始。
Officers grow lax on arriving at high position; illness increases just when a slight recovery seems at hand.
」詩曰：「靡不有初，鮮克有終。」
Disasters arise from inattentiveness, and filial devotion declines when one has a wife and children. One must be clear about these four things and be as careful of one’s end as of one’s beginning.
As is said in the Odes, ‘Those who fail to make good beginnings / Seldom have good ends.’”33 30 Zengzi: see 3.7, n. 13.