说苑/今夫世異則事變，事變則時移，時移則俗易。

今夫世異則事變，事變則時移，時移則俗易。

Eric Henry

When the world is different, affairs alter; when affairs alter, times change; and, when times change, customs evolve.

是以君子先相其土地而裁其器，觀其俗而和其風，總眾議而定其教。

Eric Henry

That is why a man of quality examines the land before designing the tools he will use on it, observes customs so as to conform with them, and gains a comprehensive grasp of different opinions before putting his own teachings into definitive shape.

愚人有學遠射者，參矢而發；已射五步之內，又復參矢而發。

Eric Henry

There was a stupid man who, wishing to practice shooting arrows over long distances, aimed his arrows at the sky.

世以易矣，不更其儀，譬如愚人之學遠射。

Eric Henry

When his arrows went no farther than five paces, he persisted in shooting them at the sky.

Eric Henry

If one does not change one’s procedures in response to the world’s differences, then one will be like the stupid man practicing long-distance shooting.