曾子曰：「鳥之將死，必有悲聲。
Zengzi said, “When a bird is about to die, its cries will assuredly be mournful.
君子集大辟，必有順辭。
When a man of quality faces execution, his speech will assuredly be apt.
禮有三儀，知之乎？
The ritual code has three principles—do you know what they are?” “I don’t,” said Meng Yi.
」對曰：「不識也。
“Sit down and I’ll tell you,” said Zengzi.
」曾子曰：「坐，吾語汝。
A man of quality cultivates ritual so that he may establish his aims—in this way, greed does not afflict him.
君子脩禮以立志，則貪欲之心不來。
A man of quality ponders ritual so that he may cultivate his behavior—in this way laziness and neglectful carelessness do not afflict him.
君子思禮以脩身，則怠惰慢易之節不至；君子脩禮以仁義，則忿爭暴亂之辭遠。
A man of quality cultivates ritual so as to develop human empathy and generosity—in this way, he remains a stranger to combative, quarrelsome speech.
若夫置尊俎，列籩豆，此有司之事也，君子雖勿能，可也。」
As for setting out cups and meat stands, or setting out vessels for sacrifice, these are the affairs of the functionaries assigned to them; even if a man of quality should not know how to do such things, it is no great matter.