君子以其可脩德，故近之。
Whenever tones arise, they come from the heart.
凡音之起，由人心生也。
When people’s hearts are stirred, it is owing to the agency of some external object.
人心之動，物使之然也。
Having first been moved to emotion by an object, the heart is then stirred, and this phenomenon takes the form of sound.
感於物而後動，故形於聲。
Influencing each other, the sounds evolve and at length assume a definite form, called “tones.” When these tones are laid out in sequence and performed together with staff-and-feathered-pennant dancing, the result is called “music.” Music has its starting point in tones.
聲相應，故生變。
Its basis is the emotional response produced by external things in the human heart.
變成方，謂之音。
Thus, music that arouses sadness is made up of urgent sounds that follow swiftly on each other.
比音而樂之，及干戚羽旄，謂之樂。
Music that arouses happiness is made up of sounds that are leisurely and broadly spaced; music that arouses gaiety is made up of sounds that are clear and ringing; music that arouses wrath is made up of sounds that are coarse and piercing.
樂者，音之所由生也。
Music that arouses reverence is made up of sounds that are correct and composed; and music that arouses affection is made up of sounds that are harmonious and well adjusted.
其本在人心之感於物。
The good and evil things that people do come not from their inherent natures, but rather from feelings that are themselves responses to external things.
是故其哀心感者，其聲噍以殺；其樂心感者，其聲嘽以緩；其喜心感者，其聲發以散；其怒心感者，其聲壯以厲；其敬心感者，其聲直以廉；其愛心感者，其聲和以調。
For this reason the former kings were careful with regard to objects that engender feelings.
人之善惡，非性也，感於物而後動，是故先王慎所以感之。
Thus, ritual was used to settle people’s intentions; music was used to harmonize their natures; government was used to unify their actions; and punishments were used as a safeguard against dishonest actions.
故禮以定其意，樂以和其性，政以一其行，刑以防其姦。
The ultimate aim of ritual, music, government, and punishment was the same.
禮樂刑政，其極一也，所以同民心而立治其道也。
They were the means used to unite people’s hearts and establish procedures of rule.