下册摘录之。
the second of
其答徐成之二书，吾师自谓“天下是朱非陆，论定既久，一旦反之为难；二书姑为调停两可之说，使人自思得之。”
＃1 Concerning the two letters in reply to Hsü Ch'eng-chih, our Teacher felt that inasmuch as people had for a long time concluded that Chu Hsi was right and that Lu Hsiang-shan was wrong, it was difficult to reverse the trend overnight. ＃2 The two letters were meant as a compromise so that people can think for themselves and reach their own conclusions.
故元善录为下册之首者，意亦以是欤？
＃1 I believe Yüan-shan had the same idea when he included them at the beginning of the second stitched volume.
今朱、陆之辨明于天下久矣；洪刻先师文录，置二书于外集者，示未全也，故今不复录。
＃1 Now the debate between Chu Hsi and Lu Hsiang-shan has for a long time made clear to the world +[that Chu Hsi was wrong].
When I published our Teacher's Wen-lu +(Literary works) I placed the two letters among the additional works because they do not represent the complete views. ＃2 I have therefore not included them here.
其余指知，行之本体，莫详于答人论学与答周道通、陆清伯、欧阳崇一四书；而谓格物为学者用力日可见之地，莫详于答罗整庵一书。
＃1 Among the other six letters, the ideas on the original substance of knowledge and action are most fully expressed in the four letters in reply to someone about learning, to Chou Tao-t'ung, to Lu Yüan-ching, and to Ou-yang Ch'ung-i. ＃2 The idea that in the investigation of things the effort of the student gradually shows effect is most fully discussed in the letter in reply to Lo Cheng-an.
平生冒天下之非诋，推陷万死，一生遑遑然不忘讲学，惟恐吾人不闻斯道，流于功利、机智以日堕于匈狄、禽兽而不觉，其一体同物之心，譊譊终身，至于毙而后已；此孔、孟以来贤圣苦心，虽门人子弟未足以慰其情也；是情也，莫见于答聂文蔚之第一书：此皆仍元善所录之旧：而揭“必有事焉”即“致良知”功夫，明白简切，使人言下即得入手，此又莫详于答文蔚之第二书，故增录之。
＃1 Throughout his life our Teacher was the object of attack and of attempts to destroy him. ＃2 He had only one chance in ten thousand to live. ＃3 Yet he always kept himself busy and never relaxed his effort to expound the doctrine lest we might fail to hear it and drift into the pursuit of success and profit and opportunistic cunning, and degenerate to the level of barbarians and criminals without realizing it. ＃4 Because of his desire to form one body with all things, he talked and taught all his life and did not stop until death. ＃5 This is the bitter decision of self-sacrifice on the part of all sages and worthies, from Confucius and Mencius on down, and not even his disciples have been able to console him. ＃6 His feeling is most fully expressed in the first letter in reply to Nieh Wen-yü.
元善当时汹汹，乃能以身明斯道，卒至遭奸被斥，油油然惟以此生得闻斯学为庆，而绝无有纤芥愤郁不平之气。
＃1 All these six letters are reproduced as Yuan-shan recorded them. ＃2 I have task of extending the innate knowledge of the good to the utmost. ＃3 It does so in such a clear, simple, and concrete manner that people are enabled to carry the doctrine into practice as soon as they hear it. ＃4 Yüan-shan was at the time very busy and yet he was able personally to demonstrate the doctrine. ＃5 When at last he encountered enemies and was attacked +[as a member of the Wang school which was then severely condemned] he, with all gentleness and ease, regarded the opportunity to learn the doctrine as the greatest fortune in his life, and had not the least feeling of resentment or anger.
斯录之刻，人见其有功于同志甚大，而不知其处时之甚艰也。
＃1 People know that his publication of the letters was a great contribution to like-minded friends but do not realize the extremely difficult situation he was in.
今所去取，裁之时义则然，非忍有所加损于其间也。
＃1 In retaining six of the eight letters and omitting two, I do not mean to add or subtract anything from them without regret. ＃2 In view of the new developments, it is the proper thing to do.