已期二三同志，更处静地，扳留旬日，少效其鄙见，以求切劘之益：而公期俗绊，势有不能，别去极怏怏，如有所失。
–I would very much have liked to entertain you ten days, that I might use earnest effort on my own ideas, for the sake of the advantage of having them critically examined ； but at that time I was engaged in public and private affairs so that I wa
忽承笺惠，反复千余言，读之无甚浣慰，中间推许太过，盖亦奖掖之盛心，而规砺真切，思欲纳之于贤圣之域，又托诸崇一以致其勤勤恳恳之怀，此非深交笃爱何以及是：知感知愧，且惧其无以堪之也。
Then suddenly your kind letter arrived with an earnest discussion of over a thousand words.
As I read it I feel my mind cleansed and my heart comforted.
In your letter you praise me exceedingly, no doubt with the generous purpose of encouraging me and leading me forward.
Sincerely giving me advice and encouragement, you want to take me into the company of sages and worthies.
Moreover, you asked Ch'ung-i to give me your keenest regards.
How could you have done so much unless you had deep friendship and great love for me?
I am grateful and yet ashamed, and fear that I do not deserve all this.
虽然，仆亦何敢不自鞭勉，而徒以感愧辞让为乎哉！
However, how dare I merely engage in expressions of gratitude and compliance and fail to rouse myself to effort?
其谓“思、孟、周、程无意相遭于千载之下，与其尽信于天下，不若真信于一人；道固自在，学亦自在，天下信之不为多，一人信之不为少”者，斯固君子“不见是而无闷”之心，岂世之谫谫屑屑者知足以及之乎！
Your letter says that the philosophers Tzu-ssu, Mencius, Chou, and Ch'eng had no idea that they would mutually encounter one another a thousand years later.
It further says that complete acceptance of their philosophies by the entire world is not eq
乃仆之情，则有大不得已者存乎其间，而非以计人之信与不信也。
That I cannot remain silent within myself is not because I am concerned with having others believe or disbelieve me.
〔2〕夫人者，天地之心，天地万物本吾一体者也。
(2) Man is the mind of heaven and earth.
Heaven, earth, and all things are one structure with me.
二书
Third Letter to Nieh Wen-wei
生民之困苦荼毒，孰非疾痛之切于吾身者乎？
Who does not have compassion with the distress and sorrow of the people as though they were his own?
〔3〕后世良知之学不明，天下之人用其私智以相比轧，是以人各有心，而偏琐僻陋之见，狡伪阴邪之术，至于不可胜说：外假仁义之名，而内以行其自私自利之实，诡辞以阿俗，矫行以干誉：损人之善而袭以为己长，讦人之私而窃以为己直：忿以相胜而犹谓之徇义，险以相倾而犹谓之疾恶；妒贤忌能而犹自以为公是非，恣情纵欲而犹自以为同好恶；相陵相贼，自其一家骨肉之亲，已不能无尔我胜负之意、彼此藩篱之形，而况于天下之大，民物之众，又何能一体而视之？
(3) In later generations the learning based upon the intuitive faculty was obscured.
The people of the Empire used their own selfish wisdom in order to crush one another；for while everybody had a mind, prejudiced, petty, depraved, and vulgar views
则无怪于纷纷籍籍而祸乱相寻于无穷矣。
No wonder the world is confused and calamity and disorder endlessly succeed each other.
〔4〕仆诚赖天之灵，偶有见于良知之学，以为必由此而后天下可得而治。
(4) Thanks to divine guidance I happen to entertain certain views on innate knowledge, believing that only through it can order be brought to the world.
是以每念斯民之陷溺，则为之戚然痛心，忘其身之不肖，而思以此救之，亦不自知其量者。
Therefore whenever I think of people's degeneration and difficulties I feel pitiful and have a pain in my heart.
I overlook the fact that I am unworthy and wish to save them by this doctrine.And I do not know the limits of my ability.
天下之人见其若是，遂相与非笑而诋斥之，以为是病狂丧心之人耳。
When the people of the Empire see that I am about to act, they ridicule and slander me, considering me insane and out of my mind.
吾方疾痛之切体，而暇计人之非笑乎？
Have I who feel sore and distressed in person time to consider the ridicule of others?
人固有见其父子兄弟之坠溺于深渊者，呼号匍匐，裸跣颠顿，扳悬崖壁而下拯之。
Surely when a man sees his parent, son, or brother fall into a deep hole, he will cry out, crawl on his hands and knees, bare his feet, walk about wildly, drag himself down to the bank, and save the lost one.
其说是矣。
What is said is correct.
士之见者，方相与揖让谈笑于其旁，以为是弃其礼貌衣冠而呼号颠顿若此，是病狂丧心者也。
Some gentlemen who see them behave like this talk, laugh, and bow ceremoniously to one another by their side.
They consider them to be insane because they have discarded etiquette and taken off their clothing, and because they cry, stumble, and fall as they do.
故夫揖让谈笑于溺人之旁而不知救，此惟行路之人，无亲戚骨肉之情者能之，然已谓之无恻隐之心，非人矣；若夫在父子兄弟之爱者，则固未有不痛心疾首，狂奔尽气，匍匐而拯之，彼将陷溺之祸有不顾，而况于病狂丧心之讥乎？
The man who bows and smiles near the man in the pit and does not realize that he should rescue him, must be a traveler who lacks the feelings of genuine blood-relationship.
Thus it has been said that he who lacks the feeling of commiseration is not
而又况于蕲人信与不信乎？
How much, less will he ask whether others believe in him or not!
今之人虽谓仆为病狂丧心之人，亦无不可矣。
It is not impossible that the people of the present generation should say that I am insane and have lost my mind.
天下之人，皆吾之心也：天下之人犹有病狂者矣，吾安得而非病狂乎？
The minds of all people are the same as mine.
There are people who are insane.
How can I not be so?
犹有丧心者矣，吾安得而非丧心乎？
If they seem to have lost their minds, how can I be otherwise than distressed?
〔5〕昔者孔子之在当时，有议其为谄者，有讥其为佞者，有毁其未贤，诋其为不知礼，而侮之以为东家丘者，有嫉而沮之者，有恶而欲杀之者，晨门、荷蒉之徒，皆当时之贤士，且曰“是知其不可而为之者欤？”
(5) At the time of Confucius some judged him to be sycophantic, others thought him artful.
Some slandered him as not being virtuous and accused him of not observing the principles of propriety, insulting him as Ch'in from the eastern home.
Some
“鄙哉硁硁乎！
and that “he is contemptible and obstinate