先生与甘泉先生论“格物”之说。
The Teacher was at that time discussing the investigation of things with Kan-ch'iian,
甘泉持旧说。
who was holding to the old sayings.
先生日；“是求之于外了，”甘泉曰：“若以格物理为外，是自小其心也。”
The Teacher said, “That is to seek principles in external things.”Kan-ch'iian said, “If you consider the investigation of the principles of things as external, you are belittling your mind.”
后问希颜。
Later I asked Hsi-yen about it.
九川甚喜旧说之是。
I was much delighted to hear that the old theory was correct.
先生又论“尽心”一章，九川一闻却遂无疑。
Chiu-ch'uan was much delighted to have the old sayings defended as correct.The Teacher also discussed the chapter in Mencius which, treats of exhausting one's mental constitution.When Chiu-ch'uan heard this he no longer doubted.
后家居，复以“格物”遗质。
Later, when I was staying home, I further inquired of our teacher by letter on the doctrine of the investigation of things.
先生答云：“但能实地用功，久当自释。”
and the Teacher answered：“You need only use your energies in a true way, for then you will soon understand.''
山间乃自录《大学》旧本读之，觉朱子“格物”之说非是：然亦疑先生以意之所在为物，物字未明。
There in the mountains I myself copied the old text of the Great Learning and studied it.I felt that Chu Hsi's doctrine of the investigation of things was wrong.
However, I also felt that our Teacher's theory that wherever the will is directed it is a thing did not make clear what a thing was.
巳卯归自京师，再见先生于洪都。
In the fourteenth year of Cheng-te , I was returning from the capital and saw our Teacher again in Hung-tu.
先生兵务倥偬，乘隙讲授，首问：“近年用功何如？”
At the time, Wang was much, pressed with, military matters, so that he was able to confer with him only when he had a moment's leisure.
The first question Wang asked was regarding the progress he had made in his studies in recent years.
九川曰：“近年体验得‘明明德’功夫只是‘诚意’。
Chiu-ch'uan said that he had thoroughly investigated the fact that the manifesting of illustrious virtue really consisted in making one's purpose sincere.
自‘明明德于天下’，步步推入根源，到‘诚意’上再去不得，如何以前又有‘格致’工夫？
-^1 One cannot go any further.
I wondered why it was that before making the will sincere there had to be the two further steps of extending knowledge and investigating things. ^+1
后又体验，觉得意之诚伪必先知觉乃可，以颜子‘有不善未尝不知，知之未尝复行’为证，豁然若无疑：却又多了‘格物’工夫。
Later I pushed my investigation further and realized that it was first necessary to become conscious of the distinction between a sincere and a hypocritical purpose.In confirmation of this I used the case of the philosopher Yen, who, when he had don
又思来吾心之灵何有不知意之善恶？
Again I thought ： How is it that my cognitive powers did not know the good and evil of my purpose ?
只是物欲蔽了：须格去物欲，始能如颜子未尝不知耳。
However, because it is obscured by material desires.Therefore it is necessary to purge the mind of material desire before one can resemble Yen Hui in never failing to realize the wrong things one does.
又自疑功夫颠倒，与‘诚意’不成片段。
But then I suspected that the procedure was upside down and that these efforts did not form a unity with making the will sincere.
希颜曰：‘先生谓格物致知是诚意功夫，极好。’
and he said, 'The Teacher says that the investigation of things for the purpose of extending knowledge is the highest type of devotion to making one's purpose sincere.
九川曰：如何是诚意功夫？
I said, 'In what way is it devotion to making the purpose sincere ?
而希颜令再思体看。
Hsi Yen urged me to think once more and look carefully +at the original nature of a sincere purpose.
九川终不悟，请问。”
But to the end I did not understand.Please explain to me.”
先生曰：“惜哉！
The Teacher said, "Alas!
此可一言而悟，惟浚所举颜子事便是了。
This can be understood in one utterance, namely, the story you told about Yen Hui.
只要知身、心、意、知、物是一件。”
The important thing to know is that the personal life, the mind, the will, knowledge, and things are one.”