先生曰：“固是事事要如此，须是识得个头脑乃可。
The Teacher said, “Of course one must act like this in everything.Nevertheless, one needs to know the basis.
义即是良知，晓得良知是个头脑，方无执着。
Righteousness is identical with innate knowledge.
Only when one realizes that innate knowledge is the basis can one be free from bias.
便是适莫。
this is setting the mind for or against things.
且如受人馈送，也有今日当受的，他日不当受的。
Take the acceptance of gifts.
Some should be accepted now but declined at other times.
也有今日不当受的，他日当受的。
Others should be declined now but accepted at other times.
便不是良知的本体。
That is not the original substance of innate knowledge.
〔2〕问：“‘思无邪’一言，如何便盖得三百篇之义？”
I asked, “How can the one sentence, ‘Have no depraved thought,' cover the meaning of three hundred poems in the Book of Odes?”
先生曰：“岂特三百篇？
The Teacher said: “Is it true that it covers only three hundred poems?
六经只此一言，便可该贯，以至穷古今天下圣贤的话。
but also the Six Classics and all the sayings of sages and worthies of the whole world, past and present.
此是一了百当的功夫。”
This is the type of thing that, once it is done, settles everything.”
〔3〕问道心人心。
I asked about the human mind +[which is precarious and liable to make mistakes] and the moral mind +[which is subtle and follows moral principles].
先生曰：“‘率性之为道’，便是道心。
The Teacher said, “ ‘To follow our nature is called the Way.This refers to the moral mind.
但着些人的意思在，便是人心。
Because it involves some selfish ideas, it becomes the human mind.
道心本是无声无臭，故曰微。
The moral mind in its true nature has neither sound nor smell.
Therefore it is described as subtle.
依着人心行去，便有许多不安稳处，故曰惟危。”
When it obeys the human mind in its action, there will be many places where it is insecure.
Therefore it is described as precarious.”
〔4〕问：“‘中人以下，不可以语上’，愚的人与之语上尚且不进，况不与之语可乎？”
I asked, “ ‘One may not talk of the higher things to those who are below average.' Even when we talk of the higher things to the stupid person, he will not advance.
How much less will he do so if we do not talk to him!”
先生曰：“不是圣人终不与语，圣人的心忧不得人人都做圣人；只是人的资质不同，施教不可躐等，中人以下的人，便与他说性、说命，他也不省得，也须慢慢琢磨他起来。”
The Teacher said, “It is not that the Sage did not want to talk to him at all.
The Sage was anxious to have everyone become a sage.
But people vary in endowment.
In giving them education, there should be an order.
If you talk of the nature and destiny of man and things to people below average, they do not understand.
It is necessary to polish them slowly.”
〔5〕一友问：“读书不记得如何？”
One of his friends asked him why it was that he did not remember what he read and studied.
先生曰：“只要晓得，如何要记得？
The Teacher said, “You need only understand the meaning of the words.
Why should you need to remember the words?
要晓得已是落第二义了，只要明得自家本体。
Even understanding the meaning of the words is to fall down to the level of subsidiary things.
The important thing is to realize clearly the original substance of one's own mind.
〔6〕问：“‘逝者如斯’是说自家心性活泼泼地否？”
I asked, “+[When Confucius stood by the stream and said,] ‘It passes on like this' was he talking about his own mind and nature as being extremely lively and dynamic ?”
须要时时用致良知的功夫，方才活泼泼地，方才与他川水一般；若须臾间断，便与天地不相似。
However, one must exert the effort to extend innate knowledge at all times before one can be extremely lively and dynamic like that stream of water.
If there is a moment of interruption, one will not be as extremely lively as Heaven and Earth.
是友愧谢。
The friend was very much ashamed.
此是学问极至处，圣人也只如此。”
This is the height of learning.
Even a sage can do no more.”