The Source of Flowing Water
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English translation
Original Chinese text
徐子曰:“仲尼亟称于水曰:‘水哉!水哉!’何取于水也?”孟子曰:“源泉混混,不舍昼夜,盈科而后进,放乎四海;有本者如是,是之取尔。苟为无本,七、八月之间雨集,沟浍皆盈;其涸也,可立而待也。故声闻过情,君子耻之。”
English translation
Xu Zi asked, “Confucius repeatedly praised water, saying, ‘Water! Water!’ What did he take from it?” Mencius replied, “A spring pours forth continuously, day and night. It fills each hollow before moving on, and flows all the way to the four seas. Confucius valued it because it has a source. If water has no source, a summer downpour may fill every ditch and channel, but its drying up can be expected at any moment. Therefore a noble person is ashamed when his reputation exceeds his actual character.”