The Source of Flowing Water

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Original Chinese text

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.”

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