Learning from the Worthy of the Past
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
孟子谓万章曰:“一乡之善士,斯友一乡之善士;一国之善士,斯友一国之善士;天下之善士,斯友天下之善士。
English translation
Mencius said to Wan Zhang, “A worthy person of one village befriends the worthy of that village; a worthy person of one state befriends the worthy of that state; a worthy person throughout the realm befriends the worthy throughout the realm.”
Original Chinese text
以友天下之善士为未足,又尚论古之人。颂其诗,读其书,不知其人,可乎?是以论其世也。是尚友也。”
English translation
“If befriending the worthy of the whole realm is still not enough, one may go on to discuss people of antiquity. Can one recite their poems and read their books without knowing them? One must therefore consider the age in which they lived. This is friendship with those above us in time.”