In the Human World｜Zhuangzi

颜（yán）回（huí）见（jiàn）仲（zhòng）尼（ní），（）请（qǐng）行（xíng）。（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）奚（xī）之（zhī）？（）”（）

Yan Hui came to see Zhongni and asked leave to set out. [Zhongni] said, “Where are you going?”

曰（yuē）：（）“（）将（jiāng）之（zhī）卫（wèi）。（）”（）

He said, “I am going to Wei.”

曰（yuē）：（）“（）奚（xī）为（wéi）焉（yān）？（）”（）

[Zhongni] said, “What would you do there?”

曰（yuē）：（）“（）回（huí）闻（wén）卫（wèi）君（jūn），（）其（qí）年（nián）壮（zhuàng），（）其（qí）行（xíng）独（dú）。（）轻（qīng）用（yòng）其（qí）国（guó）而（ér）不（bú）见（jiàn）其（qí）过（guò）。（）轻（qīng）用（yòng）民（mín）死（sǐ），（）死（sǐ）者（zhě）以（yǐ）国（guó）量（liáng），（）乎（hū）泽（zé）若（ruò）蕉（jiāo），（）民（mín）其（qí）无（wú）如（rú）矣（yǐ）！（）回（huí）尝（cháng）闻（wén）之（zhī）夫（fū）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）治（zhì）国（guó）去（qù）之（zhī），（）乱（luàn）国（guó）就（jiù）之（zhī）。（）医（yī）门（mén）多（duō）疾（jí）。（）’（）

Yan Hui said, “I have heard that the ruler of Wei is in the prime of life and acts willfully. He makes light of using his state and does not see his faults. He makes light of the people’s deaths; the dead are measured by the state—like rushes in a marsh—and the people truly have nowhere to turn. I once heard you, Master, say: ‘Leave a well-governed state; go to a state in disorder. At a physician’s gate there are many sick.’”

愿（yuàn）以（yǐ）所（suǒ）闻（wén），（）思（sī）其（qí）则（zé）庶（shù）几（jī）其（qí）国（guó）有（yǒu）瘳（chōu）乎（hū）！（）”（）

I wish to take what I have heard and reflect on its principles, hoping that perhaps the state may yet recover.

仲（zhòng）尼（ní）曰（yuē）：（）“（）嘻（xī），（）若（ruò）殆（dài）往（wǎng）而（ér）刑（xíng）耳（ěr）！（）夫（fú）道（dào）不（bù）欲（yù）杂（zá），（）杂（zá）则（zé）多（duō），（）多（duō）则（zé）扰（rǎo），（）扰（rǎo）则（zé）忧（yōu），（）忧（yōu）而（ér）不（bù）救（jiù）。（）古（gǔ）之（zhī）至（zhì）人（rén），（）先（xiān）存（cún）诸（zhū）己（jǐ）而（ér）后（hòu）存（cún）诸（zhū）人（rén）。（）所（suǒ）存（cún）于（yú）己（jǐ）者（zhě）未（wèi）定（dìng），（）何（hé）暇（xiá）至（zhì）于（yú）暴（bào）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）行（xíng）！（）且（qiě）若（ruò）亦（yì）知（zhī）夫（fú）德（dé）之（zhī）所（suǒ）荡（dàng）而（ér）知（zhì）之（zhī）所（suǒ）为（wèi）出（chū）乎（hū）哉（zāi）？（）

Zhongni said, 'Ah! You will most likely go and be punished! The Way does not wish to be mixed; mixed, it becomes multiple; multiple, it becomes disturbed; disturbed, it becomes anxious; anxious, it cannot be remedied. The ancient perfected people first preserved it in themselves and afterward preserved others. If what is preserved in oneself is not yet settled, how could you have leisure to reach the conduct of a violent man? Moreover, do you also know what dissipates virtue and whence knowledge emerges?'

德（dé）荡（dàng）乎（hū）名（míng），（）知（zhì）出（chū）乎（hū）争（zhēng）。（）名（míng）也（yě）者（zhě），（）相（xiāng）轧（yà）也（yě）；（）知（zhì）也（yě）者（zhě），（）争（zhēng）之（zhī）器（qì）也（yě）。（）二（èr）者（zhě）凶（xiōng）器（qì），（）非（fēi）所（suǒ）以（yǐ）尽（jìn）行（xíng）也（yě）。（）

Virtue is dissipated by fame; knowledge emerges from contention. Fame is a thing of grinding against one another; knowledge is a tool of contention. These two are inauspicious weapons; they are not the means by which one may fully walk one's course.

且（qiě）德（dé）厚（hòu）信（xìn）矼（gāng），（）未（wèi）达（dá）人（rén）气（qì）；（）名（míng）闻（wén）不（bù）争（zhēng），（）未（wèi）达（dá）人（rén）心（xīn）。（）而（ér）强（qiǎng）以（yǐ）仁（rén）义（yì）绳（shéng）墨（mò）之（zhī）言（yán）術（shù）暴（bào）人（rén）之（zhī）前（qián）者（zhě），（）是（shì）以（yǐ）人（rén）恶（è）有（yǒu）其（qí）美（měi）也（yě），（）命（mìng）之（zhī）曰（yuē）灾（zāi）人（rén）。（）灾（zāi）人（rén）者（zhě），（）人（rén）必（bì）反（fǎn）灾（zāi）之（zhī）。（）若（ruò）殆（dài）为（wéi）人（rén）灾（zāi）夫（fú）。（）

Moreover, though your virtue is thick and your trustworthiness firm, you have not yet reached the temperament of others; though your fame is heard and you do not contend, you have not yet reached the hearts of others. If you forcibly present the words of benevolence and righteousness, and the standards of the carpenter's ink line, before a violent man, this is to use the evil of others to display your own goodness, and it is called being a bringer of calamity. One who brings calamity on others—others will surely bring calamity back on him. You will likely be a calamity to others.

且（qiě）苟（gǒu）为（wéi）人（rén）悦（yuè）贤（xián）而（ér）恶（è）不（bù）肖（xiào），（）恶（wū）用（yòng）而（ér）求（qiú）有（yǒu）以（yǐ）异（yì）？（）若（ruò）唯（wéi）无（wú）诏（zhào），（）王（wáng）公（gōng）必（bì）将（jiāng）乘（chéng）人（rén）而（ér）斗（dòu）其（qí）捷（jié）。（）而（ér）目（mù）将（jiāng）荧（yíng）之（zhī），（）而（ér）色（sè）将（jiāng）平（píng）之（zhī），（）口（kǒu）将（jiāng）营（yíng）之（zhī），（）容（róng）将（jiāng）形（xíng）之（zhī），（）心（xīn）且（qiě）成（chéng）之（zhī）。（）是（shì）以（yǐ）火（huǒ）救（jiù）火（huǒ），（）以（yǐ）水（shuǐ）救（jiù）水（shuǐ），（）名（míng）之（zhī）曰（yuē）益（yì）多（duō）。（）

Moreover, if he were a man who delighted in the worthy and hated the unworthy, what use would there be in your seeking to be different? If you merely have no summons, the lords and princes will surely seize the chance to outdo others and contend in cleverness. Your eyes will be dazzled, your countenance will be forced into calm, your mouth will be busy with explanations, your bearing will be molded, and your heart will be won over. This is using fire to save fire and water to save water; it is called ‘adding more.’

顺（shùn）始（shǐ）无（wú）穷（qióng），（）若（ruò）殆（dài）以（yǐ）不（bù）信（xìn）厚（hòu）言（yán），（）必（bì）死（sǐ）于（yú）暴（bào）人（rén）之（zhī）前（qián）矣（yǐ）！（）

If you yield from the start, there will be no end to it. If, being untrusted, you still speak weighty words, you will surely die before this violent man.

且（qiě）昔（xī）者（zhě）桀（jié）杀（shā）关（guān）龙（lóng）逄（páng），（）纣（zhòu）杀（shā）王（wáng）子（zǐ）比（bǐ）干（gān），（）是（shì）皆（jiē）修（xiū）其（qí）身（shēn）以（yǐ）下（xià）伛（yǔ）拊（fǔ）人（rén）之（zhī）民（mín），（）以（yǐ）下（xià）拂（fú）其（qí）上（shàng）者（zhě）也（yě），（）故（gù）其（qí）君（jūn）因（yīn）其（qí）修（xiū）以（yǐ）挤（jǐ）之（zhī）。（）是（shì）好（hǎo）名（míng）者（zhě）也（yě）。（）

Moreover, in former times Jie killed Guan Longpang, and Zhou killed Prince Bi Gan. Both cultivated themselves and, from a low position, bent down to comfort other men’s people; from below they also offended their superiors. Therefore their rulers used their self-cultivation to squeeze them out. These were men who loved fame.

昔（xī）者（zhě）尧（yáo）攻（gōng）丛（cóng）枝（zhī）、（）胥（xū）、（）敖（áo），（）禹（yǔ）攻（gōng）有（yǒu）扈（hù）。（）国（guó）为（wèi）虚（xū）厉（lì），（）身（shēn）为（wèi）刑（xíng）戮（lù）。（）其（qí）用（yòng）兵（bīng）不（bù）止（zhǐ），（）其（qí）求（qiú）实（shí）无（wú）已（yǐ），（）是（shì）皆（jiē）求（qiú）名（míng）实（shí）者（zhě）也（yě），（）而（ér）独（dú）不（bù）闻（wén）之（zhī）乎（hū）？（）名（míng）实（shí）者（zhě），（）圣（shèng）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）不（bù）能（néng）胜（shèng）也（yě），（）而（ér）况（kuàng）若（ruò）乎（hū）！（）虽（suī）然（rán），（）若（ruò）必（bì）有（yǒu）以（yǐ）也（yě），（）尝（cháng）以（yǐ）语（yǔ）我（wǒ）来（lái）。（）”（）

Long ago Yao attacked Congzhi, Xu, and Ao; Yu attacked Youhu. The states were left empty and desolate, and their rulers suffered execution. They did not stop using arms, and their pursuit of real gain had no end. These were all seekers of name and substance—have you alone not heard of them? Name and substance are what even sages cannot overcome, how much less can you! Nevertheless, you must have some basis; try telling it to me.

颜（yán）回（huí）曰（yuē）：（）“（）端（duān）而（ér）虚（xū），（）勉（miǎn）而（ér）一（yī），（）则（zé）可（kě）乎（hū）？（）”（）

Yan Hui said, “If I am upright yet empty, diligent yet single-minded, would that do?”

曰（yuē）：（）“（）恶（wū）！（）恶（wū）可（kě）！（）夫（fú）以（yǐ）阳（yáng）为（wéi）充（chōng）孔（kǒng）扬（yáng），（）采（cǎi）色（sè）不（bù）定（dìng），（）常（cháng）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）不（bù）违（wéi），（）因（yīn）案（àn）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）感（gǎn），（）以（yǐ）求（qiú）容（róng）与（yǔ）其（qí）心（xīn），（）名（míng）之（zhī）曰（yuē）日（rì）渐（jiàn）之（zhī）德（dé）不（bù）成（chéng），（）而（ér）况（kuàng）大（dà）德（dé）乎（hū）！（）将（jiāng）执（zhí）而（ér）不（bù）化（huà），（）外（wài）合（hé）而（ér）内（nèi）不（bù）訾（zǐ），（）其（qí）庸（yōng）讵（jù）可（kě）乎（hū）！（）”（）

He said, “Ah! How could it? To use yang to fill oneself and make a great display, with an unsettled countenance—this is what ordinary people do not oppose—then to gauge what others feel, seeking to accommodate their minds: this is called daily-increasing virtue, and it still fails; how much more so great virtue! You will cling and not transform; outwardly you will conform while inwardly you do not censure—how could that possibly do?”

“（）然（rán）则（zé）我（wǒ）内（nèi）直（zhí）而（ér）外（wài）曲（qū），（）成（chéng）而（ér）上（shàng）比（bǐ）。（）内（nèi）直（zhí）者（zhě），（）与（yǔ）天（tiān）为（wéi）徒（tú）。（）与（yǔ）天（tiān）为（wéi）徒（tú）者（zhě），（）知（zhī）天（tiān）子（zǐ）之（zhī）与（yǔ）己（jǐ），（）皆（jiē）天（tiān）之（zhī）所（suǒ）子（zǐ），（）而（ér）独（dú）以（yǐ）己（jǐ）言（yán）蕲（qí）乎（hū）而（ér）人（rén）善（shàn）之（zhī），（）蕲（qí）乎（hū）而（ér）人（rén）不（bù）善（shàn）之（zhī）邪（yé）？（）若（ruò）然（rán）者（zhě），（）人（rén）谓（wèi）之（zhī）童（tóng）子（zǐ），（）是（shì）之（zhī）谓（wèi）与（yǔ）天（tiān）为（wéi）徒（tú）。（）外（wài）曲（qū）者（zhě），（）与（yǔ）人（rén）之（zhī）为（wéi）徒（tú）也（yě）。（）

Then let me be inwardly straight while outwardly bending, and, when accomplished, compare myself upward to the ancients. Being inwardly straight means being a companion of Heaven. One who is a companion of Heaven knows that the Son of Heaven and himself are both regarded as children by Heaven—so why would he, with his own words alone, seek others' approval or disapproval? If he is like this, people call him a child; this is what is meant by being a companion of Heaven. Being outwardly bending means being a companion of humans.

擎（qíng）跽（jì）曲（qū）拳（quán），（）人（rén）臣（chén）之（zhī）礼（lǐ）也（yě）。（）人（rén）皆（jiē）为（wéi）之（zhī），（）吾（wú）敢（gǎn）不（bù）为（wéi）邪（yé）？（）为（wéi）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）为（wèi）者（zhě），（）人（rén）亦（yì）无（wú）疵（cī）焉（yān），（）是（shì）之（zhī）谓（wèi）与（yǔ）人（rén）为（wéi）徒（tú）。（）成（chéng）而（ér）上（shàng）比（bǐ）者（zhě），（）与（yǔ）古（gǔ）为（wèi）徒（tú）。（）其（qí）言（yán）虽（suī）教（jiào），（）谪（zhé）之（zhī）实（shí）也（yě），（）古（gǔ）之（zhī）有（yǒu）也（yě），（）非（fēi）吾（wú）有（yǒu）也（yě）。（）若（ruò）然（rán）者（zhě），（）虽（suī）直（zhí）而（ér）不（bù）病（bìng），（）是（shì）之（zhī）谓（wèi）与（yǔ）古（gǔ）为（wèi）徒（tú）。（）

To raise the hands, kneel, bend the body, and fold the fists—these are the rites of a subject. Everyone does them; how dare I not? If I do what others do, others will find no fault with me; this is what is meant by being a companion of humans. To be accomplished and compare upward to the ancients means being a companion of the ancients. Though its words are instruction, they are in substance reproach; this existed among the ancients—it is not something I possess. If so, though straight, he will not be blamed; this is what is meant by being a companion of the ancients.

若（ruò）是（shì）则（zé）可（kě）乎（hū）？（）”（）

If it is like this, then is it acceptable?

仲（zhòng）尼（ní）曰（yuē）：（）“（）恶（wū）！（）恶（wū）可（kě）！（）大（tài）多（duō）政（zhèng）法（fǎ）而（ér）不（bù）谍（dié）。（）虽（suī）固（gù），（）亦（yì）无（wú）罪（zuì）。（）虽（suī）然（rán），（）止（zhǐ）是（shì）耳（ěr）矣（yǐ），（）夫（fú）胡（hú）可（kě）以（yǐ）及（jí）化（huà）！（）犹（yóu）师（shī）心（xīn）者（zhě）也（yě）。（）”（）

Confucius said, 'No! How could that do? There are too many governmental measures and laws, and they are not thorough. Though it may be firm, it too is free of blame. Even so, it stops there. How could it reach transformation? It is still taking the mind as teacher.'

颜（yán）回（huí）曰（yuē）：（）“（）吾（wú）无（wú）以（yǐ）进（jìn）矣（yǐ），（）敢（gǎn）问（wèn）其（qí）方（fāng）。（）”（）

Yan Hui said, 'I have no way to advance further. May I venture to ask the method.'

仲（zhòng）尼（ní）曰（yuē）：（）“（）斋（zhāi），（）吾（wú）将（jiāng）语（yù）若（ruò）。（）有（yǒu）心（xīn）而（ér）为（wéi）之（zhī），（）其（qí）易（yì）邪（yé）？（）易（yì）之（zhī）者（zhě），（）皞（hào）天（tiān）不（bù）宜（yí）。（）”（）

Confucius said, 'Fast, and I will tell you. If you do it with a deliberate mind, how could it be easy? One who takes it as easy—Hao Heaven will not approve.'

颜（yán）回（huí）曰（yuē）：（）“（）回（huí）之（zhī）家（jiā）贫（pín），（）唯（wéi）不（bù）饮（yǐn）酒（jiǔ）不（bù）茹（rú）荤（hūn）者（zhě）数（shù）月（yuè）矣（yǐ）。（）如（rú）此（cǐ）则（zé）可（kě）以（yǐ）为（wéi）斋（zhāi）乎（hū）？（）”（）

Yan Hui said, ‘Hui’s family is poor; for several months now I have simply not drunk wine or eaten pungent foods. If so, can this be considered fasting?’

曰（yuē）：（）“（）是（shì）祭（jì）祀（sì）之（zhī）斋（zhāi），（）非（fēi）心（xīn）斋（zhāi）也（yě）。（）”（）

He said, ‘That is the fasting for sacrifices, not the fasting of the mind.’

回（huí）曰（yuē）：（）“（）敢（gǎn）问（wèn）心（xīn）斋（zhāi）。（）”（）

Yan Hui said, ‘May I venture to ask about the fasting of the mind?’

仲（zhòng）尼（ní）曰（yuē）：（）“（）若（ruò）一（yī）志（zhì），（）无（wú）听（tīng）之（zhī）以（yǐ）耳（ěr）而（ér）听（tīng）之（zhī）以（yǐ）心（xīn）；（）无（wú）听（tīng）之（zhī）以（yǐ）心（xīn）而（ér）听（tīng）之（zhī）以（yǐ）气（qì）。（）听（tīng）止（zhǐ）于（yú）耳（ěr），（）心（xīn）止（zhǐ）于（yú）符（fú）。（）气（qì）也（yě）者（zhě），（）虚（xū）而（ér）待（dài）物（wù）者（zhě）也（yě）。（）唯（wéi）道（dào）集（jí）虚（xū）。（）虚（xū）者（zhě），（）心（xīn）斋（zhāi）也（yě）”（）

Zhongni said, ‘Unify your will. Do not listen with the ears, but listen with the mind; do not listen with the mind, but listen with qi. Listening stops at the ears; the mind stops at the tally. Qi is empty and awaits things. Only the Way gathers in emptiness. Emptiness is the fasting of the mind.’

颜（yán）回（huí）曰（yuē）：（）“（）回（huí）之（zhī）未（wèi）始（shǐ）得（dé）使（shǐ），（）实（shí）自（zì）回（huí）也（yě）；（）得（dé）使（shǐ）之（zhī）也（yě），（）未（wèi）始（shǐ）有（yǒu）回（huí）也（yě），（）可（kě）谓（wèi）虚（xū）乎（hū）？（）”（）

Yan Hui said, “Before I took in this teaching on fasting the mind, I still held fast to a ‘Hui’ of my own. Once I understood and put it to use, I no longer clung to that self. Can this be called emptiness?”

夫（fū）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）尽（jìn）矣（yǐ）！（）吾（wú）语（yù）若（ruò）：（）若（ruò）能（néng）入（rù）游（yóu）其（qí）樊（fán）而（ér）无（wú）感（gǎn）其（qí）名（míng），（）入（rù）则（zé）鸣（míng），（）不（bù）入（rù）则（zé）止（zhǐ）。（）无（wú）门（mén）无（wú）毒（dú），（）一（yī）宅（zhái）而（ér）寓（yù）于（yú）不（bù）得（dé）已（yǐ）则（zé）几（jī）矣（yǐ）。（）绝（jué）迹（jì）易（yì），（）无（wú）行（xíng）地（dì）难（nán）。（）为（wéi）人（rén）使（shǐ）易（yì）以（yǐ）伪（wěi），（）为（wéi）天（tiān）使（shǐ）难（nán）以（yǐ）伪（wěi）。（）

The Master said, “That is complete! I will tell you: if you can enter and roam within its enclosure without being moved by its name, then speak when you enter, and stop when you do not. No gate, no poison; dwell in the one house and lodge in necessity—then you are nearly there. To erase traces is easy; to walk without touching the ground is hard. When employed by man, it is easy to be false; when employed by Heaven, it is hard to be false.

闻（wén）以（yǐ）有（yǒu）翼（yì）飞（fēi）者（zhě）矣（yǐ），（）未（wèi）闻（wén）以（yǐ）无（wú）翼（yì）飞（fēi）者（zhě）也（yě）；（）闻（wén）以（yǐ）有（yǒu）知（zhī）知（zhī）者（zhě）矣（yǐ），（）未（wèi）闻（wén）以（yǐ）无（wú）知（zhī）知（zhī）者（zhě）也（yě）。（）瞻（zhān）彼（bǐ）阕（què）者（zhě），（）虚（xū）室（shì）生（shēng）白（bái），（）吉（jí）祥（xiáng）止（zhǐ）止（zhǐ）。（）夫（fú）且（qiě）不（bù）止（zhǐ），（）是（shì）之（zhī）谓（wèi）坐（zuò）驰（chí）。（）夫（fú）徇（xùn）耳（ěr）目（mù）内（nèi）通（tōng）而（ér）外（wài）于（yú）心（xīn）知（zhī），（）鬼（guǐ）神（shén）将（jiāng）来（lái）舍（shè），（）而（ér）况（kuàng）人（rén）乎（hū）！（）

I have heard of flying with wings, but not of flying without wings; I have heard of knowing with knowledge, but not of knowing without knowledge. Look at that void: the empty room produces brightness, and good fortune stops and rests. If it does not stop, this is called sitting in a gallop. If you let ears and eyes communicate inward and put the mind's knowledge outside, ghosts and spirits will come to dwell—how much more men!

是（shì）万（wàn）物（wù）之（zhī）化（huà）也（yě），（）禹（yǔ）、（）舜（shùn）之（zhī）所（suǒ）纽（niǔ）也（yě），（）伏（fú）羲（xī）、（）几（jī）蘧（qú）之（zhī）所（suǒ）行（xíng）终（zhōng），（）而（ér）况（kuàng）散（sàn）焉（yān）者（zhě）乎（hū）！（）”（）

This is the transformation of all things, the bond of Yu and Shun, the practice carried to its end by Fu Xi and Ji Qu—how much more for the scattered ones!

叶（shè）公（gōng）子（zǐ）高（gāo）将（jiāng）使（shǐ）于（yú）齐（qí），（）问（wèn）于（yú）仲（zhòng）尼（ní）曰（yuē）：（）“（）王（wáng）使（shǐ）诸（zhū）梁（liáng）也（yě）甚（shèn）重（zhòng）。（）齐（qí）之（zhī）待（dài）使（shǐ）者（zhě），（）盖（gài）将（jiāng）甚（shèn）敬（jìng）而（ér）不（bù）急（jí）。（）匹（pǐ）夫（fū）犹（yóu）未（wèi）可（kě）动（dòng）也（yě），（）而（ér）况（kuàng）诸（zhū）侯（hóu）乎（hū）！（）吾（wú）甚（shèn）栗（lì）之（zhī）。（）子（zǐ）常（cháng）语（yù）诸（zhū）梁（liáng）也（yě）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）凡（fán）事（shì）若（ruò）小（xiǎo）若（ruò）大（dà），（）寡（guǎ）不（bù）道（dào）以（yǐ）欢（huān）成（chéng）。（）

Zigao, Duke of She, was about to be sent as an envoy to Qi. He asked Zhongni, “The king is sending Zhu Liang on a very weighty mission. Qi’s treatment of an envoy will likely be very respectful but not urgent. Even a common man cannot be moved, let alone a feudal lord! I am greatly afraid of it. You often told Zhu Liang, ‘In all affairs, whether small or great, few are not brought to joyful success by the Way.

事（shì）若（ruò）不（bù）成（chéng），（）则（zé）必（bì）有（yǒu）人（rén）道（dào）之（zhī）患（huàn）；（）事（shì）若（ruò）成（chéng），（）则（zé）必（bì）有（yǒu）阴（yīn）阳（yáng）之（zhī）患（huàn）。（）若（ruò）成（chéng）若（ruò）不（bù）成（chéng）而（ér）后（hòu）无（wú）患（huàn）者（zhě），（）唯（wéi）有（yǒu）德（dé）者（zhě）能（néng）之（zhī）。（）’（）

If the affair is not completed, there will surely be trouble from the human way; if the affair is completed, there will surely be trouble from yin and yang. If after either completion or non-completion there is no trouble, only one who has virtue can do this.’

吾（wú）食（shí）也（yě）执（zhí）粗（cū）而（ér）不（bù）臧（zāng），（）爨（cuàn）无（wú）欲（yù）清（qīng）之（zhī）人（rén）。（）今（jīn）吾（wú）朝（zhāo）受（shòu）命（mìng）而（ér）夕（xī）饮（yǐn）冰（bīng），（）我（wǒ）其（qí）内（nèi）热（rè）与（yú）！（）吾（wú）未（wèi）至（zhì）乎（hū）事（shì）之（zhī）情（qíng）而（ér）既（jì）有（yǒu）阴（yīn）阳（yáng）之（zhī）患（huàn）矣（yǐ）！（）事（shì）若（ruò）不（bù）成（chéng），（）必（bì）有（yǒu）人（rén）道（dào）之（zhī）患（huàn），（）是（shì）两（liǎng）也（yě）。（）为（wéi）人（rén）臣（chén）者（zhě）不（bù）足（zú）以（yǐ）任（rèn）之（zhī），（）子（zǐ）其（qí）有（yǒu）以（yǐ）语（yù）我（wǒ）来（lái）！（）”（）

I usually eat such plain fare that even the person at my stove has no need to seek a cool spot. Yet I received the charge this morning and am drinking ice water tonight: anxiety has already made me feverish. Before I have grasped the actual situation, I already suffer distress of body and mind; if the mission fails, trouble from human affairs will certainly follow. These two troubles are more than I can bear as a minister. What counsel can you give me?

仲（zhòng）尼（ní）曰（yuē）：（）“（）天（tiān）下（xià）有（yǒu）大（dà）戒（jiè）二（èr）：（）其（qí）一（yī）命（mìng）也（yě），（）其（qí）一（yī）义（yì）也（yě）。（）子（zǐ）之（zhī）爱（ài）亲（qīn），（）命（mìng）也（yě），（）不（bù）可（kě）解（jiě）于（yú）心（xīn）；（）臣（chén）之（zhī）事（shì）君（jūn），（）义（yì）也（yě），（）无（wú）适（shì）而（ér）非（fēi）君（jūn）也（yě），（）无（wú）所（suǒ）逃（táo）于（yú）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）间（jiān）。（）是（shì）之（zhī）谓（wèi）大（dà）戒（jiè）。（）

Zhongni said, “Under heaven there are two great decrees: one is fate, the other is duty. That a child loves his parents is fate; it cannot be released from the heart. That a minister serves his ruler is duty; wherever he goes, there is no place without a ruler; there is nowhere between heaven and earth to escape. This is called the great decree.

是（shì）以（yǐ）夫（fú）事（shì）其（qí）亲（qīn）者（zhě），（）不（bù）择（zé）地（dì）而（ér）安（ān）之（zhī），（）孝（xiào）之（zhī）至（zhì）也（yě）；（）夫（fú）事（shì）其（qí）君（jūn）者（zhě），（）不（bù）择（zé）事（shì）而（ér）安（ān）之（zhī），（）忠（zhōng）之（zhī）盛（shèng）也（yě）；（）自（zì）事（shì）其（qí）心（xīn）者（zhě），（）哀（āi）乐（lè）不（bù）易（yì）施（shī）乎（hū）前（qián），（）知（zhī）其（qí）不（bù）可（kě）奈（nài）何（hé）而（ér）安（ān）之（zhī）若（ruò）命（mìng），（）德（dé）之（zhī）至（zhì）也（yě）。（）为（wéi）人（rén）臣（chén）子（zǐ）者（zhě），（）固（gù）有（yǒu）所（suǒ）不（bù）得（dé）已（yǐ）。（）

Thus, one who serves his parents does not choose his place but is content—this is the height of filial piety. One who serves his ruler does not choose his task but is content—this is the fullness of loyalty. One who serves his own heart is not easily swayed by sorrow or joy, and knows that what cannot be helped is so and rests in it as fate—this is the height of virtue. As a minister or a son, one inevitably has things that cannot be otherwise.

行（xíng）事（shì）之（zhī）情（qíng）而（ér）忘（wàng）其（qí）身（shēn），（）何（hé）暇（xiá）至（zhì）于（yú）悦（yuè）生（shēng）而（ér）恶（wù）死（sǐ）！（）夫（fū）子（zǐ）其（qí）行（xíng）可（kě）矣（yǐ）！（）

Act according to the true circumstances of the affair and forget yourself—what leisure would you have to delight in life and hate death? You may go, sir!

丘（qiū）请（qǐng）复（fù）以（yǐ）所（suǒ）闻（wén）：（）凡（fán）交（jiāo）近（jìn）则（zé）必（bì）相（xiāng）靡（mí）以（yǐ）信（xìn），（）远（yuǎn）则（zé）必（bì）忠（zhōng）之（zhī）以（yǐ）言（yán）。（）言（yán）必（bì）或（huò）传（chuán）之（zhī）。（）夫（fú）传（chuán）两（liǎng）喜（xǐ）两（liǎng）怒（nù）之（zhī）言（yán），（）天（tiān）下（xià）之（zhī）难（nán）者（zhě）也（yě）。（）夫（fú）两（liǎng）喜（xǐ）必（bì）多（duō）溢（yì）美（měi）之（zhī）言（yán），（）两（liǎng）怒（nù）必（bì）多（duō）溢（yì）恶（è）之（zhī）言（yán）。（）凡（fán）溢（yì）之（zhī）类（lèi）妄（wàng），（）妄（wàng）则（zé）其（qí）信（xìn）之（zhī）也（yě）莫（mò），（）莫（mò）则（zé）传（chuán）言（yán）者（zhě）殃（yāng）。（）

I, Qiu, beg to repeat what I have heard: In all intercourse, when close, people must be bound to one another by trust; when distant, one must express loyalty through words. Words must be transmitted by someone. Now, to transmit words of mutual delight or mutual anger is the hardest thing under heaven. Mutual delight necessarily brings many excessive words of praise; mutual anger necessarily brings many excessive words of vilification. Whatever is excessive is false; if false, it is not believed; if it is not believed, the transmitter of the words suffers calamity.

故（gù）法（fǎ）言（yán）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）传（chuán）其（qí）常（cháng）情（qíng），（）无（wú）传（chuán）其（qí）溢（yì）言（yán），（）则（zé）几（jī）乎（hū）全（quán）。（）’（）

Therefore a maxim says: 'Transmit the ordinary truth of the matter; do not transmit its excessive words—then one may nearly be preserved whole.'

且（qiě）以（yǐ）巧（qiǎo）斗（dòu）力（lì）者（zhě），（）始（shǐ）乎（hū）阳（yáng），（）常（cháng）卒（zú）乎（hū）阴（yīn），（）泰（tài）至（zhì）则（zé）多（duō）奇（qí）巧（qiǎo）；（）以（yǐ）礼（lǐ）饮（yǐn）酒（jiǔ）者（zhě），（）始（shǐ）乎（hū）治（zhì），（）常（cháng）卒（zú）乎（hū）乱（luàn），（）泰（tài）至（zhì）则（zé）多（duō）奇（qí）乐（lè）。（）凡（fán）事（shì）亦（yì）然（rán），（）始（shǐ）乎（hū）谅（liàng），（）常（cháng）卒（zú）乎（hū）鄙（bǐ）；（）其（qí）作（zuò）始（shǐ）也（yě）简（jiǎn），（）其（qí）将（jiāng）毕（bì）也（yě）必（bì）巨（jù）。（）

Moreover, those who use cunning to contend in strength begin in the open and often end in concealment; when they reach the extreme, there is much strange cunning. Those who drink according to ritual begin in order and often end in disorder; when they reach the extreme, there is much strange revelry. All affairs are likewise: they begin in trust and often end in baseness; when they start, they are simple, but as they are about to finish, they are sure to become vast.

言（yán）者（zhě），（）风（fēng）波（bō）也（yě）；（）行（xíng）者（zhě），（）实（shí）丧（sàng）也（yě）。（）夫（fú）风（fēng）波（bō）易（yì）以（yǐ）动（dòng），（）实（shí）丧（sàng）易（yì）以（yǐ）危（wēi）。（）故（gù）忿（fèn）设（shè）无（wú）由（yóu），（）巧（qiǎo）言（yán）偏（piān）辞（cí）。（）兽（shòu）死（sǐ）不（bù）择（zé）音（yīn），（）气（qì）息（xī）勃（bó）然（rán）于（yú）是（shì）并（bìng）生（shēng）心（xīn）厉（lì）。（）剋（kè）核（hé）太（tài）至（zhì），（）则（zé）必（bì）有（yǒu）不（bù）肖（xiào）之（zhī）心（xīn）应（yìng）之（zhī）而（ér）不（bù）知（zhī）其（qí）然（rán）也（yě）。（）苟（gǒu）为（wéi）不（bù）知（zhī）其（qí）然（rán）也（yě），（）孰（shú）知（zhī）其（qí）所（suǒ）终（zhōng）！（）

Words are wind and waves; actions are the loss of substance. Wind and waves easily stir things; the loss of substance easily brings danger. Therefore anger is set loose without cause, through clever words and biased phrases. When a beast is dying, it does not choose its voice; its breath surges wildly, and so there arises together a fierce mind. If one probes and presses too far, there will surely be an unworthy mind responding to it, and one will not know why it is so. If one does not know why it is so, who knows where it will end!

故（gù）法（fǎ）言（yán）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）无（wú）迁（qiān）令（lìng），（）无（wú）劝（quàn）成（chéng）。（）过（guò）度（dù）益（yì）也（yě）。（）’（）

Therefore a rule says: ‘Do not alter orders; do not urge completion. To exceed the measure is to add excess.’

迁（qiān）令（lìng）劝（quàn）成（chéng）殆（dài）事（shì）。（）美（měi）成（chéng）在（zài）久（jiǔ），（）恶（è）成（chéng）不（bù）及（jí）改（gǎi），（）可（kě）不（bù）慎（shèn）与（yú）！（）且（qiě）夫（fú）乘（chéng）物（wù）以（yǐ）游（yóu）心（xīn），（）托（tuō）不（bù）得（dé）已（yǐ）以（yǐ）养（yǎng）中（zhōng），（）至（zhì）矣（yǐ）。（）何（hé）作（zuò）为（wéi）报（bào）也（yě）！（）莫（mò）若（ruò）为（wéi）致（zhì）命（mìng），（）此（cǐ）其（qí）难（nán）者（zhě）？（）”（）

Altering orders and urging completion endanger affairs. A good completion lies in taking time; a bad completion leaves no time to change. How can one not be cautious! Moreover, to ride on things and let the mind wander, to entrust oneself to the unavoidable and nourish the inner, is the utmost. What need is there to contrive anything for the sake of a report? Nothing is better than to convey the ruler’s command as it is—this is what is difficult, is it not?

颜（yán）阖（hé）将（jiāng）傅（fù）卫（wèi）灵（líng）公（gōng）大（tài）子（zǐ），（）而（ér）问（wèn）于（yú）蘧（qú）伯（bó）玉（yù）曰（yuē）；（）“（）有（yǒu）人（rén）于（yú）此（cǐ），（）其（qí）德（dé）天（tiān）杀（shā）。（）与（yǔ）之（zhī）为（wéi）无（wú）方（fāng）则（zé）危（wēi）吾（wú）国（guó），（）与（yǔ）之（zhī）为（wéi）有（yǒu）方（fāng）则（zé）危（wēi）吾（wú）身（shēn）。（）其（qí）知（zhì）适（shì）足（zú）以（yǐ）知（zhī）人（rén）之（zhī）过（guò），（）而（ér）不（bù）知（zhī）其（qí）所（suǒ）以（yǐ）过（guò）。（）若（ruò）然（rán）者（zhě），（）吾（wú）奈（nài）之（zhī）何（hé）？（）”（）

Yan He was about to serve as tutor to the crown prince of Duke Ling of Wei, and he asked Qu Boyu: 'There is a man here whose nature is naturally murderous and destructive. If I deal with him without method, it will endanger our state; if I deal with him with method, it will endanger my person. His intelligence is just enough to know other people's faults, but not enough to know where he himself goes wrong. If this is how he is, what am I to do with him?'

蘧（qú）伯（bó）玉（yù）曰（yuē）：（）“（）善（shàn）哉（zāi）问（wèn）乎（hū）！（）戒（jiè）之（zhī），（）慎（shèn）之（zhī），（）正（zhèng）女（rǔ）身（shēn）哉（zāi）！（）形（xíng）莫（mò）若（ruò）就（jiù），（）心（xīn）莫（mò）若（ruò）和（hé）。（）虽（suī）然（rán），（）之（zhī）二（èr）者（zhě）有（yǒu）患（huàn）。（）就（jiù）不（bù）欲（yù）入（rù），（）和（hé）不（bù）欲（yù）出（chū）。（）形（xíng）就（jiù）而（ér）入（rù），（）且（qiě）为（wéi）颠（diān）为（wéi）灭（miè），（）为（wéi）崩（bēng）为（wéi）蹶（jué）；（）心（xīn）和（hé）而（ér）出（chū），（）且（qiě）为（wéi）声（shēng）为（wéi）名（míng），（）为（wéi）妖（yāo）为（wéi）孽（niè）。（）

Qu Boyu said: 'Excellent question! Be on guard, be careful, and rectify yourself! In outward appearance, nothing is better than going along with him; in your heart, nothing is better than harmony. Nevertheless, these two have dangers. When you go along, do not enter in; when you harmonize, do not come out. If outward going-along enters in, then there will be overturning, destruction, collapse, and stumbling; if heart-harmony comes out, then it will become reputation and fame, become weirdness and calamity.'

彼（bǐ）且（qiě）为（wéi）婴（yīng）儿（ér），（）亦（yì）与（yǔ）之（zhī）为（wéi）婴（yīng）儿（ér）；（）彼（bǐ）且（qiě）为（wéi）无（wú）町（tǐng）畦（qí），（）亦（yì）与（yǔ）之（zhī）为（wéi）无（wú）町（tǐng）畦（qí）；（）彼（bǐ）且（qiě）为（wéi）无（wú）崖（yá），（）亦（yì）与（yǔ）之（zhī）为（wéi）无（wú）崖（yá）；（）达（dá）之（zhī），（）入（rù）于（yú）无（wú）疵（cī）。（）

If he is going to be a baby, then be a baby along with him; if he is going to be without field boundaries, then be without field boundaries along with him; if he is going to be without cliffs or limits, then be without cliffs or limits along with him. Guide him to understanding, and enter into no blemish.

汝（rǔ）不（bù）知（zhī）夫（fú）螳（táng）螂（láng）乎（hū）？（）怒（nù）其（qí）臂（bì）以（yǐ）当（dāng）车（chē）辙（zhé），（）不（bù）知（zhī）其（qí）不（bù）胜（shèng）任（rèn）也（yě），（）是（shì）其（qí）才（cái）之（zhī）美（měi）者（zhě）也（yě）。（）戒（jiè）之（zhī），（）慎（shèn）之（zhī），（）积（jī）伐（fá）而（ér）美（měi）者（zhě）以（yǐ）犯（fàn）之（zhī），（）几（jī）矣（yǐ）！（）

Do you not know about the praying mantis? It angrily raises its arm to block the carriage rut, not knowing it is unequal to the task—it thinks its own ability is excellent. Be on guard, be careful! If you repeatedly boast of your fine qualities and offend him, you are nearly finished!

汝（rǔ）不（bù）知（zhī）夫（fú）养（yǎng）虎（hǔ）者（zhě）乎（hū）？（）不（bù）敢（gǎn）以（yǐ）生（shēng）物（wù）与（yǔ）之（zhī），（）为（wèi）其（qí）杀（shā）之（zhī）之（zhī）怒（nù）也（yě）；（）不（bù）敢（gǎn）以（yǐ）全（quán）物（wù）与（yǔ）之（zhī），（）为（wèi）其（qí）决（jué）之（zhī）之（zhī）怒（nù）也（yě）。（）时（shí）其（qí）饥（jī）饱（bǎo），（）达（dá）其（qí）怒（nù）心（xīn）。（）虎（hǔ）之（zhī）与（yǔ）人（rén）异（yì）类（lèi），（）而（ér）媚（mèi）养（yǎng）己（jǐ）者（zhě），（）顺（shùn）也（yě）；（）故（gù）其（qí）杀（shā）者（zhě），（）逆（nì）也（yě）。（）

Do you not know about the tiger keeper? He does not dare give the tiger a living creature, because of the fury with which it would kill it; he does not dare give it a whole body, because of the fury with which it would tear it apart. He times its hunger and fullness and reaches through to the heart of its anger. Though the tiger is a different kind from man, it fawns on the one who feeds it—this is because he follows it. So when it kills, that is because he opposes it.

夫（fú）爱（ài）马（mǎ）者（zhě），（）以（yǐ）筐（kuāng）盛（chéng）矢（shǐ），（）以（yǐ）蜃（shèn）盛（chéng）溺（niào）。（）适（shì）有（yǒu）蚊（wén）虻（méng）仆（pū）缘（yuán），（）而（ér）拊（fǔ）之（zhī）不（bù）时（shí），（）则（zé）缺（quē）衔（xián）毁（huǐ）首（shǒu）碎（suì）胸（xiōng）。（）意（yì）有（yǒu）所（suǒ）至（zhì）而（ér）爱（ài）有（yǒu）所（suǒ）亡（wáng）。（）可（kě）不（bù）慎（shèn）邪（yé）？（）”（）

A lover of horses catches its dung in a basket and its urine in a large shell. If flies settle on the horse and he suddenly slaps at them, the startled horse may break its bit and bridle and even kick a person's head or chest. An act meant to care for the horse can instead cause harm when badly timed. How could one fail to take care?

匠（jiàng）石（shí）之（zhī）齐（qí），（）至（zhì）于（yú）曲（qū）辕（yuán），（）见（jiàn）栎（lì）社（shè）树（shù）。（）其（qí）大（dà）蔽（bì）数（shù）千（qiān）牛（niú），（）絜（xié）之（zhī）百（bǎi）围（wéi），（）其（qí）高（gāo）临（lín）山（shān）十（shí）仞（rèn）而（ér）后（hòu）有（yǒu）枝（zhī），（）其（qí）可（kě）以（yǐ）为（wéi）舟（zhōu）者（zhě）旁（páng）十（shí）数（shù）。（）观（guān）者（zhě）如（rú）市（shì），（）匠（jiàng）伯（bó）不（bù）顾（gù），（）遂（suì）行（xíng）不（bù）辍（chuò）。（）弟（dì）子（zǐ）厌（yàn）观（guān）之（zhī），（）走（zǒu）及（jí）匠（jiàng）石（shí），（）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）自（zì）吾（wú）执（zhí）斧（fǔ）斤（jīn）以（yǐ）随（suí）夫（fū）子（zǐ），（）未（wèi）尝（cháng）见（jiàn）材（cái）如（rú）此（cǐ）其（qí）美（měi）也（yě）。（）

Carpenter Shi went to Qi and came to Quyuan, where he saw an oak tree at the earth-god shrine. It was so large that it shaded several thousand oxen; measured around, it was a hundred spans; it rose above the mountain, and only after ten ren did branches appear; its side branches that could be made into boats numbered ten or so. The onlookers were like a marketplace, yet Master Carpenter did not glance at it and went on without stopping. A disciple, having looked his fill, ran up to Carpenter Shi and said, 'Since I took up axe and adze to follow you, I have never seen timber as beautiful as this.'

先（xiān）生（shēng）不（bù）肯（kěn）视（shì），（）行（xíng）不（bù）辍（chuò），（）何（hé）邪（yé）？（）”（）

Yet you, sir, refuse to look at it and go on without stopping—why?

曰（yuē）：（）“（）已（yǐ）矣（yǐ），（）勿（wù）言（yán）之（zhī）矣（yǐ）！（）散（sàn）木（mù）也（yě）。（）以（yǐ）为（wéi）舟（zhōu）则（zé）沉（chén），（）以（yǐ）为（wéi）棺（guān）椁（guǒ）则（zé）速（sù）腐（fǔ），（）以（yǐ）为（wéi）器（qì）则（zé）速（sù）毁（huǐ），（）以（yǐ）为（wéi）门（mén）户（hù）则（zé）液（yè）樠（mán），（）以（yǐ）为（wéi）柱（zhù）则（zé）蠹（dù），（）是（shì）不（bù）材（cái）之（zhī）木（mù）也（yě）。（）无（wú）所（suǒ）可（kě）用（yòng），（）故（gù）能（néng）若（ruò）是（shì）之（zhī）寿（shòu）。（）”（）

Enough! Do not speak of it anymore! It is a scattered, useless tree. If made into a boat, it would sink; if made into a coffin or outer coffin, it would quickly rot; if made into utensils, it would quickly break; if made into a door or gate, it would ooze sap; if made into a pillar, it would be worm-eaten. This is a tree of no timber. Since there is nowhere it can be used, it can have such longevity.

匠（jiàng）石（shí）归（guī），（）栎（lì）社（shè）见（xiàn）梦（mèng）曰（yuē）：（）“（）女（rǔ）将（jiàng）恶（wū）乎（hū）比（bǐ）予（yú）哉（zāi）？（）若（ruò）将（jiāng）比（bǐ）予（yú）于（yú）文（wén）木（mù）邪（yé）？（）夫（fú）楂（zhā）梨（lí）橘（jú）柚（yòu）果（guǒ）蓏（luǒ）之（zhī）属（shǔ），（）实（shí）熟（shú）则（zé）剥（bō），（）剥（bō）则（zé）辱（rǔ）。（）大（dà）枝（zhī）折（zhé），（）小（xiǎo）枝（zhī）泄（yì）。（）此（cǐ）以（yǐ）其（qí）能（néng）苦（kǔ）其（qí）生（shēng）者（zhě）也（yě）。（）故（gù）不（bù）终（zhōng）其（qí）天（tiān）年（nián）而（ér）中（zhōng）道（dào）夭（yāo），（）自（zì）掊（póu）击（jī）于（yú）世（shì）俗（sú）者（zhě）也（yě）。（）物（wù）莫（mò）不（bù）若（ruò）是（shì）。（）

Craftsman Shi returned home. The oak shrine tree appeared to him in a dream and said: 'What will you compare me to? Will you compare me to trees prized for their timber? Hawthorns, pears, oranges, pomelos, and other fruit-bearing plants are stripped when their fruit ripens, and stripping brings them humiliation. Their large branches are broken and their small branches pulled away. Their usefulness brings suffering upon their lives. Thus they fail to live out their natural span and die before their time, themselves struck by the ordinary world. All things are subject to this.'

且（qiě）予（yú）求（qiú）无（wú）所（suǒ）可（kě）用（yòng）久（jiǔ）矣（yǐ）！（）几（jī）死（sǐ），（）乃（nǎi）今（jīn）得（dé）之（zhī），（）为（wéi）予（yú）大（dà）用（yòng）。（）使（shǐ）予（yú）也（yě）而（ér）有（yǒu）用（yòng），（）且（qiě）得（dé）有（yǒu）此（cǐ）大（dà）也（yě）邪（yé）？（）且（qiě）也（yě）若（ruò）与（yǔ）予（yú）也（yě）皆（jiē）物（wù）也（yě），（）奈（nài）何（hé）哉（zāi）其（qí）相（xiāng）物（wù）也（yě）？（）而（ér）几（jī）死（sǐ）之（zhī）散（sàn）人（rén），（）又（yòu）恶（wū）知（zhī）散（sàn）木（mù）！（）”（）

Moreover, I have sought to be of no use for a long time! I nearly died, and only now have I obtained it, and it has become my great use. If I had been useful, could I have become this great? Besides, you and I are both things—how can you go on treating me as a thing? And you, a scattered man who nearly died, how could you understand the scattered tree?

匠（jiàng）石（shí）觉（jué）而（ér）诊（zhěn）其（qí）梦（mèng）。（）弟（dì）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）趣（qù）取（qǔ）无（wú）用（yòng），（）则（zé）为（wéi）社（shè）何（hé）邪（yé）？（）”（）

Craftsman Shi awoke and interpreted his dream. A disciple said: 'If it eagerly seeks uselessness, why then does it serve as a shrine tree?'

曰（yuē）：（）“（）密（mì）！（）若（ruò）无（wú）言（yán）！（）彼（bǐ）亦（yì）直（zhí）寄（jì）焉（yān）！（）以（yǐ）为（wéi）不（bù）知（zhī）己（jǐ）者（zhě）诟（gòu）厉（lì）也（yě）。（）不（bù）为（wéi）社（shè）者（zhě），（）且（qiě）几（jī）有（yǒu）翦（jiǎn）乎（hū）！（）且（qiě）也（yě）彼（bǐ）其（qí）所（suǒ）保（bǎo）与（yǔ）众（zhòng）异（yì），（）而（ér）以（yǐ）义（yì）喻（yù）之（zhī），（）不（bù）亦（yì）远（yuǎn）乎（hū）！（）”（）

He said, “Hush! Do not speak! It is merely lodging there for the time being; and so it becomes a target for the abuse of those who do not know it. If it were not made a shrine, would it not nearly have been cut down? Moreover, what it preserves is different from that of the crowd, yet you explain it by conventional righteousness—are you not far from it?”

南（nán）伯（bó）子（zǐ）綦（qí）游（yóu）乎（hū）商（shāng）之（zhī）丘（qiū），（）见（jiàn）大（dà）木（mù）焉（yān），（）有（yǒu）异（yì）：（）结（jié）驷（sì）千（qiān）乘（shèng），（）隐（yǐn）将（jiāng）芘（bì）其（qí）所（suǒ）藾（lài）。（）子（zǐ）綦（qí）曰（yuē）：（）“（）此（cǐ）何（hé）木（mù）也（yě）哉（zāi）！（）此（cǐ）必（bì）有（yǒu）异（yì）材（cái）夫（fú）！（）”（）

Nanbo Ziqi was wandering on the hill of Shang when he saw a great tree there, which was extraordinary: a thousand chariots with teams of four horses could be hidden and sheltered beneath its shade. Ziqi said, “What kind of tree is this! It must have extraordinary timber!”

仰而视其细枝，则拳曲而不可以为栋梁；俯而视其大根，则轴解而不可以为棺椁；咶其叶，则口烂而为伤；嗅之则使人狂酲三日而不已。子綦曰“此果不材之木也，以至于此其大也。嗟乎神人，以此不材。”

Looking up at its slender branches, they were gnarled and crooked, so they could not be used for ridgepoles and beams; looking down at its great roots, they were split and loose in the grain, so they could not be used for inner and outer coffins; licking its leaves made the mouth blister and wound; smelling it made a person wildly drunk for three days without stopping. Ziqi said, “This is indeed a tree of no use—that is how it has grown so great. Ah, the spirit man—by just this uselessness!”

宋（sòng）有（yǒu）荆（jīng）氏（shì）者（zhě），（）宜（yí）楸（qiū）柏（bǎi）桑（sāng）。（）其（qí）拱（gǒng）把（bǎ）而（ér）上（shàng）者（zhě），（）求（qiú）狙（jū）猴（hóu）之（zhī）杙（yì）斩（zhǎn）之（zhī）；（）三（sān）围（wéi）四（sì）围（wéi），（）求（qiú）高（gāo）名（míng）之（zhī）丽（lì）者（zhě）斩（zhǎn）之（zhī）；（）七（qī）围（wéi）八（bā）围（wéi），（）贵（guì）人（rén）富（fù）商（shāng）之（zhī）家（jiā）求（qiú）椫（shàn）傍（bàng）者（zhě）斩（zhǎn）之（zhī）。（）故（gù）未（wèi）终（zhōng）其（qí）天（tiān）年（nián）而（ér）中（zhōng）道（dào）之（zhī）夭（yāo）于（yú）斧（fǔ）斤（jīn），（）此（cǐ）材（cái）之（zhī）患（huàn）也（yě）。（）

In Song there was a place called Jingshi, suited to growing catalpa, cypress, and mulberry. Those from a span or handful in girth upward were cut down by those seeking posts for monkeys; those three or four spans around were cut down by those seeking fine beams for high-famed houses; those seven or eight spans around were cut down by noble families and rich merchants seeking coffin planks. Thus they did not finish their natural years, but perished midway under the axe—this is the calamity of having useful timber.

故（gù）解（jiě）之（zhī）以（yǐ）牛（niú）之（zhī）白（bái）颡（sǎng）者（zhě），（）与（yǔ）豚（tún）之（zhī）亢（kàng）鼻（bí）者（zhě），（）与（yǔ）人（rén）有（yǒu）痔（zhì）病（bìng）者（zhě），（）不（bù）可（kě）以（yǐ）适（shì）河（hé）。（）此（cǐ）皆（jiē）巫（wū）祝（zhù）以（yǐ）知（zhī）之（zhī）矣（yǐ），（）所（suǒ）以（yǐ）为（wéi）不（bù）祥（xiáng）也（yě）。（）此（cǐ）乃（nǎi）神（shén）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）以（yǐ）为（wéi）大（dà）祥（xiáng）也（yě）。（）

Thus, in rites meant to avert misfortune, an ox with a white forehead, a pig with a high nose, and a person with a hemorrhoidal illness would not be chosen for the river rite. The ritual specialists knew these exclusions and called them inauspicious; the spirit person saw in their being passed over a chance to preserve life, and called it greatly auspicious.

支（zhī）离（lí）疏（shū）者（zhě），（）颐（yí）隐（yǐn）于（yú）齐（qí），（）肩（jiān）高（gāo）于（yú）顶（dǐng），（）会（kuài）撮（zuì）指（zhǐ）天（tiān），（）五（wǔ）管（guǎn）在（zài）上（shàng），（）两（liǎng）髀（bì）为（wéi）胁（xié）。（）挫（cuò）针（zhēn）治（zhì）繲（xiè），（）足（zú）以（yǐ）餬（hú）口（kǒu）；（）鼓（gǔ）筴（cè）播（bō）精（jīng），（）足（zú）以（yǐ）食（sì）十（shí）人（rén）。（）上（shàng）征（zhēng）武（wǔ）士（shì），（）则（zé）支（zhī）离（lí）攘（rǎng）臂（bì）于（yú）其（qí）间（jiān）；（）上（shàng）有（yǒu）大（dà）役（yì），（）则（zé）支（zhī）离（lí）以（yǐ）有（yǒu）常（cháng）疾（jí）不（bù）受（shòu）功（gōng）；（）上（shàng）与（yǔ）病（bìng）者（zhě）粟（sù），（）则（zé）受（shòu）三（sān）锺（zhōng）与（yǔ）十（shí）束（shù）薪（xīn）。（）

Zhi Li Shu's cheeks seemed tucked by his navel, his shoulders rose above his head, and his topknot pointed skyward. In the old commentary's reading, the points on his back associated with the five viscera faced upward, while his thighs were drawn up against his ribs. Sewing and laundering earned him enough to live on; winnowing grain earned enough to feed ten people. When the ruler called up warriors, he bared his arms among the recruits. When there was compulsory labor, his longstanding physical condition exempted him; when grain was given to the sick, he received three zhong of grain and ten bundles of firewood.

夫（fú）支（zhī）离（lí）其（qí）形（xíng）者（zhě），（）犹（yóu）足（zú）以（yǐ）养（yǎng）其（qí）身（shēn），（）终（zhōng）其（qí）天（tiān）年（nián），（）又（yòu）况（kuàng）支（zhī）离（lí）其（qí）德（dé）者（zhě）乎（hū）！（）

A person whose body differs from the usual form can still support himself and live out his natural years. How much more may one who does not parade his virtue or contend for worldly credit do so? ‘Dispersing one's virtue’ here does not mean being morally deficient.

孔（kǒng）子（zǐ）适（shì）楚（chǔ），（）楚（chǔ）狂（kuáng）接（jiē）舆（yú）游（yóu）其（qí）门（mén）曰（yuē）：（）“（）凤（fèng）兮（xī）凤（fèng）兮（xī），（）何（hé）如（rú）德（dé）之（zhī）衰（shuāi）也（yě）。（）来（lái）世（shì）不（bù）可（kě）待（dài），（）往（wǎng）世（shì）不（bù）可（kě）追（zhuī）也（yě）。（）天（tiān）下（xià）有（yǒu）道（dào），（）圣（shèng）人（rén）成（chéng）焉（yān）；（）天（tiān）下（xià）无（wú）道（dào），（）圣（shèng）人（rén）生（shēng）焉（yān）。（）方（fāng）今（jīn）之（zhī）时（shí），（）仅（jǐn）免（miǎn）刑（xíng）焉（yān）！（）福（fú）轻（qīng）乎（hū）羽（yǔ），（）莫（mò）之（zhī）知（zhī）载（zài）；（）祸（huò）重（zhòng）乎（hū）地（dì），（）莫（mò）之（zhī）知（zhī）避（bì）。（）已（yǐ）乎（hū），（）已（yǐ）乎（hū）！（）

Confucius went to Chu. The madman of Chu, Jie Yu, wandered by his gate and said, “Phoenix, oh Phoenix, how virtue has declined! The coming age cannot be awaited; the past age cannot be pursued. When the world has the Way, the sage completes his work; when the world lacks the Way, the sage merely lives. In the present time, one is barely able to escape punishment! Good fortune is lighter than a feather, yet no one knows how to carry it; calamity is heavier than the earth, yet no one knows how to avoid it. Stop, stop!”

临（lín）人（rén）以（yǐ）德（dé）。（）殆（dài）乎（hū），（）殆（dài）乎（hū）！（）画（huà）地（dì）而（ér）趋（qū）。（）迷（mí）阳（yáng）迷（mí）阳（yáng），（）无（wú）伤（shāng）吾（wú）行（xíng）。（）吾（wú）行（xíng）郤（xì）曲（qū），（）无（wú）伤（shāng）吾（wú）足（zú）。（）”（）

To approach people with virtue—dangerous, dangerous! To draw a boundary on the ground and hurry along it. Miyang thorns, Miyang thorns, do not harm my walking. I walk turning and bending; do not harm my feet.

山（shān）木（mù），（）自（zì）寇（kòu）也（yě）；（）膏（gāo）火（huǒ），（）自（zì）煎（jiān）也（yě）。（）桂（guì）可（kě）食（shí），（）故（gù）伐（fá）之（zhī）；（）漆（qī）可（kě）用（yòng），（）故（gù）割（gē）之（zhī）。（）人（rén）皆（jiē）知（zhī）有（yǒu）用（yòng）之（zhī）用（yòng），（）而（ér）莫（mò）知（zhī）无（wú）用（yòng）之（zhī）用（yòng）也（yě）。（）

Mountain trees bring the axe upon themselves; oil in a lamp burns itself away. The cassia tree can be eaten, so it is cut down; the lacquer tree can be put to use, so it is tapped. Everyone knows the use of the useful, but no one knows the use of the useless.

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In the Human World

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Original Chinese text

English translation