Chapter 13

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第十三章: 君子之道

子曰：「道不遠人。人之為道而遠人，不可以為道。」《詩》云：「伐柯伐柯，其則不遠；執柯以伐柯，睨而視之猶以為遠。」故君子以人治人，改而止。忠恕違道不遠，施諸己而不愿，亦勿施於人。「君子之道四，丘未能一焉；所求乎子，以事父未能也；所求乎臣，以事君未能也；所求乎弟，以事兄未能也；所求乎朋友，先施之未能也。庸德之行，庸言之謹，有所不足，不敢不勉，有餘不敢盡。言顧行，行顧言，君子胡不慥慥爾

Confucius said "The Way is not far, yet in pursuing of the Way one travels afar to seek it; therefore, it cannot be considered the Way.

In the Book of Poetry it read, ‘In hewing an ax-handle, in hewing an ax-handle, the pattern is not far off. To use one ax handle as a sample in creating the other; yet, when look closely they may be considered as apart.’ Therefore, the virtuous governs according to Nature, and as soon as they change what is wrong, one stops. When one cultivates to the utmost principles of Nature, and exercises them on the principle of reciprocity, one is not far from the Way. What you do not like when done to yourself, do not do to others.

The Way for the virtuous has four things, to which I have yet attained: To serve my father, as I would require my son to serve me: to this I have not attained; to serve my prince, as I would require my minister to serve me: to this I have not attained; to serve my elder brother, as I would require my younger brother to serve me: to this I have not attained; to set the example in behaving to a friend, as I would require him to behave to me: to this I have not attained.

In practicing the ordinary virtues, one must be vigilant in its action. If one finds anything defective, one must strive instead. If one has anything in excess, one dares not to bolster oneself. Thus his words have respect to his actions, and his actions have respect to his words. Is it not just an entire sincerity which marks the virtuous?"