《千字文》(二)
盖此身发,四大五常。恭惟鞠养,岂敢毁伤!
女慕贞洁,男效才良。知过必改,得能莫忘。罔谈彼短,靡恃己长。
信使可覆,器欲难量。墨悲丝染,《诗》赞羔羊。
景行维贤,克念作圣。德建名立,形端表正。
空谷传声,虚堂习听。祸因恶积,福缘善庆。尺璧非宝,寸阴是竞。
资父事君,曰严与敬。孝当竭力,忠则尽命。
临深履薄,夙兴温凊。似兰斯馨,如松之盛。
川流不息,渊澄取映。容止若思,言辞安定。
The Thousand-Character Writing (II)
Human bodies are from the four main substances,
Man's minds should cherish the five virtues or principles.
Every person should remember the parents' benevolence of rearing them,
And never harm or hurt their own bodies.
Women who are pure and virtuous are to be admired and respected,
Men should learn from the people who are both talented and morally good.
You should correct your mistakes as soon as you know it,
And do not forget what you have learned.
When you talk,
Neither other people's shortcomings nor your own strong points should be mentioned.
A person's honesty must withstand the test of time,
And it is better for one to be tolerant and generous towards others.
Mozi lamented that the white silk had been dyed,
The Book of Poetry commends pure lambs.
If you keep following the examples of good people and good deeds, and restrain yourself properly,
You can surely become virtuous and saintly.
Good name can only be made on the basis of your virtues,
And similarly, if you stand upright, you can have an upright appearance.
In an empty vale, a sound can reach far,
In an empty hall, a sound can easily have echoes.
Misfortunes and disasters result from the accumulation of evil deeds,
Happiness and blessings are the result of good deeds and virtues.
A piece of jade, big as it is, is by no means as precious as
Time, no matter how short the time is.
When treating your parents and serving your monarch,
You should be separately filial and loyal, solemnly and respectfully.
To be filial, you ought to spare no effort,
To be loyal, you should sacrifice your life willingly.
Serving your monarch is like walking along an abyss and on thin ice – you must act carefully,
Treating your parents, from morning till night, during hot days and cold days, you should do your best to make them live comfortably.
In so doing, your moral integrity can be compared to an orchid – elegant and fragrant,
And to a pine – grow thrivingly.
Your morality and conduct are live rivers – flow without a stop,
And are also like clear deep water which is mirroring.
Your appearance and manner should be composed like brooding,
When talking, you should be calm with no hasting.