Zhongyong

禮記;--中庸

１．天命之謂性，率性之謂道，修道之謂教。道也者，不可須臾離也，可離非道也。是故君子戒慎乎其所不睹，恐懼乎其所不聞。莫見乎隱，莫顯乎微。故君子慎其獨也。

What Heaven has conferred is called the nature; an accordance with this nature is called the parth of duty; the regulation of this path is called instruction. The path may not be left for an instant. It it could be left, it would not be the path. On this account, the superior man does not wait till he sees things, to be cautious, nor till he hears things, to be apprehensive. There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute. Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.

喜怒哀樂之未發，謂之中；發而皆中節，謂之和；中也者，天下之大本也；和也者，天下之達道也。致中和，天地位焉，萬物育焉。

While there are not stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow or joy, the mind may be said to be in the state of equilibrium. When those feelings have been stirred, and they ace in their due degree, there ensues what may be called the state of harmony. This equilibrium is the great root from which grow all the human actings in the world, and this harmony is the universal path which they all should pursue. Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.

２．仲尼曰：「君子中庸，小人反中庸。君子之中庸也，君子而時中；小人之中庸也，小人而無忌憚也。」

Zhongni (Confucius) said: "The superior man embodies the course of the Mean; the mean man acts contrary to the course of the Mean. The superior man's embodying the course of the Mean is because he is a superior man, and so always maintains the Mean. The Mean man's acting contrary to the course of the Mean is because he is a mean man, and has no caution."

３．子曰：「中庸其至矣乎！民鮮能久矣！」

The Master said: "Perfect is the virtue which is according to the Mean! Rare have they long been among the people, who practise it.!"

４．子曰：「道之不行也，我知之矣：知者過之，愚者不及也。道之不明也，我知之矣：賢者過之，不肖者不及也。人莫不飲食也，鮮能知味也。」

The Master said: "I know how it is that the path of the Mean is not walked in: The knowing go beyond it, and the stupid do not come up to it. I know how it is that the path of the Mean is not understood: The men of talents and virtue go beyond it, and the worthless do not come up to it. The is nobody but eats and drinks. But they are few who can distinguish flavours."

５．子曰：「道其不行矣夫。」

The Master said: "Alas! How is the path of the Mean untrodden!"

６．子曰：「舜其大知也。與舜好問，而好察邇言，隱惡，而揚善，執其兩端， 用其中於民，其斯以為舜乎。」

The Master said: "There was Shun: He indeed was greatly wise! Shun loved to question others, and to study their words, though they might be shallow. He concealed what was bad in them, and displayed what was good. He took hold of their two extremes, determined the Mean, and employed it in his government of the people. It was by this that he was Shun!"