San Zi Jing – The Three-Character Classic

Those who are learners,
must have a beginning.
The 'little learning' finished,
they proceed to the four books.

Giles

Pour ceux qui étudient,
il doit y avoir un commencement.
Après l'étude élémentaire des caractères,
vient celle des Quatre Livres.

Deverge

There is the Lun Yu (discourse or Analects),
in twenty sections.
In this, the various disciples,
have recorded the wise sayings of Confucius.
The works of Mencius,
have comprised in seven section.
These explain the way and exemplifications thereof,
and expound clarity and duty towards one's neighbour.

Giles

Les Entretiens de Confucius
comprennent vingt chapitres
dans lesquels les disciples
ont transcrit ses bonnes paroles.
Le Mencius
comprend sept livres
qui traitent de la Voie et de la Vertu
et exposent les principes de l'altruisme et de la justice.

Deverge

The Chung Yung (the doctrine of the mean),
by the pen of Tzu-su;
Chung (the middle) being that which odes not lean toward any side,
Yung (the course) being that which cannot be changed.
He who wrote the 'Great Learning'
was the philosopher Tseng.
Beginning with cultivation of the individual and ordering of the family,
It goes on to government of one's own State and ordering of the family.

Giles

L'Invariable Milieu
fut rédigé par Zisi.
Milieu est ce qui ne dévie pas.
Invariable est ce qui ne change pas.
La Grande Etude
est de Maître Zeng.
Pour se corriger, harmoniser sa famille,
jusqu'à pacifier le monde.

Deverge

When the 'Classic of Filial Piety' is mastered,
and the 'Four books' are known by heart.
The next step is to the 'Six classics',
which may now be studied.
The Books of Poetry, of History and of Changes.
The 'Rites of Chou Dynasty', the book of Rites, and the 'Spring and Autum Annals'
are the six classics
which should be carefully explained and analysed.

Giles

Le Classique de la Piété Filiale su par cœur
et les Quatre Livres pénétrés
on passera aux Six Classiques
qu'on peut désormais aborder.
Le Livre des Odes, le Canon des Documents, le Livre des Mutations,
les Mémoires sur les Rites, les Printemps et les Automnes,
sont les Six Classiques
qui doivent être expliqués et approfondis.

Deverge

There is the Lien Shan System,
there is the Kuei Tsang
And there is the system of Changes of the Chou Dynasty,
such are the three systems which elucidate the changes.
There are the Regulations and the Counsels,
The Instruction, The Announcements,
The Oaths, The Charges,
These are the profundities of the Book of History.

Giles

Le Lianshan,
le Guizang
et le Livre des Mutations
formaient l'ensemble complet de l'exposé des mutations.
Les Règles, les Conseils,
les Enseignements, les Avis,
les Harangues et les Promotions
sont les merveilles du Canon des Documents.

Deverge

Our Duke of Chou,
drew up the Ritual of the Chou Dynasty,
in which he set forth the duties of the six classes of officials;
and thus gave a settled form to the government.
The Elder and the Younger Tai,
wrote commentaries on the Book of Rites.
They publish the holy words,
and Ceremonies and Music were set in order.

Giles

Le duc de Zhou
écrivit les Rites des Zhou,
établit les Six Ministères
et fixa la forme du gouvernement.
Dai l'Ancien et Dai le Jeune
annotèrent les Mémoires sur les Rites,
transmirent les paroles des sages
et mirent en ordre les Rites et la Musique.

Deverge

We speak of the Kuo Feng,
we speak of the Ya and the Sung.
These are the four sections of the Book of poetry,
which should be hummed over and over.
When odes ceased to be made,
the Spring and Autumn Annals were produced.
These Annals contain praise and blame,
and distinguish the good from the bad.

Giles

Les Chansons des Royaumes, les Odes pour les Cérémonies Ordinaires,
les odes pour les Cérémonies Solennelles, les Eloges,
sont les quatre parties du Livre des Odes
qu'il faut psalmodier à haute voix.
Lorsque la collection des Odes fut interrompue,
les Printemps et Automnes furent écrits.
Ils contiennent louanges et critiques
et séparent le bon grain de l'ivraie.

Deverge

The three commentaries upon the above,
include that of Kung-Yang,
that of Tso
and that of Ku-Liang.
When the classics were understood,
then the writings of the various philosophers should be read.
Pick out the important points in each,
and take a note of the facts.

Giles

(Des Printemps et Automnes) il existe trois commentaires,
celui de Gongyang,
celui de Zuo,
celui de Guliang.
Les Classiques élucidés,
on lira les Philosophes
pour en tirer la substance
et noter les faits.

Deverge

The five chielf philosophers,
are Haun, Yang,
Wen Chung Tzu
Lao Tzu and Chung Tzu.
When the classics and the philosophers are mastered,
the various histories should then be read,
and the genealogical connections should be examined,
so that the end of one dynasty and the beginning of the next be known.

Giles

Les Cinq Philosophes sont
Xun Zi, Yang Zi
Wenzhong Zi,
Lao Zi et Zhuang Zi.
Une fois les Classiques et les Philosophes pénétrés,
on étudiera les Histoires Dynastiques,
on examinera les généalogies
et on en connaîtra les tenants et les aboutissants.

Deverge