中 庸 Zhongyong – The Doctrine of the Mean

仲尼祖述堯舜，憲章文武；上律天時，下襲水土。

原文 118

Chung-nî handed down the doctrines of Yâo and Shun, as if they had been his ancestors, and elegantly displayed the regulations of Wan and Wû, taking them as his model. Above, he harmonized with the times of Heaven, and below, he was conformed to the water and land.

Legge XXX.1.

譬如天地没有不能负载的，没有不能覆盖的。又譬如四季交替的运行，和日月交替的照耀。

白话翻译

辟如天地之無不持載，無不覆幬，辟如四時之錯行，如日月之代明。

原文 119

He may be compared to Heaven and Earth in their supporting and containing, their overshadowing and curtaining, all things. He may be compared to the four seasons in their alternating progress, and to the sun and moon in their successive shining.

Legge XXX.2.

万物同时发育而不互相妨害，各种规律同时起作用而不相违背。小的德行像江河川流，脉络分明，长流不息，大的德行则扎扎实实地化育万物，这就是天地之所以伟大之处。

白话翻译

萬物並育而不相害，道並行而不相悖，小德川流，大德敦化，此天地之所以為大也。

原文 120

All things are nourished together without their injuring one another. The courses of the seasons, and of the sun and moon, are pursued without any collision among them. The smaller energies are like river currents; the greater energies are seen in mighty transformations. It is this which makes heaven and earth so great.

Legge XXX.3.

只有天下最有圣德的人，才能耳聪目明，思想敏锐，足以做天下的共主去监临百姓；宽宏大量，温柔和顺，足以包容一切；奋发坚强，刚健果毅，足以保持正义；庄重肃敬，足以分辨整理的性质类别。

白话翻译