Wei Ling Kung / 34

子曰,民之于仁也,甚于水火,水火吾见蹈而死者矣,未见蹈仁而死者也。

Modern Chinese Guide

孔子说:百姓对于仁德的需要,比对水火的需要还迫切。水火,我见过有人踏进去而死的;却没见过有人践行仁德而死的。

James Legge Translation

The Master said, "Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue."

Notes and themes

  • 底本:Wikisource 整理的 James Legge《The Chinese Classics》公版中英文本。
  • 中文由繁体转为简体,后续白话解释需逐章审校。
  • 白话参考底本:《白话论语读本》,张兆瑢、沈元起编译,上海广益书局1948 年新三版。
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