Tsze Han / 18

子曰,譬如为山,未成一篑,止,吾止也,譬如平地,虽覆一篑,进,吾往也。

Modern Chinese Guide

孔子说:好比堆土成山,只差一筐土就完成了,若停下来,那是我自己停下的;又好比在平地上堆山,虽然才倒下一筐土,若继续前进,那是我自己在前进。

James Legge Translation

The Master said, "The prosecution of learning may be compared to what may happen in raising a mound. If there want but one basket of earth to complete the work, and I stop, the stopping is my own work. It may be compared to throwing down the earth on the level ground. Though but one basketful is thrown at a time, the advancing with it is my own going forward."

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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