Weekly Classical Chinese Golden Quotes
不患位之不尊，而患德之不崇。《应间》
古语今译:
(君子)不担心地位不够尊贵，而是忧虑德行不够崇高。
Original Quote:
“Do not worry about your status not being exalted; worry about your virtue being inadequate."
Explanation:
A gentleman does not worry about his position not being sufficiently exalted; what he worries about is his virtue not being complete.
观于明镜，则疵瑕不滞于躯; 听于直言，则过行不累乎身。《仿连珠》时常在明亮的镜子前观察自己，污渍就不会在身上停滞; 听从、吸纳直言不讳的进谏，那么错误的行为就不会在身上积聚。"Look in a clear mirror, and flaws will not remain; hear straight words, and mistakes will not build up inside you."If you keep examining yourself in a mirror, grime and blemishes will not stay on your body; if you keep hearing honest appraisals, mistakes will not accumulate in your behavior.老骥伏枥，志在千里; 烈士暮年，壮心不已。《龟虽寿》
千里马虽然年老体衰伏在马槽旁，可依然不忘奋蹄疾驰、纵横千里的志向;刚烈骁勇、胸怀大志的英雄，就算到了迟暮之年，他的热血豪情和凌云壮志依然存在。“An aged Pegasus intent on a thousand miles, a hero in his later years keeping the flame of ambition alive."Just as a once-champion steed may decline and dodder in its old age but yet sill harbor the lofty spirit of galloping a thousand miles, so may a knight of ambition to accomplish great things, although in the evening of life, preserve heroism intact in his heart.“A man with loyalty is like a fish with water.A character of loyalty and integrity is to a man what water is to a fish.蝉是因为身居高处、立足高远，所以叫声传得远，而不是借助了秋风吹送的 力量。该句表达了作者的高洁之意。“A song from an exalted perch resounds afar. It doesn't need the autumn breeze"It is because the cicada perches on high that its chirping can be heard far and wide, and not because it has the assistance of the autumn wind.These lines express the lofty and pure sentiment of the writer.狂风劲吹，迅疾猛烈，才知道哪棵草真正坚韧强劲; 时局动荡，世事变幻，才知道哪个臣子真正忠诚可信。“A gale reveals the tough grass. Turmoil reveals the true minister."Just as we can only know which is the sturdy grass when a strong wind blows, we can only know who is a loyal minister in times of upheaval.兰叶葳蕤，桂树皎洁，幽幽飘香，欣欣向荣，是它们刻意这样么?不，是它们生命成长的规律如此，天性使然，不祈求人们过来欣赏它、采摘它。
"Plants have their own nature. What need is there for people to snap them?"The fragrance of the orchid in spring and osmanthus in autumn has an innate power to refresh. There is no need to pluck them to enjoy it.有道德修养的人，乐于宣扬与赞美别人的优点，只有小人才喜欢揭发与攻击别人的缺点。"The gentleman extols the good in men; the petty man exposes their faults."The virtuous man likes to praise others' good points, while the petty man likes to attack them for their shortcomings.少年人应当胸怀壮志凌云，否则，谁会顾惜你孤独无依，一蹶不振，独处幽寒，长吁短叹呢?“When young, aim for the clouds, for none will bemoan your later troubles."In youth, one should have lofty aspirations; otherwise，who will pity you, who only sighs, in your time of trouble?试玉要烧三日满，辨材须待七年期。《放言五首.其三》
检验美玉的优劣要在炉炭中燃烧三天三夜，辨别木材的虚实要以七年为期。作者主张要放在更久远的时间段内，检验事物的真假、人才的优劣。"It takes three days and nights of heating to test jade. It takes seven years of growth to test wood."To test whether a piece of jade is genuine or false, it must be heated for three days and three nights. Only after seven years' growth will a tree reveal whether its wood is sound or fragile.The writer is making an implied analogy between material things and a person's character-only after a period of time do they both reveal their true nature.
