| 1. | 弟子規，聖人訓
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"The Rules for Students" are the Sage’s teachings.
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| 2. | 首孝弟，次謹信
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First be good to parents (For this way of translating "xiao 孝" see Note 1) and respect elders; next be reverent and trustworthy. ("jin 謹" here means "reverent" as in 恭謹, not "careful" as in 謹慎; see Note 2.)
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| 3. | 汎愛眾，而親仁
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Love everyone and become close with the kind-hearted.
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| 4. | 有餘力，則學文
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If there’s energy left over, then study books.
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| 5. | 右總敘
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To the right (the preceding) is the summary.
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6. |
父母呼，應勿緩
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When parents call, don’t be slow to answer.
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| 7. | 父母命，行勿懶
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When parents give an order, act, don’t be lazy.
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| 8. | 父母教，須敬聽
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When parents teach, one must listen respectfully.
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| 9. | 父母責，須我承
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When parents reprimand, one must accept.
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| 10. | 冬則溫，夏則清
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In winter one keeps warm; in summer one keeps cool. (凊 instead of 清 is used in some texts, referring to warming up and cooling the parents' bed: see Note 3.)
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| 11. | 辰則省，昏則定
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In the morning one thinks over one’s conduct; in the evening one settles down. (Other authors may interpret this passage differently: see Note 3.)
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| 12. | 出必告，返必面
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When leaving one must tell (one’s parents); upon returning one must report face-to face.
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| 13. | 居有常，業無變
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There should be regularity in one’s daily life, and no change in one’s career.
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| 14. | 事雖小，勿擅為
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Though a matter may be small, don’t act arbitrarily.
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| 15. | 苟擅為，子道虧
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If one acts arbitrarily, the character that a son ought to possess gets damaged.
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| 16. | 物雖小，勿私藏
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Though a thing may be small, don’t selfishly hoard it.
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| 17. | 苟私藏，親心傷
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If one selfishly hoards, the parents’ hearts will be hurt.
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| 18. | 親所好，力為具
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What parents like, make an effort to possesss;
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| 19. | 親所惡，謹為去
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What parents despise, carefully get rid of.
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| 20. | 身有傷，貽親憂
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Injury to one’s body, brings parents worry;
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| 21. | 德有傷，貽親羞
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Injury to one’s character, brings parents shame. |
| 22. | 親愛我，孝何難
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When parents love me, it is easy to be good to parents;
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| 23. | 親憎我，孝方賢
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When parents detest me, then it’s truly virtuous to be good to parents. |
| 24. | 親有過，諫使更
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When parents are doing something that’s wrong, counsel them to make them change.
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| 25. | 怡吾色，柔吾聲
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Make my expression pleasant, and soften my voice. |
| 26. | 諫不入，悅復諫
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If the counsel is not accepted, wait until parents are happy then counsel them again.
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| 27. | 號泣隨，撻無怨
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(If still not accepted,) weeping and wailing should follow, and beatings are borne without complaint. |
| 28. | 親有疾，藥先嘗
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When parents fall ill, one tastes the medicine first, |
| 29. | 晝夜侍，不離床
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And attend day and night, not leaving the bed. |
| 30. | 喪三年，常悲咽
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One mourns for thee years, often sobbing sadly. |
| 31. | 居處變，酒色絕
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The place of living should change, and one should abstain from wine and sex.
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| 32. | 喪盡禮，祭盡誠
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At the funeral there should be the utmost decorum; at the memorial services there should be the utmost sincerity. |
| 33. | 侍死者，如事生
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Serve the dead like serving the living. |
| 34. | 兄道友，弟道恭
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The proper way for the older brother is friendliness; the way for the younger brother is respect. |
| 35. | 兄弟睦，孝在中
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When brothers are harmonious, that is in itself being good to parents. |
| 36. | 財物輕，怨何生
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When money and material things are taken lightly, how can resentment arise? |
| 37. | 言語忍，憤自泯
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When words are tolerated, anger naturally dissipates. |
| 38. | 或飲食，或坐走
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In eating and drinking, and in walking and sitting down, |
| 39. | 長者先，幼者後
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The elder person goes first; the junior person goes after. |
| 40. | 長呼人，即代叫
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When an elder is calling someone, immediately call that person for the elder. |
| 41. | 人不在，己先到
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If that person is not there, go to the elder yourself.
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| 42. | 稱尊長，勿呼名
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When addressing a respected elder, don’t call him by name. |
| 43. | 對尊長，勿見能
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In front of a respected elder, don’t show off. |
| 44. | 路遇長，疾趨揖
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When meeting an elder on the road, quickly go up and bow with hands together.
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| 45. | 長無言，退恭立
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If the elder has nothing to say, retreat and stand respectfully. |
| 46. | 騎下馬，乘下車
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Get off if riding a horse, get out if in a car. |
| 47. | 過猶待，百步餘
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Wait even after the elder passes, for a hundred steps or more. |
| 48. | 長者立，幼者立
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When the elder person stands, the junior person stands. |
| 49. | 長者坐，命乃坐
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When the elder person sits, only upon being ordered does the junior person sit.
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| 50. | 尊長前，聲要低
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In front of a respected elder, one’s voice has to be low, |
| 51. | 低下聞，為非宜
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But if it’s too low to be heard, then that’s not suitable. |
| 52. | 進必趨，退必遲
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Going into an elder one must hurry; leaving an elder one must be slow. |
| 53. | 問起對，視勿移
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When asked a question one rises and answers, without moving one’s gaze. |
| 54. | 事諸父，如事父
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Serve the many fathers like serving Father. |
| 55. | 事諸兄，如事兄
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Serve the many older brothers, like serving Older Brother. |
| 56. | 右入則孝出則弟
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To the right (the preceding) is being good to parents inside the family and being respectful to elders outside.
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57. |
朝起早，夜眠遲
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In the morning rise early; at night go to sleep late. (I strongly suggest changing this phrase to: 夜即眠 - at night go immediately to sleep. See: Note 4.)
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| 58. | 老易至，惜此時
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Old age arrives readily; value this time.
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| 59. | 辰必盥，兼漱口
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In the morning one must wash the hands, plus rinse the mouth.
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| 60. | 便溺回，輒淨手
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After returning from urination and defecation, always clean the hands.
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| 61. | 冠必正，紐必結
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The hat must be on straight; the buttons must be done up.
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| 62. | 襪與履，俱緊切
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The socks and shoes should all be on snugly.
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| 63. | 置冠服，有定位
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For putting hats and clothes, there should be set places.
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| 64. | 勿亂頓，致汗穢
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Don’t set them down in a disorderly manner, making a sweaty mess.
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| 65. | 衣貴潔，不貴華
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In clothes value cleanliness, not fanciness.
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| 66. | 上循分，下稱家
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First, follow one’s station in life; second, suit the family’s financial situation. (稱家 is a special term meaning "suiting the family's financial situation":《禮記·檀弓上》:“子游問喪具，夫子曰：稱家之有亡 (無) .” )
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| 67. | 對飲食，勿揀選
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With food and drink don’t be picky.
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| 68. | 食適可，勿過則
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Eat just enough; don’t eat excessively.
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| 69. | 年方少，勿飲酒
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While still young, don’t drink alcohol.
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| 70. | 飲酒醉，最為醜
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Being drunk is most ugly.
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| 71. | 步從容，立端正
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Walk relaxed; stand straight.
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| 72. | 揖深圓，拜恭敬
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Bow deep and round; aalute reverently.
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| 73. | 勿踐或，勿跛倚
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Don’t step on thresholds; don’t lean on one leg.
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| 74. | 勿箕踞，勿搖卑
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Don’t sit with legs straight and apart; don’t wave the bottom.
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| 75. | 緩揭簾，勿有聲
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Open curtains slowly, without noise.
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| 76. | 寬轉彎，勿觸稜
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Turn turns widely, without hitting the corners.
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| 77. | 執虛器，如執盈
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Hold empty vessels like holding full ones.
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| 78. | 入虛室，如有人
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Enter empty rooms as if someone is there.
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| 79. | 事勿忙，忙多錯
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Don’t be too busy, or there will be many mistakes.
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| 80. | 勿畏難，勿輕問
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Don’t fear difficulties; don’t look down upon asking questions.
(輕 is treated as a verb here meaning "to look down upon" as in 輕視 .)
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| 81. | 鬥鬧場，絕毋近
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Scenes of fighting and disturbances, do not ever go near.
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| 82. | 邪僻事，絕勿聲
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Evil deviant things, don’t ever say.
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| 83. | 將入門，問誰存
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When about to enter through a door, ask who is there.
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| 84. | 將上堂，聲必揚
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When about to enter a hall, one must call out.
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| 85. | 人問誰，對以名
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When people ask who is there, answer with your name.
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| 86. | 吾與我，不分明
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“Me” and “I” don’t make anything clear.
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| 87. | 用人物，須明求
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When using other people’s things, one must clearly ask.
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| 88. | 倘不問，即為偷
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If one doesn’t ask, then it is stealing.
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| 89. | 借人物，及時還
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When borrowing other people’s things, return them on time.
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| 90. | 人借物，有勿慳
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When other people borrow things from you, if you have them don’t be stingy.
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| 91. | 凡出言，信為先
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Whenever one speaks, trustworthiness comes first.
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| 92. | 詐與妄，奚可焉
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Lying and pretending to know, how can one do such things?
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| 93. | 話說多，不如少
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Talking a lot is not as good as talking less.
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| 94. | 惟其是，勿佞巧
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Saying only what is true, don’t be glib or tricky.
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| 95. | 刻薄詞，穢汙詞
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Cutting and disdainful words, wicked and dirty words,
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| 96. | 市井氣，切戒之
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Such vulgar airs, definitely refrain from them.
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| 97. | 見未真，勿輕言
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When still unsure of what you are seeing, do not lightly speak on it.
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| 98. | 知未的，勿輕傳
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When still unsure of what you know, don’t lightly spred it.
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| 99. | 事非宜，勿輕諾
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If conditions aren’t favorable, don’t lightly promise.
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| 100. | 苟輕諾，進退錯
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If one lightly promises, then both going forward and backing off are wrong.
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| 101. | 凡道字，重且舒
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Whenever you say something, say it with weight and relaxation,
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| 102. | 勿急疾，勿模糊
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Not hurriedly or quickly, nor blurred and unintelligibly.
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| 103. | 彼說長，此說短
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This one gossips about this; that one gossips about that;
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| 104. | 不關己，莫閒管
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If it doesn’t concern yourself, don’t participate.
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| 105. | 見人善，即思齊
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On seeing others being good, think of equaling them.
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| 106. | 縱去遠，以漸躋
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Even if far below them, you can gradually improve.
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| 107. | 見人惡，即內省
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On seeing others being bad, inspect yourself.
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| 108. | 有則改，無加警
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If like them then correct it; if not then be vigilant.
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| 109. | 惟德學，惟才藝
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In virtue and learning, and in ability and skill,
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| 110. | 不如人，當自勵
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If not as good as others, then one should spur oneself (to catch up).
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| 111. | 若衣服，若環食
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If it’s in clothing and attire, or housing and food,
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| 112. | 不如人，勿生戚
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That one is not as good as others, then don’t be sad.
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| 113. | 聞過怒，聞譽樂
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Becoming angry upon hearing one’s faults, and happy upon hearing praise,
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| 114. | 損友來，益友卻
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Will cause harmful friends to come, and beneficial friends to leave.
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| 115. | 聞譽恐，聞過欣
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Becoming fearful upon hearing praise, and happy upon hearing one’s faults,
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| 116. | 直諒士，漸相親
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Will cause straight and honest gentlemen to gradually draw close.
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| 117. | 無心非，名為錯
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Doing wrong unintentionally is called making a mistake;
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| 118. | 有心非，名為惡
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Doing wrong intentionally is called committing an evil.
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| 119. | 過能改，歸於無
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If one corrects what one has done wrong, then it’s as if it hasn’t happened.
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| 120. | 倘掩飾，增一辜
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If one covers up, then one adds to one’s guilt.
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| 121. | 右謹而信
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To the right (the preceding) is being reverent and trustworthy. (As in Verse 2 above, "jin 謹" here means "reverent" as in 恭謹, not "careful" as in 謹慎; see Note 2.)
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