（To Complicated Chinese Script 到繁體版）

Di Zi Gui or "STUDENTS' RULES"

by Li Yuxiu, During the Reign of the Qing Dynasty Emperor Kangxi (1661-1722)
Simplified Chinese Script, English Translation (by Feng Xin-ming)

《弟子规》简体，英语翻译

清康熙年间（1661-1722）李毓秀著（冯欣明译）

1.	弟子规，圣人训	"The Rules for Students" are the Sage’s teachings..
2.	首孝悌，次谨信	First be good to parents (For this way of translating "xiao 孝" see *Note 1) and respect elders; next be reverent and trustworthy. ("jin 谨" here means "reverent" as in 恭谨, not "careful" as in 谨慎; see Note 2*.)
3.	泛爱众，而亲仁	Love everyone and become close with the kind-hearted.
4.	有余力，则学文	If there’s energy left over, then study books.
5.	右总叙	To the right (the preceding) is the summary.
6.	父母呼，应勿缓	When parents call, don’t be slow to answer.
7.	父母命，行勿懒	When parents give an order, act, don’t be lazy.
8.	父母教，须敬听	When parents teach, one must listen respectfully.
9.	父母责，須我承	When parents reprimand, one must accept.
10.	冬则溫，夏则清	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*.)
11.	辰则省，昏则定	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*.)
12.	出必告，返必面	When leaving one must tell (one’s parents); upon returning one must report face-to face.
13.	居有常，业无变	There should be regularity in one’s daily life, and no change in one’s career.
14.	事虽小，勿擅为	Though a matter may be small, don’t act arbitrarily.
15.	苟擅为，子道亏	If one acts arbitrarily, the character that a son ought to possess gets damaged.
16.	物虽小，勿私藏	Though a thing may be small, don’t selfishly hoard it.
17.	苟私藏，亲心伤	If one selfishly hoards, the parents’ hearts will be hurt.
18.	亲所好，力为具	What parents like, make an effort to possesss;
19.	亲所惡，谨为去	What parents despise, carefully get rid of.
20.	身有伤，貽亲憂	Injury to one’s body, brings parents worry;
21.	德有伤，貽亲羞	Injury to one’s character, brings parents shame.
22.	亲爱我，孝何难	When parents love me, it is easy to be good to parents;
23.	亲憎我，孝方贤	When parents detest me, then it’s truly virtuous to be good to parents.
24.	亲有过，谏使更	When parents are doing something that’s wrong, counsel them to make them change.
25.	怡吾色，柔吾声	Make my expression pleasant, and soften my voice.
26.	谏不入，悅復谏	If the counsel is not accepted, wait until parents are happy then counsel them again.
27.	號泣隨，撻无怨	(If still not accepted,) weeping and wailing should follow, and beatings are borne without complaint.
28.	亲有疾，药先嘗	When parents fall ill, one tastes the medicine first,
29.	晝夜侍，不离床	And attend day and night, not leaving the bed.
30.	喪三年，常悲咽	One mourns for thee years, often sobbing sadly.
31.	居处变，酒色绝	The place of living should change, and one should abstain from wine and sex.
32.	喪尽礼，祭尽誠	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	Serve the dead like serving the living.
34.	兄道友，弟道恭	The proper way for the older brother is friendliness; the way for the younger brother is respect.
35.	兄弟睦，孝在中	When brothers are harmonious, that is in itself being good to parents.
36.	财物轻，怨何生	When money and material things are taken lightly, how can resentment arise?
37.	言语忍，愤自泯	When words are tolerated, anger naturally dissipates.
38.	或饮食，或坐走	In eating and drinking, and in walking and sitting down,
39.	长者先，幼者後	The elder person goes first; the junior person goes after.
40.	长呼人，即代叫	When an elder is calling someone, immediately call that person for the elder.
41.	人不在，己先到	If that person is not there, go to the elder yourself.
42.	称尊长，勿呼名	When addressing a respected elder, don’t call him by name.
43.	对尊长，勿见能	In front of a respected elder, don’t show off.
44.	路遇长，疾趨揖	When meeting an elder on the road, quickly go up and bow with hands together.
45.	长无言，退恭立	If the elder has nothing to say, retreat and stand respectfully.
46.	骑下马，乘下车	Get off if riding a horse, get out if in a car.
47.	过尤待，百步余	Wait even after the elder passes, for a hundred steps or more.
48.	长者立，幼者立	When the elder person stands, the junior person stands.
49.	长者坐，命乃坐	When the elder person sits, only upon being ordered does the junior person sit.
50.	尊长前，声要低	In front of a respected elder, one’s voice has to be low,
51.	低下闻，为非宜	But if it’s too low to be heard, then that’s not suitable.
52.	进必趨，退必迟	Going into an elder one must hurry; leaving an elder one must be slow.
53.	问起对，視勿移	When asked a question one rises and answers, without moving one’s gaze.
54.	事诸父，如事父	Serve the many fathers like serving Father.
55.	事诸兄，如事兄	Serve the many older brothers, like serving Older Brother.
56.	右入则孝出则弟	To the right (the preceding) is being good to parents inside the family and being respectful to elders outside.
57.	朝起早，夜眠迟	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*.)
58.	老易至，惜此时	Old age arrives readily; value this time.
59.	辰必盥，兼漱口	In the morning one must wash the hands, plus rinse the mouth.
60.	便溺回，輒淨手	After returning from urination and defecation, always clean the hands.
61.	冠必正，紐必結	The hat must be on straight; the buttons must be done up.
62.	襪与履，俱緊切	The socks and shoes should all be on snugly.
63.	置冠服，有定位	For putting hats and clothes, there should be set places.
64.	勿乱顿，致汗穢	Don’t set them down in a disorderly manner, making a sweaty mess.
65.	衣贵洁，不贵华	In clothes value cleanliness, not fanciness.
66.	上循分，下称家	First, follow one’s station in life; second, suit the family’s financial situation. (称家 is a special term meaning "suiting the family's financial situation":《礼记·檀弓上》:“子游问丧具，夫子曰：称家之有亡 (无) .” )
67.	对饮食，勿揀選	With food and drink don’t be picky.
68.	食适可，勿过则	Eat just enough; don’t eat excessively.
69.	年方少，勿饮酒	While still young, don’t drink alcohol.
70.	饮酒醉，最为醜	Being drunk is most ugly.
71.	步从容，立端正	Walk relaxed; stand straight.
72.	揖深圆，拜恭敬	Bow deep and round; aalute reverently.
73.	勿践或，勿跛倚	Don’t step on thresholds; don’t lean on one leg.
74.	勿箕踞，勿搖卑	Don’t sit with legs straight and apart; don’t wave the center.
75.	緩揭簾，勿有声	Open curtains slowly, without noise.
76.	寬转弯，勿觸稜	Turn turns widely, without hitting the corners.
77.	执虛器，如执盈	Hold empty vessels like holding full ones.
78.	入虛室，如有人	Enter empty rooms as if someone is there.
79.	事勿忙，忙多錯	Don’t be too busy, or there will be many mistakes.
80.	勿畏难，勿轻问	Don’t fear difficulties; don’t look down upon asking questions. (轻 is treated as a verb here meaning "to look down upon" as in 轻视 .)
81.	斗鬧场，绝毋近	Scenes of fighting and disturbances, do not ever go near.
82.	邪僻事，绝勿声	Evil deviant things, don’t ever say.
83.	将入門，问誰存	When about to enter through a door, ask who is there.
84.	将上堂，声必揚	When about to enter a hall, one must call out.
85.	人问誰，对以名	When people ask who is there, answer with your name.
86.	吾与我，不分明	“Me” and “I” don’t make anything clear.
87.	用人物，須明求	When using other people’s things, one must clearly ask.
88.	倘不问，即为偷	If one doesn’t ask, then it is stealing.
89.	借人物，及时还	When borrowing other people’s things, return them on time.
90.	人借物，有勿慳	When other people borrow things from you, if you have them don’t be stingy.
91.	凡出言，信为先	Whenever one speaks, trustworthiness comes first.
92.	诈与妄，奚可焉	Lying and pretending to know, how can one do such things?
93.	话说多，不如少	Talking a lot is not as good as talking less.
94.	惟其是，勿佞巧	Saying only what is true, don’t be glib or tricky.
95.	刻薄词，穢汙词	Cutting and disdainful words, wicked and dirty words,
96.	市井气，切戒之	Such vulgar airs, definitely refrain from them.
97.	见未真，勿轻言	When still unsure of what you are seeing, do not lightly speak on it.
98.	知未的，勿轻传	When still unsure of what you know, don’t lightly spred it.
99.	事非宜，勿轻诺	If conditions aren’t favorable, don’t lightly promise.
100.	苟轻诺，进退錯	If one lightly promises, then both going forward and backing off are wrong.
101.	凡道字，重且舒	Whenever you say something, say it with weight and relaxation,
102.	勿急疾，勿模糊	Not hurriedly or quickly, nor blurred and unintelligibly.
103.	彼说长，此说短	This one gossips about this; that one gossips about that;
104.	不关己，莫闲管	If it doesn’t concern yourself, don’t participate.
105.	见人善，即思齐	On seeing others being good, think of equaling them.
106.	纵去遠，以漸跻	Even if far below them, you can gradually improve.
107.	见人惡，即內省	On seeing others being bad, inspect yourself.
108.	有则改，无加警	If like them then correct it; if not then be vigilant.
109.	惟德学，惟才艺	In virtue and learning, and in ability and skill,
110.	不如人，当自励	If not as good as others, then one should spur oneself (to catch up).
111.	若衣服，若环食	If it’s in clothing and attire, or housing and food,
112.	不如人，勿生戚	That one is not as good as others, then don’t be sad.
113.	闻过怒，闻誉樂	Becoming angry upon hearing one’s faults, and happy upon hearing praise,
114.	损友来，益友卻	Will cause harmful friends to come, and beneficial friends to leave.
115.	闻誉恐，闻过欣	Becoming fearful upon hearing praise, and happy upon hearing one’s faults,
116.	直諒士，漸相亲	Will cause straight and honest gentlemen to gradually draw close.
117.	无心非，名为錯	Doing wrong unintentionally is called making a mistake;
118.	有心非，名为惡	Doing wrong intentionally is called committing an evil.
119.	过能改，归於无	If one corrects what one has done wrong, then it’s as if it hasn’t happened.
120.	倘掩飾，增一辜	If one covers up, then one adds to one’s guilt.
121.	右谨而信	To the right (the preceding) is being reverent and trustworthy. ("jin 谨" here means "reverent" as in 恭谨, not "careful" as in 谨慎; see *Note 2*.)

Also With Mandarin Pinyin & Cantonese Pronunciation
兼附拼音及粤音 (pdf):

Verse By Verse Explanatory Comments 續句解說：

Verses 1 to 5: The Main Summary

Verses 6 to 9: XIAO (Being Good to Parents) Part 1

Verses 10 to 13: XIAO (Being Good to Parents) Part 2

Verses 14 to 21: XIAO (Being Good to Parents) Part 3

Verses 22 to 27: XIAO (Being Good to Parents) Part 4

Verses 28 to 33: XIAO (Being Good to Parents) Part 5

Other Commentary
其他解说：

Why Study Di Zi Gui?

Confucius' Teachings are Right for a Modern Society Based on Freedom and Volition

Related Materials
相关材料：

External Links 链接：

Di Zi Gui - Wikipedia

Di Zi Gui - LibriVox Free Audiobooks

122.	凡是人，皆須爱	All who are human, one must love.
123.	天同覆，地同載	Heaven covers us equally; Earth bears us equally.
124.	行高者，名自高	People with high conduct naturally have high reputations;
125.	人所重，非貌高	What people value is not high looks.
126.	才大者，望自大	People with great ability naturally have great fame;
127.	人所服，非言大	What people respect is not great words.
128.	己有能，勿自私	If one has ability, one shouldn’t e selfish.
129.	人有能，勿轻訾	If other people have ability, one shouldn’t denigrate them.
130.	勿諂富，勿驕貧	Don’t toady to the rich; don’t be arrogant to the poor.
131.	勿厌故，勿喜新	Don’t despise the old; don’t favor the new.
132.	人不闲，勿事搞	If people don’t have time, don’t bother them with matters.
133.	人不安，勿话搞	If people are not at peace, don’t bother them with words.
134.	人有短，切莫揭	When people have shortcomings, definitely don’t publicize them.
135.	人有私，切莫说	When people have secrets, definitely don’t say them.
136.	道人善，即是善	Speaking of others’ good deeds is in itself a good deed.
137.	人知之，愈思勉	When others learn of it, they become more encouraged.
138.	扬人短，即是惡	Publicizing other people’s shortcomings is in itself evil.
139.	疾之甚，禍且作	People hate it very much, and disaster arises.
140.	善相劝，德皆建	Admonishing each other to do good builds up everyone’s virtue.
141.	过不规，道兩虧	Not dissuading another from doing wrong damages both parties’ character.
142.	凡取与，贵分晓	When taking and giving, making the terms clear is most important.
143.	与宜多，取宜少	It's better to give much and take little. (I strongly suggest changing to 与如多,得不少:"If one gives much, one won't receive little"; see *Note 5*.)
144.	将加人，先问己	When about to do unto others, first ask yourself;
145.	己不欲，即速已	If you don’t want it, then stop immediately.
146.	恩欲報，怨欲忘	One wants to repay kindness and forget grudges.
147.	報怨短，報恩长	Repaying grudges is short; repaying kindness is long.
148.	待婢仆，身贵端	In dealing with maids and servants, one is of high station.
149.	虽贵端，慈而寬	Though of high station, one must be kind and forgiving.
150.	势服人，心不然	Using force to make people submit, doesn’t make their hearts submit.
151.	理服人，方无言	Using reason to make people submit, only then are there no words (of discontent).
152.	同是人，类不齐	All are human, but their types differ.
153.	流俗众，仁者希	Most belong to the unrefined; the truly kind-hearted are rare.
154.	果仁者，人多畏	A truly kind-hearted person is feared by most people;
155.	言不讳，色不媚	He is not afraid of his words causing offense; his expression is not fawning.
156.	能亲仁，无限好	Becoming close with the kind-hearted is infinitely good.
157.	德日进，过日少	One’s virtue will daily advance; one’s errors will daily lessen.
158.	不亲仁，无限害	Not becoming close with the kind-hearted, is infinitely harmful;
159.	小人进，百事坏	Lowly people will come and everything will turn bad.
160.	右汎爱眾而亲仁	To the right (the preceding) is loving everyone and becoming close with the kind-hearted.
161.	不力行，但学文	If one doesn’t work hard at conduct, but only studies books,
162.	长浮华，成何人	Then one attains superficial finery—what kind of person is that?
163.	但力行，不学文	If one only works hard at conduct, but does not study books,
164.	任己见，昧理真	Then one relies only on one’s own views, and remain ignorant of true reason.
165.	读书法，有三到	The way to study requires three things coming together:
166.	心眼口，信皆要	Heart, eyes and mouth, are all necessary.
167.	方读此，勿慕彼	When you’ve just begun reading one book, don’t year for another;
168.	此未終，彼勿起	When the first book hasn’t been finished, don’t start another one.
169.	寬为限，紧用功	Set wide limits; apply tight efforts.
170.	功夫到，滯塞通	With proper effort, obstacles will be overcome.
171.	心有疑，隨札记	When there is doubt, note it down right away,
172.	就人问，求確义	So as to ask people and get the true meaning.
173.	房室清，牆壁淨	The room should be clean; the walls, clear;
174.	几案洁，筆硯正	The desk, spotless; the pen and inkwell, straight.
175.	墨磨偏，心不端	If the ink is ground unevenly, the heart is not upright;
176.	字不敬，心先病	If the words are not respectful, the heart has first fallen ill.
177.	列典籍，有定处	Books should be set out in a regular place.
178.	读看毕，还原处	After reading, return them to their original place.
179.	虽有急，卷束齐	though there may be an urgent matter, roll and tie them properly,
180.	有缺坏，就補之	And if there’s damage, repair it immediately.
181.	非圣书，屏勿視	Books not of the sages, reject them; don’t look.
182.	蔽聪明，坏心志	They cloud the intellect and corrupt one’s heart and aspiration.
183.	勿自暴，勿自棄	Don’t abuse yourself; don’t give up on yourself.
184.	圣与賢，可馴致	What is saintly and virtuous, can be gradually attained. (驯 here is used as one of its older meanings: "gradually". See Ci Hai 辞海, Shanghai 1989, p. 1284.)
185.	右行有余力则以	To the right (the preceding) is: after achieving right conduct, if there’s energy left over then
	学文	study books.
	弟子规終	Student’s Rules end.