..續本文上一頁eel inferior to or afraid of powerful people.
孔子另一個弟子原憲，也是個清淨守節，貧而樂道，不恥惡衣惡食的人。孔子在世時，他就已非常耿介清廉；孔子去世後，原憲也不做官了，就隱居在衛國的鄉野間。雖然他住的房子是架茅草爲頂，編蓬草爲扉，不但風穿得進，雨也滲得透，吃的更是野菜淡水，還常常有一餐沒一餐的；但是他照樣正襟危坐，弦歌不辍。
Yuan Xian, another disciple of Confucius, was a person of virtuous purity who was poor yet delighted in the truth and was not ashamed of his humble clothing or food. When Confucius was still alive, Yuan Xian was already very resolute and incorruptible. After Confucius passed away, he resigned from his government post and became a hermit in the wilderness of the state of Wei. Although his roof was made of thatch and his door of raspberry vines, through which the wind could blow and the rain could seep in, and what he ate was wild vegetables and plain water, and he didn”t always have food for a meal, he continued to sit up straight and study.
子貢做了衛國的宰相後，就衣錦著緞地帶了浩浩蕩蕩一堆人馬，穿荒越野去到貧民戶探望原憲這位老同學。子貢一看原憲衣冠破蔽，又形容枯槁憔悴，很不以爲然，沖口而出問他﹕「你病了嗎？」原憲說﹕「我聽說『沒有財産的，叫做貧窮；學了道而卻不能去實踐的，叫做有病 。』像我這樣，只是貧窮，不是有病！」子貢聽了，感到非常慚愧，悶悶不樂地走了；終其一生，子貢都以自己的言語失檢爲恥。
After Zi Gong became the prime minister of Wei, he went, dressed in satin and accompanied by a large retinue of mounted men, through the wilderness to where the poor peasants lived, to visit his old friend Yuan Xian. When Zi Gong saw Yuan Xian dressed in tattered clothes and looking gaunt and haggard, he asked in surprise, "Are you sick
" Yuan Xian replied, "I”ve heard it said that, “Those who own nothing are said to be poor; those who study the Way and are unable to practice it are said to be sick.” I am merely poor, not sick! " Upon hearing those words, Zi Gong felt very ashamed and left in low spirits. Throughout his life, Zi Gong always felt ashamed if he spoke carelessly.
其實子貢原就是口齒伶俐，長袖善舞的生意奇才，和原憲本就貧富懸殊；加上又做了官，既富且貴，子貢還能惦念老朋友而去看望，也是難得了！乍見原憲的清苦，子貢用「學而優則仕」的觀點，對原憲表示不以爲然，也是出于對人才的惋惜，我們倒不須對子貢太過苛責；何況子貢聞過則忏，終身恥之，這一點也不是常人的修養所能企及的。至于原憲的不慕富貴，甘苦如饴，則殊屬難能可貴，值得敬佩。
Actually Zi Gong was a talented businessman who could express himself very eloquently. He and Yuan Xian were totally disparate in terms of wealth. As an official, Zi Gong was both rich and honored. It”s quite remarkable that he showed such concern for his old friend and went to visit him. Seeing Yuan Xian”s poverty, Zi Gong expressed his surprise from the point of view that "a learned person should become an official and serve the country" and out of grief that his talent was wasted. Therefore, we need not criticize Zi Gong too much, since he was one who would repent and feel lifelong shame whenever he learned of his own faults. This is not a quality found in ordinary people. Yuan Xian”s disregard for wealth and honor is also a rare quality worthy of our admiration.
唐朝的大詩人白居易，曾寫了個續座右銘，其中有四句說﹕
勿慕富與貴，勿憂貧與賤；
自問道何如，貴賤安足雲？
The great poet Bai Ju-yi of the Tang dynasty once wrote a poem containing the following lines:
Yearn not for wealth and honor.
Grieve not about poverty and low status.
Ask yourself how your cultivation of the Way is,
And that not be concerned with being noble or lowly.
這意思和《論語》上說的「君子謀道不謀食」一樣，都是教人以進德修道爲要務，毋須爲衣服飲食等身外之物去傷神。俗話說﹕「山珍海味，不過日食叁餐；華屋廣廈，不過寢時數尺。」有什麼好汲汲營營的呢？況且若爲了口腹之欲而恣殺牲禽，那罪過又不只是一生一世的報應了！
This is the same principle as that expressed in the line from the Confucian Analects: "The superior person devotes his attention to the Way and not to food." These sayings tell people that cultivating virtue is the essential thing, and we should not waste our energy on externals such as clothing and food. An idiom says, "You may have all the delicacies of the world, but you cannot eat more than three meals in a day. You may have luxurious, sprawling mansions, but you only take up a few feet of space when you sleep." What”s the point of working so hectically for such things
And if you kill creatures just to please your palate, you may suffer the consequences for many lifetimes to come!
《弟子規淺釋 Standards for Students 第五章﹕信 Chapter Five: LEARNING TO BE TRUSTWORTHY - 6》全文閱讀結束。