孔子說：「任何事情，必須預先有准備，才會成功；沒有准備，往往會失敗；上臺致詞及演講之前有准備，又或者先練習幾遍，到時就不會「口窒」及不暢順；做事之前先有准備就不會困難重重，行動之前先思考完備，就不會因失敗而後悔自責，上路之前先有准備就不會走上絕路。」
Confucius said, “Everything needs to be prepared beforehand in order to be successful. Without preparation, things usually would fail. Have sufficient preparation before a speech, or practice several times beforehand, then the speakers would not be tongue tight and rough. Have sufficient preparation before doing something, then the tasks wouldn”t be full of difficulties. Have sufficient consideration before action, then we would not regret and blame ourselves for failing. Have sufficient preparation before we set out upon our journey, we would not walk into a dead end.
君子依自己所處的位置和角色而行事，不貪慕本位以外的企求；處于富貴，行爲就會合乎富貴的身份，做富貴人士本份應該做的事情，處于貧窮，行爲就會做合乎貧窮身份的事情。
“Gentlemen would act in accordance with their positions and roles; they would not dream and desire something beyond his standard. When they are in a wealthy and high position, their behavior would meet with their status; they would do whatever the wealthy and respectable people should do. When they are poor, they would do everything that meet with their poor status.”
孔子說：「廣博地去學習，例如道德、學問、知識、技能等；細心思考，確切地實踐；沒有學到絕不罷休，尚未清楚，一定尋根問底，問過明白；認真地去思考，不掌握其中的原理和規律，絕不罷休；沒有在實踐中去練習和運用，一定要去實踐，實行不徹底絕不罷休。別人用一分力氣可以完成，我用一百分的氣力去做；別人用十分氣力可以完成，我用千分的氣力去做。如果能夠實踐這個原則，即使是愚笨的人，也會變得聰明，即使是懦弱的人，也會變得剛強。」
Confucius said, “One should learn all kinds of knowledge extensively, such as: morals, cultures, knowledge, skills…etc.; One should think carefully, and execute it precisely; one will not rest until he learns the knowledge he wants. One will seek to the end and get to the bottom when he does not fully comprehend. He would take serious thoughts, and will not rest before he masters all the principles and rules. If he does not practice and use it, he will put it into practice, and he will not rest before he achieves the goal. If others can complete something with one percent of effort, he will put one hundred percent effort to achieve it. If others can complete something with ten percent of effort, he will put a hundred times more effort than others. If we can truly live up to this principle, even a stupid person can be smart, and even a weak person can be strong.”
「詩經‧衛風‧碩人篇」說：「穿了彩色的錦衣，外面加上一件罩衫。」這是因爲厭惡那件錦衣的豔麗。所以，「君子之道」表面是黯淡的，(現代語稱爲「低調」)，但會一天一天地彰明起來；「小人之道」， 表面是風光的， ( 現代語稱爲「好高骛遠」)，卻會一天一天地衰敗。
In The Book of Songs, Odes of Wei, the Chapter of The Great Man said, “Wear a big overall to cover the colorful and pricy shirt.” That is because he despises the bright color of that expensive shirt. Therefore, a gentleman”s way is to dim the surface (the modern term is to keep a low profile), but his brightness will manifest eventually; On the other hand, a petty man”s way is to stay shiny on the surface (the modern term would be craving something high and out of reach), but his glossy surface will dim eventually.
《入世第叁課 The Third Lesson Of Entering The Secular World》全文閱讀結束。