..续本文上一页ai Yu."
这意思是说，不要废了俚俗的教训。看马好不好，要真正让马驾一驾车才知；看一个读书人，也是要考察他平日起居生活。因为如果光看外表，对子羽就会看走了眼；若只相信言论，就会把宰予给高估了。其结果都可能会因为无法因才适任，而牺牲了对方，也折损了自己。所以看人不能从他外在的言行，武断地下第一印象。事实上，像宰予这样聪明有才华，却又志大行疏的，或者像子羽这样其貌不扬，却沉潜有才的人，在我们的周围并不是没有，只不过我们很容易犯以貌取人，以言断人的毛病，而错失了人才或高估了人才。
His meaning was that we should not overlook the advice of that proverb. Before we can determine the caliber of a horse, we have to see how it pulls a chariot. In appraising a scholar, we have to look at his daily living habits. If we only consider a person”s appearance, we will be prejudiced against Zi Yu. If we only believed a person”s words, we will overestimate Zai Yu. It is then very likely that, because we are unable to employ a person according to his talents, we will lose the person and take a loss ourselves! Therefore, we cannot evaluate a person based on the first impression that we get from his external words and behavior . Actually, people like Zai Yu, who was intelligent and talented, yet overambitious and careless in behavior, and like Zi Yu, who had great ability hidden beneath a plain exterior, are around us, too. It is just that we easily make the mistake of judging people by their appearance or by their words, thereby failing to appreciate people”s talents or else overestimating them.
再从另一个角度来说，如果我们貌不惊人，就应该自内在修养锻炼起，治世时能大行于邦国，乱世时也能自保于乡隐。如果我们幸而长得一表人才，更要充实自己，不要做个绣花枕头，中看不中用，或者一昧逞口舌，而招忌惹祸。这才是中庸之道！
Looking at it from another angle, if our own looks are plain, we should start by working on our inner cultivation, so that in times of peace we can come out to serve the country well, and in times of chaos we can retreat into seclusion in the countryside. If we are blessed with the appearance of being very capable, we should also increase our inner virtue, and not be like an embroidered pillow that is pretty to look at but not much use. We should also avoid letting our tongues wag carelessly and bring disasters upon ourselves. This is the Middle Way.
古今中外的英雄豪杰，在他们的日常小事里头，都可以看出他们仁慈、谦虚的一面。仁慈、谦虚，便是得人心的基础；满腹经世济用之学，其实都只是教我们如何得人心、善用人心罢了！英雄豪杰之成功，因为得人心；其失败，也是因为失去了人心。人心所看重和敬畏的，是真实的德行，而非璀灿的言辞，堂皇的外表，或厚重的权势。
If you look at great men and women of the past and present, around the world, you will see the benevolence and humility with which they go about their daily activities. Benevolence and humility are the foundation of the human spirit. All the theories of government and politics boil down to teaching us how to win people”s hearts and skillfully guide them. Great leaders and heroes succeed because they are able to win people”s hearts. Those who fail, fail because they lose people”s hearts. What people value and respect is the practice of genuine virtue, not flowery words, handsome appearance, or great power .
亚历山大是希腊一位英明的皇帝。有一次他到南部一个城市，城里的大小官员和地方上有名望的人都去朝见他，只有大哲学家德奥基尼斯没去，亚历山大便亲自去拜望他。亚历山大来到德奥基尼斯住所前，看到他正坐在那儿晒太阳，便上前一鞠躬，礼貌地表达久仰，并问﹕「您有什么需要我帮忙的事情吗？」德奥基尼斯说﹕「是的！我只要求您站开些，别把太阳挡住就行了！」亚历山大觉得很有趣，一点也没生气就走了。
Alexander the Great was a wise king of Greece. One time he visited a city in the south. All the great and minor government officials and all the local men of repute gathered to greet him. Only the great philosopher Diogenes did not go. Thereupon Alexander the Great personally went to pay respects to him. When he arrived at Diogenes” dwelling, he saw him sitting there, basking in the sun. He went up and made a half bow, said that he had long admired the philosopher, and asked, "Is there any matter in which I can offer my help
" Diogenes said, "Yes. All I ask is that you move to the side a bit so that you don”t block the sun!" Alexander was amused and left without feeling the least bit upset.
美国开国领袖华盛顿当上大总统之后，有一回他穿着便服骑马出去玩，经过河边时看见一个军官，指挥两个士兵把一段大木头抬上河堤。可是河堤很高，木头又重，两个兵用尽了力气还是抬不上来。那军官一径吼叫﹕「用力！用力！」却不去帮忙；华盛顿就说﹕「他们力气已用完了，你去帮帮忙吧！」那军官瞪眼大声道﹕「我是尉官，你知道吗？」华盛顿就说﹕「对不起！我不知道；我若早知道你是尉官，就不冒犯你了！」说完，就脱下外衣跳下去帮那两个兵把大木头抬上岸。
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