13/12/2020 Three Character Classic - Chinese Text Project

Chinese Text Project

《三字經 - Three Character Classic》 English translation: Herbert Giles
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1 三字經: ⼈之初，性本善。性相近，習相遠。
Three Character Men at their birth
Classic:...: are naturally good.
Their natures are much the same;
their habits become widely different.

2 三字經: 苟不教，性乃遷。教之道，貴以專。
Three Character If foolishly there is no teaching,
Classic:...: the nature will deteriorate.
The right way in teaching
is to attach the utmost importance in thoroughness.

3 三字經: 昔孟⺟，擇鄰處。⼦不學，斷機杼。
Three Character Of old, the mother of Mencius
Classic:...: chose a neighbourhood;
and when her child would not learn,
she broke the shuttle from the loom.

4 三字經: 竇燕⼭，有義⽅。教五⼦，名俱揚。
Three Character Dou of the Swallow Hills
Classic:...: had the right method.
He taught five sons,
each of whom raised the family reputation.

5 三字經: 養不教，⽗之過。教不嚴，師之惰。
Three Character To feed without teaching
Classic:...: is the father's fault.
To teach without severity
is the teacher's laziness.

6 三字經: ⼦不學，非所宜。幼不學，老何為。
Three Character If the child does not learn,
Classic:...: this is not as it should be.
If he does not learn while young,
what will he be when old?

7 三字經: ⽟不琢，不成器。⼈不學，不知義。
Three Character If jade is not polished,
Classic:...: it cannot become a thing of use.
If a man does not learn,
he cannot know his duty towards his neighbour.

8 三字經: 為⼈⼦，⽅少時。親師友，習禮儀。
Three Character He who is the son of a man,
Classic:...: when he is young
should attach himself to his teachers and friends,
and practise ceremonial usages.

9 三字經: 香九齡，能溫席。孝於親，所當執。
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Three Character Xiang, at nine years of age,

Classic:...: could warm (his parents') bed.
Filial piety towards parents,
is that to which we should hold fast.

10 三字經: 融四歲，能讓梨。弟於⻑，宜先知。
Three Character Rong, at four years of age,
Classic:...: could yield the (bigger) pears.
To behave as a younger brother towards elders,
is one of the first things to know.

11 三字經: ⾸孝弟，次⾒聞。知某數，識某文。
Three Character Begin with filial piety and fraternal love,
Classic:...: and then see and hear.
Learn to count,
and learn to read.

12 三字經: ⼀⽽⼗，⼗⽽百。百⽽千，千⽽萬。
Three Character Units and tens,
Classic:...: tens and hundreds,
hundreds and thousands,
thousands and tens of thousands.

13 三字經: 三才者，天地⼈。三光者，⽇⽉星。
Three Character The Three Forces
Classic:...: are Heaven, Earth and Man.
The Three Luminaries
are the sun, the moon and the stars.

14 三字經: 三綱者，君⾂義。⽗⼦親，夫婦順。
Three Character The Three Bonds
Classic:...: are the obligation between sovereign and subject,
the love between father and child,
the harmony between husband and wife.

15 三字經: ⽈春夏，⽈秋冬。此四時，運不窮。
Three Character We speak of spring and summer,
Classic:...: we speak of autumn and winter.
These four seasons
revolve without ceasing.

16 三字經: ⽈南北，⽈⻄東。此四⽅，應乎中。
Three Character We speak of North and South,
Classic:...: we speak of East and West,
These four points
respond to the requirements of the centre.

17 三字經: ⽈⽔火，⽊⾦⼟。此五⾏，本乎數。
Three Character We speak of water, fire,
Classic:...: wood, metal and earth.
These five elements
have their origin in number.

18 三字經: ⽈仁義，禮智信。此五常，不容紊。
Three Character We speak of charity of heart and of duty towards one's neighbour,
Classic:...: of propriety, of wisdom, and of truth.
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These five virtues

admit of no compromise.

19 三字經: 稻粱菽，麥⿉稷。此六穀，⼈所食。
Three Character Rice, spiked millet, pulse,
Classic:...: wheat, glutinous millet and common millet.
These six grains
are those which men eat.

20 三字經: ⾺⽜⽺，雞⽝豕。此六畜，⼈所飼。
Three Character The horse, the ox, the sheep,
Classic:...: the fowl, the dog, the pig.
These six animals,
are those which men keep.

21 三字經: ⽈喜怒，⽈哀懼。愛惡欲，七情具。
Three Character We speak of joy, of anger,
Classic:...: we speak of pity, of fear,
of love, of hate, and of desire.
These are the seven passions.

22 三字經: 匏⼟⾰，⽊⽯⾦。與絲⽵，乃八⾳。
Three Character The gourd, earthenware, skin,
Classic:...: wood, stone, metal,
silk, and bamboo,
yield the eight musical sounds.

23 三字經: ⾼曾祖，⽗⽽⾝。⾝⽽⼦，⼦⽽孫。⾃⼦孫，⾄⽞1曾。乃九
族，⼈之倫。
Three Character Great great grandfather, great grandfather, grandfather,
Classic:...: father and self,
self and son,
son and grandson,
from son and grandson
on to great grandson and great great grandson.
These are the nine agnates,
constituting the kinships of man.

1. ⽞ : Originally read: "元". 避諱。

24 三字經: ⽗⼦恩，夫婦從。兄則友，弟則恭。⻑幼序，友與朋。君則敬，
⾂則忠。此⼗義，⼈所同。
Three Character Affection between father and child,
Classic:...: harmony between husband and wife,
friendliness on the part of elder brothers,
respectfulness on the part of younger brothers,
precedence between elders and youngers,
as between friend and friend,
respect on the part of the sovereign,
loyalty on the part of the subject.
These ten obligations,
are common to all men.

25 三字經: 凡訓蒙，須講究。詳訓詁，名句讀。
Three Character In the education of the young,
Classic:...: there should be explanation and elucidation,

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careful teaching of the interpretations of commentators,

and due attention to paragraphs and sentences.

26 三字經: 為學者，必有初。⼩學終，⾄四書。
Three Character Those who are learners,
Classic:...: must have a beginning.
The "little learning" finished,
they proceed to the four books.

27 三字經: 論語者，⼆⼗篇。群弟⼦，記善⾔。
Three Character There is the Lun Yu,
Classic:...: in twenty sections.
In this, the various disciples
have recorded the wise sayings of Confucius.

28 三字經: 孟⼦者，七篇⽌。講道德，說仁義。
Three Character The works of Mencius
Classic:...: are comprised in seven sections.
These explain the way and the exemplification thereof,
and expound charity and duty towards one's neighbour.

29 三字經: 作中庸，⼦思筆。中不偏，庸不易。
Three Character The Zhong Yong was written
Classic:...: by the pen of Zi-si;
Zhong (the middle) being that which does not lean towards any side,
Yong (the course) being that which cannot be changed.

30 三字經: 作⼤學，乃曾⼦。⾃修⿑，⾄平治。
Three Character He who wrote The Great Learning
Classic:...: was the philosopher Zeng.
Beginning with cultivation of the individual and ordering of the family,
it goes on to government of one's own State and ordering of the Empire.

31 三字經: 孝經通，四書熟。如六經，始可讀。
Three Character When the Classic of Filial Piety is mastered,
Classic:...: and the "Four books" are known by heart,
the next step is to the "Six classics",
which may now be studied.

32 三字經: 詩書易，禮春秋。號六經，當講求。
Three Character The Books of Poetry, of History and of Changes.
Classic:...: The Rites of the Zhou Dynasty, the Book of Rites, and the Spring and Autumn Annals,
are called the Six Classics,
which should be carefully explained and analysed.

33 三字經: 有連⼭，有歸藏。有周易，三易詳。
Three Character There is the Lian Shan system,
Classic:...: there is the Gui Zang,
And there is the system of Changes of the Zhou Dynasty;
such are the three systems which elucidate the Changes.

34 三字經: 有典謨，有訓誥。有誓命，書之奧。
Three Character There are the Regulations, the Counsels,
Classic:...: the Instructions, the Announcements,
the Oaths, the Charges;
these are the profundities of the Book of History.
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35 三字經: 我周公，作周禮。著六官，存治體。
Three Character Our Duke of Zhou
Classic:...: drew up the Ritual of the Zhou Dynasty,
in which he set forth the duties of the six classes of officials;
and thus gave a settled form to the government.

36 三字經: ⼤⼩戴，註禮記。述聖⾔，禮樂備。
Three Character The Elder and the Younger Dai
Classic:...: wrote commentaries on the Book of Rites.
They published the holy words,
and Ceremonies and Music were set in order.

37 三字經: ⽈國風，⽈雅頌。號四詩，當諷詠。
Three Character We speak of the Guo Feng,
Classic:...: we speak of the Ya and the Song.
These are the four sections of the Book of poetry,
which should be hummed over and over.

38 三字經: 詩既亡，春秋作。寓褒貶，別善惡。
Three Character When odes ceased to be made,
Classic:...: the Spring and Autumn Annals were produced.
These Annals contain praise and blame,
and distinguish the good from the bad.

39 三字經: 三傳者，有公⽺。有左⽒，有彀梁。
Three Character The three commentaries upon the above
Classic:...: include that of Gong-Yang,
that of Zuo
and that of Gu-Liang.

40 三字經: 經既明，⽅讀⼦。撮其要，記其事。
Three Character When the Classics are understood,
Classic:...: then the writings of the various philosophers should be read.
Pick out the important points in each,
and take a note of all facts.

41 三字經: 五⼦者，有荀楊。文中⼦，及老莊。
Three Character The five chief philosophers
Classic:...: are Xun, Yang,
Wenzhongzi,
Laozi and Zhuangzi.

42 三字經: 經⼦通，讀諸史。考世系，知終始。
Three Character When the Classics and the Philosophers are mastered,
Classic:...: the various histories should be read,
and the genealogical connections should be examined,
so that the end of one dynasty and the beginning of the next may be known.

43 三字經: ⾃羲農，⾄黃帝。號三皇，居上世。
Three Character From Fu Xi and Shen Nong
Classic:...: on to the Yellow Emperor,
these are called the Three Rulers.
who lived in the early ages.

44 三字經: 唐有虞，號⼆帝。相揖遜，稱盛世。
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Three Character Tang and You-Yu

Classic:...: are called the two emperors.
They adbicated, one after the other,
and theirs was called the Golden Age.

45 三字經: 夏有禹，商有湯。周文王，稱三王。
Three Character The Xia dynasty has Yu;
Classic:...: the Shang dynasty has Tang;
the Zhou dynasty had Wen and Wu;
these are called the Three Kings

46 三字經: 夏傳⼦，家天下。四百載，遷夏社。
Three Character Under the Xia dynasty the throne was transmitted from father to son,
Classic:...: making a family possession of the empire.
After four hundred years,
the Imperial sacrifice passed from the House of Xia.

47 三字經: 湯伐夏，國號商。六百載，⾄紂亡。
Three Character Tang the completer destroyed the Xia Dynasty,
Classic:...: and the dynastic title became Shang.
The line lasted for six hundred years,
ending with Zhou Xin.

48 三字經: 周武王，始誅紂。八百載，最⻑久。
Three Character King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty
Classic:...: finally slew Zhou Xin.
His own line lasted for eight hundred years;
the longest dynasty of all.

49 三字經: 周轍東，王綱墮。逞⼲⼽，尚游說。
Three Character When the Zhous made tracks eastwards,
Classic:...: the feudal bond was slackened;
the arbitrament of spear and shields prevailed;
and peripatetic politicians were held in high esteem.

50 三字經: 始春秋，終戰國。五霸強，七雄出。
Three Character This period began with the Spring and Autumn Epoch,
Classic:...: and ended with that of the Warring States.
Next, the Five Chieftains domineered,
and the Seven Martial States came to the front.

51 三字經: 嬴秦⽒，始兼並。傳⼆世，楚漢爭。
Three Character Then the House of Qin, descended from the Ying clan,
Classic:...: finally united all the states under one sway.
The throne was transmitted to Er Shi,
upon which followed the struggle between the Chu and the Han States.

52 三字經: ⾼祖興，漢業建。⾄孝平，王莽篡。
Three Character Then Gao Zu arose,
Classic:...: and the House of Han was established.
When we come to the reign of Xiao Ping,
Wang Mang usurped the throne.

53 三字經: 光武興，為東漢。四百年，終於獻。
Three Character Then Guang Wu arose,
Classic:...: and founded the Eastern Han dynasty.
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It lasted four hundred years,

and ended with the Emperor Xian.

54 三字經: 魏蜀吳，爭漢鼎。號三國，迄兩晉。
Three Character Wei, Shu and Wu,
Classic:...: fought for the sovereignty of the Hans.
They were called the Three Kingdoms,
and existed until the Two Jin Dynasties.

55 三字經: 宋⿑繼，梁陳承。為南朝，都⾦陵。
Three Character Then followed the Song and the Qi dynasties,
Classic:...: and after them the Liang and Chen dynasties.
These are the Southern dynasties,
with their capital at Nanjing.

56 三字經: 北元魏，分東⻄。宇文周，興⾼⿑。
Three Character The northern dynasties are the Wei dynasty of the Yuan family,
Classic:...: which split into Eastern and Western We,.
the Zhou dynasty of the Yuwen family,
with the Qi dynasty of the Gao family.

57 三字經: 迨⾄隋，⼀⼟宇。不再傳，失統緒。
Three Character At length, under the Sui dynasty,
Classic:...: the empire was united under one ruler.
The throne was not transmitted twice,
succession to power being lost.

58 三字經: 唐⾼祖，起義師。除隋亂，創國基。
Three Character The first emperor of the Tang dynasty
Classic:...: raised volunteer troops.
He put an end to the disorder of the House of Sui,
and established the foundations of his line.

59 三字經: ⼆⼗傳，三百載。梁滅之，國乃改。
Three Character Twenty times the thrown was transmitted
Classic:...: in a period of three hundred years.
The Liang State destroyed it,
and the dynastic title was changed.

60 三字經: 梁唐晉，及漢周。稱五代，皆有由。
Three Character The Liang, the Tang, the Jin,
Classic:...: the Han, and the Zhou,
are called the Five Dynasties,
and there was a reason for the establishment of each.

61 三字經: 炎宋興，受周禪。⼗八傳，南北混。
Three Character Then the fire-led house of Song arose,
Classic:...: and received the resignation of the house of Zhou.
Eighteen times the throne was transmitted,
and then the north and the south were reunited.

62 三字經: ⼗七史，全在茲。載治亂，知興衰。
Three Character The Seventeen Dynastic Histories
Classic:...: are all embraced in the above.
They contain examples of good and bad government,
whence may be learnt the principles of prosperity and decay.
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63 三字經: 讀史書，考實錄。通古今，若親⽬。
Three Character Ye who read history
Classic:...: must study the State Annals,
whereby you will understand ancient and modern events,
as though having seen them with your own eyes.

64 三字經: ⼝⽽誦，⼼⽽惟。朝於斯，夕於斯。
Three Character Recite them with the mouth,
Classic:...: and ponder over them in your hearts.
Do this in the morning;
do this in the evening.

65 三字經: 昔仲尼，師項橐。古聖賢，尚勤學。
Three Character Of old, Confucius
Classic:...: took Xiang Tuo for his teacher.
The inspired men and sages of old
studied diligently nevertheless.

66 三字經: 趙中令，讀魯論。彼既仕，學且勤。
Three Character Zhao, president of the Council,
Classic:...: studied the Lu text of the Lun Yu.
He, when already an official,
studied, and moreover with diligence.

67 三字經: 披蒲編，削⽵簡。彼無書，且知勉。
Three Character One opened out rushes and plaited them together;
Classic:...: another scraped tablets of bamboo.
These men had no books,
but they knew how to make an effort.

68 三字經: 頭懸梁，錐刺股。彼不教，⾃勤苦。
Three Character One tied his head to the beam above him;
Classic:...: another pricked his thigh with an awl.
They were not taught,
but toiled hard of their own accord.

69 三字經: 如囊螢，如映雪。家雖貧，學不綴。
Three Character Then we have one who put fireflies in a bag.
Classic:...: and again another who used the white glare from snow.
Although their families were poor,
these men studied unceasingly.

70 三字經: 如負薪，如掛⾓。⾝雖勞，猶苦卓。
Three Character Again, there was one who carried fuel,
Classic:...: and another who used horns as pegs.
Although they toiled with their bodies,
they were nevertheless remarkable for their application.

71 三字經: 蘇老泉，⼆⼗七。始發憤，讀書籍。
Three Character Su Lao-Quan,
Classic:...: at the age of twenty-seven,
at last began to show his energy
and devote himself to the study of books.

72 三字經: 彼既老，猶悔遲。爾⼩⽣，宜早思。
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Three Character Then when already past the age,

Classic:...: he deeply regretted his delay.
You little boys
should take thought betimes.

73 三字經: 若梁灝，八⼗⼆。對⼤廷，魁多⼠。
Three Character Then there were Liang Hao,
Classic:...: who at the age of eighty-two,
made his replies in the great hall,
and came out first among many scholars.

74 三字經: 彼既成，衆稱異。爾⼩⽣，宜立誌。
Three Character When thus late he had succeeded,
Classic:...: all men pronounced him a prodigy.
You little boys
should make up your minds to work.

75 三字經: 瑩八歲，能詠詩。泌七歲，能賦碁。
Three Character Ying, at eight years of age,
Classic:...: could compose poetry.
Bi, at seven years of age,
could make an epigram on wei-qi.

76 三字經: 彼穎悟，⼈稱奇。爾幼學，當效之。
Three Character These youths were quick of apprehension,
Classic:...: and people declared them to be prodigies.
You young learners
ought to imitate them.

77 三字經: 蔡文姬，能辨琴。謝道韞，能詠吟。
Three Character Cai Wen-ji,
Classic:...: was able to judge from the sound of a psaltery.
Xie Dao-yun,
was able to compose verses.

78 三字經: 彼女⼦，且聰敏。爾男⼦，當⾃警。
Three Character They were only girls,
Classic:...: yet they were quick and clever.
You boys
ought to rouse yourselves.

79 三字經: 唐劉晏，⽅七歲。舉神童，作正字。
Three Character Liu Yan of the Tang dynasty,
Classic:...: when only seven years of age,
was ranked as an "inspired child,"
and was appointed a Corrector of Texts.

80 三字經: 彼雖幼，⾝⼰仕。爾幼學，勉⽽緻。有為者，亦若是。
Three Character He, although a child,
Classic:...: was already in an official post.
You young learners
strive to bring about a like result.
Those who work
will also succeed as he did.

81 三字經: ⽝守夜，雞司晨。苟不學，曷為⼈。
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Three Character The dog keeps guard by night;

Classic:...: the cock proclaims the dawn.
If foolishly you do not study,
how can you become men?

82 三字經: 蠶吐絲，蜂釀蜜。⼈不學，不如物。
Three Character The silkworm produces silk,
Classic:...: the bee makes honey.
If a man does not learn,
he is not equal to the brutes

83 三字經: 幼⽽學，壯⽽⾏。上緻君，下澤⺠。
Three Character Learn while young,
Classic:...: and when grown up apply what you have learnt;
influencing the sovereign above;
benefiting the people below.

84 三字經: 揚名聲，顯⽗⺟。光於前，裕於後。
Three Character Make a name for yourselves,
Classic:...: and glorify your father and mother,
shed lustre on your ancestors,
enrich your posterity.

85 三字經: ⼈遺⼦，⾦滿嬴。我教⼦，惟⼀經。
Three Character Men bequeath to their children
Classic:...: coffers of gold;
I teach you children
only this one book.

86 三字經: 勤有功，戲無益。戒之哉，宜勉⼒。
Three Character Diligence has its reward;
Classic:...: play has no advantages.
Oh, be on your guard,
and put forth your strength.

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三字經
Herbert Giles, "San Tzu Ching - Elementary Chinese",1910

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are automatically banned without warning to save bandwidth. 沪ICP备09015720号-3 them here.
help.

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