1.  What Heaven (Tian 天, Nature) imparts to man is called human nature. To follow our nature is called the Way (Dao 道). Cultivating the Way is called education. The Way cannot be separated from us for a moment. What can be separated from us is not the Way. Therefore the superior man is cautious over what he does not see and apprehensive over what he does not hear. There is nothing more visible than what is hidden and nothing more manifest than what is subtle. Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself when he is alone.

天命之謂性，率性之謂道，修道之謂教。道也者，不可須臾離也，可離非道也。是故君子戒慎乎其所不睹，恐懼乎其所不聞。莫見乎隱，莫顯乎微。故君子慎其獨也。

Before the feelings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, and joy are aroused it is called equilibrium (zhong 中, centrality, mean). When these feelings are aroused and each and all attain due measure and degree, it is called harmony (he 和). Equilibrium is the great foundation of the world, and harmony its universal path. When equilibrium and harmony are realized to the highest degree, heaven and earth will attain their proper order and all things will flourish.

喜怒哀樂之未發，謂之中；發而皆中節，謂之和；中也者，天下之大本也；和也者，天下之達道也。致中和，天地位焉，萬物育焉。

2.  Master Kong said: The superior man [exemplifies] the Mean (zhongyong 中庸).² The inferior man acts contrary to the Mean. The superior man [exemplifies] the Mean because, as a superior man, he can maintain the Mean at any time. The inferior man [acts contrary to] the Mean because, as an inferior man, he has no caution.

仲尼曰：「君子中庸，小人反中庸。君子之中庸也，君子而時中；小人之中庸也，小人而無忌憚也。」

3.  Master Kong said: Perfect is the Mean. For a long time few people have been able to follow it.³

子曰：「中庸其至矣乎！民鮮能久矣！」

4.  Master Kong said: I know why the Way is not pursued. The intelligent go beyond it and the stupid do not come up to it. I know why the Way is not understood. The worthy go beyond it and the unworthy do not come up to it. There is no one who does not eat and drink, but there are few who can really know flavor.

子曰：「道之不行也，我知之矣：知者過之，愚者不及也。道之不明也，我知之矣：賢者過之，不肖者不及也。人莫不飲食也，鮮能知味也。」

5.  Master Kong said: Alas! How is the Way not being pursued!

子曰：「道其不行矣夫。」

6.  Master Kong said: Shun⁴ was indeed a man of great wisdom! He loved to question others and to examine their words, however ordinary. He concealed what was bad in them and displayed what was good. He took hold of their two extremes, took the mean between them, and applied it in his dealing with the people. This was how he became Shun (the sage-emperor).

子曰：「舜其大知也與！舜好問而好察邇言，隱惡而揚善，執其兩端，用其中於民，其斯以為舜乎！」

7.  Master Kong said: Men all say, “I am wise”; but when driven forward and taken in a net, a trap, or a pitfall, none knows how to escape. Men all say, “I am wise”; but should they choose the course of the Mean, they are not able to keep it for a round month.

子曰：「人皆曰『予知』，驅而納諸罟擭陷阱之中，而莫之知辟也。人皆曰『予知』，擇乎中庸，而不能期月守也。」

8.  Master Kong said: Yan Hui⁵ was a man who chose the course of the Mean, and when he got hold of one thing that was good, he clasped it firmly as if wearing it on his breast and never lost it.

子曰：「回之為人也，擇乎中庸，得一善，則拳拳服膺而弗失之矣。」

9.  Master Kong said: The empire, the states, and the families can be put in order. Ranks and emolument can be declined. A bare, naked weapon can be tramped upon. But the Mean cannot [easily] be attained.

子曰：「天下國家可均也，爵祿可辭也，白刃可蹈也，中庸不可能也。」

10.  Zilu⁶ asked about strength.

Master Kong said: Do you mean the strength of the South, the strength of the North, or the strength you should cultivate yourself? To be genial and gentle in teaching others and not to revenge unreasonable conduct—this is the strength of the people of the South. The superior man lives by it. To lie under arms and meet death without regret—this is the strength of the people of the North. The strong man lives by it. Therefore the superior man maintains harmony [in his nature and conduct] and does not waver. How unflinching is his strength! He stands in the middle position and does not lean to one side. How unflinching is his strength! When the Way prevails in the state, [if he enters public life], he does not change from what he was in private life. How unflinching is his strength! When the Way does not prevail in the state, he does not change even unto death. How unflinching is his strength!

子路問強。子曰：「南方之強與？北方之強與？抑而強與？寬柔以教，不報無道，南方之強也，君子居之。衽金革，死而不厭，北方之強也，而強者居之。故君子和而不流，強哉矯！中立而不倚，強哉矯！國有道，不變塞焉，強哉矯！國無道，至死不變，強哉矯！」

11.  Master Kong said: There are men who seek for the abstruse, and practice wonders. Future generations may mention them. But that is what I will not do. There are superior men who act in accordance with the Way, but give up when they have gone half way. But I can never give up. There are superior men who are in accord with the Mean, retire from the world and are unknown to their age, but do not regret. It is only a sage who can do this.

子曰：「素隱行怪，後世有述焉，吾弗為之矣。君子遵道而行，半涂而廢，吾弗能已矣。君子依乎中庸，遁世不見知而不悔，唯聖者能之。

12.  The Way of the superior man functions everywhere and yet is hidden. Men and women of simple intelligence can share its knowledge; and yet in its utmost reaches, there is something which even the sage does not know. Men and women of simple intelligence can put it into practice; and yet in its utmost reaches there is something which even the sage is not able to put into practice. Great as heaven and earth are, men still find something in them with which to be dissatisfied. Thus with [the Way of] the superior man, if one speaks of its greatness, nothing in the world can contain it, and if one speaks of its smallness, nothing in the world can split it. The Book of Odes says, “The hawk flies up to heaven; the fishes leap in the deep.”⁷ This means that [the Way] is clearly seen above and below. The Way of the superior man has its simple beginnings in the relation between man and woman, but in its utmost reaches, it is clearly seen in heaven and on earth.⁸

君子之道費而隱。夫婦之愚，可以與知焉，及其至也，雖聖人亦有所不知焉；夫婦之不肖，可以能行焉，及其至也，雖聖人亦有所不能焉。天地之大也，人猶有所憾，故君子語大，天下莫能載焉；語小，天下莫能破焉。《詩》云：『鳶飛戾天，魚躍于淵。』言其上下察也。君子之道，造端乎夫婦，及其至也，察乎天地。」