大学·经一章 The opening of the Great Learning

大学之道，在明明德，在亲民，在止于至善。 dà xué zhī dào, zài míng míng dé, zài qīn mín, zài zhǐ yú zhì shàn.
The way of great learning lies in making bright virtue shine, in caring for the people, and in coming to rest in the highest good.

知止而后有定，定而后能静，静而后能安，安而后能虑，虑而后能得。 zhī zhǐ ér hòu yǒu dìng, dìng ér hòu néng jìng, jìng ér hòu néng ān, ān ér hòu néng lǜ, lǜ ér hòu néng dé.
When you know where to come to rest, your purpose becomes settled; settled purpose allows stillness, stillness allows ease, ease allows deliberation, and deliberation allows attainment.

物有本末，事有终始，知所先后，则近道矣。 wù yǒu běn mò, shì yǒu zhōng shǐ, zhī suǒ xiān hòu, zé jìn dào yǐ.
Things have roots and branches; affairs have endings and beginnings. Knowing what comes first and what comes after brings you close to the Way.

古之欲明明德于天下者，先治其国；欲治其国者，先齐其家；欲齐其家者，先修其身；欲修其身者，先正其心；欲正其心者，先诚其意；欲诚其意者，先致其知，致知在格物。 gǔ zhī yù míng míng dé yú tiān xià zhě, xiān zhì qí guó; yù zhì qí guó zhě, xiān qí qí jiā; yù qí qí jiā zhě, xiān xiū qí shēn; yù xiū qí shēn zhě, xiān zhèng qí xīn; yù zhèng qí xīn zhě, xiān chéng qí yì; yù chéng qí yì zhě, xiān zhì qí zhī, zhì zhī zài gé wù.
In ancient times, those who wished to make bright virtue shine throughout the world first governed their states. To govern their states they first ordered their households; to order their households they first cultivated their conduct; to cultivate their conduct they first set their hearts right; to set their hearts right they first made their intentions sincere; to make their intentions sincere they first extended their understanding. Extending understanding lies in investigating things.

物格而后知至，知至而后意诚，意诚而后心正，心正而后身修，身修而后家齐，家齐而后国治，国治而后天下平。 wù gé ér hòu zhī zhì, zhī zhì ér hòu yì chéng, yì chéng ér hòu xīn zhèng, xīn zhèng ér hòu shēn xiū, shēn xiū ér hòu jiā qí, jiā qí ér hòu guó zhì, guó zhì ér hòu tiān xià píng.
Once things have been investigated, understanding reaches its full extent; once understanding reaches its full extent, intentions become sincere; once intentions are sincere, the heart is set right; once the heart is set right, conduct is cultivated; once conduct is cultivated, the household is ordered; once the household is ordered, the state is well governed; once the state is well governed, peace comes to the world.

自天子以至于庶人，壹是皆以修身为本。 zì tiān zǐ yǐ zhì yú shù rén, yī shì jiē yǐ xiū shēn wéi běn.
From the Son of Heaven down to ordinary people, all alike take cultivating their conduct as the root.

其本乱而末治者否矣，其所厚者薄，而其所薄者厚，未之有也。 qí běn luàn ér mò zhì zhě fǒu yǐ, qí suǒ hòu zhě bó, ér qí suǒ bó zhě hòu, wèi zhī yǒu yě.
A disordered root with well-ordered branches is impossible. Nobody has ever treated lightly what deserves the most care and still done well by what deserves less.