8月27日

朱子家訓
明 朱柏廬 ( 1627~1698 )

一粥一飯，當思來處不易；
半絲半縷，恆念物力維艱。
宜未雨而綢繆，毋臨渴而掘井；
自奉必須儉約，宴客切勿留連。
飲食約而精，園蔬勝珍饈。
居身務期質樸，教子要有義方；
勿貪意外之財，勿飲過量之酒。
與肩挑貿易，勿佔便宜；
見貧苦親鄰，須多溫恤。
居家戒爭訟，訟則終凶；
處世戒多言，言多必失。
毋恃勢力而凌逼孤寡，
勿貪口腹而恣殺牲禽。
輕聽發言，安知非人之譖訴，
當忍耐三思；
因事相爭，安知非我之不是，
須平心暗想。
施惠勿念，受恩莫忘。
凡事當留餘地，得意不宜再往。
人有喜慶，不可生妒忌心；
人有禍患，不可生喜幸心。
善欲人見，不是真善；
惡恐人知，便是大惡。
守分安命，順時聽天。

──選自《朱柏廬治家格言》

August 27

Master Zhu's Maxims for the Home
Zhu Bolu (1627 - 1698, Ming Dynasty)
English translation: Zhi Yue

With each meal of porridge and rice,
Consider the difficulty of its origins;
With every half of silk, every half of thread,
Always remember the scarcity of resources.
Be prepared for rainy days,
Wait not for thirst to dig a well;
Be frugal in personal comforts,
When a guest, do not prolong one’s stay.
Keep a simple diet of food and drink;
Garden vegetables are better than gourmet dishes.
Be simple in grooming habits;
Teach children with righteous means.
Seek not unanticipated wealth;
Drink not beyond one's capacity.
Take no advantage of a vendor selling from his shoulders,
Be warm and kind to relatives and neighbors in poverty,
Avoid disputes at home,
For disputes will end with misfortune;
Avoid excessive speech in public,
The more your speech, the more your errors.
Use not your power to exploit orphans and widows;
Slaughter no livestock and fowl to satisfy your tastebuds.
Listen with a light ear,
One shall be patient and cautious in hearing
Slander and complaints by wicked minds.
When involved in a dispute,
How do you know that it is not your fault?
In all fairness, ponder over this.
Think not about one's acts of kindness;
Forget not the kindness one has received.
Give everything some breathing room;
Once content, crave not for more.
When others celebrate,
    give not to the mind of jealousy;
When others suffer,
    give not to the mind of delight.
Good deeds done on display are not truly good;
Bad deeds concealed are the greatest evil.
Uphold your role, be content with life,
Follow the times, and comply with Heaven.

── from Zhu Bolu Zhijia Geyan (Zhu Bolu's Maxims for Managing the Home)