10月31日

《顏氏家訓》選 ─ 勉學
北齊 顏之推 ( 531~591 )

夫學者所以求益耳。見人讀數十卷書，
便自高大，凌忽長者，輕慢同列；

人疾之如讎敵，惡之如鴟梟，
如此以學自損，不如無學也。

古之學者為己，以補不足也；
今之學者為人，但能說之也。

古之學者為人，行道以利世也；
今之學者為己，修身以求進也。

夫學者猶種樹也，春玩其華，
秋登其實；講論文章，春華也，
修身利行秋實也。

──選自《顏氏家訓》

October 31

Encouragements on Studies
Yan Zhitui (531 - 591, Northern Qi Dynasty)
English translation: Hsin-Yu Huang

There is no objective to learning than to benefit from it.
I have seen some people who have become so arrogant after
reading a dozen of books that they insult and ignore their
elders as well as take their colleagues lightly.

Others despise them like enemies and vicious birds. As a
result, they harm themselves with learning, and it would have
been better if they had not learned at all.

In ancient times, people learned for themselves, their goal
was to make up for their shortcomings. People today learn for
the sake of others, and can only talk the talk, while learners in
ancient times learned for the sake of others, putting theories
into practice in order to benefit the world. On the other
hand, people today learn for their own sake in that they take
advanced studies in hopes of getting promotions and salaries.

Learning is just like planting trees. In spring, one
appreciates the flowers, and in autumn, one reaps the fruits;
lectures and discussions are just like spring flowers, while
practice and action are like autumn fruits.

── from Yan Shi Jiaxun (Family Instructions of Mister Yan)