1月24日

善為至寶
清 金纓 編述( 生卒年不詳 )

勢可為惡而不為，即是善；
力可行善而不行，即是惡。
善為至寶，一生用之不盡；
心作良田，百世耕之有餘。
終日說善言，不如做一件；
終日行善事，須防錯一件。

──選自《格言聯璧》

January 24th

The Greatest Good
Jin Ying (Years unknown, Qing Dynasty)
English translation: Miao Guang

The ability to refrain from doing evil
    when circumstances allow is good itself.
Failure to ensure that good is done
    when circumstances require is evil itself.

Good is a great treasure that can never be exhausted.
The mind is like a field of goodness,
Even after a hundred lifetimes’ cultivation,
It is still abundant.

Rather than spending all day speaking good words,
    one may as well perform one single good deed.
Rather than spending all day performing good deeds,
    one may as well prevent one wrong from being done.

── from Geyan Lianbi (Aphorisms and Apothegms)