《孝经》英译（丧亲章）

子曰：“孝子之丧亲也，哭不偯，礼无容，言不文，服美不安，闻乐不乐，食旨不甘，此哀戚之情也。三日而食，教民无以死伤生。毁不灭性，此圣人之政也。丧不过三年，示民有终也。为之棺、椁、衣、衾而举之，陈其簠簋而哀戚之，擗踊哭泣，哀以送之，卜其宅兆而安措之，为之宗庙以鬼享之，春秋祭祀以时思之。生事爱敬，死事哀戚，生民之本尽矣，死生之义备矣，孝子之事亲终矣。”

Chapter 18

Mourning for Parents

The Master said, “When filial children are in mourning for a parent, they weep without prolonged wailing, they participate in the funeral ceremony (li) without attention to their personal appearance, they speak plainly without trying to be eloquent. They are uncomfortable in elegant clothing, are unable to find any enjoyment (le) in listening to music (yue), and have no appetite for fine food. This is because of their feelings of grief and distress.

“After three days they break their fast in order to teach (jiao) others not to harm the living on account of the dead and not to threaten life through a lack of restraint. This is the policy laid down by the sages. Mourning must not exceed three years to make it clear to the people that they must find closure.

“The inner and outer coffins are prepared, the burial shroud is readied, the corpse is dressed and covered, and is then lifted into the coffin. The funerary vessels are set out with grief and sorrow. Beating their breasts and stamping their feet, weeping and wailing, the mourners escort the coffin to the grave site. Divination is used to determine the proper location, and the body is interred in peace. The ancestral temple is prepared to make offerings to the spirit of the deceased. The spring and autumn sacrifices are performed to provide a proper occasion to cherish the memory of the departed.

“When their parents are alive they are served with love (ai) and respect (jing) and when they are deceased they are served with grief and sorrow. This is the basic duty being discharged by the living, the fulfilling of the appropriate obligations (yi) between the living and the dead, and the consummation of service filial children owe their parents.”