《大学》英译（一）

《大学》之道，在明明德，在新民，在止于至善。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。物有本末，事有终始，知所先后。则近道矣。

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。欲正其意者，先致其知。致知，在格物。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。

自天子以至于庶人，壹是皆以修身为本。其本乱，而末治者，否矣。其所厚者薄，而其所薄者厚，未之有也。

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The Great Learning

The way of the great learning is to rid oneself of selfish desires and develop further one's inherent virtues. One should not only develop his own inherent virtues further, but should encourage all persons to do so also. Only then is possible to reach the acme of perfection. Once the acme of perfection is attained, is a man able to set the orientation of his ambitions. After setting his orientation, he will not waiver in his ambition and will be satisfied with his position. Satisfied with his position, he can ponder well. Being able to ponder well, he will be able to achieve all he wants. All things have their important and unimportant aspects; all events have their start and finish. If one knows the order of priority, he is not far from the way of the great learning.

In ancient times, one who intended to carry forward all the inherent virtues in the world and to rid people of material desires had to first rule his state well. To rule his state well, he had to first educate his family. To educate his family, he had first to cultivate himself. To cultivate himself, he had first to set his heart right. To set his heart right, he had first to be sincere and honest. To be sincere and honest, he had first to perfect his knowledge and the perfection of his knowledge depended on his investigation of things.

From emperor to the common people, self-cultivation is the base. If the base is in disorder, is it possible to rule well the state which is at the end of the order of priority? No, it is impossible! It is not right to take what is unimportant as important and vice versa.