《孝经》英译（纪孝行章）

子曰：“孝子之事亲也，居则致其敬，养则致其乐，病则致其忧，丧则致其哀，祭则致其严。五者备矣，然后能事亲。事亲者，居上不骄，为下不乱，在丑不争。居上而骄则亡，为下而乱则刑，在丑而争则兵。三者不除，虽日用三牲之养，犹为不孝也。”<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Chapter 10

A Record of Family Reverence in Practice

The Master said, “Filial children in serving parents in their daily lives show them real respect (jing), in tending to their needs and wants strive to bring them enjoyment (le), in caring for them in sickness reveal their apprehension, in mourning for them express their grief, and in sacrificing to them

show true veneration. With these five dispositions firmly in place, they are truly able to serve their parents.

“Those who are truly able to serve their parents are not arrogant in high station, are not rebellious in a subordinate position, and are not contentious when only one among many. To be arrogant in high station leads to ruin; to be rebellious in low position incurs punishment; (1) to be contentious among the many leads to violence. Until these three attitudes—arrogance, defiance, and contentiousness—are set aside, even though someone were to fete their parents on beef, mutton, and pork, they still could not be deemed filial.” (2)

(1) In the Analects 1.2 it is observed: “It is a rare thing for someone who has a sense of family reverence and fraternal deference to have a taste for defying authority. And it is unheard of for those who have no taste for defying authority to be keen on initiating rebellion.”

(2) This passage is reminiscent of Analects 2.7: “Those today who are filial are deemed so because they are able to provide for their parents. But even dogs and horses are given that much care. If you do not respect (jing) your parents, what is the difference?”