NOTE: I am just so lucky that I am able to read and understand ancient Chinese philosophy; as because the English translation just does not make as much sense as the original text.
Chapter 15.
Trials and hardships the way in which Heaven prepares men for great services.
2. 'Thus, when Heaven is about to confer a great office on any man, it first exercises his mind with suffering, and his sinews and bones with toil. It exposes his body to hunger, and subjects him to extreme poverty. It confounds his undertakings. By all these methods it stimulates his mind, hardens his nature, and supplies his incompetencies.
3. 'Men for the most part err, and are afterwards able to reform. They are distressed in mind and perplexed in their thoughts, and then they arise to vigorous reformation. When things have been evidenced in men's looks, and set forth in their words, then they understand them.
4. 'If a prince have not about his court families attached to the laws and worthy counsellors, and if abroad there are not hostile States or other external calamities, his kingdom will generally come to ruin.
5. 'From these things we see how life springs from sorrow and calamity, and death from ease and pleasure.'
- The Works of Mencius Book 6, Part 2 (cont.):Kâo Tsze
舜发于畎亩之中，傅说举于版筑之间，胶鬲举于鱼盐之中，管夷吾举于士，孙叔敖举于海，百里奚举于市。
故天将降大任于是人也，必先苦其心志，劳其筋骨，饿其体肤，空乏其身，行拂乱其所为，所以动心忍性，曾益其所不能。
人恒过,然后能改；困于心,衡于虑,而后作；征于色,发于声,而后喻。入则无法家拂士，出则无敌国外患者，国恒亡。然后知生于忧患，而死于安乐也。
- 《孟子•告子下》
故天将降大任于是人也，必先苦其心志，劳其筋骨，饿其体肤，空乏其身，行拂乱其所为，所以动心忍性，曾益其所不能。
人恒过,然后能改；困于心,衡于虑,而后作；征于色,发于声,而后喻。入则无法家拂士，出则无敌国外患者，国恒亡。然后知生于忧患，而死于安乐也。
- 《孟子•告子下》
 |
| http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/8036/ |
No comments:
Post a Comment