缓

揭

帘

，

勿

有

声

huan

jie

lian

wu

you

sheng

慢慢地

揭开

门帘

不要

发出

声响

slowly

to lift

door curtains

do not

make

sound

开门时要动作轻缓，不要弄出很大的声响。
When opening or closing a door, do it slowly, without making too much noise.

宽

转

弯

，

勿

触

棱

kuan

zhuan

wan

wu

chu

leng

有余的

转移

弯曲处

不要

碰到

棱角

wildly

to turn

corner

do not

to bump into

angle, edge

转弯时要留有余地，不要碰到任何的棱角。
When going around a corner, make a wind turn and don't bump into sharp edges.

执

虚

器

，

如

执

盈

zhi

xu

qi

ru

zhi

ying

拿

空的

器皿

好像

拿

满的器皿

to carry

empty

container

as if

to carry

a full container

端着空的容器，小心地好像装满东西时一样。
You should carry an empty container just as carefully as one that is full.

入

虚

室

，

如

有

人

ru

xu

shi

ru

you

ren

进入

空的

房间

好像

to enter

empty

room

as if

have

people

进入空的房间，谨慎地就如同里面有人时一般。
And enter a room that is empty, just as cautiously as one in which there are people. 

前一节提到行住坐卧四大威仪，说要“行如风”；我们把它再衍申一下，这个“行”，还不只是“行走”，应该包括一切诸如开关门户，进出转弯，甚至取物执事的种种行动。一个人的动作，不但反映出他的个性，也反映了他的道德和教育水准。

The previous section mentioned the four modes of deportment—walking, standing, sitting, and reclining--and said one should "walk like a breeze. " We can extend this a bit because the word xing (行) not only means walking, but also includes various motions such as opening and closing doors and windows, entering and exiting, turning corners, picking things up, handling things, and so forth. The way a person moves is a reflection not only of his character, but also of his ethical standards and his education.

古时候，进出之处如无门户，至少会有帘子来分隔内外。帘子的质地种类不一，或者布帘，或者纱帘、竹帘，又或者珠帘、水晶帘、翡翠帘等。总之，都不如木门、铁门来得坚实。如果粗粗鲁鲁地一掀一甩，可能不小心波及站在帘边的人或动物，或惊扰到室内的人，帘子也容易脱落破坏。掀帘、放帘的动作轻缓，不但不会让声响干扰他人，也可延长帘子的使用寿命。

In ancient times, in entrances where there were no doors, there would be a curtain to separate the inside from the outside. The curtains were made of various materials, such; as cloth, gauze, bamboo, beads, crystal, and jade. In general, they were not as hard and solid as wooden doors or iron gates. If you roughly whisk the curtain aside, you might disturb the people or animals on the other side or startle those inside the room. The curtain will also fall apart more easily. If you lift the curtain and let it down slowly and gently, you won't make any sound that would disturb other people, and the curtain will also last longer. 

现代人已少有使用门帘的了，但各种质地的门户虽然较为坚实，相对的，其撞击所发出的音响和反震力也更大，造成的损伤也更严重。因此，开关的动作更要轻缓，以免酿成意外，制造噪音，耗损门户。

Nowadays door curtains are seldom used, and doors made of various materials are more solid. However, the noise is also louder when you knock against them, and the injury is more serious. For those reasons, we should open and close them gently and slowly to avoid causing accidents, making a lot of noise, and damaging the doors. 

手轻轻扶着把手来开关门的，是谨慎而负责的人；用力推门就走，任由门在身后自动合上而发出巨响的，是胆识有余，不计后果的人，但也往往是不负责任或不太考虑别人感觉的人；握紧把手，慢慢推开门，然后紧紧关上门的，是认真负责，但有时不免畏怯或神经质的人；开门时用力扭转把手，却会忘了关门的，是有心负责，却无力收拾残局的人。从人开关门户的动作，真的可以观察一个人的个性和品行，从而衡量出他将来的成就。

One who gently grasps the doorknob to open and close the door is a careful and responsible person. One who barges through a door and lets it slam shut by itself is someone who has plenty of daring and knowledge, but who doesn't consider the consequences of his actions. Or he might be an irresponsible individual or a person who isn't very considerate of others' feelings. Someone who grasps the doorknob tightly, very slowly opens the door, and then closes it tightly behind him is a diligent and responsible person who is sometimes a bit timid or nervous. Someone who forcefully turns the doorknob to open the door, but then forgets to close it, is one who has good intentions but isn't able to finish the jobs he starts. From the way a person opens a door, you can tell what his character and personality are like and judge what his future accomplishments might be. 

同样地，在穿越堂屋或转弯时，不是撞倒这，就是碰翻那，甚至弄伤了自己，总见出这个人莽撞不慎重的个性；而小心翼翼地紧贴着桌椅墙壁走，没给自己留个空间，又显得这个人过分的拘执。动作上的“宽”、“缓”，和前一节所强调的“深”、“圆”，正是展现君子自然自在，不卑不亢的潇洒风度。

Similarly, if a person habitually bumps into things, knocks things over, or even hurts himself when he walks through a room or turns a corner, it reveals a rash and incautious personality .If someone carefully walks along the edges of the tables, chairs, and walls without leaving much room for himself, this shows that he is a little too uptight. The qualities of one's movements being slow and spacious, like the qualities of being deep and full mentioned in the previous section, illustrate the natural ease and carefree air of a great person who is neither arrogant nor self-demeaning.

当我们执持器物时，不管东西的盈虚轻重，总以两手端捧在胸前为佳；这样，不但是一种礼貌，还能培养好“慎始慎终”的习惯，更可以训练出目不斜视，专心一意的态度。至于进入空屋或独处虚室之时，还能如同有他人在侧，没有一丝一毫的随便和放逸，这更是自我淬炼之所在。古圣人十分强调“诚意正心”的内修工夫，认为应该从“慎独”着手，曾子说一个人即使是独处时，也应该严谨自持，就像有“十目所视，十手所指”一样；这是描述君子秉心正气，端正不阿的独特品格。

When we carry a container, regardless of whether it is empty or full, light or heavy, the best way is to hold it with both hands in front of our chest. This is the respectful way, and it also trains us to be careful from beginning to end and to focus our attention and not be glancing here and there. When we go into an empty room or stay alone in one, we should act the same as when there are people around; we shouldn't be the least bit casual or lax; this is the essence of self-cultivation. The ancient sages put great emphasis on the inner cultivation of "making the will sincere and the mind proper," which they thought should begin with being cautious when one is alone. Zeng Zi [a disciple of Confucius] said that when a person is alone, he should act as prudently as if there were ten eyes watching him and ten hands pointing at him. This describes the unique character of a superior person who maintains right thoughts and is proper at all times.

君子为什么能做到这样呢？因为他没有妄起我法二执；我法二执，就是众恶的根本。那我法二执又是什么？说穿了，其实就是意念不诚而已；意念不诚，也就是有个自私心和名利心。人如没有自私心，哪里会产生我执？若没有名利心，更有何法执可言？就因为生出这二种根本的执着，于是乎各种勾心斗角的是非争端都跟着衍发了！所以才说，我法二执是众恶的根本。

Why is a superior person able to be like this? Because he doesn't have the two attachments to self and dharmas. The attachments to self and dharn1as are the root of all evil. What are these two attachments? Actually, they are just a result of a lack of sincerity .When one is insincere, one is selfish and seeks after fame and profit. If a person is unselfish, how could he have the attachment to self? If he doesn't seek fame and profit, what attachment to dharmas could there be? Because of these two fundamental attachments, all manner of fighting, scheming, gossip, and arguments arise. That's why these two attachments to self and dharmas are the source of all evil. 

一个人的意念诚不诚，往往流露于举手投足之际。在人前，他或者警觉性高，还会加以掩饰；独处时，就难免松懈而漏了底，明眼人当然看得出来。所以《大学》上才说：“诚于中，形于外，故君子必慎其独也。”

The degree of a person's sincerity can be seen in his ordinary gestures. In front of others, he may be very alert and cover up his true thoughts, but when alone he is likely to relax and let his real self show through. Of course an intelligent person can see through his phoniness. Thus the Great Learning says, "When there is sincerity within, it manifests in one's external appearance; hence the superior person must be cautious when he is alone."

那么，君子又为什么要做到这样呢？《大学》上说：“富润屋，德润身，心广体胖。”想想看：人生在世，富贵寿考，都只如海上浮沤，长久几何？不少生前金玉满堂，却诸善莫作，众恶奉行的人，死后不但遗臭万年，甚至痛失人身，永劫沉沦地狱、饿鬼、畜生三恶道；反之，以道德严身，诸恶莫作，众善奉行者，生前是坦坦荡荡，身后也流芳百世，更有超升三界、永享极乐的。各位都是聪明的，与其享一时之乐，而身后累世挨骂受苦，何不趁此生严持戒律，早修无上道呢？

Why does the superior person want to be like this? The Great Learning says, "Riches enhance the household, while virtue enhances one's self, so that one has a broad mind and a healthy body." Think about it: All the riches, honor, and longevity that we enjoy in this world are like mere bubbles in the sea--how long do they last? There are many people who are incredibly rich, but who do no good deeds whatsoever and only indulge in all manner of evil. After they die, not only does their notoriety live on, but they may lose their human body and fall into the three evil paths of the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals forever. Conversely, those who conduct themselves ethically, avoiding all evil and practicing many good deeds, enjoy a smooth and carefree life, leave behind a good name, and are able to transcend the Triple Realm and enjoy eternal happiness. All of you are intelligent people. Compared to the prospect of enjoying momentary pleasure and then enduring scoldings and sufferings for many lifetimes afterwards, wouldn't it be better to seriously uphold the precepts in this very life and quickly cultivate the unsurpassed Path?

明朝的大将军戚继光还没做官时，跟一位朋友进京应试。到了京城，肚子饿了，两人就在路边摊子吃饭。吃完，卖饭的不小心，一个铜钱滚落到地上；那位朋友赶紧用脚把铜钱踩住，等卖饭的不注意时，再把钱捡起。他自以为神不知鬼不觉，没想到被一位散步的过路人瞧见了，而那人正是此次考试的监考官。到了考试那天，那位朋友交卷时，监考官就把他的名字暗地记下；结果戚继光考取，他却落了榜。按理，他的文章比戚继光好，应该考取；可是那位监考官却说：“卖饭的一个铜钱他都想要，如果让他作了官，他还能不贪污吗？”由此看来，人怎能不诚乎其中，而慎乎其独呢？

In the Ming Dynasty, there was a great general named Jiguang Qi. Before he became an official, he went with a friend to the capital to take the civil examination. When they reached the capital they felt rather hungry, so they stopped by a roadside stand to get something to eat. After they had finished their meal, the food vendor accidentally dropped a coin on the ground. Qi' s friend quickly stepped on the coin and then picked it up when the vendor wasn't looking. He thought no one, not even the ghosts, would know what he'd done, but actually his act had been observed by a passerby who happened to be the examination proctor. On the day of the examination, when Qi's friend handed in his paper, the proctor silently noted his name. Later it turned out that Jiguang Qi passed the exam, while his friend did not. Actually, Qi' s friend should have passed, for his essay was better than Jiguang Qi's. But the proctor had said, "He even wanted that food vendor's one little coin. If we allow him to become an official, how could he not be corrupt'？" Hearing this story, how can we not maintain an inner attitude of sincerity and not be cautious whenever we are alone?