Chinese - Philosopher | 310 BC - 237 BC
If what the heart approves conforms to proper patterns, then even if one's desires are many, what harm would they be to good order?
Xun Kuang
GoodHeartPatternsOrderHarmEven
A person is born with desires of the eyes and ears, and a liking for beautiful sights and sounds. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to immorality and lack of restriction, and any ritual principles and propriety will be abandoned.
BeautifulEyesBornPersonWillWay
Thus, anybody who follows this nature and gives way its states will be led into quarrels and conflicts, and go against the conventions and rules of society, and will end up a criminal.
NatureSocietyEndRulesGoWay
The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound.
BrokenCauseThemselvesBoundRigid
If the blood humor is too strong and robust, calm it with balance and harmony.
HumorBalanceCalmStrongHarmony
Whether the gentleman is capable or not, he is loved all the same; conversely the petty man is loathed all the same.
ManGentlemanLovedPettyCapable
There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men.
MenPettySuccessfulCautiousWho
When a man sees something desirable, he must reflect on the fact that with time it could come to involve what is detestable. When he sees something that is beneficial, he should reflect that sooner or later it, too, could come to involve harm.
TimeManReflectSomethingMustHe
Thus, that one can find no place to walk through the breadth of the earth is not because the earth is not tranquil but because the danger to every step of the traveler lies generally with words.
WalkWordsStepFindPlaceEarth
Human nature is such that people are born with a love of profit If they follow these inclinations, they will struggle and snatch from each other, and inclinations to defer or yield will die.
NatureLoveStrugglePeopleDie
Since the nature of people is bad, to become corrected they must be taught by teachers and to be orderly they must acquire ritual and moral principles.
NaturePeopleBadMoralBecomeMust
In antiquity the sage kings recognized that men's nature is bad and that their tendencies were not being corrected and their lawlessness controlled.
NatureMenKingsBadBeingSage
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