Here are the sixth and seventh chapters of Di Zi Gui (The Rules for Students). For links to previous lessons see below.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Below are the video lessons for chapters six and seven.
Here are the texts of chapters six and seven below.
親仁
Qīn rén
Be Close to the Compassionate
同是人,類不齊。
Tóng shì rén, lèi bù qí.
All are human, but their types differ.
流俗眾,仁者希。
Liú sú zhòng, rén zhě xī.
Most are unrefined; the truly kind-hearted are rare.
果仁者,人多畏。
Gǔo rén zhě, rén dūo wèi.
A truly kind-hearted person is respected by most people.
言不諱,色不媚。
Yán bú huì, sè bú mèi.
He is not afraid speaking the truth; his expression is not fawning.
能親仁,無限好。
Néng qīn rén, wú xiàn hǎo.
To be able to become close with the kind-hearted is infinitely good.
德日進,過日少。
Dé rì jìn, guò rì shǎo.
One’s virtue will advance daily; one’s errors will lessen daily.
不親仁,無限害。
Bù qīn rén, wú xiàn hài.
Not becoming close with the kind-hearted is infinitely harmful.
小人進,百事壞。
Xiǎo rén jìn, bǎi shì huài.
Lowly people will come and everything will turn bad.
餘力學文
Yú lì xué wén
If There’s Energy Left Over, Study Books
不力行,但學文。
Bú lì xíng, dàn xué wén.
If one doesn’t work hard at conduct, but only studies books,
長浮華,成何人。
Zhǎng fú huá, chéng hé rén.
then one attains superficial finery—what kind of person is that?
但力行,不學文。
Dàn lì xíng, bù xué wén.
If one only works hard at conduct, but does not study books,
任己見,昧理真。
Rèn jǐ jiàn, mèi lǐ zhēn.
then one relies only on one’s own views, and remains ignorant of true reason.
讀書法,有三到。
Dú shū fǎ, yǒu sān dào.
The way to study requires three things coming together:
心眼口,信皆要。
Xīn yǎn kǒu, xìn jiē yào.
Heart, eyes and mouth. To believe in what I read is equally important.
方讀此,勿慕彼。
Fāng dú cǐ, wù mù bǐ;
When you’ve just begun reading one book, don’t yearn for another;
此未終,彼勿起。
Cǐ wèi zhōng, bǐ wù qǐ.
When the first book hasn’t been finished, don’t start another one.
寬為限,緊用功。
Kuān wéi xiàn, jǐn yòng gōng.
Set wide limits; apply tight efforts.
工夫到,滯塞通。
Gōng fū dào, zhì sè tōng.
With proper effort, obstacles will be overcome.
心有疑,随札記。
Xīn yǒu yí, suí zhá jì.
When there is doubt, note it down right away,
就人問,求确義。
Jiù rén wèn, qiú què yì.
so as to ask people and get the true meaning.
房室清,墙壁淨。
Fáng shì qīng, qiáng bì jìng.
The room should be clean; the walls, clear;
幾案潔,筆硯正。
Jī àn jié, bǐ yàn zhèng.
the desk, spotless; the pen and inkwell, straight.
墨磨偏,心不端。
Mò mó piān, xīn bù duān.
If the ink is ground unevenly, the heart is not upright;
字不敬,心先病。
Zì bú jìng, xīn xiān bìng.
if the words are not respectful, the heart has first fallen ill.
列典籍,有定處。
Liè diǎn jí, yǒu dìng chù.
Books should be set out in a regular place.
讀看畢,還原處。
Dú kàn bì, huán yuán chù.
After reading, return them to their original place.
雖有急,卷束齊。
Suī yǒu jí, juàn shù qí.
Though there may be an urgent matter, roll and tie them properly,
有缺壞,就補之。
Yǒu quē huài, jiù bǔ zhī.
and if there’s damage, repair it immediately.
非聖書,屏勿視。
Fēi shèng shū, bǐng wù shì.
Books not of the sages, reject them; don’t look.
敝聰明,壞心志。
Bì cōng míng, huài xīn zhì.
They cloud the intellect and corrupt one’s heart and aspiration.
勿自暴,勿自棄。
Wù zì bào wù zì qì.
Don’t abuse yourself; don’t give up on yourself.
聖與賢,可馴致。
Shèng yǔ xián, kě xún zhì.
What is saintly and virtuous, can be gradually attained.