The Doctrine of the Mean Passage 38
《詩》曰：「不顯惟德！百辟其刑之。」是故君子篤恭而天下平。
It is said in the Book of Poetry, "What needs no display is virtue. All the princes imitate it." Therefore, the superior man being sincere and reverential, the whole world is conducted to a state of happy tranquility.
English: James Legge (1861), The Doctrine of the Mean, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861); romanization modernized on Wikisource — public domain. Chinese: Chinese text from the Wikisource bilingual edition.
Character glossary
- 詩shīpoetry; poem, verse, ode
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 顯xiǎnclear, evident; prominent; to show
- 惟wéibut, however, nevertheless; only
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 百bǎione hundred; numerous, many
- 辟pìlaw, rule; to open up, to develop
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 刑xíngpunishment, penalty; law
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 故gùreason, cause; happening, instance
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 篤dǔdeep, serious; genuine, sincere, true
- 恭gōngpolite, respectful, reverent
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 天tiānsky, heaven; god, celestial
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 平píngflat, level, even; peaceful
Similar passages
- Analects 8.2
- Mencius 2A.1
- Hexagram 50
- The Doctrine of the Mean Passage 27
- Zhuangzi The Tao of God
- Analects 7.37
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.