The Great Learning Passage 3
所謂誠其意者,毋自欺也,如惡惡臭,如好好色,此之謂自謙,故君子必慎其獨也!小人閑居為不善,無所不至,見君子而後厭然,掩其不善,而著其善。人之視己,如見其肺肝然,則何益矣!此謂誠於中,形於外,故君子必慎其獨也。曾子曰:「十目所視,十手所指,其嚴乎!」富潤屋,德潤身,心廣體胖,故君子必誠其意。
What is meant by "making the thoughts sincere" is the allowing no self-deception, as when we hate a bad smell, and as when we love what is beautiful. This is called self-enjoyment. Therefore, the superior man must be watchful over himself when he is alone. There is no evil to which the mean man, dwelling retired, will not proceed, but when he sees a superior man, he instantly tries to disguise himself, concealing his evil, and displaying what is good. The other beholds him, as if he saw his heart and reins; of what use is his disguise? This is an instance of the saying "What truly is within will be manifested without." Therefore, the superior man must be watchful over himself when he is alone. The disciple Zeng said, "What ten eyes behold, what ten hands point to, is to be regarded with reverence!" Riches adorn a house, and virtue adorns the person. The mind is expanded, and the body is at ease. Therefore, the superior man must make his thoughts sincere.
English: James Legge (1861), The Great Learning, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861); romanization modernized on Wikisource — public domain. Chinese: Chinese text from the Wikisource bilingual edition.
Character glossary
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 誠chénghonest, sincere, true; actually, really
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 意yìthought, idea, opinion; desire, wish; me
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 毋wúnot; do not; surname
- 自zìself; private, personal; from
- 欺qīto cheat, to double-cross, to deceive
- 也yěalso, too
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 惡èbad, evil, wicked; to hate, to loathe; f
- 臭chòuto reek, to smell, to stink
- 好hǎogood, excellent, fine; proper, suitable;
- 色sècolor, tint, hue, shade; beauty, form; s
- 此cǐthis, these; in this case, then
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 謙qiānhumble, modest
- 故gùreason, cause; happening, instance
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 慎shèncautious, prudent
- 獨dúalone, independent, only, single, solita
- 小xiǎosmall, tiny, insignificant
- 人rénman, person; people
- 閑xiánfence, guard; to defend; idle time
- 居jūto live, to reside; to dwell; to sit
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 至zhìreach, arrive; very, extremely
- 見jiànto see, to observe, to meet, to appear
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 後hòuafter; behind, rear; descendants
- 厭yànto dislike, to detest; to reject; to sat
- 然ráncertainly; naturally; suddenly
- 掩yǎnto cover up (with a hand); to ambush, to
- 著zheto show, to prove, to make known
- 視shìto look at, to inspect, to observe, to r
- 己jǐself, oneself; personal, private; 6th he
- 肺fèilungs
- 肝gānliver
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 益yìto profit, to benefit; advantage
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 中zhōngcentral; center, middle; amidst; to hit
- 形xíngform, shape; to appear; to describe; to
- 外wàiout, outside, external; foreign; in addi
- 曾céngalready, formerly, once; the past
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 十shíten, tenth; complete; perfect
- 目mùeye; to look, to see; division, topic
- 手shǒuhand
- 指zhǐfinger, toe; to point, to indicate
- 嚴yánstrict, rigorous, rigid; stern
- 乎hūinterrogative or exclamatory final parti
- 富fùabundant, ample; rich, wealthy
- 潤rùnfresh, moist; soft, sleek
- 屋wūbuilding, house, shelter; room
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 身shēnbody, torso; person; pregnancy
- 心xīnheart; mind; soul
- 廣guǎngbroad, vast, wide; building, house
- 體tǐbody; group, class; form, style, system
- 胖pàngfat, plump, obese; a fat person
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- The Great Learning Passage 2
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Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.