『中庸』第十二章

守中阁

简体：

君子之道，费而隐。

夫妇之愚，可以与知焉，及其至也，虽圣人亦有所不知焉。夫妇之不肖，可以能行焉，及其至也，虽圣人亦有所不能焉。天地之大也，人犹有所憾。故君子语大，天下莫能载焉；语小，天下莫能破焉。

《诗》云：“鸢飞戾天，鱼跃于渊。”言其上下察也。

君子之道，造端乎夫妇，及其至也，察乎天地。

註解：

(1)费：广大。隐：精微。

(2)夫妇：匹夫匹妇，指普通男女。

(3)与：动词，参与。

(4)破：分开。

(5)鸢飞戾天，鱼跃于渊：引自《诗经·大雅·旱麓》。鸢，老鹰。戾，到达。

(6)察：昭著，明显。

(7)造端：开始。

白話文：

君子的道广大而又精微。

普通男女虽然愚昧，也可以知道君子的道;但它的最高深境界，即便是圣人也有弄不清楚的地方，普通男女虽然不贤明，也可以实行君子的道，但它的最高深境界，即便是圣人也有做不到的地方。大地如此之大，但人们仍有不满足的地方。所以，君子说到“大”，就大得连整个天下都载不下;君子说到“小”，就小得连一点儿也分不开。

《诗经》说：“鸢鸟飞向天空，鱼儿跳跃深水。”这是说上下分明。

君子的道，开始于普通男女，但它的最高深境界却昭著于整个天地。

繁体：

君子之道，費而隱。

夫婦之愚，可以與知焉，及其至也，雖聖人亦有所不知焉。夫婦之不肖，可以能行焉，及其至也，雖聖人亦有所不能焉。天地之大也，人猶有所憾。故君子語大，天下莫能載焉；語小，天下莫能破焉。

《詩》雲：“鳶飛戾天，魚躍於淵。”言其上下察也。

君子之道，造端乎夫婦，及其至也，察乎天地。

英译：

The moral law is to be found everywhere and yet it is a secret.

The simple intelligence of ordinary men and women of the people may understand something ofthe moral law; but in its utmost reaches there is something which even the wisest and holiest of men cannot understand. The ignoble natures of ordinary men and women of the people may be able to carry out the moral law;but in its utmost reaches even thewisest and holiest of men cannot live up to it.

Great as the Universe is, man with the infinite moral nature in him is never satisfied.For there isnothing so great but the mind of the moral man can conceive of something still greater which nothing in the world can hold. There is nothing so small but the mind of moral man can conceive of something still smaller which nothing in the world can split.

The Book of Songs says: “The hawk soars to the heavens above and fishes dive to the depths be-low.”

That is to say,there is no place in the highest heavens above nor in the deepest waters below where the moral law does not reign.

The moral law takes its rise in the relation between man and woman;but in its utmost reaches itreigns supreme over heaven and earth.