一孔录

English version: the interface and Yikonglu's notes are translated; quoted commentary stays in Chinese. The Chinese page is authoritative.

三字经

Books › Three Character Classic › Part 6 · Setting one's aim

Part 6 · Setting one's aim · lecture 36 · 3 groups · not yet coveredWhoever strives can do the same

The video for this lecture is still in production. For now this page gives the text, the base-edition pages, a recording and a translation.

唐劉晏,方七歲,舉神童,作正字。彼雖幼,身已仕,爾幼學,勉而致。有爲者,亦若是。
Text from Yikonglu's Father's Lecture Notes, checked line by line against the base edition, Wang Xiang's Sanzijing xungu (1831 Japanese reprint). The page scans are from that edition; click a group to frame it on the page.

TrTranslation

唐劉晏,方七歲,舉神童,作正字。
Liu Yan of Tang, at just seven, was chosen as a child prodigy and made a text corrector.

彼雖幼,身已仕,爾幼學,勉而致。
Though he was young, he already held office. You who are studying young can get there too with effort.

有爲者,亦若是。
Whoever strives can do the same.

Draft translation; it will be revised when the lecture is filmed.

From the Father's Lecture Notes

One last example, then a single line gathers up everything before it: whoever strives can do the same. From Confucius to seven-year-old Liu Yan, seven lectures and a dozen or so people all come down to these six characters.

Translated from Yikonglu's Father's Lecture Notes for the Three Character Classic, written for a parent teaching a child.

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