栖守道德者，寂寞一时；依阿权势者，凄凉万古。达人观物外之物，思身后之身，宁受一时之寂寞，毋取万古之凄凉。
Those who stick to their moral code suffer only temporary loneliness while those who cling to the powerful will meet with permanent misery. The wise, who see the behind and ponder over the beyond, would rather savor the temporary loneliness than face the permanent misery.

涉世浅，点染亦浅；历事深，机械亦深。故君子与其练达，不若朴鲁；与其曲谨，不若疏狂。
A man with little life experience is slightly tainted with its impunities; A man with much life experience is likewise replete with craft and cunning. Therefore, it is better for a man of moral integrity to be simple than to be sophisticated, and it is also better for him to be passionate than to be prudent.

君子之心事，天青日白，不可使人不知。君子之才华，玉韫珠藏，不可使人易知。
As a man of moral integrity, his mind should be clear to everyone just as the blue sky and the broad daylight, but his talents should be locked away from anyone as with precious jade and pearls.

势利纷华，不近者为洁，近之而不染者尤洁；智械机巧，不知者为高，知之而不用者为尤高。
A person who stays away from power, profit and luxury is clean. However, a man who stays near them but is free from their influence is even cleaner. He who is ignorant of tactics and tricks is noble. Nevertheless,a person who knows them well but distains to use them is even nobler.

耳中常闻逆耳之言，心中常有拂心之事，才是进德修行的砥石。若言言悦耳，事事快心，便把此生埋在鸩毒中矣。
The frequent hearing of home truths and the constant dwelling on the rough serve as the whetstone upon which we refine our nature and conduct. If everything we hear is pleasant to the ear, and everything we experience is to our heart's content, that's no different from immersing our lives in poisoned wine.

疾风怒雨，禽鸟戚戚，霁日光风，草木欣欣，可见天地不可一日无和气,人心不可一日无喜神。
When the wind rages and the rain pours, even the birds seem sorrowful; when the sun shines and the breeze blows, the very grass and trees feel cheerful. So it is obvious that joy is to our heart what harmony is to the world.

醲肥辛甘非真味，真味只是淡；神奇卓异非至人，至人只是常。
Real flavor does not lie in vintage wine and sumptuous feast but in plain tea and simple food. A perfect man is not found among the unusual or the prominent but among the common lot.

天地寂然不动，而气机无息稍停；日月昼夜奔驰，而贞明万古不易。故君子闲时要有吃紧的心思，忙处要有悠闲的趣味。
Although the heaven and the earth seem to be at rest, their motions never cease for a moment. Although the sun and the moon rotate day and night, their beams never stop for a while. Likewise, the accomplished man should keep work in mind when free and steal a moment of leisure while occupied.

夜深人静独坐观心，始觉妄穷而真独露，每于此中得大机趣；既觉真现而妄难逃，又于此中得大惭忸。
In the still of the night, when a man sits alone in introspection, his improper thoughts fade away and the genuine ones emerge. When this occurs, he enjoys great heart’s content. But if realizing that he can not cast aside erroneous thoughts while true ones appear, he feels great shame.

恩里由来生害，故快意时须早回首；败后或反成功，故拂心处莫便放手。
A favor received may bring calamity in its wake; therefore, in times of joy, it is better to leave well alone. A failure may turn out to be a blessing in disguise; hence, in the face of adversity, it is wise to keep striving.

藜口苋肠者，多冰清玉洁，衮衣玉食者，甘婢膝奴颜。盖志以澹泊明，而节以肥甘丧也。
Those who take coarse food and drink are mostly as clean as ice and as pure as jade. However, those who are bon vivant tend to be servile like a slave. The reason is that one’s ambition shines from a simple living while one’s moral integrity sinks due to an extravagant life.

面前的田地要放得宽，使人无不平之叹；身后的惠泽要流得久，使人有不匮之思。
One’s tolerance must go far and wide in dealing with others so that nobody ever feels discontented. One’s benevolence should run long and deep so that others can feel grateful even after his death.

径路窄处，留一步与人行；滋味浓时，减三分让人尝，此是涉世一极安乐法。
On a narrow path, step aside one pace so that others can pass. Treated to delicacies, save up some so that others may taste. This is the secret to a safe and happy life.

作人无甚高远事业，摆脱得俗情便入名流；为学无甚增益工夫，灭除得物累便入圣境。
To be a decent man, one needn’t know profound principles; all one needs is to free oneself from vulgar desires, and then one can join the ranks of the celebrities. To pursue one’s study, one doe not need any magic formula; all one needs is to get rid off distracting thoughts, and then one can enter the domain of the sages.

交友须带三分侠气，做人要存一点素心。
To make friends with others, one needs the spirit of brotherhood. To conduct oneself well, one should preserve the heart of a pure man.