三字經英語譯文

　　人之初 性本善 性相近 習相遠

　　men at their birth,

　　are naturally good.

　　their natures are much the same;

　　their habits become widely different.

　　茍不教 性乃遷 教之道 貴以專

　　if follishly there is no teaching,

　　the nature will deteriorate.

　　the right way in teaching,

　　is to attach the utmost importance

　　in thoroughness.

　　昔孟母 擇鄰處 子不學 斷機杼

　　of old, the mother of mencius

　　chose a neighbourhood

　　and when her child would not learn,

　　she broke the shuttle from the loom.

　　竇燕山 有義方 教五子 名俱揚

　　tou of the swallow hills

　　had the right method

　　he taugh five son,

　　each of whom raised the family reputation.

　　養不教 父之過 教不嚴 師之惰

　　to feed without teaching,

　　is the father's fault.

　　to teach without severity,

　　is the teacher's laziness.

　　子不學 非所宜 幼不學 老何為

　　if the child does not learn,

　　this is not as it should be.

　　if he does not learn while young,

　　what will he be when old ?

　　玉不琢 不成器 人不學 不知義

　　if jade is not polished,

　　it cannot become a thing of use.

　　if a man does not learn,

　　he cannot know his duty towards his neighbour.

　　為人子 方少時 親師友 習禮儀

　　he who is the son of a man,

　　when he is young,

　　should attach himself to his teachers and friends;

　　and practise ceremonial usages.

　　香九齡 能溫席 孝於親 所當執

　　hsiang, at nine years of age,

　　could warm his parent's bed.

　　filial piety towards parents,