《增廣賢文》。又名《昔時賢文》《古今賢文》,是中國明代時期編寫的道家兒童啟蒙書目。書名最早見之于明萬歷年間的戲曲《牡丹亭》,據(jù)此可推知此書最遲寫成于萬歷年間?!对鰪V賢文》集結(jié)中國從古到今的各種格言、諺語。后來,經(jīng)過明、清兩代文人的不斷增補,才改成現(xiàn)在這個模樣,稱《增廣昔時賢文》,通稱《增廣賢文》。
《增廣賢文·125》 佚名
恩宜自淡而濃,
先濃后淡者,
人忘其惠;
威宜自嚴而寬,
先寬后嚴者,
人怨其酷。
以積貨財之心積學(xué)問,
則盛德日新;
以愛妻子之心愛父母,
則孝行自篤。
When offering favours,
Go from small ones to big ones;
If you go from big ones to small ones,
You will not be remembered for your kind bounty.
To establish your prestige,
Go from strictness to lenience;
If you go from lenience to strictness,
You will be complained about for your cruelty.
Accumulating knowledge
As enthusiastically as accumulating money
Will strengthen morality,
Loving parents
As profoundly as loving wives and children
Will promote filial duty.