劝学
Encouraging, Learning
[translated by Burton Watson;
there're some revisions]
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lyrics: Xun Zi（B.C.313-238）
Composer/Singer: Jianan Liang
Arrangement: Yanqing Zheng
[The song includes only the paragraphs
selected in our Chinese textbook]
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[00:23]
君子曰：学不可以已。
The gentleman says:
Learning should never cease.
[00:50]
青，取之于蓝而青于蓝；
Blue comes from the indigo plant
but is bluer than the plant itself.
冰，水为之而寒于水。
Ice is made of water
but is colder than water ever is.
木直中绳，輮以为轮，其曲中规。
Wood can be straight as a line;
Being bent into a wheel,
it can also be round as a circle.
虽有槁暴，不复挺者，輮使之然也。
Even if the sun and wind dry it,
it can’t be straight again.
This is due to the bending process.
故木受绳则直，金就砺则利，
So the wood can be changed by certain tools,
and the metals can be sharpened on grindstones.
君子博学而日参省乎己，则知明而行无过矣。
If the gentleman studies widely
and each day examines himself,
his wisdom will become clear
and his conduct be without fault.
[01:50]
I’m sorry that I have to delete some lyrics
due to the limitation of the length :(
[02:58]
积土成山，风雨兴焉;
Pile up earth to make a mountain
and wind and rain will rise up from it.
积水成渊，蛟龙生焉;
Pile up water to make a deep pool
and dragons will appear.
(dragon is a positive symbol in China);
积善成德，而神明自得，圣心备焉。
Pile up good deeds to create virtue
and godlike understanding will come of itself;
there the mind of the sage will find completion.
故不积跬步，无以至千里;
But unless you pile up little steps,
you can never journey a thousand li;
不积小流，无以成江海。
unless you pile up tiny streams,
you can never make a river or a sea.
骐骥一跃，不能十步;
The finest thoroughbred
cannot travel ten paces in one leap,
驽马十驾，功在不舍。
but the sorriest nag can go a ten days’ journey.
Its achievement consists of never giving up.
锲而舍之，朽木不折;
If you start carving and then give up,
you can't even cut through the rotten wood;
锲而不舍，金石可镂。
but if you persist without stopping,
you can carve and inlay metal or stone.
蚓无爪牙之利，筋骨之强，
Earthworms have no sharp claws or teeth,
no strong muscles or bones,
上食埃土，下饮黄泉，用心一也。
and yet above ground they feast on the mud,
and below they drink at the yellow springs.
This is because they keep their minds on one thing.
蟹六跪而二螯，非蛇鳝之穴无可寄托者，
Crabs have six legs and two pincers,
but unless they can find an empty hole
dug by a snake or a water serpent,
they have no place to lodge.
用心躁也。
This is because they are impetuous.