Moved by favor and humiliation, (is like) valuing a grave illness as t
厭恥 · Yàn Chǐ
Classical Chinese Text
宠辱若惊，贵大患若身。何谓宠辱若惊？宠为下，得之若惊，失之若惊，是谓宠辱若惊。 何谓贵大患若身？吾所以有大患者，为吾有身，及吾无身，吾有何患④？故贵以身为天下，若可寄天下；爱以身为天下，若可托天下。
Translation & Meaning
Moved by favor and humiliation, (is like) valuing a grave illness as the own body. What to make of (being) moved by favor and humiliation? (Accepting) favor is from (someone who is in a) higher position, moved when getting it, moved when losing it, (are) called “moved by favor and humiliation”.
Linguistic & Character Analysis
- 宠 (chǒng): classical character (chǒng)
- 辱 (rǔ): classical character (rǔ)
- 若 (ruò): classical character (ruò)
- 惊 (jīng): classical character (jīng)
- 贵 (guì): prize / cherish / valuable
- 大 (dà): classical character (dà)
- 患 (huàn): classical character (huàn)
- 身 (shēn): classical character (shēn)
- 何 (hé): classical character (hé)
- 谓 (wèi): called / named / designated
- 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
- 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
- 得 (dé): obtain / acquire / gain
- 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
- 失 (shī): classical character (shī)
- 是 (shì): this / therefore
- 吾 (wú): I / myself
- 所 (suǒ): place / frontier / that which
- 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
- 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
- 者 (zhě): aspects / those who / things
- 及 (jí): classical character (jí)
- 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without
- 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
- 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
- 可 (kě): can / capable of being
- 寄 (jì): classical character (jì)
- 爱 (ài): classical character (ài)
- 托 (tuō): classical character (tuō)