辨德 · 自知者明
Biàn Dé
Classical Chinese Text
知人者智，自知者明。胜人者有力，自胜者强。知足者富，强行者有志，不失其所者久，死而不亡者寿。
Translation & Meaning
能够认识别人的人算得上聪慧，能够洞彻自己的人才是真正的清明。 能够战胜别人的人算是有力量，能够超越自我弱点与习气的人才是真正的强大。 懂得满足的人内心常享丰盛富足，勉力笃行不懈的人方为真正有志向。 不偏离生命根本安立之处的人能够恒久稳固，形体虽逝而精神道脉长存不灭的，才是真正的无疆大寿。
Linguistic & Character Analysis
- 知 (zhī): know / distinguish / recognize
- 人 (rén): person / human
- 者 (zhě): aspects / those who / things
- 智 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
- 自 (zì): classical character (zì)
- 明 (míng): classical character (míng)
- 胜 (shèng): classical character (shèng)
- 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
- 力 (lì): classical character (lì)
- 强 (qiáng): strengthen / firm / robust
- 足 (zú): classical character (zú)
- 富 (fù): classical character (fù)
- 行 (xíng): practice / teach / walk
- 志 (zhì): will / intent / claim
- 不 (bù): not / un- / without
- 失 (shī): classical character (shī)
- 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
- 所 (suǒ): place / frontier / that which
- 久 (jiǔ): classical character (jiǔ)
- 死 (sǐ): classical character (sǐ)
- 而 (ér): yet / and / but
- 亡 (wáng): classical character (wáng)
- 寿 (shòu): classical character (shòu)
Commentary
青禾散人评注：此章句句如金石铭文。向外审视与征服，只是世俗层面的“智”与“有力”；向内觉察与克己，方是生命维度的“明”与“真强”。