文／宋．陳希夷（871~989）

知足與自滿不同，

一則矜而受災，一則謙而獲福；

大才與見才自別，

一則誕而多敗，一則實而有成。

忮求念勝，圖名利，到底遜人；

惻隱心多，遇艱難，中途獲救。

過剛者圖謀易就，災傷豈保全無？

太柔者作事難成，平福亦能安受。

好矜己善，弗再望乎功名；

樂摘人非，最足傷乎性命。

責人重而責己輕，弗與同謀共事；

功歸人而過歸己，盡堪救患扶災。

──選自《陳希夷心相編述疏》

Essay on the Mind and Appearance (Excerpt)

Chen Xiyi (871 - 989, Song Dynasty)

English translation: Ven. Zhi Yue

Being content and being complacent are not the same: those who are boastful encounter calamities, while those who are modest reap good fortune. Being talented and being pretentious are different from one another: those who are conceited often fail, while those who are honest are successful.

Those who aggressively seek victory and scheme for fame and profit will ultimately be inferior, while those who are sympathetic will be rescued along the way when met with difficulty.

Those who are determined easily achieve their goals, but how is protection from calamities ever guaranteed? Those with soft dispositions accomplish their tasks with difficulty, yet they are still able to receive peace and fortune.

Those who boast about their good deeds will not receive a meritorious name. Those who enjoy picking out the faults of others harm only their own lives. Those who blame others instead of themselves will not work well with others. Those who credit success to others, and mistakes to themselves, will be rescued from misfortunes.

── from Chen Xiyi Xinxiang Bian Shushu

(Chen Xiyi’s Narrative Essay on Mind and Appearance)