The rules for students are the teachings of the Sage.
First you must be reverent to your parents and elders, then be respectful and trustworthy.
Love everybody, and get close to benevolent people.
If you have energy left over, study from books.
When your mother and father call, you must not be slow to respond.
When your mother and father give an order you must carry it out, and not be lazy.
When your mother and father instruct you, listen respectfully.
When mother and father reprimand you, accept it.
In the winter be warm, in the summer be cool.
In the morning examine your conduct critically, in the evening make yourself calm.
When you go out you must tell your parents, when you come back you must see your parents face to face.
Have regular habits in daily life, and make no changes in your career.
Even in small matters, you cannot just follow your own will.
If you just follow your own will, you will deviate from the correct way that a son should follow.
Even with small things, you should not selfishly keep them to yourself.
If you selfishly keep things to yourself, your father and mother will be sad.
What your parents like, work hard to possess.
What your parents detest, carefully eliminate.
If your body is injured, it will cause your parents anxiety.
If your moral character is damaged, it will cause your parents shame.
If my parents love me, treating them with filial respect will not be hard.
If my parents detest me, and I still treat them with filial respect, this is true virtue.
If parents make mistakes, remonstrate with them and make them change their ways.
Your expression should be pleasant, your voice soft and gentle.
If the remonstrance is not accepted, try again when the parents are in a good mood.
The next step is wailing and crying, even if beaten with a whip you should not complain.
If your parents are ill, try their medicine first to make sure it has been correctly prepared.
Wait on them day and night, without leaving their bedside.
Observe the three years of mourning, often weeping sadly.
Your place of residence should change, and you should avoid wine and women.
At the funeral observe all the proprieties as best you can, when holding sacrifices be as sincere as possible.
Serve the dead as you served them when they were alive.
Elder brothers should be friendly and kind, younger brothers should be respectful.
When brothers are in harmony, that is in itself an act of filial duty towards their parents.
If you look lightly on possessions, how can resentment arise?
If you tolerate words, anger will naturally die away.
Whether in eating or drinking, in sitting or walking,
Elders go first, juniors follow behind.
If an elder calls for someone, then immediately call that person on their behalf.
If that person is not there, then go yourself in the meantime.
When addressing an elder or better, do not call them by name.
In front of an elder or better, do not show off.
If you meet an elder on the road, promptly approach them and bow.
If the elder has nothing to say, then withdraw, and stand by respectfully.
When riding get off the horse, when in a carriage get down from the carriage.
Wait once the elder has passed you, until he is a hundred paces or more away.
When an elder stands, juniors should stand.
When an elder sits, juniors should only sit down once they have been ordered to sit.
In front of elders and betters, you should speak in a low voice.
But it is not appropriate to speak in such a low voice that you cannot be heard.
When going in to see an elder one should be quick, when leaving an elder one should be slow.
When asked a question, stand to reply, without moving your gaze.
Serve the elders of your father’s generation as if you were serving your father.
Serve the elders of your elder brother’s generation as if you were serving your elder brother.
Get up early in the morning, go to sleep late at night.
Old age will come very easily, treasure this time.
In the morning you must wash your hands and rinse out your mouth.
On returning from defecation and urination, you must wash your hands clean.
The hat must be worn straight, the buttons must be fastened.
Socks and shoes must be neatly and securely fastened.
For hats and clothing, there should be a fixed place.
Do not leave things lying any old how, this will lead to a sweaty mess.
In clothing value cleanliness, do not value flamboyance.
First keep to your station in life, then act as appropriate to the economic circumstances of your family.
With eating and drinking do not be fussy or picky.
Stop eating when you have had sufficient, do not eat to excess.
When you are still young, do not drink alcohol.
Drinking to intoxication is the most ugly thing.
When walking set a leisurely pace, when standing stand upright.
When bowing be deep and round, when kneeling to kowtow be reverent.
Do not tread on the doorsill, do not lean on one leg when standing.
Do not sit on the ground with legs open in front of you, do not wiggle your bottom.
Open curtains slowly, without making a noise.
Turn corners widely, do not bump into corners.
Carry an empty vessel as if you were carrying a full one.
Enter empty rooms as though you were entering a room of people.
Do not do things in a hurry, if you are hasty many mistakes will occur.
Do not be afraid of difficulties, do not ask frivolous questions.
Never go near places where there are fights and disturbances.
Wicked or twisted things should not ever be spoken.
When you are about to go through a door, ask who is inside.
When going into the main hall, announce your arrival in a ringing voice.
When other people ask who you are, tell them your name.
Just saying It’s me is not clear.
When using other people’s things, one must clearly ask.
If you do not ask first, that is stealing.
When borrowing other people’s things, be timely in returning them.
When other people borrow your things, do not hold back if you have them.
When you speak, honesty should come first.
Telling lies and rash, wild talk, how can one do such things?
It is better to say too little than too much
Only speak the truth, do not speak flowery, spurious words that are not true.
Unkind words and filthy speech
And a vulgar air, are all things to be eliminated.
When seeing something which you have not determined is true, do not hastily speak on the matter.
If you do not know if something is true, do not lightly pass it on.
When circumstances are not right, do not make promises lightly.
If you make a promise lightly, both proceeding to fulfil it and backing out of it are wrong.
When you speak, your words should be solemn and relaxed.
Do not be in a hurry, do not be obscure or unclear.
One person gossips about one thing, another about a different thing,
If it does not concern you personally, do not meddle in it.
When seeing others do good, think about how to bring yourself up to their level.
Even if you are far behind them, you can gradually improve.
When seeing other people being wicked, examine yourself.
If you are like that then correct it, if you are not like that take it as a warning.
In virtue and learning, in talent and skill,
If you cannot compare with others, you should encourage yourself to do better.
With clothing, living space or for eating,
If you cannot compare with others, do not be sad over it.
If you get angry when hearing about your mistakes, and happy when hearing yourself praised,
Dangerous friends will come, and beneficial friends will draw back.
If you hear praise and are afraid, and are pleased when you hear about your mistakes,
People of integrity and honesty will gradually become closer to you.
Things done wrong unintentionally, are called mistakes.
Things done wrong deliberately are called evil deeds.
If you put right what you have done wrong, it is as if it never happened.
If you cover up your misdoing, that is adding to the fault.
All who are human, you must love.
Heaven covers us all in the same way, the earth holds us all up in the same way.
For people of high moral conduct, their reputation is naturally high.
It is not lofty bearing that people admire.
For people of great talent, their reputation is naturally great.
It is not big words that people admire.
If you have talent, you should not be selfish.
If other people have talent, do not disparage them.
Do not flatter the rich, do not be arrogant with the poor.
Do not reject the old, do not favour the new.
If someone is not at leisure, do not disturb him with your business.
If a person is not at peace, do not disturb him with words.
If somebody has shortcomings, be sure not to expose them.
If people have secrets, be sure not to tell them.
Talking about other people’s good works, is in itself a good work.
When other people know about them, they will feel encouraged.
To spread other people’s shortcomings abroad, is in itself wicked.
People detest it extremely, and disaster will follow.
If everyone encourages each other to virtuous behaviour, everybody’s virtue will be built up.
Not dissuading others from wrongdoing damages the moral character of both people.
When receiving and giving, the most valued thing is to make everything clear.
It is better to give more and take less.
When doing something to another, you must first question yourself.
If you would not like that same thing to be done to you, then stop it at once.
Kindnesses should be reciprocated, grievances should be forgotten.
Repaying grudges is short, repaying kindness is long.
When dealing with servants, you are of a higher station.
Although you are of higher station, you should be charitable and forgiving.
If you use force to make people submit to you, they will not give in to you in their hearts.
Only by using reason to make people give in to you, will there be no words of resentment.
All are human, but the types are not the same.
Vulgar people are many, benevolent people are rare.
A truly benevolent person is feared by most people.
In his speech he is not afraid of causing offence, there is no flattery in his countenance.
If you get close to a benevolent person, there will be limitless benefits.
Your virtue will improve by the day, your mistakes will lessen by the day.
Not getting close to the benevolent, will bring limitless harm.
Petty and despicable people will enter, and everything will go to the bad.
If you do not work hard on your conduct, and just study from books,
You will gain a superficial flashiness, and what sort of person is that?
If you work hard on your conduct, but do not study from books,
Then you will rely entirely on your own opinions, and be ignorant of true principles.
Three things are required to study from books,
The heart, eyes and mouth, all of these are necessary.
When you have just started reading one book, do not hanker after another.
When you have not finished one book, do not start another one.
Set wide limits, control your efforts tightly.
If the effort is in the right place, stagnations and blockages will be cleared away.
If there is a question in your mind, make a note of it at once,
In order to ask people, and seek out the correct meaning.
The room should be tidy, the walls should be clean.
The table should be clean, pens and inkstone should be neatly arranged.
If the ink is ground unevenly, the mind is not regular.
If the words are not respectful, it is because the mind has become diseased.
When arranging books, they should have a fixed place.
When you have finished reading them, return them to their original place.
Even if you have urgent business, you should arrange the book-scrolls neatly.
If anything is missing or broken, mend it immediately.
Books that are not the works of the sages should be rejected without a single look.
They will mask your intelligence, and damage your mind and will.
Do not treat yourself with violence or give up on yourself.
Gradually, you will attain saintliness and virtue.