Meaning: In the affairs of the world, everyone always gets half of the advantages and disadvantages. The only thing that has all the advantages and no harm is books.
This sentence comes from "Using Books for Profit" by Chen Jiru, a writer of the Ming Dynasty. The excerpt is as follows:
Ni Wenjie said: "The sound of pines, streams, and mountain birds, at night The sounds of insects, cranes, pianos, chess pieces falling, raindrops on the stairs, snow falling on the windows, and the sound of tea being cooked are all so clear, but the sound of others reading is the most joyful. I am overjoyed by the sound of my children reading." He also said: "In all things in the world, the benefits and harms are always equal, and those who have all the benefits and no minor harms can only read a book regardless of whether they are rich or poor, old or young. If you read a book for a day, there will be a benefit. Therefore, there will be no harm to it." Readers should take this view. Wu Sheng said: This means that readers do not use profit for profit, but use books for profit.
The translation is as follows:
Ni Wenjiegong said: "The sound of wind among the pine trees, the sound of water in the mountain stream, the singing of birds in the forest, the chirping of grass and insects at night, the sound of cranes, the sound of the piano, and the chess pieces The sound of playing on the chessboard, the sound of raindrops on the steps, the sound of snow and wine on the window, and the sound of cooking tea are all the most elegant sounds, and the sound of reading is the most elegant. It’s already very gratifying, and hearing the sound of my children reading is indescribable.” He added: “Everything in the world always has advantages and disadvantages. There are all advantages and no harm.” There are only books. No matter how high or low you are, whether you are rich or poor, old or young, reading a book will bring you a whole day of benefits. Reading a book will bring you a whole day of benefits." People should have this view. Wu Sheng’s note: This means that scholars do not regard profit as profit, but regard books as profit.
About the author:
Chen Jiru (1558～1639), a writer, calligrapher and painter of the Ming Dynasty. The courtesy name is Zhong Chun, and the nicknames are Mei Gong and Mi Gong. A native of Huating (now Songjiang, Shanghai). Zhusheng, twenty-nine years old, lived in seclusion in Xiaokunshan, and later in Dongsheshan. Dumen wrote, was good at poetry, and was good at calligraphy and painting. He is good at ink painting of plum blossoms and landscapes. He paints plum blossoms in many albums in small formats, with a natural and casual style and a desolate mood. On painting, he advocates literati painting, adheres to the Northern and Southern Schools, attaches great importance to the cultivation of painters, and agrees that calligraphy and painting have the same origin. There are "Plum Blossom Album" and "Yunshan Scroll" handed down from generation to generation. He is the author of "The Complete Works of Chen Meigong", "Xiao Chuang You Ji", "Tombstone of General Wu Ge", and "Ni Gu Lu".