1. Original text:
The journey of a husband and gentleman is to cultivate one’s character through tranquility, and to cultivate one’s virtue through frugality. If it is not indifferent, it will not clear its aspirations, and if it is not peaceful, it will not be far-reaching.
Studying requires tranquility, and talent requires learning; without learning, one cannot broaden one's talents, and without ambition, one cannot achieve learning. If you are obscene, you will not be able to stimulate your energy, and if you are impatient, you will not be able to cure your nature.
The years keep pace with the times, and the thoughts go with the years, and then they become withered and withered, and most of them do not survive the world. Staying in a poor house with sorrow, what will happen again?
2. Translation:
A gentleman with moral cultivation will perfect himself through meditation and reflection, and cultivate his noble character through frugality and frugality. If you don't have a clear mind and few desires, you won't be able to make your ambitions clear and firm. If you don't have stability and tranquility, you won't be able to realize your lofty ideals and study hard for a long time.
To learn true knowledge, one must study and explore in tranquility, both physically and mentally. People’s talents are accumulated from continuous learning; if one does not study hard, one cannot grow and develop one’s talents; if one does not persevere and persevere, Academic success cannot be achieved without a will to change. Indulgence and debauchery, negativity and neglect cannot inspire the mind and spirit; careless adventure, impatience and restlessness cannot cultivate the temperament and ennoble moral conduct.
If your years and years are wasted and your time is wasting away, you will eventually grow old like dead branches and leaves. Such people will not be used by society and benefit society. They will only be sadly trapped in their own poor family and ruins. By then it will be too late to regret. ?
Extended information:
1. Zhuge Liang’s representative prose works include "Chu Shi Biao" and "Book of Commandments", etc. He invented the wooden cow and flowing horse, the Kongming lantern, etc., and modified the repeating crossbow, called the Zhuge repeating crossbow, which can fire ten arrows with one crossbow. Zhuge Liang "dedicated his life to death" and was a representative figure of loyal ministers and wise men in traditional Chinese culture.
2. This article is dated to the twelfth year of Jianxing of the Shu Han Dynasty. It is a family letter written by Zhuge Liang to his eight-year-old son Zhuge Zhan in his later years. Zhuge Liang served his country his whole life, dedicated himself to it, and died. He worked day and night for the cause of the Shu Han country and could not take care of educating his son himself, so he wrote this letter to warn Zhuge Zhan.
Reference material: Book of Commandments - Baidu Encyclopedia