The Heavy Is the Root of the Light

宜戒轻躁

Yí Jiè Qīng Zào

Gravity is the root of lightness; stillness rules motion. Losing that root and being careless are what a lord must never do, however fine the carriages outside the gate.

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5 sentences · 6 notes

重zhòng为wéi轻qīng根gēn，静jìng为wéi躁zào君jūn。

1Gravity is the root of lightness; stillness, the ruler of movement.

是shì以yǐ君jūn子zǐ终zhōng日rì行xíng不bù离lí辎zī重zhòng。

2Therefore a wise prince, marching the whole day, does not go far from his baggage waggons.

虽suī有yǒu荣róng观guān，燕yàn处chǔ超chāo然rán。

3Although he may have brilliant prospects to look at, he quietly remains (in his proper place), indifferent to them.

奈nài何hé万wàn乘chéng之zhī主zhǔ，而ér以yǐ身shēn轻qīng天tiān下xià？

4How should the lord of a myriad chariots carry himself lightly before the kingdom?

轻qīng则zé失shī根gēn，躁zào则zé失shī君jūn。

5If he do act lightly, he has lost his root (of gravity); if he proceed to active movement, he will lose his throne.

Chinese commentary · 6 notes

The notes printed with this chapter in Chinese editions, kept in Chinese, for readers who come to the text that way.

1躁(zaò)：这里有动的意思。

2辎（zī）重：军用器械、粮草、营帐、服装等的统称。

3荣观：贵族游玩享乐的地方。

4燕处：安居的意思。超然：超脱外物，不陷在里面。

5奈何：用反问的方式表示“如何”。万乘之主：一部车子叫一乘，万乘之主即指大国的君主。

6根：本。

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Read this chapter in Chinese · 宜戒轻躁