Lin Yu Tang ： 《The College》

  The ancient people who desired to have a clear moral harmony in the world would first put to order their national life; those who desired to put to order their national life would first regulate their home life; those who desired to regulate their home life would first cultivate their personal lives; those who desired to cultivate their personal lives would first set their heart right; those who desired to set their heart right, would first make their wills sincere; those who desired to make their wills sincere would first arrive at the understanding; understanding comes from the exploration of knowledge of things. When the knowledge of things is gained, then understanding is reached, then the will is sincere; when the will is sincere, then the heart is set right; when the heart is set right, then the personal life is cultivate; when the personal life is cultivated, then the home life is regulated; when the home life is regulated, then the national life is orderly; and when the national life orderly; then the world is at peace. From the Emperor down to the common man, the cultivation of the personal life is the foundation is disorderly, the superstructure can be orderly. There has never been a tree whose trunk is slender and whose top branches are heavy and strong.

林語堂編譯：《不亦快哉》，天津：百花文藝，2002年，頁90-93。

【……古之欲明明德於天下者，先治其國；欲治其國者，先齊其家；欲齊其家者，先修其身；欲修其身者，先正其心；欲正其心者，先誠其意；欲誠其意者，先致其知；致知在格物。物格而後知至；知至而後意誠；意誠而後心正；心正而後身修；身修而後家齊；家齊而後國治；國治而後天下平。自天子以至於庶人，壹是皆以修身為本。其本亂而末治者否矣。其所厚者薄，而其所薄者厚，未之有也！……】