三九、教育子弟 要嚴交遊

39. To educate disciples, it is better to do so by setting rigid rules on their social intercourse.

教弟子①如養閨女，最要嚴出入謹交遊。若一接近匪人②，是清淨田種下一不淨的種子，便終身難植嘉禾③矣！

【注 釋】

① 弟子：此處係指學生或追隨者。

② 匪人：本指非親非故之人。現指品行不端的人。

③ 嘉禾：長勢喜人的莊稼。

【今文解譯】

教書育人如同養育待字閨中的姑娘，最要緊的是要求她們日常起居要有規矩，與人交往要小心謹慎。一旦不小心接觸了不該接觸的人，就好比在幹淨的田地裏撒下了不良的種子，一輩子休想種出好的莊稼。

【English Translation】

Educating disciples can be compared to bringing up daughters. The most important thing thereby is to set rigid rules on their daily life and social intercourse. In case they make any acquaintance of ill-behaved ones, it would be like sowing a bad seed in the clean farmland. Consequently, no good crops can be expected over there for a lifetime.