五六、學以致用 立業種德

56. Studying for the purpose of application conduces to both moral cultivation and career development.

讀書不見聖賢，如鉛槧傭①；居官不愛子民，如衣冠盜；講學不尚躬行，為口頭禪②；立業不思種德，為眼前花。

【注 釋】

① 鉛槧傭：古代雇來抄寫文字的人。鉛槧，古人書寫文字的工具。

② 口頭禪：古代為宗教用語，本意指未經心靈證悟就把一些現成的經言和公案掛在嘴邊，裝作很得道的樣子。通俗說就是指一個人習慣在有意或無意間時常講的說話語句。

【今文解譯】

讀聖賢書但卻不領會書中的思想精髓，這與寫字匠何異？

官職在身但心裏卻不裝著黎民百姓，這與衣冠盜賊何異？

講授聖賢思想但卻不身體力行，這與隻會說口頭禪何異？

注重建功立業但卻忽略修為的積累，這與曇花一現何異？

【English Translation】

If a man keen on learning does not gain an insight into the essence of the classics written by sages and men of virtue, he will be not any more than a hired copyist.

If a man with official title cannot take good care of his people, he will be no less than a bandit clad in court attire.

If a man giving lectures on moral principles cannot earnestly practice what he advocates, he is merely a Buddhist monk reciting scriptures.

If a man absorbed in his career development does not pay heed to self-cultivation, he is nearly a flash in the pan.