16. Influence others with virtue and don抰 let your wealth weigh you down.

每見待子弟，嚴厲者易至成德，姑息者多有敗行，則父兄之教育所係也；又見有子弟，聰穎者忽入下流，庸愚者轉為上達，則父兄之培植所關也。人品之不高，總為一利字看不破；學業之不進，總為一懶字丟不開。德足以感人，而以有德當大權，其感尤速；財足以累己，而以有財處亂世，其累尤深。

【今文解譯】

每每能看到這樣的情形：對子孫要求嚴格的，可使他們養成良好的品行，而對子孫姑息縱容的，往往使他們道德敗壞，這都和接受父兄什麼樣的教育是密不可分的。還能看到另一種情形：一些原本十分聰慧的子孫突然變得低俗起來，而原本十分平庸的子孫卻明顯變得人品高貴起來，這同樣都和接受父兄什麼樣的熏陶是密不可分的。

人品低下，都是因為看不破一個利字；學業沒有進步，都是由於丟不開一個懶字。

良好的品德足可感化人，如果感化者既有良好的品德又有顯赫的聲譽和地位，那麼他感化人的作用就會尤其明顯。

財富足可拖累人的心力，如果擁有很多財富且又恰逢多事之秋，那麼財富對人的拖累就愈加厲害。

【English Translation】

It has been very often that children who are taught with strictness become well cultivated and those who are treated over-tolerantly fall into evil ways. It抯 all up to the education they have received from the adults of their families.

It has also been very often that some of the smart children unexpectedly become degenerated and some of the mediocre ones become heads and shoulders above others. Again, it抯 all up to the influence they have had from the adults of their families.

Sinking in low personality, it抯 always because that one fails to see through the word of profit. Lagging behind in study, it抯 normally because that one fails to cast away the word of laziness.

It抯 easy to influence people with righteousness, and more so if done by a person who is marked with fame and rank.

It抯 burdensome to have too much wealth, and more so when in troubled times.

讀書無論資性高低 立身不嫌家世貧賤