中國古代的成語典故

　　天生萬物，唯人為貴大

　　Man is the most valuable among all the things that heaven fosters.

　　民為重，社稷次之，君為輕。

　　People are the most important element in the state, next are the government and grain, least is the ruler himself.

　　二人同心，其利斷金

　　And as a saying from The Book of Changes goes, ”If two people are of the same mind, their sharpness can cut through metal.

　　一鄉之善士斯友一鄉之善士，天下之善士斯友天下之善士。

　　In so many different ways, we are upholding the teachings of Mencius, who said:”A good citizen in one community will befriend the other citizens of the community;a good citizen of the world will befriend the other citizens of the world.”

　　不登高山，不知天之高也；不臨深淵，不知地之厚也。

　　One can never be aware of the height of the sky or the depth of the earth, if he does not climb up a high mountain or look down into a deep abyss.

　　但願人長久，千里共嬋娟。

　　We wigh each other a long life so as to share the beauty of this graceful moonlight, even though miles apart.

　　獨在異鄉為異客，每逢佳節倍思親。

　　A lonely stranger in a strange land I am cast, I miss my family all the more on every festive day.

　　二人同心，其利斷金。

　　If two people are of the same mind, their sharpness can cut through metal.

　　海內存知己，天涯若比鄰。

　　A bosom friend afar brings distance near.

　　禍兮，福之所倚；福兮，禍之所伏。

　　Misfortune,? that is where happiness depends; happiness, that is where misfortune underlies.

　　舉首望明月，低頭思故鄉。

　　Raising my head, I see the moon so bright; withdrawing my eyes, my nostalgia comes around.

　　禮尚往來。往而不來，非禮也；來而不往，亦非禮也。

　　Propriety suggests reciprocity. It is not propriety not to give but to receive, or vice versa.

　　兩情若是長久時，又豈在朝朝暮暮。

　　If love between both sides can last for aye, why need they stay together night and day?

　　路漫漫其修遠兮，吾將上下而求索。

　　The way ahead is long; I see no ending, yet high and low I’ll search with my will unbending.

　　敏而好學，不恥下問。

　　Quick-minded and eager to learn, he is never ashamed to consult his inferiors.

　　天生我材必有用。

　　Heaven has endowed me with talents for eventual use.

　　天時不如地利，地利不如人和。

　　Opportunities vouchsafed by Heaven are less important than terrestrial advantages, which in turn are less important than the unity among people.

　　天行健，君子以自強不息。

　　As Heaven’s movement is ever vigorous, so must a gentleman ceaselessly strive along.

　　無為其所不為，無慾其所不欲，如此而已矣。

　　Don’t do what should not be done; don’t desire what should not be desired. That is all.

　　學而不厭，侮人不倦。

　　Never be contented with your study; never be impatient with your teaching.

　　學如逆水行舟，不進則退。

　　Learning is like rowing upstream: not to advance is to drop back.

　　欲窮千里目，更上一層樓。

　　We widen our views three hundred miles by ascending one flight of stairs./Exhausting my eyes to a thousand li further, I am ascending one more story of the tower.