英文三字经全文诵读（英文版的三字经）

人之初，

性本善。

性相近，

习相远。 　

Man on earth,

Good at birth.

The same nature

Varies on nurture.

苟不教，

性乃迁。

教之道，

贵以专。

With no education,

There'd be aberration.

To teach well,

You deeply dwell.

昔孟母，

择邻处，

子不学，

断机杼。 　　

Then Mencius’ mother

Chose her neighbor.

At Mencius’ sloth,

She cut th’ cloth.

窦燕山，

有义方，

教五子，

名俱扬。 　　

Dough by name

Fulfilled his aim.

His five sons

Became famous ones.

养不教，

父之过。

教不严，

师之惰。 　　

What's a father?

A good teacher.

What's a teacher?

A strict preacher.

子不学，

非所宜。

幼不学，

老何为？

An unschooled child

Will grow wild.

A young loafer,

An old loser!

玉不琢，

不成器。

人不学，

不知义。 　　

No jade crude

Shows craft good.

Unless you learn,

Brute you’ll turn.

为人子，

方少时，

亲师友，

习礼仪。 　　

Son of man,

Mature you can.

Teacher or peer,

Hold them dear.

香九龄，

能温席。

孝于亲，

所当执。 　　

Hsiang, at nine,

Warmed bedding fine,

Follow this one,

This filial son.

融四岁，

能让梨。

弟于长，

宜先知。 　　

Aged four years,

Rong proffered pears.

Bear in mind

Fraternally be kind.

首孝悌，

次见闻，

知某数，

识某文。 　　

Stress piety more

Than your lore.

Learn some numeracy,

Know some literacy.

一而十，

十而百，

百而千，

千而万。 　　

One to ten,

A hundred then,

One thousand more,

Ten thousand afore.

三才者，

天地人。

三光者，

日月星。 　　

Tri-vitals, of worth:

Man, heaven, earth;

Tri-lights, a boon:

Sun, stars, moon.

三纲者，

君臣义，

父子亲，

夫妇顺。 　　

Three tenets always:

Subject Lord obeys;

Child Father reveres;

Wife Man endears.

曰春夏，

曰秋冬，

此四时，

运不穷。 　　

Spring and summer,

Autumn and winter.

These four seasons

Cycle with reasons.

曰南北，

曰西东，

此四方，

应乎中。 　　

South, north, west,

'N east, we quest.

These four ways

Upon center gaze.

曰水火，

木金土，

此五行，

本乎数。 　　

Water, fire, behold,

Earth, wood, gold.

These five materials

Accord to numerals.

十干者，

甲至癸。

十二支，

子至亥 。 　　

The Ten Trunks

Are great chunks.

The Twelve Wings

Are good things.

曰黄道，

日所躔。

曰赤道，

当中权。 　　

The Ecliptic line,

The Zodiacal Sign，

And the Equator

Circling the center.

赤道下，

温暖极。

我中华，

在东北。 　

Nowhere is hotter

Than the equator.

China, the greatest

Lies in Northeast.

寒燠均，

霜露改。

右高原，

左大海。 　　

Temperature fitting you;

There’s frosty dew.

Right, plateaus stand;

Left, seas expand.

曰江河，

曰淮济。

此四渎，

水之纪 。 　　

Long and River,

Clara and Phora.

These rivers four

All along outpour.

曰岱华，

蒿恒衡。

此五岳，

山之名。 　　

Arch, Flora, Tower,

Scale, and Ever!

These high mountains

Are five chieftains.

曰士农，

曰工商。

此四民，

国之良 。 　　

Officials and farmers,

Merchants and workers,

These four great,

Maintain the State.

曰仁义，

礼智信，

此五常，

不容紊。 　　

Grace, justice, courtesy,

Wisdom, and fidelity.

Good order derive

From Constants Five.

地所生，

有草木。

此植物，

遍水陆。 　　

Earth makes good

Grass and wood.

These plants command

Water and land.

有虫鱼，

有鸟兽。

此动物，

能飞走。 　　

Fishes and birds,

Worms and herds.

These creatures cry,

Run or fly.

稻粱菽，

麦黍稷，

此六谷，

人所食。 　　

Rice, sorghum, beans,

Wheat, millet, corns.

These crops main

Our life sustain.

马牛羊，

鸡犬豕，

此六畜，

人所饲。 　　

Horses, sheep, cows,

Chickens, dogs, sows.

These six breeds

A husbandman feeds.

曰喜怒，

曰哀惧，

爱恶欲，

七情具。 　　

Say anger, gladness,

Say fear, sadness,

Hate, greed, love

Seven feelings above.

青赤黄，

及黑白。

此五色，

目所识。 　　

Green, red, yellow.

Black ’n white follow.

Five colors vie,

Wakening the eye.

酸苦甘，

及辛咸。

此五味，

口所含。 　　

Sour, bitter, sweet,

Hot ’n salty meet.

These tastes five

Make palates alive.

膻焦香，

及腥朽。

此五臭，

鼻所嗅。 　　

Muttony, burnt, balmy,

Fishy, and moldy,

These smells five

Make noses alive.

匏土革，

木石金，

丝与竹，

乃八音。 　　

Gourd, leather, clay

Wood we play,

Stone, metal, bamboo,

And strings, too.

曰平上，

曰去入。

此四声，

宜调协。

Level and bounce,

Fall and in-nounce.

These four tones

For tuned phones.

高曾祖，

父而身，

身而子，

子而孙。 　　

Grand, great-grand, great-great-grand

Father, myself, and

Children, and grandchildren

All are kinsmen.

自子孙，

至玄曾，

乃九族，

人之伦。 　　

Now great-grand, and

His son, great-great-grand.

There’re generations nine,

A genealogical line.

父子恩，

夫妇从。

兄则友，

弟则恭。 　　

Father loves son;

Man-wife is one.

Brothers are bland,

Hand in hand.

长幼序，

友与朋。

君则敬，

臣则忠。

Senior to young,

The ethical rung.

Lord loves subjects,

And enjoys respects.

此十义，

人所同。

当师叙，

勿违背。 　　

This you remember

For every member.

This you obey

For every day.

斩齐衰，

大小功。

至缌麻，

五服终。

Cuts and completes,

Merits and feats,

And linen, too

For funeral blue.

有古文，

大小篆。

隶草继，

不可乱。

Old characters, behold

Seals, lesser ’n bold,

Square and cursive,

Five scripts successive!

若广学，

惧其繁。

但略说，

能知原。

To learn widely

Is seldom easy.

To study some,

Informed you become.

礼乐射，

御书数。

古六艺，

今不具。 　　

Rituals, calligraphy, shooting,

Music, mathematics, driving.

These six arts

Need devoted hearts.

惟书学，

人共遵。

既识字，

讲说文。

Calligraphy’s the one

Neglected by none.

Words already learned,

Motivations are concerned.

凡训蒙，

须讲究，

详训诂，

名句窦。 　　

While you teach,

Do deeply reach.

Go with explanation,

And guide punctuation.

为学者，

必有初，

小学终，

至四书。 　　

Now to learn,

Make a turn.

From school nooks

To Four Books.

论语者，

二十篇，

群弟子，

记善言。 　　

Analects--the lections

Has twenty sections.

Confucius and disciples

Gave off sparkles.

孟子者，

七篇止，

讲道德，

说仁义。 　　

Mencius, the sutras,

Has seven chapters.

These are counsels

Of virtues ’n morals.

作中庸，

子思笔，

中不偏，

庸不易。 　　

The Golden Mean,

Great it’s been.

Kong Jih, the scholar

Is its author.

作大学，

乃曾子，

自修齐，

至平治。 　　

Great Learning, great,

Tsengcius did create:

From personal perfection

To national progression.

孝经通，

四书熟，

如六经，

始可读。 　　

Piety learned ahead,

Four Books fully-read,

Six Classics now,

You should plough.

诗书易，

礼春秋，

号六经，

当讲求。 　　

History, Changes, Odes,

Books of altitudes.

Spring ’n Fall, Rituals

Books for perusals.

有连山，

有归藏，

有周易，

三易详。 　　

Book of Ranges,

Book of Changes,

Book of Retreat,

Detailed and great.

有典谟，

有训诰。

有誓命，

书之奥。 　　

Canons, duties, plans,

Edicts, and bans,

And imperial mandates,

Are History’s aggregates.

我周公，

作周礼。

著六官，

存治体。 　　

Th’ Prince of Chough

Did Rituals bestow,

Regimen he designed

And government defined.

大小戴，

注礼记。

述圣言，

礼乐备。 　　

The Days supplied

Rituals well clarified,

And paraphrased adages

Of those sages.

曰国风，

曰雅颂。

号四诗，

当讽咏。 　　

The Psalms, say,

The Chants, say,

And those airs

Of various affairs.

诗既亡，

春秋作。

寓褒贬，

别善恶。 　　

When Poems perished,

Spring ’n Fall flourished

Flogging what’s lewd,

Praising what’s good.

三传者，

有公羊，

有左氏，

有谷梁。

Companion authors three:

Tsuo Qiu-ming, and he

Who was Gongyang,

And another, Goo Liang.

经既明，

方读子。

撮其要，

记其事。 　　

Classics well read

Study sophists ahead.

Make a list,

Get the gist.

五子者，

有荀扬。

文中子，

及老庄。 　　

Five sophists then

Were great men:

Hsun, Wenzhong, Yang

Lao and Tsuang.

经子通，

读诸史。

考世系，

知终始。 　　

After finishing these

Read histories please.

Do study genealogy

And know causality.

自羲农，

至黄帝。

号三皇，

居上世。

The legendary Fooshee,

Shennong and Huangdee

Were great forefathers,

Esteemed Three Rulers.

唐有虞，

号二帝。

相揖逊，

称盛世。 　　

Yao and You-yuh,

Called Grandees Two.

They demised throne,

A heyday known.

夏有禹，

商有汤。

周文武，

称三王。 　　

Hsiah, Shang, Chough,

Three dyansties, lo.

Yuh, Tang, Wuh,

Three kings true.

夏传子，

家天下。

四百载，

迁夏社。 　　

Yuh, heredity begun,

Throned his son.

Four centuries passed

Seeing Hsiah’s last.

汤 伐 夏，

国 号 商。

六 百 载，

至 纣 亡。

The conqueror Tang
Founded Kingdom Shang.

Six centuries’ elapse

Ere Chow’s collapse.

周武王，

始诛纣。

八百载，

最长久。

Wuh of Chough

Triumphed over Chow.

Eight centuries’ gain,

Chough’s longest reign.

周辙东，

王纲坠。

逞干戈，

尚游说。 　　

Chough moved east,

And controlled least.

There arose militance;

Valued was eloquence.

始春秋，

终战国。

五霸强，

七雄出。

Spring ’n Fall began,

Warring States then.

Five Lords strived!

Seven Powers thrived!

嬴秦氏，

始兼并。

传二世，

楚汉争。 　　

Emperor the First

Other states burst.

Generations but two,

Arose Han ’n Chuh.

高祖兴，

汉业建。

至孝平，

王莽篡。

Liu Bang almighty ran;

Arose Great Han.

Hsiao Ping was bayed;

So Wang Mang swayed.

光武兴，

为东汉。

四百年，

终于献。 　　

With Guang Wuh began

The Eastern Han.

Th’ four hundredth year,

Hanhsian died drear.

魏蜀吴，

争汉鼎。

号三国，

迄两晋。 　　

Shuh, Woo, Weigh

Struggled their way,

Three kingdoms reared;

Two Jins appeared.

宋齐继，

梁陈承。

为南朝，

都金陵。 　　

Song, Chih, Liang,

And Chen sprang.

Each Southern king,

Seated in Nanking.

北元魏，

分东西。

宇文周，

兴高齐。 　　

Northern Weigh, pressed,

Divided, east ’n west.

Yuhwen founded Chough,

Chih followed though.

迨至隋，

一土宇。

不再传，

失统绪。 　　

Suih, so grand,

United the land.

It did bloom

Before its doom.

唐高祖，

起义师。

除隋乱，

创国基。 　　

Li Yuan’s uprising now

Swept Suih enow.

Th’ Tang Empire rose

At Suih’s close.

二十传，

三百载。

梁灭之，

国乃改。 　　

Three century’s gains

Made twenty reigns.

There arose Liang

That replaced Tang.

梁唐晋，

及汉周。

称五代，

皆有由。 　　

Thus started Liang,

Jin, and Tang,

Han, and Chough;

Five you know.

炎宋兴，

受周禅。

十八传，

南北混。 　　

Then Song, aglow,

Succeeded to Chough.

Reigns counted eighteen.

Then invasions keen.

辽与金，

皆称帝。

元灭金，

绝宋世。 　　

Liao and Jin

Both broke in.

The Mongol throng

Wiped out Song.

舆图广，

超前代。

九十年，

国祚废。 　　

The territory vast

Exceeded all past.

Ninety years elapsed;

The empire collapsed.

太祖兴，

国大明。

号洪武，

都金陵。 　　

Eighth by name

Won his fame,

By founding Ming,

Seated in Nanking

迨成祖，

迁燕京。

十六世，

至崇祯。 　　

Chengtsuh from Nanking

Moved to Peking.

Sixteen emperors past,

Chongchen the last.

阉祸后，

寇内讧。

闯逆变，

神器终，

The eunuch power

Made all cower.

King of Spurt

Did Ming subvert.

古今史，

全在兹。

载治乱，

知兴衰。 　　

History is here,

Until this year.

You know all:

Rise and fall.

史虽繁，

读有次。

史记一，

汉书二。 　　

Read history vast

First to last
History Book begun
Han Annals anon

后汉三，

国志四。

兼证经，

参通鉴。 　　

Next Eastern Han,

Three Kingdoms then.

Consult the authorized

With Mirrors beside.

读史者，

考实录。

通古今，

若亲目。

As past’s explored,

Check every record.

You’ll know how

Then became now.

口而诵，

心而惟。

朝于斯，

夕于斯。 　　

Read and think

And pieces link

From early morning

To late evening.

昔仲尼，

师项橐。

古圣贤，

尚勤学。 　　

Confucius, of yore

Studied, studied more,

From Tuo learned,

As he yearned.

赵中令，

读鲁论。

彼既仕，

学且勤。 　　

Chao Puh of Song

Read Analects long

This premier crack

Was never slack.

披蒲编，

削竹简。

彼无书，

且知勉。 　　

Using cattail tips!

Using bamboo slips!

None they possessed,

Persisting with zest.

头悬梁，

锥刺股。

彼不教，

自勤苦。

Head strung high!

Needled his thigh!

Not pushed, they

Kept working away.

如囊萤，

如映雪。

家虽贫，

学不辍。 　　

With fireworms bright!

With snow white!

Poor, having none,

They studied on.

如负薪，

如挂角。

身虽劳，

犹苦卓。 　　

With fuel borne!

Book on horn!

They, making time,

Employed their prime.

苏老泉，

二十七。

始发愤，

读书籍。 　　

Twenty seven, Quan

Hadn’t studied then.

This man now

Read hard enow.

彼既老，

犹悔迟。

尔小生，

宜早思。

This man, behold,

Started when old.

You’d make time

Even ere prime.

若梁灏，

八十二。

对大廷，

魁多士。

Liang, Wizard True,

At eighty two,

Passed Grand Test,

Beating the rest.

　　

彼既成，

众称异。

尔小生，

宜立志。 　　

His great success

Did all impress.

While you’re young,

Make wills strong.

莹八岁，

能咏诗。

泌七岁，

能赋棋。

Ying, so great,

Versified at eight.

Mih rhymed even

Then at seven.

彼颖悟，

人称奇。

尔幼学，

当效之。 　　

They, so clever,

Praised with wonder.

Like them, begin

Now to win.

蔡文姬，

能辩琴。

谢道韫，

能咏吟。

Cai could discern

An ill-tuned zithern.

Hsieh could prose,

Or poems compose.

彼女子，

且聪敏。

尔男子，

当自警。 　　

These girls above

Did smart prove.

Man thou art,

Devote thy heart!

唐刘晏，

方七岁。

举神童，

作正字。 　　

Now Yan, behold

Seven years old.

Proofread did he,

Such a prodigy.

彼虽幼，

身已仕。

有为者，

亦若是。 　　

Young as he,

An official already.

To be well-done,

Follow this one.

犬守夜，

鸡司晨。

苟不学，

曷为人。

Dogs thieves bite;

Cocks dawning invite.

Unless you learn,

Useless you’ll turn.

蚕吐丝，

蜂酿蜜。

人不学，

不如物。 　　

Silkworms silk educe;

Bees honey produce.

From them learn,

Or receive spurn.

幼而学，

壮而行，

上致君，

下泽民。

Learn while young;

Act while strong.

Benefit each one

Under the sun.

扬名声，

显父母。

光于前，

裕于后。

Carve your name

And parent’s fame.

Ancestors you glorify;

Offspring you dignify.

人遗子，

金满赢。

我教子，

唯一经。

For children hold

Silver and gold?

My only bequest:

Learn your best.

勤有功，

戏无益。

戒之哉，

宜勉力。 　　

Good is diligence;

Poor is negligence.

Trials you breast,

Work with zest.

,