Confucius: “The Great Together (Li Yun Da Tong)”
From the Chapter “The Operation of Etiquette” in Li Ji
《礼运大同篇》
（出自《礼记》礼运篇，孔子述大同）

大道之行也，天下为公。
da` dao` zhi- xing’ ye^, tian- xia` wei’ gong
白话文∶实行大道的时候，天下是为公众的。
When the Great Way is practiced, the world is for the public.

选贤与能。
xuan^ xian’ yu^ neng’
白话文∶ 有贤德和有才能的人被选用。
Those with virtue and those with ability are chosen and used.

讲信修睦。
jiang^ xin` xiu- mu`
白话文∶ 人们讲究信用，建立和睦。
People value trustworthiness and cultivate harmony with each other.

故人不独亲其亲，不独子其子。
gu` ren’ bu` du’ qin- qi’ qin-, bu` du’ zi^ qi’ zi^
白话文∶ 所以人们不只把自己的双亲好像双亲那般对待，不只把自己
的儿子好像儿子那般对待。
Thus people do not treat only their parents like parents, nor do people treat only their sons like sons.

使老有所终，壮 有所用，幼有所长。
shi^ lao^ you^ suo^ zhong-, zhuang` you^ suo^ yong`, you` you^ suo^ zhang’
白话文∶ 使老人得到应有的归终，壮年人得到应有的任用，幼年人得到应有的成长。
That makes the aged have the appropriate last years, those in their prime have the appropriate employment, and the young have the appropriate growth and development.

鳏寡孤独废疾者，皆有所养。
guan- gua^ gu- du’ can’ fei` zhe^, jie` you^ suo^ yang^
白话文∶ 老而无妻者、寡妇、孤儿、老而无子孙者、残废者、患疾病者，都得到照顾。
Elderly men with no spouses, widows, orphans, elderly people without children or grandchildren, the handicapped, the ill – all are provided for.

男有分，女有归。
nan’ you^ fen`, nv’ you^ gui
白话文∶男的有本分，女的有归宿。
Males have their station; females, their places to belong to.

货恶其弃於地也，不必藏於己。
huo` wu` qi’ qi` yu’ di` ye^, bu` bi` cang’ yu’ ji^
白话文∶ 货币被抛弃在地上而被厌恶，不需要把它收藏在身上。
Money is thrown on the ground and thus despised; it is not necessary to store money on one’s body.

力恶其不出於身也，不必为已。
li` wu` qi’ bu` chu- yu’ shen- ye^, bu` bi` wei` ji^
白话文∶ 劳力被厌恶不是自己发出的，亦不必为自己而发出。
Labor is despised if it does not come from oneself, and it does not have to be on behalf of oneself.

是故谋闭而不兴，盗窃乱贼而不作。
shi` gu` mou’ bi` er’ bu` xing-, dao` qie` luan` zei’ er’ bu` zuo`
白话文∶ 所以人们不搞阴谋，不做抢、偷、叛乱等事。
Therefore people don’t engage in intrigue or trickery, nor do they engage in robbery, theft, and rebellion.

故外户而不闭。
gu` wai` hu` er’ bu` bi`
白话文∶ 因此外出而不闭门。
Thus, though people leave their houses they don’t close their doors.

是谓大同。
shi` wei` da` tong’
白话文∶ 这便叫大同。
This is called the “Great Together”.

冯欣明译- Translated by Feng Xin-ming, April 2008
摘自網絡