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Without Sincerity, Nothing Is Possible
沒(méi)有誠(chéng)，任何事物都不會(huì)存在。誠(chéng)即真實(shí)、真誠(chéng)。儒家認(rèn)為，它是人和萬(wàn)事萬(wàn)物所遵循的基本原理或法則，是人和萬(wàn)事萬(wàn)物充分發(fā)揮其固有天性或本質(zhì)屬性的過(guò)程，是人和萬(wàn)事萬(wàn)物得以存在或完成其自身的終極依據(jù)，是人和萬(wàn)事萬(wàn)物達(dá)成的同步互動(dòng)、有機(jī)融合的理想境界。單就人世層面來(lái)說(shuō)，若無(wú)誠(chéng)心，則一事無(wú)成。這一命題表達(dá)了“誠(chéng)”的實(shí)在性、終極性、人的主體性以及主客體的統(tǒng)一性。
Confucian scholars believed that nothing is possible without sincerity, which is the basic principle or law followed by humans and all things. It is a process in which humans and all things give full play to their inherent nature or essential properties. Sincerity is what enables them to exist and improve themselves, and it is an ideal state of both their interaction and integration. In terms of human activities, it is obvious that without sincerity, nothing can be accomplished. This notion stresses that sincerity is both real and fundamental, that humans have subjectivity, and that with sincerity, they can achieve unity with the outer world.
引例 Citations：
◎誠(chéng)者自成也，而道自道也。誠(chéng)者，物之終始。不誠(chéng)無(wú)物。是故君子誠(chéng)之為貴。誠(chéng)者，非自成己而已也，所以成物也。成己，仁也；成物，知也。性之德也，合外內(nèi)之道也。（《禮記·中庸》）
誠(chéng)是自我完成，道是自我引導(dǎo)。誠(chéng)貫穿事物發(fā)展的始終。沒(méi)有誠(chéng)，則任何事物都不會(huì)存在。所以君子特別崇尚誠(chéng)。誠(chéng)不只是自我完成，還要成就萬(wàn)事萬(wàn)物。完成自我是仁，成就萬(wàn)事萬(wàn)物是智。仁與智乃出于天性，是融合自身與外物的基本法則。
Sincerity is what makes oneself whole, and its way shows how one conducts oneself. Sincerity makes things happen and delivers outcomes. Without sincerity, there is nothing. For this reason, a man of virtue reveres sincerity. Sincerity not only makes oneself whole but also makes other people and creatures whole. Making oneself whole is a virtue; making others whole is vision. Virtue and vision are naturally born, and they are fundamental to achieving unity between oneself and the outer world. (The Book of Rites)
◎誠(chéng)者，物之終始。不誠(chéng)無(wú)物。物者，事也。言不誠(chéng)即無(wú)所事矣。（《新唐書·陸贄傳》）
誠(chéng)貫穿事物發(fā)展的始終。沒(méi)有誠(chéng)，則任何事物都不會(huì)存在。物與事是一個(gè)意思。這句話是說(shuō)，不誠(chéng)就會(huì)一事無(wú)成。
Sincerity makes things happen and delivers outcomes. Without sincerity, there is nothing. Things are the same as undertakings. Without sincerity, nothing can be achieved. (The New Tang History)
推薦：教育部 國(guó)家語(yǔ)委
供稿：北京外國(guó)語(yǔ)大學(xué) 外語(yǔ)教學(xué)與研究出版社
責(zé)任編輯：錢耐安
