【原文】

子曰：〝苗而不秀者有矣夫！秀而不實者有矣夫！〞

【參考譯文】

孔子說：〝有的人就像一些莊稼苗一樣，雖發牙卻不揚花，有的雖揚花卻不結實。〞

【English Translation】

Confucius said: "Some seedlings spring up but never flower while others flower but do not bear fruit. "

      Note: These images allude to the problem of giving up halfway.

【原文】

子曰：〝後生可畏，焉知來者之不如今也？四十、五十而無聞焉，斯亦不足畏也已。〞

【參考譯文】

孔子說：〝年輕人是大有作為的，誰能斷定他們將來不如我們這一代呢？如果一個人到了四、五十歲還沒有名聲，也就不會有什麼作為了。〞

【English Translation】

Confucius said: "Young people are full of potential. Who can predict if they will not surpass our generation? But if by the age of 40 or 50, a person does not establish a name for himself, he will never do so. "

【原文】

子曰：〝法語之言，能無從乎？改之為貴，巽與之言，能無說乎？繹之為貴。說而不繹，從而不改，吾未如之何也已矣。〞

【參考譯文】

孔子說：〝正確的意見，能不聽嗎？能夠改正錯誤才可貴。聽了順耳的話，能不高興嗎？能夠分析鑒別才可貴，喜歡聽順耳的話卻不對這些話分析鑒別，聽正確的意見卻不改正錯誤，這種人我也沒有辦法教他。〞

【English Translation】

Confucius said: "Regarding correct views, how can I not give heed? It is only to one’s credit to correct one’s mistakes after listening. Is it possible not to be happy after listening to pleasing words? But as for those who love to listen to pleasing words without evaluating them for truth and those who listen to admonishment without repenting, I do not know what to do with those people. "