| 1 | At birth, everyone is morally good. |
| 2 | Initially, their characters are similarly good; as time goes on, their characters become different. |
| 3 | Lack of proper teaching makes peoples' characters become bad. |
| 4 | The proper way to teach is with the utmost thoroughness. |
| 5 | This thoroughness extends even to where a family lives.+ |
| 6 | Learning without thoroughness is like trying to weave with a broken thread.+ |
| 7 | A man named Dou from the Swallow Mountain knew the right way to teach.+ |
| 8 | He raised five sons and each of them increased the family's reputation. |
The "Meng" in the raw translation refers to the philosopher
Meng Zi, known in the West, thanks to Jesuit missionaries, as Mencius.
His mother was a widow who was said to be very concerned that her son be
very diligent in his studies. Learning that he was influenced in his behaviors
and goals by his surroundings, she moved their household several times,
to try to find the best locality for his studies, their eventual destination
being near an academy of scholars.
Once, Mencius returned home for a rest from his studies.
Mencius' mother was disappointed with this lack of diligence in studying
and illustrated her point in a graphic way. She had been weaving some cloth;
she took a knife and severed the thread, thereby ruining the cloth, signifying
that interruptions in continuity can be as disastrous in weaving as in
scholarship.
The Dou referred to here is Dou Yu Jun. His five sons became high officials, thanks, it is said, to his extreme severity in the conduct of his family life and his sons' education.