蒙學漢文初階 第二十五課 Beginning Chinese - Entry Level Lesson #25

人有過已己改之 man has wrongs afterwards  myself change it
人有善已己從之 man has goodness afterwards myself obey it
故曰 hence said
三人行 three man walk
必有我師焉 must have my teacher

i doubt if Translation Dictionary distinguishe 已 and 己, but exactly there are 2 charaters holding different meanings. Sometimes in the ancient Chinese book they borrowed the other one instead of the correct one, since the printer usually may not be well-educated and the reader can tolarate this kind of typos. another example is 亁 and 乾.

When a man has wrongs, change them. When a man has good, follow them. Hence said, "Three men walking, surely one a master from which I can learn".


Notes:

The last two lines come from the Analects. The full version says that when three persons are walking together, there is one from which I can call a teacher whom I can learn from his good. If there are any faults, then he shall act as a mirror so that I can avoid them.
Monday, July 14, 2014

Due to an astute observation from ShawnZ, it seemed that there was a misprint in the book.  With the change in one character, the meaning is slightly altered.

蒙學漢文初階 第二十五課 Beginning Chinese - Entry Level Lesson #25

人有過已己改之 man has wrongs afterwards self change it
人有善已己從之 man has goodness afterwards self obey it
故曰 hence said
三人行 three man walk
必有我師焉 must have my teacher


When a man has wrongs, he should change them. When a man has good, he should follow them. Hence said, "Three men walking, surely one a master from which I can learn".


Notes:

1.  The last two lines come from the Analects. The full version says that when three persons are walking together, there is one from which I can call a teacher whom I can learn from his good. If there are any faults, then he shall act as a mirror so that I can avoid them.

2.   Although 己 means self, here it is interpreted as "him" according to the conventions of using the third person form.

Monday, July 14, 2014