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Strive Continuously to Strengthen Oneself
自己努力向上，強(qiáng)大自己，永不懈怠停息。古人認(rèn)為，天體出于自身的本性而運(yùn)行，剛健有力，周而復(fù)始，一往無前永不停息。君子取法于“天”，也應(yīng)發(fā)揮自己的能動性、主動性，勤勉不懈，奮發(fā)進(jìn)取。這是中國人參照天體運(yùn)行狀態(tài)樹立的執(zhí)政理念和自身理想。它和“厚德載物”一起構(gòu)成了中華民族精神的基本品格。
The term means that one should strive continuously to strengthen himself. Ancient Chinese believed that heavenly bodies move in accordance with their own nature in a vigorous and forever forward-going cycle. A man of virtue, who follows the law of heaven, should be fully motivated and work diligently to strengthen himself. This is the Chinese view on governance and self development, established with reference to the movement of heavenly bodies. Together with the notion that a true gentleman has ample virtue and carries all things, it constitutes the fundamental trait of the Chinese nation.
引例 Citations：
◎天行健，君子以自強(qiáng)不息。（《周易·彖上》）
天的運(yùn)行剛健有力，一往無前，君子應(yīng)像天一樣自己努力向上，永不停息。
Just as heaven keeps moving forward vigorously, a man of virtue should strive continuously to strengthen himself. (The Book of Changes)
◎自人君公卿至于庶人，不自強(qiáng)而功成者，天下未之有也。（《淮南子·修務(wù)訓(xùn)》）
自帝王公卿到普通百姓，不奮發(fā)進(jìn)取就能建立功業(yè)的，普天之下沒有這樣的事情。
Neither monarchs, ministers, nor commoners have ever achieved great accomplishments in the world without first striving to strengthen themselves. (Huainanzi)
◎外有敵國，則其計(jì)先自強(qiáng)。自強(qiáng)者人畏我，我不畏人。（《宋史·董槐傳》）
外有敵對的國家，那我們首先要謀求使自己強(qiáng)大。如果自己強(qiáng)大了，敵國就會畏懼我們，我們就不會畏懼他們。
Facing hostile countries, we must first of all strive to become strong. If we have strengthened ourselves, enemy states will fear us and we will not fear them. (The History of the Song Dynasty)
推薦：教育部 國家語委
供稿：北京外國語大學(xué) 外語教學(xué)與研究出版社
責(zé)任編輯：錢耐安
