The Righteous Way Seeks No Immediate Gains

本指以仁義治理天下，不貪圖眼前功利；后泛指遵循“正道”（正確的原則或方法），不急功近利。因為急功近利只能小成，不可能大成；而小成只能是暫時的，不可能持續(xù)長久，還可能偏離“正道”，帶來無可挽回的后果，最終導(dǎo)致一事無成。胸懷大志，謀大事者，必然從全局、根本著眼，從長遠(yuǎn)考慮問題，始終依“正道”行事，不為一時得失而改變志向。其要義在于，大功無速成，正道須持守。

The term originally meant that in exercising governance, a ruler should act with benevolence and righteousness and not be tempted to seek immediate gains. Later, it came to mean the need to follow the righteous way, namely, sound principles or approaches, instead of seeking immediate gains. Such gains are not only petty and transitory in nature and unsustainable, but may also cause irreversible adverse consequences. Those who aim high should therefore focus on the big picture and long-term overall interests. They should always follow the righteous way and never allow themselves to be distracted by petty gains. The underlying message of this term is that no great accomplishment can be made quickly and easily and the righteous way must be followed.

引例 Citations：

◎豈知王道本無近功，成書亦非歲月哉！（項穆《書法雅言·功序》）

豈不知以仁義治理天下不會很快奏效，學(xué)成書法哪有不費時日的呢？

One should know that the righteous way of exercising governance does not produce immediate results, just as good calligraphy cannot be learned without years of practice. (Xiang Mu: Right Ways for Learning Calligraphy)

◎圣人無近功，故至誠無息。（黃宗羲《明儒學(xué)案·諸儒學(xué)案中六·莊裕徐養(yǎng)齋先生問》）

圣明的人不圖眼前的功利，所以能做到極其真誠，永無止境。

Sages are never distracted by immediate gains. That is why they can pursue the ultimate goal ceaselessly and with conviction. (Huang Zongxi: Commentaries on Writings of Famous Scholars of the Ming 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