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Without Sincerity, Nothing Is Possible
沒有誠，任何事物都不會存在。誠即真實、真誠。儒家認(rèn)為，它是人和萬事萬物所遵循的基本原理或法則，是人和萬事萬物充分發(fā)揮其固有天性或本質(zhì)屬性的過程，是人和萬事萬物得以存在或完成其自身的終極依據(jù)，是人和萬事萬物達(dá)成的同步互動、有機融合的理想境界。單就人世層面來說，若無誠心，則一事無成。這一命題表達(dá)了“誠”的實在性、終極性、人的主體性以及主客體的統(tǒng)一性。
Confucian scholars believed that nothing is possible without sincerity, which is the basic principle or law followed by humans and all things. It is a process in which humans and all things give full play to their inherent nature or essential properties. Sincerity is what enables them to exist and improve themselves, and it is an ideal state of both their interaction and integration. In terms of human activities, it is obvious that without sincerity, nothing can be accomplished. This notion stresses that sincerity is both real and fundamental, that humans have subjectivity, and that with sincerity, they can achieve unity with the outer world.
引例 Citations：
◎誠者自成也，而道自道也。誠者，物之終始。不誠無物。是故君子誠之為貴。誠者，非自成己而已也，所以成物也。成己，仁也；成物，知也。性之德也，合外內(nèi)之道也。（《禮記·中庸》）
誠是自我完成，道是自我引導(dǎo)。誠貫穿事物發(fā)展的始終。沒有誠，則任何事物都不會存在。所以君子特別崇尚誠。誠不只是自我完成，還要成就萬事萬物。完成自我是仁，成就萬事萬物是智。仁與智乃出于天性，是融合自身與外物的基本法則。
Sincerity is what makes oneself whole, and its way shows how one conducts oneself. Sincerity makes things happen and delivers outcomes. Without sincerity, there is nothing. For this reason, a man of virtue reveres sincerity. Sincerity not only makes oneself whole but also makes other people and creatures whole. Making oneself whole is a virtue; making others whole is vision. Virtue and vision are naturally born, and they are fundamental to achieving unity between oneself and the outer world. (The Book of Rites)
◎誠者，物之終始。不誠無物。物者，事也。言不誠即無所事矣。（《新唐書·陸贄傳》）
誠貫穿事物發(fā)展的始終。沒有誠，則任何事物都不會存在。物與事是一個意思。這句話是說，不誠就會一事無成。
Sincerity makes things happen and delivers outcomes. Without sincerity, there is nothing. Things are the same as undertakings. Without sincerity, nothing can be achieved. (The New Tang History)
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
