学习资料--《弟子规》英文版 第一章 入则孝 Chapter 1

Chapter 1 On Being Filial at Home


Chapter 1 At Home, Be Dutiful to My Parents

父母呼 应勿缓

When your mother or father is calling,Do not be slow to respond.


When my parents call me,I will answer them right away.

父母命 行勿懒

When your parents tell you to do something,Do not be lazy or sulky.


When they ask me to do something,I will do it quickly.

父母教 须敬听

When your parents need to instruct you,You should listen with patient respect.


When my parents instruct me,I will listen respectfully.

父母责 须顺承

Whenever your parents must scold you,Accept it with faithful compliance.


When my parents reproach me,I will obey and accept their scolding. I will try hard to change and improve myself, to start anew.

冬则温 夏则凊

In the winter, make sure they are warm.In the summer, make sure they are cool.

In the winter, I will keep my parents warm;in the summer, I will keep my parents cool.

晨则省 昏则定

In the morning, cheerfully greet them.In the evening, tell them “Good night.”

I will always greet my parents in the morning to show them that I care.At night I will always make sure my parents rest well.

出必告 反必面

If you plan to go out, tell your parents.Report to them when you get back.

Before going out, I must tell my parents where I are going, for parents are always concerned about their children.After returning home, I must go and see my parents to let them know I am back, so they do not worry about me.

居有常 业无变

Settle down in one certain place.Do not switch from one job to another.

I will maintain a permanent place to stay and lead a routine life.I will persist in whatever I do and will not change my aspirations at will.

事虽小 勿擅为

No matter how small the affair,Do not act just as you please.

A matter might be trivial, but if it is wrong to do it or unfair to the other person,I must not do it thinking it will bear little or no consequence.

苟擅为 子道亏

For if you act just as you please,Then you have not performed as you should.

If I do,I am not being a dutiful child because my parents would not want to see me doing things that are irrational or illegal.

物虽小 勿私藏

Although a thing may be small,Do not save it just for yourself.

Even though an object might be small,I will not keep it a secret from my parents.

苟私藏 亲心伤

For if you hoard things for yourself,Your parents’ hearts will be grieved.

If I do,I will hurt my parents’ feelings.

亲所好 力为具

Whatever your parents like best,You should provide for them soon.

If whatever pleases my parents is fair and reasonable,I will try my best to attain it for them.

亲所恶 谨为去

Whatever your parents dislike,You should do your best to remove.

If something displeases my parents, if within reasonI will cautiously keep it away from them.

身有伤 贻亲忧

If you carelessly injure your body,Your parents will worry and fret.

When my body is hurt,My parents will be worried.

德有伤 贻亲羞

If you heedlessly damage your virtue,You bring shame and disgrace to your parents.

If my virtues are compromised,my parents will feel ashamed.

亲爱我 孝何难

When your parents are loving and kind,Of course it’s not hard to be filial.

When I have loving parents,it is not difficult to be dutiful to them.

亲憎我 孝方贤

The true test of being a personComes when parents are hateful and cruel.

But if I can be dutiful to parents who hate me,only then will I meet the standards of the saints and sages for being a dutiful child.

亲有过 谏使更

If your recognize faults in your parents,Exhort them to change for the better.

When my parents do wrong,I will urge them to change.

怡吾色 柔吾声

Speak to them kindly and gentlyWith a pleasant smile on your face.

I will do it with a kind facial expressionand a warm gentle voice.

谏不入 悦复谏

If they cannot accept your advice,Wait for an opportune time.

If they do not accept my advice,I will wait until they are in a happier mood before I attempt to dissuade them again.

号泣随 挞无怨

You may even use tears to exhort them,But don’t resent it if you are punished.

followed by crying, if necessary, to make them understand.If they end up whipping me I will not hold a grudge against them.

亲有疾 药先尝

When your parents are ill, call the doctor,Be sure the prescription is right.

When my parents are ill,I will taste the medicine first before giving it to them.

昼夜侍 不离床

Wait on them day after day,At their bedside by day and by night.

I will take care of them night and day and stay by their bedside.

丧三年 常悲咽

For three years after their death,Remember them always in sorrow.

During the first three years of mourning after my parents have passed away,I will remember them with gratitude and feel sad often for not being able to repay them for their kindness in raising me.

居处变 酒肉绝

During this period of mourning,Don’t drink wine or eat meat.

During this period I will arrange my home to reflect my grief and sorrow.I will also avoid festivities and indulgence in food and alcoholic drinks.

丧尽礼 祭尽诚

Take care of their funeral arrangements,Make offerings on their behalf.

I will observe proper etiquette in arranging my parents’ funerals.I will hold the memorial ceremony and commemorate my parents’ anniversaries with utmost sincerity.

事死者 如事生

Reverently cherish their memory as if they were still in the world.

I will serve my departed parentsas if they were still alive.