Introduction to Literary Chinese - Lesson 11, Text 3
Adapted from the 1927 book by J. Brandt
Grammatical section
THE ASSIMILATIVE PARTICLES
The assimilative particles indicate the resemblance of one object to another, and are similar to the expressions: like, as, as if, as though, just as, etc. These particles are:
若 如 如...然 猶 由 似 而 儼如 儼然 儼若 若 然
Examples of using the assimilative particles:
① 事若此
It being thus.
② 視難若易
To regard a difficult (matter) as an easy (one).
③ 以爲美.莫已若也
Thinking that no one is as pretty as herself.
④ 若無罪而就死地
Like an innocent person going to the place of death.
⑤ 以若所爲.求若所欲.猶緣木而求魚也
To do what you do and to seek for what you desire is like climbing (lit. following) a tree to seek for fish.
⑥ 民之望之.若大旱之望雨也
The people's longing for him was like (their) longing for rain (in a time of) great drought.
⑦ 見善如不及
To look upon virtue as (something to which one) cannot attain.
⑧ 視死如歸
To look upon death as going home.
⑨ 一日不見.如三月突
One day without seeing (her) is like three months.
⑩ 如魚得水.如鳥得林.
Like a fish that finds the water, like a bird that finds a grove.
⑪ 君子之過也.如日月之食焉.過也.人皆見之.
The faults of the superior man are like the eclipse of the sun and moon. He has his faults, and all men see them.
⑫ 夫妻之情.深如海.
The affection of husband and wife is deep as the sea.
⑬ 子之燕居.申申如也.夭夭如也.
When the Master was not occupied with business (lit. the Master's dwelling at ease) he looked comfortable and happy.
⑭ 如見其肺肝然
As if he saw his very lungs and liver.
⑮ 聖賢愛人之心.如愛已然.
Holy men and sages love other men as themselves.
⑯ 視予猶父也
He regarded me as a father.
⑰ 視人事猶已事.
To regard others' interests as one's own.
⑱ 仁之勝不仁也猶水勝火
Humanity conquers inhumanity like water conquers fire.
⑲ 氣猶風也.血猶水也.
Breath is like wind, blood is like water.
⑳ 子曰過猶不及
The Master said “To go beyond is as wrong (lit. is like) as not to come up.”
㉑ 夫子之不可及也.猶天之不可階而升也.
Our Master cannot be attained in the same way as the heaven cannot be reached by the steps of a stair.
㉒ 民之歸仁也.猶水之就下.
The people turn to benevolence as water flows downwards.
㉓ 今之樂.由古之樂也.
The music of the present day is like the music ot antiquity.
㉔ 似木石之無知也
Like the insensibility of wood or stone.
㉕ 古人形似獸.心有大聖德.
The ancients in their form were like beasts, but in their hearts they had the virtue of the great sages.
㉖ 文王視民如傷.望道而未之見.
King Wang looked on the people as on a wounded (man), and he looked towards the right path as if he could not see it.
㉗ 其道德.儼如聖賢.
His virtue is like that of holy men and sages.
㉘ 其功業.儼然豪傑.
His merits are like those of heroes.
㉙ 儼若宿知
As though he had already known it long before.
㉚ 夫道若大路然.豈難知哉.
The way of virtue is like a great road. Is it difficult to know it?