In this post I will post three translations of a fairly well-known chinese morality book, called:
It is usual to mistrust any translation done by a missionary, but this is an exception to the rule. Despite being done in 1863, it is very close to the original meaning-- at any rate, closer than the modern translations!
The only drawback with Eichler's translation is that it skips quite a few lines that are present in modern-day editions of the text. Eichler's rather extensive notes are not reproduced in this edition.
2- Carus, 1906 https://www.sacred-texts.com/tao/ycw/ycw03.htm and https://archive.org/details/yinchihwentract00carugoog/page/n10/mode/2up
Carus' translation is not as literal as Eichler's, but the major flaw with the translation is that, lines 6-8 containing moral stories are shifted to the notes, rather than with the main text! I have restored these lines into their proper place, with excerpts from Carus' retellings of these stories.
Carus translates some lines that are absent from Eichler
3- Bryan Chung, 2014 https://archive.org/details/wenchang/mode/2up?view=theater
Chung's translation represents the longest text. Unlike all the others, his is bilingual. In some places Chung's translation is not literal; his translations are more often glosses, rather than what is actually written down. Chung's translation, however, does contain the Chinese text, along with a Pure Land buddhist commentary,
In some lines where i feel all the translations have departed substantially from the meaning of the text, I have added my own translation, marked with an E:
In turn, one thing worth noting is the fact that the 4th part (per Chung's numbering) is written in couplets: Pairs of sentences containing equal numbers of characters, containing an exact parallelism in structure: verb against verb, noun against noun, adjective against adjective. Here's an example
點夜燈以照人行，=Light-night-lamp-to-shine-people-path
造河船以濟人渡。=Make-river-boat-to-carry-people-cross
The base Chinese text I have taken from
https://www.6laws.net/99life/lawbook/%E6%96%87%E6%98%8C%E5%B8%9D%E5%90%9B%E9%99%B0%E9%A8%AD%E6%96%87.htm
This translation appears to be the one used by Carus and Chung. However, it has extra lines, which these three 19thc. editions lack.
1869 (illustrated) : https://books.google.com/books?id=G_JVAAAAcAAJ&pg=PP29#v=onepage&q&f=false
1879: https://books.google.com/books?id=i20tAAAAYAAJ&dq=%E6%96%87%E6%98%8C%E5%B8%9D%E5%90%9B%E9%99%B0%E9%9A%B2%E6%96%87&pg=PP9#v=onepage&q&f=true
1901: https://books.google.com/books?id=HCZCAQAAMAAJ&pg=PP9#v=onepage&q&f=false
These three editions are almost identical to the one used by Eichel. It fillows that at some point in
*** *** ***
1/帝君曰：
Ei: Ti Keün says
Ca: The Lord says
Ch:<Part 1: Introduction>
The Lord Superior (Wen Chang) recounts :
2/吾一十七世為士大夫身，未嘗虐民酷吏。
Ei: Though I was a scholar and a high officer during seventeen generations, yet I never harrassed the people, nor did I tyrannize over the lower officers.
Ca: For seventeen generations I have been incarnated as a high mandarin, and I have never oppressed my people nor maltreated my subordinates.
Ch:For seventeen past lives, I have held high office. Wielding power, I neither burdened the people nor maltreated my subordinates
3/救人之難，濟人之急。憫人之孤，容人之過。
Ei: I rescued men from their calamities and relieved their necessities. I pitied orphans and indulged those errors which were committed through haste.
Ca:I have helped them in misfortune; I have rescued them from poverty; I have taken compassion on their orphans; I have forgiven their transgressions;
Ch: I saved those in distress; furnished the needy with whatever they lacked and succored the orphaned and underprivileged. Furthermore, I have shown forbearance towards offenders and forgiven the penitent.
4/廣行陰騭，上格蒼穹。
Ei: Thus having freely done so many deeds of benevolence without any desire for praise and glory, I influenced even Heaven on high"
Ca: I have extensively practised secret virtue (yin chih) which is attuned to heaven above
Ch: More importantly, my virtues were untainted by desire for popular acclaim and were certainly not the result of ulterior motives. I simply wished to accord with Heaven's way of genuine compassion.
5/人能如我存心，天必賜汝以福。於是訓於人曰：
Ei: "Now, if you are able to preserve your own hearts in the same manner as I have done, Heaven certainly will bless you also." He therefore teaches mankind saying:
Ca: If you are able to keep your hearts as I have kept mine, Heaven will surely bestow upon you blessings. Therefore, these are the instructions I declare unto mankind:
Ch: If people can emulate my sincerity, then the heavens will certainly bestow fortune upon them. Thus, for posterity's sake, I have left these instructions on cultivation.
6/昔于公治獄，大興駟馬之門。
Ei: 'In former days there was Yü kung, a gaol keeper who enlarged his gate wide to admit a team of four horses"
Ca: In olden times, Yii King, judge of the criminal court, was held in such high esteem [on account of his virtue] that a gateway for four- horse carriages was erected in his honor,
Yii King of the Han dynasty (206 B. C. to A. D. 23) was judge of a criminal court on the eastern shore of China, In his district there was a young widow who, on account of her parental devotion, showed no disposition to marry again, lest her mother-in-law be left without support. The aged woman, however, was so much distressed over her helplessness that finally she hanged herself to release her daughter-in-law from the duty of self-sacrifice. Her own daughter hearing of the incident went to court and charged her sister- in-law with murder, and the latter, unable to vindicate herself, was condemned to death in spite of Yii King's protest. After this tragedy, Heayen failed to give rain all along the eastern coast for a period of three years. When a new governor was installed, Yii King explained to him the cause of the long drought. Thereupon the grave of the dutiful daughter-in-law was officially decorated, and then at last it started to rain. [...]
Ch: Under heaven, there is no affair more important to society than public order & justice. They must not be overzealous, self wiled, ride or inconsiderate. More importantly, their proceedings must not burden, inconvenience or cause distress to anyone. If judges and officials can act as instructed, their blessings will accrue without cease.
7/竇氏濟人，高折五枝之桂。
Ei: "There was also Teu shi who assisted people in their distresses and for this was enabled to cut off five twigs from the top of the cinnamon tree"
Ca: The Tou family saved people and thus nobly obtained the five-branched olea
Tou Yii-Chiin was not yet favored with a son when he was thirty years old. One night his grand- father appeared to him in a dream and said: "You may not have any issue at all, nor may you live long, unless you are diligent in performing benevolent deeds [after doing many such deeds] he saw again his grandfather in a dream, who said: "You were originally destined not to have any offspring and to live only a few more years. But on account of your humane deeds, your merits have been recorded by the Heavenly Lord. Your life will be prolonged and you will have five children who will be very prosperous. [...] Yii-Chiin's five sons successfully passed the literary examinations and were promoted to high official positions. [the five branches refer to the five sons]
Ch: The weak, poor, fearful and disabled are trapped in dire straits. Hence, all who are able must compassionately and diligently assist them by almsgiving or by extricating them from fear. Comfort their hearts and minds. The blessings for doing so will be as dense as the branches of a grand olea tree.
8/ 救蟻中狀元之選，埋蛇享宰相之榮。
Ei: Another rescued ants and therefore took the highest Hanlin degree. Another killed and buried snakes and afterwards attained the dignity of Prime Minister.
Ca: He who took pity on ants attained the highest literary honor, He who buried [out of sight] the snake [of bad omen] was deemed worthy of the honor of premiership.
Sung Chiao and Sung Ch'i (eleventh century A, D.) were brothers. When they were both at college, a strange Buddhist monk examined their physiognomy and prophesied: 'The younger Sung will be the first on the list of literary graduates, and the elder, too, will unfailingly pass"
Ten years later, the elder Sung again happened to meet the monk on the road. The monk showed great astonishment, exclaiming: "Your fortunes have suddenly changed. You look as if you had saved millions of lives' Sung said, laughing; "How could I, a poor follower of Confucius, achieve such a feat as that ?" "Yes," replied the monk, "Even the meanest creatures are enjoying their lives you know' Reflecting a little while, Sung said: "I remember that about ten days ago I found an ants' nest under my porch in danger of being flooded, I took a few bamboo sticks and made a bridge over the water to let the poor ants cross over it. May this be it?" "Exactly" answered the monk, "the younger Sung is now leading the list but you will not be second to him"
When the order of literary graduates was declared, the younger Sung was found to be the first and the elder Sung the second. But the Empress Chang Hsien decreed that the younger brother should not precede the elder, and Sung Chiao was put at the head of the list.
Shun Shu-Ao, of Chu state, when a boy, used to go out very frequently. One day he saw a double- headed snake which he killed and, to put it out of sight, buried it in the ground. He came home in gloom and showed no appetite at the table. An anxious inquiry of his mother brought him to tears, and he said mournfully : "People say, those who have seen a double-headed snake are doomed to die soon. I saw one to-day and fear that before long I shall die, mother, and will have to leave you alone." The mother then asked him, "Where is the snake now?" "Fearing that others might see it too, I killed and buried it." "Never mind then," replied the mother, "you will not die. I understand that secret virtue (yin teh) brings rewards that are open. Where there is virtue, thither will be gathered a thousand blessings. Where there is benevolence, a hundred evils are distanced. Heaven above attends to affairs below. You are sure to become eminent in this state."
When Shun was a man, he was made a minister of state.
Ch: Even the tiniest ants can feel pain like you and me. Hence, the truly virtuous feel compassion for both insects and animals alike.
Good men and women do them no harm and would gladly save their lives if they should meet peril such as accumulating water. The blessings for such true compassion makes one the foremost among men.
9/ 欲廣福田，須憑心地。
Ei: If you intend to enlarge the field of your happiness, it can only be done according to the good intentions of your heart.
Ca: He who wants to expand the field of happiness, let him lay the foundation of it on the bottom of his heart.
Ch:Those who desire to accumulate boundless merits must start by harboring correct intentions. For only genuine faith and sincere compassion can allow a person to benefit from true fields of merit.
10/ 行時時之方便，作種種之陰功。
Ei: Be ever ready to help and relieve your fellow men and to do all kinds of beneficial work without love of praise and gain.
Ca: Practise benevolence wherever you find an opportunity, and let your deeds of merit be unheeded (yin).
Ch: <Part 3: important reminder >
Never neglect any opportunity to do good and always accumulate "Yin" virtue.
11/ 利物利人，修善修福。
Ei: Benefit things and men, promote the good and increase happiness by accumulating virtue.
Ca: Benefit all creatures; benefit the people. Practise goodness: acquire merit.
Ch: <Part 4: The list of virtues >
Benefit both men and creatures and treat all objects with care and respect. Accumulate virtue and merits without cease.
12/正直代天行化，慈祥為國救民。
Ei: By being upright you ought to exercise a transforming educating influence in the place of heaven; and by being affectionate you should help your countrymen for the sake of your native land.
Ca; Compassionate and auspicious, the state government must be devoted to the salvation of the people.
Ch: Be upright yourself and carry out heaven's will of promoting virtue. Exercise patriotism by promoting compassion and reform the people by taming their passions.
E: Carus does not appear to translate the first half of the sentence.
13/存平等心，擴寬大量。 [Absent in 1869, 1879, 1901]
Ei: [Does not translate this line]
Ca: Let your heart be impartial and wide of range.
Ch: Maintain a heart of impartiality, equanimity and tolerance. Be compassionate and open-minded. Avoid harboring thoughts of bigotry, spite or schadenfreude.
14/ 忠主孝親，敬兄信友。
Ei:Be loyal towards your superiors, filial towards your parents, reverend towards your elder brothers, and sincere towards your friends.
Ca: Be faithful and reverential to the ruler. Be filial and obedient to parents. Be congenial and friendly to brothers. Be sincere in your intercourse with friends.
Ch: Be loyal towards your superiors ; filial towards your parents; respectful towards your siblings and true and dependable towards your friends.
15/ 和睦夫婦，教訓子孫。[Absent in 1869, 1879, 1901]
Ei: [Does not translate this line]
Ca: [Does not translate this line]
Ch: Be loyal towards your superiors ; filial towards your parents; respectful towards your siblings and true and dependable towards your friends.
16/ 毋慢師長，毋侮聖賢。[Absent in 1869, 1879, 1901]]
Ei: [Does not translate this line]
Ca: [Does not translate this line]
Ch: With humility, respect your teachers and elders ; revere the Sages and their wise teachings
E: Do not be rude to Teachers and Elders. Do not disrespect the Sages.
17/ 或奉真朝斗，或拜佛念經。
Ei: Whether you are serving the True or worshipping the Great Bear ;
or whether you worship Buddha reciting his litanies [...]
Ca: Let some worship the Truthful One, and revere the Northern Constellation, while others bow before the Buddha and recite sutras.
Ch: Some worship the heavens while others bow to Buddhas and recite sutras.
E: Some worship the True Ones and Pay Homage to the Dipper; Some bow to buddhas and chant the sutras
18/ 報答四恩，廣行三教。
Ei: ... you are still obliged to requite the four favors by spreading abroad the three systems of doctrine.
Ca: Fulfil the four obligations; impartially observe the three doctrines.
[Carus puts this line after line 13, viz "Let your heart be impartial and wide of range."]
Ch: Be grateful for the guidance the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha has given; the nurturance your parents have provided; the opportunities society has offered and the security your nation has ensured. Cultivate and promote the teachings of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism.
E: Repay the Four Kindnesses; Broadly cultivate the Three Teachings
19/ 談道義而化奸頑，講經史而曉愚昧。[Absent in 1869, 1879, 1901]
Ei: [Does not translate this line]
Ca: By discoursing on morality and righteousness, convert both the cunning and the dull. By preaching on the canonical books and histories, enlighten the ignorant and the benighted.
Ch: Use morality and compassion to convert the obstinate and cunning. Speak the dharma to the dull minded, ignorant and deluded, thus planting roots of wisdom within their consciousness.
20/ 濟急如濟涸轍之魚，救危如救密羅之雀。
Ei: Relieve men in extremity, as you would rescue fish, which are at the last gasp out of a dry track;
and deliver men as you would deliver birds out of a tight net (ie instantaneously)
Ca: Relieve people in distress as speedily as you must release a fish from a dry rill [lest he die]. Deliver people from danger as quickly as you must free a sparrow from a tight noose.
Ch: Relieve those in dire need as speedily as you would save a fish deprived of water. Save those in danger with great haste lest the window of opportunity closes.
21/ 矜孤恤寡，敬老憐貧。
Ei: Pity orphans and commiserate widows, honour the old and compassionate the poor.
Ca: Be compassionate to orphans and relieve widows. Respect the old and help the poor.
Ch: Show concern for the welfare of the orphaned and widowed. Respect the elderly and maintain their dignity; pity and help the poor and underprivileged.
22/ 舉善薦賢，饒人責己。[Absent in 1869, 1879, 1901]
Ei: [Does not translate this line]
Ca: Promote the good and recommend the wise. Be lenient with others and exacting with yourself.
Ch: Promote virtue and recommend the Sagely. Be lenient with others but strict with your own conduct.
23/ 措衣食周道路之饑寒，施棺槨免屍骸之暴露。
Ei: Prepare clothes and food, and liberally assist the hungry and naked who live in the streets. Provide coffins for the poor lest any corpse be exposed to the sun and dew.
Ca: Save your clothing and provisions that ye may befriend the hungry and cold on the road. Give away coffins and cases lest the dead of the poor be exposed.
Ch: Be thrifty with your clothes, cash and food so that you will always have some to spare if you should meet a cold or hungry person by chance. Donate caskets and coffins to those who are without the means to afford it.
24/ 造漏澤之仁園，興啟蒙之義塾。[Absent in 1869, 1879, 1901]
Ei Does not translate this line.
Ca:Build charitable graveyards for unclaimed corpses. Establish philanthropic institutions for the education of children.
Ch: Pay for the funerals of the poor or bury unclaimed bodies. Provide educational opportunities and or scholarships for those who need it.
25/ 家富提攜親戚，歲饑賬濟鄰朋。
Ei: If you belong to a rich family, you should support your relatives, and during any year of scarcity relieve the wants of your neighbours and friends.
Ca: If your own family is well provided, extend a helping hand to your relatives. If the harvest fails, provide for and relieve your neighbours and friends.
Ch: If your family is wealthy, you must assist with the finances of your poorer relatives. If the economy declines or scarcity arises, you should provide (if able) relief towards your friends and neighbours.
26/ 斗秤須要公平，不可輕出重入。
Ei Keep a just bushel (measure) and do not use a light weight when selling goods to others and a heavy weight when buying goods from others.
Ca: Let measures and scales be accurate; and be neither chary in selling nor exacting in buying.
Ch: Be honest during transactions. Ensure that your weights, scales and measures are accurate and without fault.
27/奴僕待之寬恕，豈宜備責苛求。
Ei: Treat your servants with forbearing kindness: how would it become you to be particular and harsh vexing them about trifles?
Ca: Treat your servants with generosity and consideration. Do not expect perfection nor be too strict in your demands.
Ch: Do not maltreat your servants or subordinates and refrain from being overly demanding.
28/ 印造經文，創修寺院。
Ei: Write and print devotional books and tracts; build and repair monasteries, temples, and alms-houses
Ca: Publish and make known sutras and tracts. Build and repair temples and shrines.
Ch: Print and distribute sutras ; repair and build monasteries.
29/ 捨藥材以拯疾苦，施茶水以解渴煩。
Ei: Give medicine that you may save people from their diseases and sufferings, and give tea and congee to the travellers to quench their thirst and refresh them under their heat and fatigue.
Ca: Distribute medicine to alleviate the suffering of the sick. With tea or water relieve the distress of the thirsty.
Ch: Donate medicine and provide healthcare for the poor, sick and needy. Make clean water available for those who lack it and relieve the thirsty by providing drink.
30/ 點夜燈以照人行，造河船以濟人渡。[1869, 1879, 1901 place this line after 32]
Ei: Light lanterns during the night time that you may aid the traveller in finding his way. Make ferryboats and take people across the rivers
[Eitel puts this line after 32]
Ca: Light lanterns in the night to illuminate where people walk. Keep boats on rivers to ferry people across.
Ch: Light lamps at night to illuminate paths and sidewalks. Donate or provide boats for the purpose of ferrying the public.
31/ 或買物而放生，或持齋而戒殺，
Ei: Either buy animals that you may save them from death or fast strictly (from eating meat) in order to prevent their slaughter.
Ca: Buy captive animals and give them freedom. How commendable is abstinence that dispenses with the butcher!
Ch: Purchase live fish and animals on sale for consumption and set them free. Adopt a Vegan or Vegetarian diet and observe the precept against taking life.
E.W. Buy [captive] animals to release them; or uphold the Zhai, and refrain from killing
32/ 舉步常看蟲蟻，禁火莫燒山林。
Ei: As often as you raise your foot to take a step you ought to take care of the insects and ants in your path. Strictly refrain from burning the grass and the trees of the forests.
Ca; While walking be mindful of worms and ants.Be cautious with fire and do not set mountain woods or forests ablaze.
Ch While walking, be mindful of the little ants, insects and worms. Abstain from intentionally or accidently setting mountains and forests on fire.
33/ 勿登山而網禽鳥，勿臨水而毒魚蝦。(1869 has 鰕 instead of 蝦)
Ei: Do not ascend the hills to catch birds, nor descend to the waters to kill fish and crabs.
Ca; Do not go into the mountain to catch birds in nets, nor to the water to poison fishes and minnows.
Ch: Do not catch, trap, capture, kill or poison animals in their natural habitats (i.e. the mountain, forests and rivers). Do not pollute natural environments.
E: Do not climb mountains, to catch birds and beasts with nets. Do not go near water, and poison fishes and shrimp [The second half of the sentence is almost certainly a reference the use of fish poison: throwing certain plants into water, which stun fish, allowing them to be caught.]
34/ 勿宰耕牛，勿棄字紙。
Ei: Do not kill the ploughing buffalo. Do not throw away written paper.
Ca: Do not butcher the ox that plows thy field. Do not throw away paper that is written on.
Ch: Do not slaughter the cow that plows your fields or provides milk for your family. Refrain from discarding moral texts and religious scriptures; preserve or rebind them for the benefit of posterity.
E;W: Do not kill the plough-ox. Do not mistreat papers with writing on them.
[this is an example of the problems with Chung's translation. The words "provides milk for your family" and "preserve or rebind them for the benefit of posterity" are not in the original sentence]
35/ 勿謀人之財產，勿妒人之技能。
Ei: Do not devise for seizing people's wealth and property. Be not envious of others on account their abilities and talents.
Ca: Do not scheme for others' property.Do not envy others' accomplishments.
Ch: Do not scheme for or covet the wealth of others ; refrain from envying someone else's skills, advantages and talents.
36/ 勿淫人之妻女，勿唆人之爭訟。
Ei: Do not debauch the wives and daughters of others. Do not stir people to quarrel with each other or to go to law with each other .
Ca: Do not approach thy neighbor's wife or maids.Do not stir thy neighbors to litigation.
Ch: Refrain from lust and adultery. Do not instigate lawsuits or stir others to litigation.
37/ 勿壞人之名利*，勿破人之婚姻。
[1901 and the Online 節 "segment",for利 ]
Ei: Do not mar the fame and fortune of others. Do not break off the marriage engagements of others.
Ca: Do not injure thy neighbor's reputation or interest. Do not meddle with thy neighbor's conjugal affairs.
Ch: Neither damage reputations nor harm interests. Do not break the marriages or engagements of other people.
38/ 勿因私讎*，使人兄弟不和；勿因小利，使人父子不睦。
[*1869 has 仇]
Ei: Do not alienate brothers on account of a private grudge, nor cause fathers and sons to be unyielding to each other for the sake of a mean gain .
Ca: Set not, for personal malice, brothers at variance with one another. Set not father and son at variance for trifles.
Ch: Do not cause discord between siblings and abstain from turning parents and children against each other.
39/ 勿倚權勢而辱善良，勿恃富豪而欺窮困。
Ei: Do not take advantage of your power to reproach good men, nor trust in riches so as to impose on the poor and afflicted.
Ca: Never take advantage of your power, nor disgrace the good and law-abiding. Presume not, ye that are rich; nor deceive the needy and suffering.
Ch: If you have wealth and power, do not wield it arrogantly or abusively against the people, the underprivileged and the virtuous. Do not humiliate people in any way or for any purpose.
40/ 依本分而致謙恭，守規矩而遵法度。和諧宗族，解釋冤怨。 [absent in 1869, 1879, 1901]
Ei: Does not translate this line.
Ca; While attending to your duty, be humble and modest. Live in concord with your relatives and clansmen. Let go hatred and forgive malice.
Ch: Humbly carry out your duties with consideration, care and propriety. Live in harmony with your relatives and clansman.
41/ 善人則親近之，助德行於身心。
Ei: When you meet with good men draw near to them that you may improve your own virtue in mind and conduct.
Ca: Those that are good, seek ye for friends; that will help you to practise virtue with body and soul.
Ch: Cultivate friendships with good people, thereby immersing yourself in good influence.
42/惡人則遠避之，杜災殃於眉捷。
Ei: On the other hand, when you meet with bad men keep far away from them that you may remove the causes of calamity from before your eyes.
Ca: Those that are wicked, keep at a distance; it will prevent evil from approaching you.
Ch: Avoid the evil and wicked, thereby ensuring that you will not be pulled into their troubles nor influenced by their misconduct.
43/ 常須隱惡揚善，不可口是心非。
Ei: Always hide the evil and make known the good deeds of others. Let not your mouth affirm that, at the same time, your heart denies.
Ca: Pass in silence over things wicked, but promulgate all that is good.Do not assert with your mouth what your heart denies.
Ch: Refrain from publishing or parroting scandals, arrests or misconduct. Diligently praise the kindness and virtues of others. Refrain from hypocrisy or from speaking what contradicts one's heart in order to manipulate.
44/ 恒記有益之語，罔談非禮之言。[absent in 1869, 1879, 1901]
Ei: Does not translate this line.
Ca: Always have in mind helpful sayings. Do not use improper language.
Ch: Diligently speak words that are kind, helpful and beneficial. Refrain from salacious gossip, abuse, sarcasm, profanity, taunting, libel and slander.
45/ 翦礙道之荊榛，除當途之瓦石。
Ei: Cut off the brambles and thorns that stop the way and remove the broken pieces of earthenware and stones that impede the road.
Ca: Cut the brambles and thorns that obstruct the highway. Remove bricks and stones that lie in the path.
Ch: Clear the roads and paths of broken bricks, rocks, vegetation and obstructions.
46/ 修數百年崎嶇之路，造千萬人來往之橋。
Ei: Repair those roads which have been rough hundreds of years, and build those bridges over which thousands and tens of thousands have to walk.
Ca: Repair the defiles though for many hundred years they have remained unimproved.Build bridges to be traversed by thousands and ten thousands of people.
Ch: Repair ancient roads and build bridges that tens of thousands will cross.
E.W. Repair the hundred-year old craggy roads; Build new bridges, that myriads will cross.
47/ 垂訓以格人非，捐貲以成人美。
Ei: Hand down instruction may correct the errors of men. Give your riches in order to perform what minister to the comfort of others and happiness.
Ca: Expound moral maxims to correct the people's faults. Supply the means to give instruction to people of talent.
Ch: Expound moral teachings to reform others ; help other's carry out good deeds or achieve success in cultivation.
48/ 作事須循天理，出言要順人心。
Ei: Act in accordance with reason (Heaven's reason means; an overruling providence); and address yourself to men's feelings.
Ca: Let your work conform to Heaven's reason, and let your speech express humaneness.
Ch: Anything you do must accord with your conscience, which is actually heavens will. Anything you say must be tactful and polite.
E: Chung inserts the words "Accord with your conscience"
49/ 見先哲於羹牆，慎獨知於衿影。
Ei: Realise sages of old as if they were present in soup and on your wall. Be watchful over those thoughts which only your coverlet or your shadow knows besides yourself.
Ca: Keep the ancient sages before your eyes even when at supper or while looking over the fence.Be mindful when you are alone in the shadow of your coverlet.
Ch: Always keep the ancient Sages and their teachings in mind ; contemplate their virtues at all times.
50/ 諸惡莫作，眾善奉行。
Ei: Do nothing bad, and perform all that is good devotedly.
Ca: Anything evil refrain ye from doing; all good deeds do!
Ch: Refrain from all evil and sincerely do all good.
51/ 永無惡曜加臨，常有吉神擁護。
Ei: If you act thus, surely no unlucky star will descend upon you, on the contrary only good spirits will surround and guard you.
Ca: So will you be released forever from the influence of evil stars, and always be encompassed by good guardian angels.
Ch: If you can do so, neither malevolence nor disaster can affect you while fortune will shadow you and demigods will protect you.
E: [if you do so] No Evil star will loom; ever there will be auspicious gods to protect [you]
52/ 近報則在自己，遠報則在兒孫。
Ei: Thus you will have a nearer recompense falling on yourself; and a more distant recompense falling on your children and grand children.
Ca: Rewards may be immediate, and you will receive them in person, or rewards may be remote, and will devolve upon your posterity.
Ch: <Part 5: conclusion>
If you are old and established, the fortune you accumulate will be experienced by your descendants while your rewards lay in heaven. If you are young and unmarried, you will personally experience bliss in this very life from the good deeds you do.
E: The nearer retribution will come onto you; the further retribution will fall on your children and grandchildren. [Chung adds the words "Old and established" and "if you are young and umarried']
53/ 百福駢臻，千祥雲集。豈不從陰騭中得來者哉！
Ei: All kinds of happiness will settle on you simultaneously and all sorts of lucky omens will gather around you like clouds. Surely, will not all this be attained by him who performs secretly (disinterestedly) these deeds of benevolence?
Ca: Blessings come a hundredfold in loads as if drawn by horses; good fortune is piled up a thousandfold like a mass of clouds. Do not all these things accrue to the heart of the quiet way?
Ch: A hundred types of fortune and thousands of blessings rain down and arrive by the cartloads to those who cultivate virtue and merit with sincerity, modesty and genuine selfless compassion!
*** *** ***
True, all these translations are flawed. However each of their flaws arose for a particular reason. Chung's translation, for instance, is optimised for educational value. So is Carus' translation, albeit to a lesser degree. My own translations of texts-- which tend towards literalness rather than figurativeness, may be condemned by my own children as unreadable nonsense. Indeed, I myself have taken liberties with these texts: Shoring them of their commentary, which their translators thought to include. Nor am I an infallible copyist. Reader, if you see any errors in this collation please inform me of them.
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