An Exhortation to Learning - Hsun Tzu 勸學 - 荀子 An excerpt and my translation on the fly. 積土成山, Accumulation of earth and turning into a mountain, 風雨興焉, Will the wind and rain arise from there. 積水成淵, Accumulation of droplets and turning into deep pools 蛟龍生焉, Will dragons live there. 積善成德, Accumulation of good deeds will become virtue, 神明自得, Enlightenment will then issued forth within oneself, 聖心備焉, and sagacity is reached. 故不積蹞步, This is why without accumulation of half and full steps, 無以至千里. Whence forth a thousand mile journey be had? 不積小流, No accumulation of rivulets, 無以成江海. Whence great oceans be formed? 騏驥一躍, One leap from a superior horse, 不能十步. leads to no further than ten paces. 駑馬十架, A ten carriage of nag, 功在不舍. will succeed from their unrelentingness. 鍥而舍之, Without resolve in carving, 朽木不折, even a rotten piece of wood cannot be cut. 鍥而不舍, Chiselling in resolve, 金石可鏤, even gold and stones will be dented. 螾無爪牙之利, Earthworms have no advantage of claws and fangs, 筋骨之強, nor strength in its sinews and bones 上食埃土, and yet earth is eaten away from the top and 下食黃泉, water from hell's pools be drunk. 用心一也. This is because of resolve. 蟹有八跪而二螯, The crab has eight legs and two claws, 非蛇蟺之穴, if not for snake burrowings, 無可寄托者, there is nothing for it to rely upon [as its home] 用心躁也. This is because there is no patience [of the crab] 是故無冥冥之志者, Thus, if there is no obscurity in ambition 無昭昭之明, then no illustrious achievement be made. 無惛惛之事者, If there is no confusion in your work, 無赫赫之功. no glorious success be born. 行衢道者不至, Going two directions at the crossword, leads you to nowhere. 事兩君者不容. Serving two masters, tolerance from neither. 目不兩視而明, Eyeing at two directions at once, seeing nothing. 耳不聽而聰, Listening to two things at once, understanding nothing. 螣蛇無足而飛, The dragon snake has no limb and yet it flies. 梧鼠五技而窮. Even the five talents of flying squirrels are exhausted to no use.