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Man’s nature is evil; goodness is the result of conscious activity.

Xunzi

A person is born with feelings of envy and hate. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to violence and crime, and any sense of loyalty and good faith will be abandoned.
XUNZI

Born Envy Faith Feel Given Good Hate Loyalty Person Sense Them Violence Way
The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere.
XUNZI

Attempt Erson Get Nowhere Once Road Travel
Human nature refers to what is in people but which they cannot study or work at achieving.
XUNZI

Achieve Human Nature People Refer Study Work
The coming of honor or disgrace must be a reflection of one’s inner power.
XUNZI

Coming Disgrace Honor Inner Must One Power Reflection
Thus, anybody who follows this nature and gives way its states will be led into quarrels and conflicts, and go against the conventions and rules of society, and will end up a criminal.
XUNZI

Anybody Conflicts Convention Follow Give led Nature Quarrel Rule Society State
If there is no dull and determined effort, there will be no brilliant achievement.
XUNZI

Achievement Brillant Determine Dull Effort
If knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity.
XUNZI

Deep Ease Foresight Knowledge Penetrate Sincerity
Sacrifices are concerned with the feelings of devotion and longing.
XUNZI

Concern Devotion Feel Longing Sacrifice
In antiquity the sage kings recognized that men’s nature is bad and that their tendencies were not being corrected and their lawlessness controlled.
XUNZI

Antiquity Bad Control Correct Lawlessness Nature Sagem Recognize Tendency
I once tried standing up on my toes to see far out in the distance, but I found that I could see much farther by climbing to a high place.
XUNZI

Climb Could Far Farther Found High Once Out Place See Stand Toe Tries
I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study.
XUNZI

Day Entire Found Less Moment Once Study Think Valuable
The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound.
XUNZI

Bound Broken Cause Pilable Right Themselves
If what the heart approves conforms to proper patterns, then even if one’s desires are many, what harm would they be to good order?
XUNZI

Approve Conform Desire Even Good Heat Many Order Pattern Proper
One must remember equality, yet also be aware of difference, for if the people are allowed to act as it pleases them without coming up against displeasure, if one gives rein to its desires without setting [any] limit, it becomes confused and can no longer take delight in anything.
XUNZI

Act Against Aware Come Difference Displeasure.Equality One Must Remember People Allow Please
When a man sees something desirable, he must reflect on the fact that with time it could come to involve what is detestable. When he sees something that is beneficial, he should reflect that sooner or later it, too, could come to involve harm.
XUNZI

Come Desirable Detestable Involve Man Reflect See Something Time
Whether the gentleman is capable or not, he is loved all the same; conversely the petty man is loathed all the same.
XUNZI

Capable Conversely Gentlemen Love Petty Same
The nature of man is evil; what is good in him is artificial.
XUNZI

Artificial Good Man Nature
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
XUNZI

Forget Involve Remember Teach Tell
If the impulse to daring and bravery is too fierce and violent, stay it with guidance and instruction.
XUNZI

Bravery Daring Fierce Guidance Impulsive Instruction Stay Violent
Those whose character is mean and vicious will rouse others to animosity against them.
XUNZI

Against Animosity Character Mean Rouse Vicious
Now it is human nature to want to eat to ones fill when hungry, to want to warm up when cold, to want to rest when tired. These all are a part of people’s emotional nature.
XUNZI

Cold Fill Human Nature Hungry Now One Rest Tired Wantmwam
Human nature is such that people are born with a love of profit If they follow these inclinations, they will struggle and snatch from each other, and inclinations to defer or yield will die.
XUNZI

Born Each Other Human Inclination Nature Ove People Profit Snatch Struggle
If the gentleman has ability, he is magnanimous, generous, tolerant, and straightforward, through which he opens the way to instruct others.
XUNZI

Ability Generous Gentlemen Instruct Open Other Straightforward Toearnt Way
Men of all social stations live together: they are equal in their desires, yet vary in their methods; they are equal in their passions, yet different in their intelligence; that is their nature-given vitality.
XUNZI

Desire Different Equal Intelligence Men Method Pasion Social Station Together Vary
You look upon the seasons with expectation and await them: wy not seize the seasonal opportunities and exploit them?
XUNZI

Expectation Look Opportunity Season Seasonal Seize Upon
The noble person uses things; the lesser man is used by things.
XUNZI

Lesser Man Nobel Person Thing Use
Sacrifice is a state of mind in which our thoughts turn with longing [toward Heaven, the Ancestors], It is the supreme expression of loyalty, love, and respect.
XUNZI

Ancestor Expression Heaven Longing Love Loyalty Mind Respect Sacrifice State Supreme Through

Man’s nature is evil; goodness is the result of conscious activity.

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Man’s nature is evil; goodness is the result of conscious activity.

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