“修齐治平”是什么意思？用英文怎么翻译？

不论古今，家国道义从来不会过时。

“修齐治平”“舍生取义”……这些耳熟能详的术语，用英文要如何表述？

双语君将从4个术语出发，在双语释义与英文解说中，带你了解中国传统的家国观。

中英文内容来自中华思想文化术语传播工程核心成果《中华思想文化术语》丛书。

修齐治平

Self-Cultivation, Family Regulation, State Governance, Bringing Peace to All Under Heaven

“修身”“齐家”“治国”“平天下”的缩写。指以个人自身修养为基础逐步向外扩展，先治理好家庭，进而治理好邦国，更进而安抚和治理天下百姓。

Self-cultivation is the starting point of several steps moving outward. The next step is managing family affairs, followed by governing the state. The final step is moving to provide peace and sound governance to all under heaven.

▌引例

古之欲明明德于天下者，先治其国。欲治其国者，先齐其家。欲齐其家者，先修其身。（《礼记·大学》）

The ancients, who wished to promote illustrious virtue under heaven, first had to rule their own states well. Wishing to govern their states well, they first had to manage their fiefdoms well. Wishing to manage their fiefdoms well, they first had to cultivate themselves.

爱国如家

Love the Country as One Loves One's Family

热爱祖国的人都不分彼此，如同一家人，每个人都像爱自己的家一样爱国爱民。

The term means that all those who love their motherland are intimately bound together as if they were from the same family, so they should love their country and its people in the same way they love their families.

爱国是中华民族深厚持久的传统，是中华民族精神的核心，是每一个中国人的坚定信念和精神依靠。

Loving one's country is a profound and enduring tradition of the Chinese nation. It is at the core of the spirit of the Chinese nation, and it is a firm conviction of all Chinese, giving them a shared sense of belonging.

▌引例

烈士之爱国也如家。（葛洪《抱朴子·外篇·广譬》）

A person with noble aspiration loves his country the way he does his family.

苟利国家，不求富贵

Seek to Benefit the Country

Rather than Personal Wealth and Position

只求有利国家，不图个人富贵。这是中国传统政治思想中对于为官理政者的基本要求。

This is a basic requirement of officials in traditional Chinese political philosophy.

其要旨在于提倡那种不谋私利、一心为公、勇于担当、甘于奉献乃至自我牺牲的精神。

Essentially it advocates the spirit of an official who does not abuse power to seek personal benefit, who works wholeheartedly for the public, who never shirks responsibility and is dedicated to service even if it requires self-sacrifice.

▌引例

君得其志，苟利国家，不求富贵。 （《礼记·儒行》）

One should work to help the sovereign ruler in realizing his ideals, doing everything for the benefit of the country, without seeking personal wealth and honor.

舍生取义

Give One's Life to Uphold Righteousness

舍弃生命以保全道义。出自《孟子》。孟子认为，“义”是人之所以为人的本质特征之一，舍“义”而不足以为人。

This belief is advocated by Mencius. He holds that upholding righteousness is an essential attribute of a dignified man, and without it one would lose his moral standing.

生命固然可贵，但生存却并不是人之所以为人的目的或意义。因此，当保全生命与坚守道义发生冲突的时候，人不应背义苟活，而应牺牲生命以捍卫道义。

Life is precious, but survival should not be the only thing that is important in life. When one faces a choice between saving life and upholding righteousness, he should give life to uphold righteousness.

▌引例

生亦我所欲也，义亦我所欲也，二者不可得兼，舍生而取义者也。（《孟子·告子上》）

Both life and righteousness are important to me. However, if I cannot have both, I will give my life so as to uphold righteousness.

中华思想文化术语

《中华思想文化术语（历史 哲学 文艺）》是国务院批准设立的“中华思想文化术语传播工程”的成果之一，以学生和教师等群体为读者对象，为其研读、理解和翻译中华思想文化相关内容提供准确权威、正本清源的参考。

这些术语反映了中国传统文化特征和民族思维方式，体现了中国核心价值，编写者用易于口头表达、交流的简练语言客观准确地予以诠释，目的是在政府机构、社会组织、传播媒体等对外交往活动中，传播好中国声音，讲好中国故事，让世界更多了解中国国情、历史和文化。

来源：中华思想文化术语传播工程