文质彬彬·每日好词语｜爱人为大

文字/蒋肖斌 制图/汪琪（实习生）

　　友爱他人、爱护他人最为重要。古人认为，天地之间，人最宝贵，所以“仁者爱人”。将“爱人”由道德情感层面推及国家层面就体现为“爱民”。人民是国家的根本，决定着国家的安危与成败，所以统治者要把爱民、亲民、利民、顺应民心作为治国理政的最高原则。制定政策、法律，确立制度，都以保障人民的利益为出发点和最终目的。它不仅是儒家“仁政”思想的体现，也是法家制定法律、依法治国的重要理念，它彰显了中华民族崇高的人文情怀。

　　Caring for Others Is the Top Priority

　　Being friendly and caring for others is most important. Ancient Chinese believed that human beings are the most precious things in the world, so benevolent people care for others. When it comes to governing a country, a ruler's love for others should be transformed into love for the people. People are the most fundamental components of a state whose stability and security depend on its people. Therefore, a ruler should consider it his top priority to have love for his people, to be considerate to his people, to always make things easier for his people and follow his people's will. Policies should be made in the interest of the people, and so should laws and institutions. This is not only what a benevolent government that Confucianism advocates is all about, it is also the basic concept on which ancient legalists made policies and laws for running a country. It epitomizes Chinese people's humanitarian sentiments.

　　引例1：欲人之爱己也，必先爱人；欲人之从己也，必先从人。（《国语·晋语四》）（想要他人对自己友爱，一定先对他人友爱；想要他人遵从自己，一定先要遵从他人。）

　　If you want others to care about you, you must first care about others; if you want others to comply with you, you must first comply with others. (Discourses on Governance of the States)

　　引例2：君子所以异于人者，以其存心也。君子以仁存心，以礼存心。仁者爱人，有礼者敬人。爱人者人恒爱之，敬人者人恒敬之。（《孟子·离娄下》）（君子之所以不同于一般人，在于心中存有的想法不同。君子心中总是想着仁，想着礼。仁者爱别人，有礼节的人尊敬别人。爱别人的人，别人总也爱他；尊敬别人的人，别人总也尊敬他。）

　　Men of virtue are different from ordinary people because they think differently. They have benevolence and propriety on their mind. Benevolent people care for others, and courteous people show respect for others. Those who care about others can always be cared about by others; those who show respect for others will always be respected by others. (Mencius)

　　引例3：古之为政，爱人为大。（《礼记·哀公问》）（古代的为政之道，以爱民最为重要。）

　　Caring for the people was the most important part of running a country in ancient times. (The Book of Rites)

来源：中国青年报