The Analects, The Great Learning
Context: The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the Kingdom, first ordered well their own states. Wishing to order well their states, they first regulated their families. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things.
Things being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, their families were regulated. Their families being regulated, their states were rightly governed. Their states being rightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy.
From the Son of Heaven down to the mass of the people, all must consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything besides.
Jim Carrey: Feedback on Sonic was helpful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87DdXoj_wJs (February 2020)
“No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell.”
“The tree that would grow to heaven must send its roots to hell.”
“All things must come to the soul from its roots, from where it is planted.”
“In everything one must consider the end.”
En toute chose il faut considérer la fin.
Book III (1668), fable 5 (The Fox and the Gnat).
Fables (1668–1679)
http://bleedforaic.wixsite.com/bleed/tripod-english-c13qx, Interview with Request Magazine, February 1996
Song meanings
