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THE ANALECTS OF CONFUCIUS子曰:“君子易事⑴而难说也。说之不以道,不说也;及其使人也,器之。小人难事而易说也。说之虽不以道,说也;及其使人也,求备焉。” It is easy to serve, said the Master, but difficult to please a cultured man, for he will not be pleased but in the right way, and he employs men according to their abilities. It is difficult to serve, but easy to please un uncultured man, for he may be pleased though not in the right way, but he expects the employed equal to everything.【译文】孔子说:“在君子底下工作很容易,讨他的欢喜却难。不用正当的方式去讨他的欢喜,他不会欢喜的;等到他使用人的时候,却衡量各人的才德去分配任务。在小人底下工作很难,讨他的欢喜却容易。用不正当的方式去讨他的欢喜,他会欢喜的;等到他使用人的时候,便会百般挑剔,求全责备。”【注释】⑴易事:《说苑·雅言篇》说:“曾子曰:‘夫子见人之一善而忘其百非,是夫子之易事也。’”这话可以作“君子易事”的一个说明。BETTER ENGLISH希拉克Jacques Chirac请看例句: Former French president Jacques Chirac died on Sept 26, at the age of 86. The former leader was a center-right politician who served as head of state from 1995 to 2007.法国前总统雅克·希拉克9月26日去世,享年86岁。这位中右翼政治家在1995年至2007年间担任法国元首。曾两度出任法国总统(serve two terms as president)的希拉克9月26日去世,他的女婿(son-in-law)透露,希拉克在亲人的陪伴下安详地离世。希拉克被视为法国正统戴高乐主义的最后一位代表人物,他是首位承认法国在犹太人大屠杀中所扮演角色的领导人(he was the first leader to acknowledge France's role in the Holocaust) ,2003年他强烈反对美国发起的伊拉克战争(oppose the US-led war in Iraq) 。法国官方于9月30日全国哀悼前总统希拉克。法国总统马克龙盛赞希拉克是一位伟人,是法国精神的体现。法国前总统萨科齐称赞希拉克是一位导师(mentor), "在我们的独立问题上以及在对欧洲的坚定承诺方面,他从未作出过任何让步(never gave an inch on our independence, nor on his deep commitment to Europe)"。英国首相约翰逊称赞希拉克是"一位塑造了国家命运的强大政治领袖(a formidable political leader who shaped the destiny of his nation)" 。欧盟委员会主席容克对希拉克去世感到"痛心和震惊(moved and devastated)" 。希拉克是一位让中国人倍感熟悉和亲切的法国政治家。他对中国历史和文化情有独钟(he was passionate about Chinese history and culture) 。1978年访问西安时,他对秦始皇兵马俑 (Terracotta Warriors)大加赞赏,称"这是世界第八大奇迹"。鉴赏研究中国古代青铜器(ancient Chinese bronzeware)是他的终身爱好,甚至达到痴迷的程度。他还喜欢唐诗,能背诵李白和杜甫的一些诗篇。在担任法国总统期间,希拉克多次访华,中法关系得到长足发展。有评论指出,希拉克对中法关系的发展留下了深刻印迹,造就了两国关系的黄金十年。相关词汇标志性人物 iconic figure有远见的政治家a far-sighted statesman务实的政治才能 pragmatic statesmanship