| | 序: |
天降生民，倥侗颛蒙，恣乎情性，聪明不开，训诸理，撰《学行》。 |
| Xu: |
When Tian gives birth to the masses, they are naive and ignorant. They give free reign to their desires and original natures, and their intelligence is undeveloped. To teach them the proper principles, I have written "Learning and Practice." |
| | 序: |
降周迄孔，成于王道，然后诞章乖离，诸子图徽，撰《吾子》。 |
| Xu: |
In the time from the Duke of Zhou down to Confucius, rulers were accomplished in the dao of kingship. Afterwards, the great precepts were abandoned, and the various masters drew emblems for their own banners. Thus, I have written "My Master." |
| | 序: |
事有本真，陈施于意，动不克，咸本诸身，撰《修身》。 |
| Xu: |
Everything has an original essence, but it is unfolded in myriad forms. If one's actions cannot be brought to completion, one must seek the root of the matter in oneself. Thus, I have written "Cultivating the Self." |
| | 序: |
芒芒天道，昔在圣考，过则失中，不及则不至，不可奸罔，撰《问道》。 |
| Xu: |
Vast! Vast is Tian's Dao! In the past the sages completed it. If one goes too far, he loses the mean. If one doesn't go all the way, he doesn't reach the Dao. It cannot be defiled or maligned. Thus, I have written "Asking About the Dao." |
| | 序: |
神心忽恍，经纬万方，事系诸道、德、仁、义、礼，撰《问神》。 |
| Xu: |
Shen (神) and xin (心) are shadowy and indistinct, but they are the warp and woof of the world, and their workings are bound up with the Dao, de, ren, yi, and li. Thus I have written "Asking About Shen." |
| | 序: |
明哲煌煌，旁烛无疆，逊于不虞，以保天命，撰《问明》。 |
| Xu: |
When wisdom is splendid and bright, shining everywhere without limit, one may avoid unforeseen dangers and protect his Heaven-decreed destiny. Thus, I have written "Asking about Seeing Clearly." |
| | 序: |
假言周于天地，赞于神明，幽弘撗广，绝于迩言，撰《寡见》。 |
| Xu: |
Sayings of the past spread throughout Heaven and Earth, serving as an aid to daimonic clarity. Profound and great, vast and broad, they surpass recent sayings. Thus I have written "The Seldom Seen." |
| | 序: |
圣人聪明渊懿，继天测灵，冠乎群伦，经诸范，撰《五百》。 |
| Xu: |
The sage, keenly intelligent and profoundly good, continues the work of Tian and fathoms the divine. Surpassing the common herd, he sets the standard. Thus, I have written "Five Hundred Years." |
| | 序: |
立政鼓众，动化天下，莫尚于中和。中和之发，在于哲民情，撰《先知》。 |
| Xu: |
In establishing government, rousing the multitude, and influencing the world, nothing is superior to the harmony of the mean. The key to implementing the harmony of the mean lies in knowing the people's feelings. Thus, I have written "Foreknowledge." |
| | 序: |
仲尼以来，国君将相，卿士名臣，参差不齐，一概诸圣，撰《重黎》。 |
| Xu: |
Since the time of Confucius, rulers of kingdoms, generals, chancellors, ministers, gentlemen, and famous officials have been variously and non-uniformly judged. I have uniformly judged them by the standards of the sage. Thus, I have written "Zhong and Li." |
| | 序: |
仲尼之后，讫于汉道，德行颜、闵，股肱萧、曹，爰及名将尊卑之条，称述品藻，撰《渊骞》。 |
| Xu: |
From the time of Confucius down to the Dao of the Han, for virtuous conduct there were Yan Yuan and Min Ziqian, and for Han Gaozu's arms and legs there were Xiao He and Cao Shen. Now, for ranking the eminence and lowliness of famous generals, I have examined and evaluated them. Thus, I have written "Yuan and Qian." |
| | 序: |
君子纯终领闻，蠢迪捡押，旁开圣则，撰《君子》。 |
| Xu: |
The junzi is pure to the end and earns a fine reputation. His actions follow standards and norms, and he completely develops the principles of the sage. Thus, I have written "The Junzi." |
| | 序: |
孝莫大于宁亲，宁亲莫大于宁神，宁神莫大于四表之欢心，撰《孝至》。 |
| Xu: |
In terms of filial devotion, nothing is greater than pacifying one's parents. In pacifying one's parents, nothing is greater than pacifying the spirits. In pacifying the spirits, nothing is greater than making the xin of the whole world joyful. Thus I have written "The Ultimate in Filial Devotion." |
