《菜根谭》(文章恰好、人品本然)
文章做到极处,无有他奇,只是恰好;人品做到极处,无有他异,只是本然。
When a piece of writing reaches the acme of perfection, it is not because it contains some miraculous ingredient, but because it is written in exactly the right way. When a man refines his moral character to the point of perfection, he does so not with the aid of any magic formula, but by letting his pure inborn nature shine forth.
(保罗·怀特 译)
When a piece of writing is made to have reached the acme of perfection, what counts is not how peculiar its style appears but the right way in which it is expressed and the right extent it has attained. When a man has refined his moral standing to the loftiest realm, what deserves to be admired is not how outstanding he behaves but how exactly he acts in accord with his pure and honest inborn nature.
(周文标 译)
An excellent text is nothing particular but just appropriate. An excellent personality is nothing special but just natural.
(李兆良 译)
The acme of good writing is nothing special: it is only being just right; the acme of good character is nothing unusual: it is only being one’s natural self.
(蒋坚松 译)
An essay wrought to perfection is not so remarkable as it is simply just right. Human character brought to perfection is not so unusual as it is simply innate.
(Robert Aitken & Daniel W. Y. Kwok 译)