hsiang, at nine years of age,
could warm his parent's bed.
filial piety towards parents,
is that to which we should hold fast.
香九龄 能温席 孝於亲 所当执
Kong rong, at four years of age,
could yield the (bigger) pears.
to behave as a younger brother towards elders,
is one of the first things to know.
融四岁 能让梨 弟於长 宜先知
begin with filial piety and fraternal love,
and then see and hear .
learn to count,
and learn to read.
首孝弟 次见闻 知某数 识某文
units and tens,
then tens and hundreds,
hundreds and thousands,
thousands and then tens of thousands.
一而十 十而百 百而千 千而万
the three forces,
are heaven, earth and man.
the three luminaries,
are the sun, the moon and the stars.
三才者 天地人 三光者 日月星
the three bonds,
are the obligation between sovereign and subject,
the love between father and child,
the harmony between husband and wife.
三纲者 君臣义 父子亲 夫妇顺