gǔ古zhī之xué学zhě者bì必yǒu有shī师。shī师zhě者,suǒ所yǐ以chuán传dào道shòu受yè业jiě解huò惑yě也。rén人fēi非shēng生ér而zhī知zhī之zhě者,shú孰néng能wú无huò惑?huò惑ér而bù不cóng从shī师,qí其wèi为huò惑yě也,zhōng终bù不jiě解yǐ矣。shēng生hū乎wú吾qián前,qí其wén闻dào道yě也gù固xiān先hū乎wú吾,wú吾cóng从ér而shī师zhī之;shēng生hū乎wú吾hòu后,qí其wén闻dào道yě也yì亦xiān先hū乎wú吾,wú吾cóng从ér而shī师zhī之。wú吾shī师dào道yě也,fū夫yōng庸zhī知qí其nián年zhī之xiān先hòu后shēng生yú于wú吾hū乎?shì是gù故wú无guì贵wú无jiàn贱,wú无cháng长wú无shǎo少,dào道zhī之suǒ所cún存,shī师zhī之suǒ所cún存yě也。
jiē嗟hū乎!shī师dào道zhī之bù不chuán传yě也jiǔ久yǐ矣!yù欲rén人zhī之wú无huò惑yě也nán难yǐ矣!gǔ古zhī之shèng圣rén人,qí其chū出rén人yě也yuǎn远yǐ矣,yóu犹qiě且cóng从shī师ér而wèn问yān焉;jīn今zhī之zhòng众rén人,qí其xià下shèng圣rén人yě也yì亦yuǎn远yǐ矣,ér而chǐ耻xué学yú于shī师。shì是gù故shèng圣yì益shèng圣,yú愚yì益yú愚。shèng圣rén人zhī之suǒ所yǐ以wéi为shèng圣,yú愚rén人zhī之suǒ所yǐ以wéi为yú愚,qí其jiē皆chū出yú于cǐ此hū乎?ài爱qí其zǐ子,zé择shī师ér而jiào教zhī之;yú于qí其shēn身yě也,zé则chǐ耻shī师yān焉,huò惑yǐ矣。bǐ彼tóng童zǐ子zhī之shī师,shòu授zhī之shū书ér而xí习qí其jù句dòu读zhě者,fēi非wú吾suǒ所wèi谓chuán传qí其dào道jiě解qí其huò惑zhě者yě也。jù句dòu读zhī之bù不zhī知,huò惑zhī之bù不jiě解,huò或shī师yān焉,huò或bù不yān焉,xiǎo小xué学ér而dà大yí遗,wú吾wèi未jiàn见qí其míng明yě也。wū巫yī医yuè乐shī师bǎi百gōng工zhī之rén人,bù不chǐ耻xiāng相shī师。shì士dà大fū夫zhī之zú族,yuē曰shī师yuē曰dì弟zǐ子yún云zhě者,zé则qún群jù聚ér而xiào笑zhī之。wèn问zhī之,zé则yuē曰:“bǐ彼yǔ与bǐ彼nián年xiāng相ruò若yě也,dào道xiāng相sì似yě也。wèi位bēi卑zé则zú足xiū羞,guān官shèng盛zé则jìn近yú谀。”wū呜hū呼!shī师dào道zhī之bú不fù复kě可zhī知yǐ矣。wū巫yī医yuè乐shī师bǎi百gōng工zhī之rén人,jūn君zǐ子bù不chǐ齿,jīn今qí其zhì智nǎi乃fǎn反bù不néng能jí及,qí其kě可guài怪yě也yú欤!
shèng圣rén人wú无cháng常shī师。kǒng孔zǐ子shī师tán郯zǐ子、cháng苌hóng弘、shī师xiāng襄、lǎo老dān聃。tán郯zǐ子zhī之tú徒,qí其xián贤bù不jí及kǒng孔zǐ子。kǒng孔zǐ子yuē曰:sān三rén人xíng行,zé则bì必yǒu有wǒ我shī师。shì是gù故dì弟zǐ子bú不bì必bù不rú如shī师,shī师bú不bì必xián贤yú于dì弟zǐ子,wén闻dào道yǒu有xiān先hòu后,shù术yè业yǒu有zhuān专gōng攻,rú如shì是ér而yǐ已。
lǐ李shì氏zǐ子pán蟠,nián年shí十qī七,hǎo好gǔ古wén文,liù六yì艺jīng经zhuàn传jiē皆tōng通xí习zhī之,bù不jū拘yú于shí时,xué学yú于yú余。yú余jiā嘉qí其néng能xíng行gǔ古dào道,zuò作shī师shuō说yǐ以yí贻zhī之。