孔kǒng子zǐ曰yuē，生shēng而ér知zhī之zhī者zhě，上shàng也yě，学xué而ér知zhī之zhī者zhě，次cì也yě，困kùn而ér学xué之zhī，又yòu其qí次cì也yě。困kùn而ér不bù学xué，民mín斯sī为wéi下xià矣yǐ。

Modern Chinese Guide

孔子说：生来就懂道理的，是上等的人；经过学习才懂道理的，是次一等的人；遇到困惑才去学习的，又次一等；遇到困惑还不肯学习的，这种人就是最下等的了。

James Legge Translation

Confucius said, "Those who are born with the possession of knowledge are the highest class of men. Those who learn, and so, readily, get possession of knowledge, are the next.

Source: James Legge, public domain, 1893.

Notes

底本：Wikisource 整理的 James Legge《The Chinese Classics》公版中英文本（1893–1895）。
简体化：原文由繁体转为简体（OpenCC），与公版英译逐句对应。

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