子曰，先进于礼乐，野人也，后进于礼乐，君子也，如用之，则吾从先进。
Modern Chinese Guide
孔子说：先学习礼乐然后再做官的，是未曾受过爵禄的平民；先做了官然后再学习礼乐的，是世家子弟。如果要选用人才，那我主张选用先学礼乐的那一批人。
James Legge Translation
1. The Master said, "The men of former times, in the matters of ceremonies and music were rustics, it is said, while the men of these latter times, in ceremonies and music, are accomplished gentlemen. 2. "If I have occasion to use those things, I follow the men of former times."
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。
- 白话参考底本：《白话论语读本》，张兆瑢、沈元起编译，上海广益书局1948 年新三版。