颜yán渊yuān喟kuì然rán叹tàn曰yuē，仰yǎng之zhī弥mí高gāo，钻zuān之zhī弥mí坚jiān，瞻zhān之zhī在zài前qián，忽hū焉yān在zài后hòu。夫fū子zǐ循xún循xún然rán善shàn诱yòu人rén，博bó我wǒ以yǐ文wén，约yuē我wǒ以yǐ礼lǐ。欲yù罢bà不bù能néng，既jì竭jié吾wú才cái，如rú有yǒu所suǒ立lì卓zhuó尔ěr，虽suī欲yù从cóng之zhī，末mò由yóu也yě已yǐ。

James Legge 英译

1. Yen Yuan, in admiration of the Master's doctrines, sighed and said, "I looked up to them, and they seemed to become more high; I tried to penetrate them, and they seemed to become more firm; I looked at them before me, and suddenly they seemed to be behind. 2. "The Master, by orderly method, skilfully leads men on. He enlarged my mind with learning, and taught me the restraints of propriety. 3. "When I wish to give over the study of his doctrines, I cannot do so, and having exerted all my ability, there seems something to stand right up before me; but though I wish to follow and lay hold of it, I really find no way to do so."

译注：James Legge 公版英译，1893 年原版。

注释

• 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。