Chapter 2424장
Zhongyong (The Doctrine of the Mean) It begins: "What Heaven decrees is called the nature. Following the nature is called the way. Cultivating the way is called teaching." Of the Four Books it is the one that reaches furthest.
The first half gathers the words of Confucius to say why the mean is so hard — all under heaven can be governed evenly, rank and pay can be declined, a bare blade can be trodden on, and still the mean cannot be done. The second half turns on truth alone, saying that truth is the way of Heaven and making oneself true is the way of man, and it goes at last to standing third beside Heaven and earth.
The saying "where another is able in one try, I make it a hundred; where another is able in ten, I make it a thousand" comes from here too.
其次致曲。曲能友誠。誠則形。形則著。著則明。明則動。動則變。變則化。唯天下至誠爲能化。
Next comes reaching the utmost in one corner. Even one corner can be a friend to truth. Where there is truth, it takes shape. Taking shape, it shows. Showing, it grows bright. Growing bright, it moves. Moving, it turns. Turning, it transforms. Only the utmost truth under heaven can transform.
Interlinear notes 1
友
The base text reads 友 (to befriend). The common editions read 有 (to have), giving "even the partial can hold truth"; the base text is followed here. — Translator