77. Respecting the Elderly, the Virtuous, and the Able
七七、尊老敬賢
1 Respecting the elderly is a Chinese tradition, and has been for thousands of years. This is about learning how to conduct ourselves and how to become decent people. We have a number of elderly in every Hall and Chapel. When you bring persons of affinity to the Church, many of them are already elderly. They want to become a part of the Church. You cannot prefer young ones and deny the elderly. That is not possible.
1 尊老，是中國人幾千年來的傳統，說的重點就是學習做人。我們每一個教院裡面都有年老的同奮。你到社會上去引度原人時，會遇到很多是年老的。他要來參與，你不能說只要年輕的，不要老的。這是不可能的啊！
2 Respect your elders, because one day you will become old as well. Treat them as you would treat your own parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts. This is the principle of conducting one’s self and being a decent person.
2 要尊重老人，因為你自己也要老的。你看到比你老的人就要當他們是自己的父母親，自己的爺爺奶奶、伯伯嬸嬸一樣，這就是做人的道理。
3 As for the other aspect, it is also necessary to respect all able and virtuous persons. What are the criteria to account for someone to being an “able and virtuous” person? If he is more knowledgeable than I am, his virtues are higher than mine, his self- cultivation is deeper than mine, he is deemed an able and virtuous person. I must show my respect to him. I have to learn from him.
3 另一方面是敬賢。什麼樣才算賢？他的學識比我好，道德比我高，修養比我深，就是賢。我要敬重他，我要向他學習啊！
The Anthro-Celestial Research College, the Anthro-Celestial Cultivation College, October 5, 1993
天人研究學院、天人修道學院－民國八十二年十月五日