天道虧盈而益謙，地道變盈而流謙，鬼神害盈而福謙，人道惡盈而好謙。謙尊而光，卑而不可踰，君子之終也。

It is the way of heaven to diminish the full and augment the humble.  It is the way of earth to overthrow the full and replenish the humble.  Ghosts and gods inflict calamity on the proud and bless the humble.  It is the way of men to abhor the ostentatious and love the humble.  Humble in front of the reverent will make him shine even more brilliantly; modest in front of the inferior will make him unsurpassable, this is how a gentlemen repose himself.

選自《群書治要》之《易經‧謙卦》。

Excerpted from A Compendium of Books on the Essentials of Governing, vol. 1, “Book of Changes, Hexagram of Modesty.”

【譯文】天的運行法則，是減損滿盈者而增益謙卑者，（如同月滿則虧）；地的運行法則，是傾壞滿盈者而流注謙卑者，（如高山會傾塌變成低谷，而深谷會因水流於沙石的沖刷積累而成為丘陵）；

[Translation] It is the way of heaven to diminish the full and augment the humble (as the waning of the full moon).  It is the way of earth to overthrow the full and replenish the humble (as the mountains can collapse and become valleys, and deep gorge due to the flow of sands and stones can accumulate into hills).  

鬼神的行動法則，是加害驕盈者而福佑謙恭者；人之常情是厭惡驕盈者而喜好謙恭者。

The guiding principles of the ghosts and gods are to inflict calamity on the arrogant and bless the humble.  It is human nature to hate the obnoxious and love the humble.  

謙虛的人，尊崇他人，居己之上，而自己亦散發光輝、榮顯於世，卑抑自己以處於別人之下，然而人們卻因為他的道德高尚而卻無法逾越。此君子能始終守謙，從而獲得謙德所帶來的其福佑。 (this explanation did not differentiate the ranks, both are talking about a gentleman at a lower position)

A humble person will respect others and those at a higher position than him, thereby making himself dignified and shine more brilliantly in the world; he will suppress himself when (interacting with people) at a lower position, but people cannot surpass him because of the veneration of his virtue.  This is why a gentleman will abide by humility always, and thus gain the blessings brought by the virtue of humility.

◎謙謙君子，卑以自牧。勞謙君子，萬民服也。

A gentleman is humble in his modesty, humble in his self-discipline.  An accomplished and modest gentleman can prevail upon all the people.

選自《群書治要》之《易經‧謙卦》。

Excerpted from A Compendium of Books on the Essentials of Governing, vol. 1, “Book of Changes, Hexagram of Modesty.”

【譯文】謙虛而嚴以律己的君子，謙卑以自養其德；有功勞而又謙卑的君子，萬民才會對他心悅誠服。

[Translation]  A modest and disciplined gentleman will be humble in order to cultivate his virtue; thus all the people will be sincerely touched and happily convinced by such a meritorious and humble gentleman.