志道问：「荀子云『养心莫善于诚』，先儒非之，何也？」
先生曰：「此亦未可便以为非。诚字有以工夫说者：诚是心之本体，求复其本体，便是思诚的工夫。明道说『以诚敬存之』，亦是此意。《大学》：『欲正其心，先诚其意。』荀子之言固多病，然不可一例吹毛求疵。大凡看人言语，若先有个意见，便有过当处。『为富不仁』之言，孟子有取于阳虎，此便见圣贤大公之心。」
志道问：「荀子说『养心莫善于诚』，先儒非议它，为什么？」
先生说：「这也不能就认为不对。诚字有从功夫上说的：诚是心的本体，求恢复它的本体，便是思诚的功夫。程颢说『以诚敬存之』，也是这个意思。《大学》说『欲正其心，先诚其意』。荀子的话固然多毛病，但不可一概吹毛求疵。大凡看别人的话，若先有个成见，便会有过头的地方。『为富不仁』这话，孟子取自阳虎，由此可见圣贤大公之心。」
Zhidao asked: 'Xunzi said nothing nourishes the mind better than sincerity — why did the earlier scholars censure it?'
The Master said: 'It cannot simply be called wrong. Sincerity can be spoken of as work: sincerity is the mind's substance, and seeking to restore that substance is the work of thinking-sincerity. Cheng Hao's preserving it with sincerity and reverence is the same sense, as is the Great Learning's wishing to rectify the mind, first make the intention sincere. Xunzi's words have many faults, but one must not pick at every hair. Generally, reading others' words with a ready-made opinion beforehand, one goes to excess. For the rich are not humane — Mencius took that saying from Yang Hu: herein see the great impartial heart of the sages.'