问：「读书所以调摄此心，不可缺的。但读之之时，一种科目[1]意思牵引而来，不知何以免此？」
先生曰：「只要良知真切，虽做举业，不为心累，总[2]有累，亦易觉克之而已。且如读书时，良知知得强记之心不是，即克去之；有欲速之心不是，即克去之；有夸多鬬靡之心不是，即克去之。如此亦只是终日与圣贤印对，是个纯乎天理之心。任他读书，亦只是调摄此心而已，何累之有？」
曰：「虽蒙开示，奈资质庸下，实难免累。窃闻穷通有命，上智之人，恐不屑此。不肖为声利牵缠，甘心为此，徒自苦耳。欲屏弃之，又制于亲，不能舍去，奈何？」
先生曰：「此事归辞于亲者多矣；其实只是无志。志立得时，良知千事万事只是一事。读书作文安能累人？人自累于得失耳！」因叹曰：「此学不明，不知此处担阁[3]了几多英雄汉！」
问：「读书是为了调摄此心，不可缺少。但读的时候，一种科举功名的念头就被牵引而来，不知怎样免除？」
先生说：「只要良知真切，即使做举业，也不成为心的拖累；纵然有累，也容易察觉克除罢了。比如读书时，良知知道强记之心不对，就克去它；有求速之心不对，就克去它；有夸多斗靡之心不对，就克去它。这样，也只是终日与圣贤印证对答，是一颗纯乎天理的心。任凭怎样读书，也只是调摄此心而已，有什么累？」
问：「虽蒙开示，怎奈资质庸下，实在难免拖累。私下听说穷通有命，上智的人恐怕不屑于此。我不肖，被声名利禄牵缠，甘心如此，徒然自苦罢了。想抛弃它，又被双亲所制，不能舍去，怎么办？」
先生说：「这种事归罪于父母的人多了，其实只是没有立志。志立得定，良知千事万事只是一事。读书作文怎能累人？是人自己累于得失罢了！」于是叹道：「此学不明，不知在这里耽误了多少英雄汉！」
Asked: 'Reading is to tune this heart, and cannot be spared; but as I read, thoughts of the examinations trail in — how be rid of them?'
The Master said: 'With innate knowledge true and earnest, even examination work burdens the heart not at all; and should it, the taint is soon felt and mastered. Reading, innate knowledge knows the cramming heart is wrong — cut it; the hasty heart — cut it; the vaunting heart — cut it. So reading is all day checking against the sages — a heart pure in heavenly principle. Whatever the reading, it is only tuning this heart: what burden?'
'Though shown this, my endowments are dull and the burden hard to escape. I have heard fortune is fated, and the highest minds disdain this; unworthy, tangled in fame and gain, I hold to it, tormenting myself for nothing. To cast it off is barred by my parents — what then?'
'Many lay this on their parents; in truth it is only the will unset. With the will set, innate knowledge makes a thousand affairs one affair. How can reading and writing burden a man? Men burden themselves with gain and loss!' And he sighed: 'This learning dark — who knows how many heroes it has shelved at just this point!'
- 科目：科举考试。
- 张本「总」作「纵」。
- 担阁：延误。