「夫子说『性相近』，即孟子说『性善』，不可专在气质上说。若说气质，如刚与柔对，如何相近得？惟性善则同耳。人生初时善，原是同的。但刚的习于善则为刚善，习于恶则为刚恶；柔的习于善则为柔善，习于恶则为柔恶；便日相远了。」
「夫子说『性相近』，就是孟子说『性善』，不可专在气质上讲。若讲气质，刚与柔相对，怎么能相近？只有性善才是相同的。人初生时善原是相同的；但刚的习于善便为刚善，习于恶便为刚恶；柔的习于善便为柔善，习于恶便为柔恶——便日渐相远了。」
'The Master's natures are near is Mencius's nature is good; it must not be read only of temperament. Temperament is hard set against soft — how near? It is the goodness of nature that is shared. At birth the good is one; but the hard, practiced in good, become hard-good, in evil hard-evil; the soft, soft-good or soft-evil — and daily they draw apart.'