「自『格物』、『致知』至『平天下』，只是一个『明明德』，虽『亲民』亦『明德』事也。『明德』是此心之德，即是仁。仁者以天地万物为一体，使有一物失所，便是吾仁有未尽处。」
「从『格物』『致知』直到『平天下』，只是一个『明明德』，即使『亲民』也是『明德』范围内的事。『明德』是此心之德，就是仁。仁者以天地万物为一体，只要有一物不得其所，便是我心里的仁还有未尽之处。」
'From investigating things and extending knowledge to giving peace to all under heaven, there is only the one work of brightening bright virtue — even loving the people belongs to it. Bright virtue is this mind's virtue, which is humaneness. The humane take heaven, earth and the ten thousand things as one body: should a single thing miss its place, my humaneness has somewhere fallen short.'