That which is well embraced is not abandoned. Thus children and grandchildren offer sacrifices, and so sacrifices do not stop. Cultivate it in the self – your De will then be true and real. Cultivate it in the family – its De will then be more than enough. Cultivate it in the village – its De will then last forever. Cultivate it in the nation – its De will then be abundant. Cultivate it in the world – its De will then be everywhere. Therefore : use your self to contemplate the self. Use your family to contemplate the family. Use your village to contemplate the village. Use your nation to contemplate the nation. Use the world to contemplate the world. How do I thus know the world is like this? By means of this. ♦That which is well established is not uprooted. [skillfully] ♦That which is well embraced is not abandoned. [skillfully] Thus children and grandchildren offer sacrifices, [and so] sacrifices do not stop.A ♦Cultivate itB in the self – your De will then be true and real. [his] Cultivate it in the family – its De will then be more than enough. [surplus,excess] ♦Cultivate it in the village – its De will then last forever. Cultivate it in the nation – its De will then be abundant. Cultivate it in the world2 – its De will then be everywhere. Therefore : use [your] self to contemplateC the self. [observe] ♦Use [your] family to contemplate the family. [observe] Use [your] village to contemplate the village. [observe] ♦Use [your] nation to contemplate the nation. [observe] ♦Use the world2 to contemplate the world2. [observe] ♦How do I thus know the world2 is like this ? ♦By means of thisD. Notes A : this line seems to merely be a “for example”; the main point of the first two lines then continues with the “cultivate” lines B : presumably, De; but the original Chinese just says “it”, so you decide! C : while the common meaning of this symbol is “observe” (as used elsewhere), here it is taken to mean to contemplate or meditate upon, with the connotation of examining a concept in order to see things as they really are D : “this” could be referring to contemplating the previous things, or just observing the world in front of you, or to the teachings of the DDJ, or to something else – you decide! Cross-references self : #7, #9, #13, #16, #26, #44, #52, #66