子曰：「愚而好自用，贱而好自专，生乎今之世，反古之道。如此者，灾及其身者也。」
The Master said, Let a man who is ignorant be fond of using his own judgment; let a man without rank be fond of assuming a directing power to himself; let a man who is living in the present age go back to the ways of antiquity;-on the persons of all who act thus calamities will be sure to come.
非天子，不议礼，不制度，不考文。
To no one but the Son of Heaven does it belong to order ceremonies, to fix the measures, and to determine the written characters.
今天下车同轨，书同文，行同伦。
Now over the kingdom, carriages have all wheels, of the-same size; all writing is with the same characters; and for conduct there are the same rules.
虽有其位，苟无其德，不敢作礼乐焉；虽有其德，苟无其位，亦不敢作礼乐焉。
One may occupy the throne, but if he have not the proper virtue, he may not dare to make ceremonies or music. One may have the virtue, but if he do not occupy the throne, he may not presume to make ceremonies or music.
子曰：「吾说夏礼，杞不足征也；吾学殷礼，有宋存焉；吾学周礼，今用之，吾从周。」
The Master said, "I may describe the ceremonies of the Xia dynasty, but Qi cannot sufficiently attest my words. I have learned the ceremonies of the Yin dynasty, and in Song they still continue. I have learned the ceremonies of Zhou, which are now used, and I follow Zhou."