文质彬彬·每日好词语 | 天行有常

　　天行有常

　　天的运行遵循恒常的规则。古人认为，天的运行遵循着一定的规则。更重要的是，天所呈现出的运行规则具有恒常性，不因人事的变化或人对天的态度而发生改变。因此，天的运行构成了人伦生活的恒常背景，对人与人事发挥着恒常的影响。不过，不同学者对天的规则的具体内容及天与人的关系有着不同的理解。

　　Nature's Ways Are Constant

　　Changes in nature follow constant rules. The ancient Chinese believed that changes in nature followed certain rules. More importantly, the rules or laws governing nature are constant and are not affected by changes in human affairs or humans' attitude towards nature. Therefore, the ways of nature constitute a constant background for human life and exert a constant influence on human beings and their affairs. However, different scholars have different understandings of the specific content of the rules of nature and its relationship with human beings.

　　引例 天行有常，不为尧存，不为桀亡。（《荀子·天论》）（大自然的运行自有其规律，不会因为尧的德政而存在，也不会因为桀的暴虐而消失。）

　　Nature's ways are constant. They did not exist because Yao was on the throne or disappear because Jie was the ruler. (Xunzi)