萧惠问死生之道。
先生曰：「知昼夜，即知死生。」
问昼夜之道。
曰：「知昼则知夜。」
曰：「昼亦有所不知乎？」
先生曰：「汝能知昼？懵懵而兴，蠢蠢而食，行不著，习不察，终日昏昏，只是梦昼。惟息有养，瞬有存，此心惺惺明明，天理无一息间断，才是能知昼。这便是天德，便是通乎昼夜之道而知，更有甚么死生？」
萧惠问生死的道理。
先生说：「知道了昼夜，就知道了生死。」
问昼夜的道理。
答：「知道了昼，就知道了夜。」
问：「昼也有不知道的吗？」
先生说：「你能知道昼？懵懵懂懂地起床，糊里糊涂地吃饭，行而不明、习而不察，终日昏昏，只是梦中的白天。只有呼吸之间有存养、瞬目之间有持存，此心惺惺明明，天理没有一刻间断，才是能知昼。这便是天德，便是通乎昼夜之道而知，还有什么生死？」
Xiao Hui asked about the way of life and death.
The Master said: 'Know day and night, and you know life and death.'
He asked the way of day and night.
'Know day and you know night.'
'Day too can be unknown?'
The Master said: 'Do you know day? Muddle-headed you rise, dull you eat; acting without understanding, practicing without awareness, all day in a haze — a daytime dream. Only when each breath is nourished and each blink preserved, the mind wide awake and bright, heavenly principle unbroken for an instant, do you know day. That is Heaven's virtue — comprehending the way of day and night and knowing. What life and death remain?'