古之教者，教以人伦。后世记诵词章之习起，而先王之教亡。今教童子，惟当以孝、弟、忠、信、礼、义、廉、耻为专务；其栽培涵养之方，则宜诱之歌诗以发其志意，导之习礼以肃其威仪，讽之读书以开其知觉。今人往往以歌诗、习礼为不切时务，此皆末俗庸鄙之见，乌足以知古人立教之意哉？
古时的教育者，教以人伦。后世记诵词章之习兴起，先王之教就亡了。如今教育儿童，只应当以孝、悌、忠、信、礼、义、廉、耻为专务；至于栽培涵养的方法，则宜诱导他们歌诗以发其志意，引导他们习礼以肃其威仪，劝勉他们读书以开其知觉。今人往往认为歌诗习礼不切时务，这都是末世庸陋的见解，哪里懂得古人立教之意呢？
The teachers of old taught human relations. When the later habits of recital and fine writing arose, the teaching of the former kings perished. In teaching children today, the one business must be filial piety, brotherly respect, loyalty, good faith, propriety, rightness, integrity and shame; and for the way of cultivating them, it is fit to draw them into singing the poems to stir their aspiration, lead them to practice ritual to give their bearing gravity, and prompt them to read to open their awareness. People today often call poetry and ritual practice irrelevant to the times — the shallow views of a degenerate age; how could they know the intent of the ancients in founding education?