荀子•性恶（节选）
Man Is Evil by Nature
[战国]荀子
By Hsun Tzu
人之性恶，其善者伪也。今人之性，生而有好利焉，顺是，故争夺生而辞让亡焉;生而有疾恶焉，顺是，故残贼生而忠信亡焉，生而有耳目之欲，有好声色焉，顺是， 故淫乱生而礼义文理亡焉。然则从人之性，顺人之情，必出于争夺t合于犯分乱理 而归于晷，故必将有师法之化，礼义之道，然后出于辞让，合于文理，而归于治。用此观之，然则人之性恶明矣，其善者伪之。
The nature of man is evil —his goodness is only acquired by training. The orginal nature of m.in today is to seek for gain.If this desire is followed, strife and rapacity result and courtesy dies.Man originally is envious and naturally hates others.If these tendencies are followed, injury and destruction result. Loyalty and faithfulness are destroyed.Man originally possessed the desires of the ear and the eye; he likes praise and is lustful.If the.se are followed, impurity and disorder resuit, and the rules of proper conduct, justice and refined culture are done away with.Therefore to give rein to man's original nature, to follow manTs feelings, inevitably results in strife and rapacity, together with violations of good cuscoms and confusion in the proper way of doing things: there is reversion to a state of violence.Hence the civilizing influence of teachers and laws, the guidance of the rites and justice, is absolutely necessary.Thereupon courtesy appears, cultured behaviour is observed, and good government is the consequence.By this line of argument ii is evident that the nature of man is evil and his goodness is acquired.