公孙龙子•名实论
Discourse on Name and Actuality
[战国]公孙龙
By Gongsun Long
天地与其所产焉。物也。物以物其物而不过焉，实也。实以实其实而不旷焉，位也。出其所位非位，位其所位焉，正也。
Heaven and earth, together with what they produce, are things. Each thing is actualized in its substantial bein^ without exceeding its limits; thiy is known as actuality.Actuality is localized in Us being there without falling short; this is known as location.
以其所正，正其所不正；不以其所不正，疑其所正。其正者，正其所实也；正其所实者，正其名也。
Once a translocation occurs, actuality falls out of its regular place. And only when it remains in its regular place, is it proper]y located.Anything subject to rectification of location must be relocated when it is not properly located. Never should it be so fixed in its improper location that it remains where it does not belong Thus to rectify its location means to rectify that whidi designates its actuality, and to rectify that which designates its actuality means to rectify its name.
其名正，则唯乎其彼此焉。谓彼而彼不唯乎彼，则彼谓不行；谓此而此不唯乎此，则此谓不行。其以当，不当也！不当而当，乱也。
Once names arc rectified, differentiations can rightly be made between one thing and the other.Yet when one calls "this" but "this" does not correspond to it, then this name cannot be established. When one calls that "that", but "that" does not correspond to it, ihen that name can not be established either. For if the name one thinks is acceptable is not proper, and if what js not pmper is taken for the proper, this simply causes confusion.
故彼彼室乎彼，则唯乎彼，其谓行彼；此此当乎此，则唯乎此，其谓行此。其以当而当也；以当而当，正也。
Therefore, when this name is used to refer to this, it must be proper and correspond to it so as to make itself an acceptable name. When that name is used to refer to that, it too must be proper and correspond to it so as to make itself an acceptable name.Why? Because things so named are properly conceived, and only when they are properly concejved are they rectified by name.
故彼彼止于彼，此此止于此，可。彼此而彼iL此，此彼而此且彼，不可。
It follows that is specific to this and is specific to that, which can be done in the sense that things bear their correct names. But when "this" refers to that or both this and that, und "that" refers to this or both that and tills, it can not be done, for things bear wrong names.
夫名实，谓也。知此之非此也，知此之不在此也，则不谓也。知彼之非彼也， 知彼之不在彼也，则不谓也。
Name und actuality, therefore, are to be related in such a way that everything is properly called according to what it really is.When one knows that this turns nut to be something else rather than this, or that no longer stands fast where it should belong, then one simply can not call this And when one knows that that turns out to be something else rather than that, or that no longer stands fast where ii should belong, then one simply can not call that “thai” either.
至矣哉！ 古之明王。审其名实'慎其所谓，至矣哉！古之明王。
Great were those kings of old who examined names with reference to actualities and who were earnest in naming things according to whtii they actually arc. How great and wise those kings were!