Recite them with the mouth, and ponder over them in your hearts. Do this in the morning; do this in the evening. Of old, Confucius took Hsiang T'o for his teacher. The inspired men and sages of old studied diligently nevertheless. Chao, President of the Council, studied the Lu text of the Lun Yü. He, when already an official, studied, and moreover with diligence. One opened out rushes and plaited them together; another scraped tablets of bamboo. These men had no books, they knew how to make an effort. One tied his head to the beam above him; another pricked his thigh with an awl. They were not taught, but toiled hard of their own accord. Then we have one who put fireflies in a bag, and again another who used the white glare from snow. Although their families were poor, these men studied unceasingly. Again, there was one who carried fuel, and another who used horns as pegs. Although they toiled with their bodies, they were nevertheless remarkable for their application.