英文把天命翻译为Decree of Heaven，再译为中文是天堂的意旨。这天堂一字，显然是有误导性。这里的天并不是指上帝居住的地方，而是命运，就是那些我们完全无法控制的东西。孟子所说‘若夫成功，则天也’中的天，就是这个意思吧。
什么是命呢？子曰：‘道之将行也与，命也；道之将废也与，命也。’对孔子而言，这就是天命，或者说是一种宇宙中果断的力量。
我们需要天命的协助，才能办好事。可是，这种协助完全不是我们所能左右的。我们所能做的，就是尽力而为，不计成败。行为的价值在过程，而不是成果。所以孔子说：‘不怨天，不尤人，下学而上达，知我者其天乎。’
这样的行为就是知命。对孔子来说，知命对君子很重要，所谓‘不知命，无以为君子也。不知礼，无以立也。不知言，无以知人也。’
于丹教授的解说：知命，知礼，知言三个境界，其实与人生的成长是相反的。我们是最先知言，在与人语言和读书中，了解这个社会，进而做到知人。知道他人如何，但知人后并不担保你不尤人，你也会抱怨别人。这是因为每个人都是尺有所短，寸有所长，长短之间，就会出现磕磕碰碰。下一个层次是知礼节，能够充分尊重别人。知礼以后，人就能做到立了。也就是说，人自我建立以后，这种抱怨就会少得多。更高的一个层次是知天命。这个知天命就是建立一个自循环的系统。他内心会有一种淡定的力量去对抗外界。
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什么是命呢？子曰：‘道之将行也与，命也；道之将废也与，命也。’对孔子而言，这就是天命，或者说是一种宇宙中果断的力量。
我们需要天命的协助，才能办好事。可是，这种协助完全不是我们所能左右的。我们所能做的，就是尽力而为，不计成败。行为的价值在过程，而不是成果。所以孔子说：‘不怨天，不尤人，下学而上达，知我者其天乎。’
这样的行为就是知命。对孔子来说，知命对君子很重要，所谓‘不知命，无以为君子也。不知礼，无以立也。不知言，无以知人也。’
于丹教授的解说：知命，知礼，知言三个境界，其实与人生的成长是相反的。我们是最先知言，在与人语言和读书中，了解这个社会，进而做到知人。知道他人如何，但知人后并不担保你不尤人，你也会抱怨别人。这是因为每个人都是尺有所短，寸有所长，长短之间，就会出现磕磕碰碰。下一个层次是知礼节，能够充分尊重别人。知礼以后，人就能做到立了。也就是说，人自我建立以后，这种抱怨就会少得多。更高的一个层次是知天命。这个知天命就是建立一个自循环的系统。他内心会有一种淡定的力量去对抗外界。
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Confucius said: At fifty, I knew the Decree of Heaven.
The Chinese term for Decree of Heaven is Tian Ming, or just Ming. Western readers should be careful not to interpret the word Heaven as a place or state of existence of the blessed after the mortal life. The Chinese word Tian can also be used to mean Fate, a term applied to all those events in human life over which man himself has no control. This is the Tian Mencius referred to when he said: "As to the accomplishment of a great deed, that is with Tian".
What is Ming? Confucius said: ‘If my principles are to prevail in the world, it is Ming. If they are to fall to the ground, it is also Ming.” To Confucius, Ming meant the Decree of Heaven, or a purposeful force of the universe.
For the success of our activity, we need the cooperation of Ming, or the decree of heaven. However, this cooperation is totally beyond our control. The best thing for us to do is therefore simply to try to carry out what we know we ought to carry out, without caring whether in the process we succeed or fail. The value of doing what we need to do lies in the doing itself, and not in the result. That’s why Confucius also said: 'I do not murmur against Heaven. I do not grumble against men. My studies lie low, and my penetration rises high. But there is Heaven that knows me!'
To act in this way is to know Ming. To know Ming is important requirement for being a superior man in the Confucian sense of the term, so that Confucius said: “He who does not know Ming cannot be a superior man.”
The Chinese term for Decree of Heaven is Tian Ming, or just Ming. Western readers should be careful not to interpret the word Heaven as a place or state of existence of the blessed after the mortal life. The Chinese word Tian can also be used to mean Fate, a term applied to all those events in human life over which man himself has no control. This is the Tian Mencius referred to when he said: "As to the accomplishment of a great deed, that is with Tian".
What is Ming? Confucius said: ‘If my principles are to prevail in the world, it is Ming. If they are to fall to the ground, it is also Ming.” To Confucius, Ming meant the Decree of Heaven, or a purposeful force of the universe.
For the success of our activity, we need the cooperation of Ming, or the decree of heaven. However, this cooperation is totally beyond our control. The best thing for us to do is therefore simply to try to carry out what we know we ought to carry out, without caring whether in the process we succeed or fail. The value of doing what we need to do lies in the doing itself, and not in the result. That’s why Confucius also said: 'I do not murmur against Heaven. I do not grumble against men. My studies lie low, and my penetration rises high. But there is Heaven that knows me!'
To act in this way is to know Ming. To know Ming is important requirement for being a superior man in the Confucian sense of the term, so that Confucius said: “He who does not know Ming cannot be a superior man.”
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