What is meant by “making one’s intentions sincere” is not deceiving oneself. It is like hating a foul odor or loving a beautiful color – this is what is called self-satisfaction (or inner authenticity). Therefore, the gentleman must be especially vigilant when alone.
The petty person, when alone and idle, engages in wrongdoing without restraint. Yet upon encountering a gentleman, he tries to hide his faults and display only his virtues, appearing ashamed and uneasy. But others see him as clearly as if they could view his lungs and liver – what good does such pretense do?
This illustrates the principle that sincerity within manifests outwardly. Hence, the gentleman must be vigilant in solitude.
Zengzi said: “As if ten eyes were watching you, ten hands pointing at you – how awe-inspiring that is!”
Wealth adorns the house, but virtue adorns the person. With a broad mind, the body becomes calm and at ease. Therefore, the gentleman must make his intentions truly sincere.
所謂誠其意者，毋自欺也，如惡惡臭，如好好色，此之謂自謙，故君子必慎其獨也！小人閑居為不善，無所不至，見君子而後厭然，掩其不善，而著其善。人之視己，如見其肺肝然，則何益矣！此謂誠於中，形於外，故君子必慎其獨也。曾子曰：「十目所視，十手所指，其嚴乎！」富潤屋，德潤身，心廣體胖，故君子必誠其意。
Note
This passage centers on “sincerity of intention”, a crucial step among the Eight Steps of The Great Learning, emphasizing that the essence of moral cultivation lies in inner authenticity and freedom from self-deception.
The similes “hating a foul odor” and “loving a beautiful color” illustrate how moral responses should arise spontaneously and genuinely from within, just as natural emotional reactions – free from pretense or calculation. Confucianism holds that true virtue is not performative behavior for others’ approval but an authentic expression of one’s inner state.
“Vigilance in solitude” – maintaining moral integrity even when no one is watching – is thus the ultimate test of genuine sincerity. The text contrasts the “gentleman” with the “petty person”: the latter indulges in wrongdoing when alone but attempts to conceal faults and feign virtue in the presence of others. Yet such hypocrisy is futile, because “what is sincere within inevitably manifests outwardly.” Inner dispositions cannot be fully hidden; they reveal themselves through demeanor and conduct. Zengzi’s warning – “as if ten eyes were watching, ten hands pointing” – heightens the sense of moral accountability, suggesting that even in solitude one should act as if under public scrutiny.
Finally, the saying “wealth adorns the house, but virtue adorns the person” underscores a core Confucian value: material wealth may beautify external surroundings, but only moral character nurtures the self, leading to inner spaciousness and bodily ease (“a broad mind, a calm and comfortable body”). This passage powerfully conveys the Confucian ethical ideal: prioritize inner truthfulness, reject hypocrisy, and cultivate unwavering integrity – even when no one is watching.
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