【原文】
子曰：〝苗而不秀者有矣夫！秀而不实者有矣夫！〞
【參考譯文】
孔子说：〝有的人就像一些庄稼苗一样，虽发牙却不扬花，有的虽扬花却不结实。〞
【English Translation】
Confucius said: "Some seedlings spring up but never flower while others flower but do not bear fruit. "
Note: These images allude to the problem of giving up halfway.