小朋友！你们应该像莲花，莲花又美，又香洁，人见人爱。它是出淤泥而不染，没有尘埃，不俗气，所以殊贵。在这个人人疯狂、人人颠倒的时代，你若能找到根本，而不去同流合污，也就像莲花那么高贵。
Young friends, you should be like lotus blossoms: beautiful, pure, and fragrant. Everyone likes them. The lotus flower grows out of the mud, but is not stained by the mud. It isn't defiled or common; on the contrary, it is rare and precious. In times like this, when people are mad and confused, if you can discover your roots and not be swept along by the crowd, you'll be as noble and precious as a lotus flower.
你们将来都有机会成为社会国家的栋梁，但先要把枝桠剪去，也就是将不良的习气毛病尽除，这才能成为栋梁之材。若是不雕琢自己，这就和一般俗人一样，这个世界也不会进步。所以，欲想改良这个世界，移风易俗，必要在年轻时代就立下宗旨，并且，还要有“陪衬”，来帮助你向前发展。
You all have the opportunity to become supporting pillars of society and the nation. But first you have to prune the branches, that is, do away with all improper habits, so that you can become a useful person. If you don't refine yourself, you'll be just like ordinary people, and the world will never improve that way. If you want to reform the world and change its negative trends, you have to set guidelines for yourselves when you are young. You will also need support to help you advance along the way.
什么是“陪衬”呢？就是“行住坐卧”四大威仪，都有一定的法则，不可杂乱无章。好像很多学生，走路的时候不是走路，他是在蹦蹦跳跳，东张西望，像猴子一样，这就完全没有威仪啦！所谓“行如风，坐如钟、卧如弓，立如松”。
What provides this support? The Four Modes of Deportment: walking, standing, sitting and reclining. There are set rules for all of these; we cannot go about them in a sloppy manner. Many students don't walk properly; they bounce and leap, peering east and west like monkeys. That shows a lack of deportment. It is said, "Walk like the breeze, sit like a bell, recline like a bow, and stand like a pine."
“行如风”：走路时，有如“轻风徐来，水波不兴。”这个风是轻风，不是暴风、龙卷风，起屋拔树，大家要注意！
"Walk like the breeze": When we walk, we should be like "a soft breeze that makes no ripples on the water." This wind is a soft breeze, not a storm or a whirlwind that blows down houses and uproots trees. We should be careful about this.
“坐如钟”：坐的时候，要像大钟那么稳固，但不要像钟摆，摇来摇去，要坐得很端正，尤其是女孩子，不要把脚晃来晃去。
"Sit like a bell": When we sit, we should be as steady as a big bell. Don't be like the bell clapper, swinging to and fro. You should sit upright and not swing your legs, especially if you are a girl.
“卧如弓”：躺着的时候像一把弓，也有一定的姿态。
"Recline like a bow": When we lie down, our bodies should look like bows; this is the posture for reclining.
“立如松”：站着的时候，如一棵大松树，又高又直，卓然独立，不是像蛇那样子，弯弯曲曲。
"Stand like a pine": When we stand, we should look like great pine trees, tall and straight, singularly outstanding. We shouldn't be bent and curved like snakes.
四大威仪，是日常生活中要注意的仪态。就在学生时代，应该把这些基本学会了。凡事“择善而从，不善而改。”“是道则进，非道则退。”我对你们所说的话，是破斧沈舟，至诚恳切。希望你们好自为之，否则，莫如行尸走肉，酒囊饭袋，对这个世界毫无贡献！
We should pay attention to the Four Modes of Deportments in our daily lives and learn these basic things when we are students. We should always choose to follow good examples and change conduct that is not virtuous. "If it's the Way, advance upon it; if it's not the Way, retreat from it." I tell you all this in utmost sincerity. I hope you will put forth your best effort. Otherwise you will simply be bodies that can walk around and consume food and drink, but that make no contributions to the world.
