兩種相對(duì)的生活領(lǐng)域或行事原則?！肮迸c“私”大體上包含著兩個(gè)層面的含義。其一，就生活領(lǐng)域而言，“私”指?jìng)€(gè)人的或個(gè)人所屬群體之內(nèi)的生活領(lǐng)域，“公”則是在“私”的界限之外的公共領(lǐng)域。不同生活領(lǐng)域之中存在著不同的秩序原則，彼此之間往往存在沖突。其二，在行事原則的意義上，“私”是以謀求個(gè)人或個(gè)人所屬群體的利益為根本目標(biāo)的，“公”則是對(duì)自私自利原則的超越，體現(xiàn)著天下的公義。

These refer to two different spheres of life and sets of principles for doing things. As far as the spheres of life is concerned, being "private" refers to the life of an individual or group of individuals. Whereas being "public" refers to the public realm beyond these narrow concerns. There are different principles which govern the different spheres of life, and conflict may arise between the two. When it comes to the principles for doing things, it is in the nature of being "private" to pursue the interest of specific individuals or a particular group of individuals, while being "public" means going beyond the selfish or egoistic for the interest of the wider public.

引例 Citations：

◎公私之分明，則小人不疾賢，而不肖者不妒功。故堯舜之位天下也，非私天下之利也，為天下位天下也，論賢舉能而傳焉，非疏父子親越人也，明于治亂之道也。（《商君書(shū)·修權(quán)》）

公私的界限分明，則小人不嫉妒賢者，不賢良之人不嫉妒有功業(yè)者。因此，堯舜在位統(tǒng)治天下，不是營(yíng)私以取天下之利，而是為了天下之人而治理天下，選舉賢能之人而傳承天子之位，并不是疏離自己的兒子去親近毫不相干的人，而是懂得治亂的道理。

With clear distinction between public and private spheres, a narrow-minded man does not envy one of virtue, and a mean person has no reason to be jealous of a man of great achievement. Thus Yao and Shun as emperors did not take advantage of their positions to seek personal gain but chose to govern for the benefit of the public. Selecting a man of virtue as successor to the throne did not indicate particular estrangement of father from son, in favor of a person of no blood relations, but instead showed wisdom regarding the ways of good governance. (The Book of Lord Shang)

◎己者，人欲之私也；禮者，天理之公也。（朱熹《論語(yǔ)或問(wèn)》）

自身所求，體現(xiàn)著人的欲望的自私；禮的要求，體現(xiàn)著天理的公正。

What a person seeks for his own epitomizes selfish desire; what rite requires represents the justice of heavenly principles. (Zhu Xi: Questions and Answers on The Analects)

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