多言無益
Uselessness of Many Words
[^the] 3[of] ^many 4^words 2without (~less[ness]) 1advantage (^use)
或問墨子曰。
Someone asked Mo-tzu,
someone ask[ed] a_surname-philosopher (Mo\-tzu), speak[:saying],
言以多爲貴乎。
"Is it from quantity that words become precious?"
[^do] words 2through 3quantity become 1precious interrogative_particle (~\?)
墨子曰。蝦蟆日夜鳴。而人厭之。
Mo-tzu said, "Frogs croak day and night, yet men loathe them.
a_surname-philosopher (Mo\-tzu) speak[:said], "frog-frog ([~]^frog[s]) 2day [and] 3night 1cry[:croak], yet men loathe them.
雄鷄一鳴。天下振動。
(But when) the cock crows (only) once, every thing (lit. under the sky) comes into motion.
[^but when the] male_of_birds-fowl (cock) 2[only] once 1cry[:crows], sky-under (everything) excite-move (come[s]_into_motion).
言在當時。而已。
It is important to speak at the proper time, and that is all.
^words rely [on the] proper-time (proper_time), [and] and-finished (that_is_all).
多言何。
What is the good of talking much?"
3much 2words[:talking] 1^what [is the good of]?"