Simple version: 治国先治家，治家先律己. To govern a country, one must first manage the house well; to manage one’s house well, first determine and maintain discipline. Expanded version: 古之欲明明德于天下者；先治其国；欲治其国者，先齐其家；欲齐其家者，先修其身；欲修其身者，先正其心；……心正而后身修，身修而后家齐，家齐而后国治，国治而后天下平。”大意是说：古代那些要使美德彰明于天下的人，要先治理好他的国家；要治理好国家的人，要先整顿好自己的家；要整顿好家的人，要先进行自我修养；要进行自我修养的人，要先端正他的思想……思想端正了，然后自我修养完善；自我修养完善了，然后家庭整顿有序；家庭整顿好了，然后国家安定繁荣；国家安定繁荣了，然后天下平定. The general idea is: People who want to show virtue to the world must first govern their country. Those who want to govern the country must first rectify … More To govern the country, one must govern the family after cultivating one’s self. 治国先治家，治家先律己。