愛自己的同類，愛人類。中國古人認為，愛同類是有知覺或有靈性的動物的基本屬性，作為萬物靈長的人類亦然。人的愛心，首先表現在愛自己的同類上，生而為人，如果愛其他事物而不愛人類，就不能叫有愛心。也即是說，人是人類愛的第一對象，愛人類是人類愛的第一本質，也是人愛其他事物的精神原點。人之為人的基本規定性亦在于此。

The ancient Chinese considered loving others of one's own kind to be part of the fundamental nature of animals with consciousness and intelligence, and this was particularly true of humans, the most advanced of all creatures. Human love is first of all manifested in love for one's own kind. If a human loves other beings but not his or her fellow humans, that is not true love. Thus, human love first of all reaches other human beings, and love for humans is the fundamental nature of human love and also the origin of love for other creatures. So to love other human beings is a defining attribute of human beings.

引例 Citations：

◎仁于他物，不仁于人，不得為仁；不仁于他物，獨仁于人，猶若為仁。仁也者，仁乎其類者也。故仁人之于民也，可以便之，無不行也。（《呂氏春秋·愛類》）

對其他物類仁愛，對人卻不仁愛，不能算有仁愛；對其他物類不仁愛，只對人仁愛，仍算有仁愛。所謂仁愛，是對自己的同類仁愛。所以，有仁德的治國者，只要是對百姓有利的事情，全都去做。

If he loves other things but not his fellow human beings, he is not a man with true love. If he loves human beings but not other things, he is still a man with true love. The love we talk about is love for one's own kind. Therefore, a ruler with love who governs a country will do all the things beneficial to the people. (Master Lyu's Spring and Autumn Annals)

◎遍知萬物而不知人道，不可謂智；遍愛群生而不愛人類，不可謂仁。仁者愛其類也，智者不可惑也。（《淮南子·主術訓》）

遍識天下萬物卻不懂世態人情，不能稱有智慧；遍愛天下生物卻不愛人類，不能稱有仁愛。所謂有仁愛，就是愛自己的同類；所謂有智慧，就是遇事不會疑惑。

If he knows everything in the world, but not human feelings, he is not regarded as an intelligent man. If he loves all the living things in the world but not human beings, he is not regarded as a man with true love. The love that we talk about is to love one's own kind; the intelligence that we have in mind is the ability to see things for what they are. (Huainanzi)

推薦：教育部 國家語委

供稿：北京外國語大學 外語教學與研究出版社

責任編輯：錢耐安