《礼记·曲礼上》
道德仁义没有合乎礼的标准的行为就不可能得以成就；教育人民端正，没有礼就不可能完备；论辩争执没有礼的介入，就不可能解决；君臣、上下级、父子、兄弟之间的名分礼遇，没有礼便不能；外出游学拜师，没有礼便不会亲密融洽；排列朝廷上的等级和整治军队，官员到位执法，没有礼就不能树立威严；因事祭祀和日常例行的祭祀、供养神鬼、若没有礼的程式，就不能体现虔诚和庄重。
道德仁义，非礼不成，教训正俗，非礼不备。分争辨讼，非礼不决。君臣上下父子兄弟，非礼不定。宦学事师，非礼不亲。班朝治军，莅官行法，非礼威严不行。祷祠祭祀，供给鬼神，非礼不诚不庄。
Morality and righteousness cannot be achieved without etiquette; the education of the people cannot be complete without etiquette; the debate cannot be resolved without etiquette; the names and courtesies between the monarch and his ministers, superiors and subordinates, fathers and sons, and brothers cannot be done without etiquette; going out to study and visit teachers, without etiquette, will not be intimate and harmonious; arranging the ranks of the imperial court and整治the army, with officials in place to enforce the law, without etiquette, can not establish prestige; because of the sacrifice and daily routine of the sacrifice, if there is no ritual form, it can not reflect piety and solemnity.