Take copper as a mirror, I can tidy up my clothes; take people as a mirror, I will know what I do is right or not; take history as a mirror, I will know how the things rise and fall.【来自网络】
Bronze-made mirror contributes to setting one's dressing right, and predecessor-set mirror benefits understanding gain and loss(success and failure亦可,但前者更文雅), while histroy-based one helps to see through ups and downs(史海沉浮,朝野交替,rise and fall亦可,个人推荐前者,似更通俗)。注:1.铜,铜质、铜制的,古人以铜为材磨镜;本义copper,更专业的(考古)术语为bronze(-based) mirror 2.鉴,镜子3.人,前人,古人