宋濂年轻时非常喜爱读书，常常在家中闭门苦读。然而，他深知学习不仅仅是在书斋中完成，还需要与人交流切磋，才能有所进步。因此，尽管生活清贫，他依然愿意邀请朋友来家中品茶论道。
有一次，宋濂约了一位好友到家中饮酒谈心。那天，他特意准备了几样简单的菜肴和一壶自家酿制的米酒。两人围坐在简陋的小桌旁，一边品尝美酒，一边畅谈古今文章之道。
这位朋友对宋濂的学问十分钦佩，但也有几分疑惑：“先生学问渊博，为何还要如此刻苦钻研？难道仅仅是为了科举功名吗？”宋濂听后微微一笑，缓缓说道：“我读书并非仅为功名利禄，而是希望以古圣先贤的思想为镜，提升自己的德行修养，同时也能将这些智慧传递给更多的人。”
席间，他们还讨论了许多经典著作。宋濂提到《论语》中的“学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆”，认为这不仅是学习的方法，更是生活的态度。他强调，只有将所学知识与实际生活相结合，才能真正理解其中的道理，并将其运用到实践中去。
这次聚会虽然简单，却让宋濂更加坚定了自己的信念——学问之路永无止境，唯有不断求索才能有所收获。而那位朋友也深受感染，在告别时承诺会更加努力地追求真知。
多年以后，当宋濂成为一代大儒时，人们才明白，正是这种谦逊好学的精神，以及对知识的执着追求，成就了他的非凡人生。
翻译：
Song Lian once invited a friend to his home for a drink. On that day, he prepared several simple dishes and a pot of homemade rice wine. The two sat around a small table, sipping the wine while discussing ancient literary theories.
The friend admired Song Lian's extensive knowledge but also had some doubts: "Master, you are so well-versed in literature. Why do you still study so diligently? Is it just for the imperial examinations?" Song Lian smiled slightly and replied gently: "I read not just for fame or fortune, but to use the wisdom of the ancients as a mirror to improve my own moral cultivation, and at the same time, share this knowledge with others."
During their conversation, they discussed many classic works. Song Lian mentioned Confucius' saying from The Analects: "Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous." He believed this was not only a method of learning but also an attitude towards life. He emphasized that only by integrating what one has learned into daily practice can one truly understand its essence and apply it effectively.
This gathering, though simple, strengthened Song Lian's belief that the path of scholarship knows no end, and only through continuous exploration can one achieve anything. The friend was deeply moved and promised to work harder to seek true knowledge.
Years later, when Song Lian became a renowned scholar, people realized it was his modesty and eagerness to learn, along with his relentless pursuit of knowledge, that made him extraordinary.
