Original Text:
颜渊死颜路请子之车以为之椁子曰才不才亦各言其子也鲤也死有棺而无椁吾不徒行以为之椁以吾从大夫之后不可徒行也
Translation:
Other Translations:
When Yan Hui died, Yan Lu, his father, requested the Master’s carriage, so that it could be used for Yan Hui’s coffin enclosure.
The Master replied, “Everyone recognizes his own son, whether he is talented or not. When Bo Yu, my own son, passed away, he had a coffin, but no enclosure. I did not go on foot in order to provide him with an enclosure. Having held rank below the ministers, it is not permissible for me to go on foot.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
When Yan Yuan died, [his father] Yan Lu asked the Master if he would sell his carriage in order to provide money for an outer coffin.
The Master said, Whether the sons are talented or untalented, each man speaks up for his own. But when [my son] Li died, I provided an inner coffin but no outer coffin. I follow the high officials—it would not be right for me to go on foot.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.