Original Text:
子张问十世可知也子曰殷因于夏礼所损益可知也周因于殷礼所损益可知也其或继周者虽百世可知也
Translation:
Other Translations:
Zizhang asked, “Can we know what it will be like ten generations from now?”
The Master responded. “The Yin followed the rituals of the Xia., altering them only in ways that we know. The Zhou followed the rituals of the Yin, altering them only in ways that we know. If some dynasty succeeds the Zhou, we can know what it will be like even a hundred generations from now.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zizhang questioned the Master, saying, Can we know how things will be ten generations from now?
The Master said, Yin followed the rites of Xia, and we know in what ways it added to or subtracted from them. Zhou follows the rites of Yin, and we know in what ways it added to or subtracted from them. Whoever carries on from Zhou, we can know how things will be even a hundred generations from now.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.