子曰人无远虑必有近忧
The Master said, “A person without concern for what is far away is sure to encounter worries close at hand.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, The person who fails to take far-reaching precautions is sure to encounter near-at-hand woes.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
颜渊问为邦子曰行夏之时乘殷之辂服周之冕乐则韶舞放郑声远佞人郑声淫佞人殆
Yan Hui asked about running a state.
The Master said, “Follow the calendar of the Xia, travel in the carriages of the Shang, and clothe yourself in the ceremonial caps of the Zhou.
“As for music, listen only to the Shao and Wu. Prohibit the tunes of Zheng, and keep glib people at a distance—for the tunes of Zheng are licentious, and glib people are dangerous.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Yan Yuan asked about how to order the state. The Master said, Use the Xia calendar, ride in the chariots of the Yin, wear the caps of the Zhou, and for music, the Shao and Wu. Do away with the Zheng tunes and stay away from artful talkers. The Zheng tunes are excessive, and artful talkers are dangerous.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子贡问为仁子曰工欲善其事必先利其器居是邦也事其大夫之贤者友其士之仁者
Zigong asked about becoming Good.
The Master said, “Any craftsman who wishes to do his job well must first sharpen his tools. In the same way, when living in a given state, one must serve those ministers who are worthy and befriend those scholar-officials who are Good.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zigong asked how to practice humaneness. The Master said, A craftsman who wants to do his job well must first sharpen his tools. Whatever country you are in, be of service to the high officials who are worthy and become friends with the men of station who are humane.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰志士仁人无求生以害仁有杀身以成仁
The Master said, “No scholar-official of noble intention or Good person would ever pursue life at the expense of Goodness, and in fact some may be called upon to give up their lives in order to fulfill Goodness.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, The man of high ideals, the humane person, never tries to go on living if it is harmful to humaneness. There are times when he sacrifices his life to preserve humaneness.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰可与言而不与之言失人不可与言而与之言失言知者不失人亦不失言
The Master said, “If someone is open to what you have to say, but you do not speak to them, this is letting the person go to waste; if, however, someone is not open to what you have to say, but you speak to them anyway, this is letting your words go to waste. The wise person does not let people go to waste, but he also does not waste his words.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, If it’s someone you ought to speak to and you fail to speak, you waste a person. If it’s someone you ought not to speak to and you speak, you waste words. The wise man doesn’t waste people and doesn’t waste words either.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰直哉史鱼邦有道如矢邦无道如矢君子哉蘧伯玉邦有道则仕邦无道则可卷而怀之
The Master said, “How upright was Historian Yu! When the state possessed the Way, he was straight as an arrow, and when the state lacked the Way, he was also straight as an arrow. What a gentleman was Qu Boyu! When the state possessed the Way, he served it; when the state lacked the Way, he was able to roll up his talents and hide them away.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
he Master said, How upright Shi Yu was! When the state followed the Way, he was straight as an arrow. When the state was without the Way, he was straight as an arrow. What a gentleman Qu Boyu was! When the state followed the Way, he held office. When the state was without the Way, he knew how to fold up his hopes and put them away in the breast of his robe.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子张问行子曰言忠信行笃敬虽蛮貊之邦行矣言不忠信行不笃敬虽州里行乎哉立则见其参于前也在舆则见其倚于衡也夫然后行子张书诸绅
Zizhang asked about getting by in the world.
The Master replied, “In your speech, be dutiful and trustworthy, and in your conduct be sincere and respectful. In this way, you will always get by in the world, even if you find yourself in some barbarian state. If your words are not dutiful and trustworthy, and your conduct is not sincere and respectful, how can you possibly get along, even in your own region? When standing still, visualize these principles standing by your side; when riding in your carriage, see them resting before you on the crossbar. Only then will you get by in the world.”
Zizhang then wrote these words on the end of his sash.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zizhang asked about how to get along in the world. The Master said, If your words are loyal and trustworthy and your actions sincere and respectful, then even in the lands of the Man and Mo tribes you will get along. But if your words are not loyal and trustworthy and your actions not sincere and respectful, then even in your own district or village you won’t get along, will you? When you stand up, see these words plainly before you; when riding in your carriage, see them resting on the crossbar. Act in this way and then you will get along.
Zizhang wrote this down on his sash.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰无为而治者其舜也与夫何为哉恭己正南面而已矣
The Master said, “Is Shun not an example of someone who ruled by means of wu-wei? What did he do? He made himself reverent and took his proper [ritual] position facing south, that is all.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Of those who ruled through inaction, surely Shun was one. What did he do? Dedicating himself to courtesy, he faced directly south, that was all.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰由知德者鲜矣
The Master said, “Zilu! Rare are those able to understand Virtue.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, You (Zilu), those who understand virtue are few!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰赐也女以予为多学而识之者与对曰然非与曰非也予一以贯之
The Master said, “Zigong! Do you take me to be one who has come to understand through learning a wide variety of things?”
Zigong responded, “Yes. Is this not the case?”
“It is not. I bind it all together with a single thread.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Si (Zigong), you suppose that I have studied many different matters and retain them in my memory, don’t you?
Zigong replied, Yes. Isn’t that so?
The Master said, No. I have one thread that links it all together.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
