子曰古之学者为己今之学者为人
The Master said, “In ancient times scholars learned for their own sake; these days they learn for the sake of others.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Formerly people studied to improve themselves; now they do so to impress others.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰君子上达小人下达
The Master said, “The gentleman understands higher things, whereas the petty person understands only the low.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, The gentleman is an expert in important matters; the petty man, an expert in trivial ones.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子路问事君子曰勿欺也而犯之
Zilu asked about serving one’s lord.
The Master replied, “Do not deceive him. Oppose him openly.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zilu asked how to serve the ruler. The Master said, Never deceive him; oppose him openly.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
陈成子弑简公孔子沐浴而朝告于哀公曰陈恒弑其君请讨之公曰告夫三子孔子曰以吾从大夫之后不敢不告也君曰‘告夫三子者之三子告不可孔子曰以吾从大夫之后不敢不告也
When Chen Chengzi assassinated Duke Jian, Confucius ritually bathed himself and then presented himself at the court of Duke Ai, reporting to him, “This Chen Heng has assassinated his lord. I ask that you punish him.”
The Duke replied, “Report it to the Three.”
Confucius said, “Having held rank below the ministers, I did not dare to not report this. Now my lord says, ‘Report it to the Three.’ ” He then went and reported it to the Three, who did not approve his request. Confucius remarked, “Having held rank below the ministers, I did not dare to not report.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Chen Chengzi assassinated Duke Jian of Qi. Confucius bathed, washed his hair, proceeded to court, and reported to Duke Ai, saying, Chen Heng (Chen Chengzi) has assassinated his ruler. I request that he be punished.
The duke said, Report that to the three leaders of the Ji family.
Later Confucius said, I follow the high officials—I would not dare to leave such an event unreported. The ruler said, Report that to the three leaders of the Ji family.
When he went and reported to the three leaders, they declined to act. Confucius said, I follow the high officials—I would not dare to leave such an event unreported.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰其言之不怍则为之也难
The Master said, “If you are shameless in what you propose, you may then find it difficult to put your words into practice.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, He who speaks irresponsibly will find it hard to put his words into action.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子言卫灵公之无道也康子曰夫如是奚而不丧孔子曰仲叔圉治宾客祝鮀治宗庙王孙贾治军旅夫如是奚其丧
The Master remarked that Duke Ling of Wei lacked the Way. Ji Kangzi said, “If that is so, why has he not lost his state?”
The Master replied, “Kong Wenzi manages his diplomatic protocol, Priest Tuo manages his ancestral temples, and Wangsun Jia manages his military affairs. This being the case, how could he lose his state?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Speaking of Duke Ling of Wei, the Master said that he lacked the Way.
Ji Kangzi said, If so, why doesn’t he meet with failure?
Confucius said, He has Zhongshu Yu (Gongshu Wenzi) to receive foreign envoys, Invocator Tuo to supervise the ancestral temples, and Wangsun Jia to handle military affairs. Given such conditions, how could he fail?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
公叔文子之臣大夫僎与文子同升诸公子闻之曰可以为文矣
Gongshu Wenzi had his household minister Zhuan promoted along with him to the ducal court. When Confucius heard of this, he remarked, “Surely he deserves to be considered ‘cultured’.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zhuan had been a retainer to Gongshu Wenzi, but later he became a high official, taking a place beside Wenzi in the service of the ruler. When the Master heard of this, he said, Gongshu Wenzi deserves the posthumous name Cultured (Wen).
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子贡曰管仲非仁者与桓公杀公子纠不能死又相之子曰管仲相桓公霸诸侯一匡天下民到于今受其赐微管仲吾其被发左衽矣岂若匹夫匹妇之为谅也自经于沟渎而莫之知也
Zigong asked, “Guan Zhong was not a Good person, was he? When Duke Huan had Prince Jiu murdered, Guan Zhong was not only incapable of dying with his master, he moreover turned around and served his master’s murderer as Prime Minister.”
The Master replied, “When Guan Zhong served as Duke Huan’s Prime Minister, he allowed him to become hegemon over the other feudal lords, uniting and ordering the entire world. To this day, the people continue to enjoy the benefits of his achievements—if it were not for Guan Zhong, we would all be wearing our hair loose and fastening our garments on the left. How could he be expected to emulate the petty fidelity of a common husband or wife, going off to hang himself and die anonymously in some gully or ditch?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zigong said, Guan Zhong was not a humane man, was he? When Duke Huan put to death the ducal son Jiu, he not only could not bring himself to die with Jiu but went on to become prime minister to Duke Huan.
The Master said, With Guan Zhong as his prime minister, Duke Huan was able to become leader of the feudal lords and impose order on the empire. Even to this day, our people benefit from what he did. Without Guan Zhong, we would be wearing our hair unbound and folding our robes to the left. Would you expect of him the kind of “fidelity” of ordinary men or women who strangle themselves, end up in a roadside ditch, with no one even aware of it?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子路曰桓公杀公子纠召忽死之管仲不死曰未仁乎子曰桓公九合诸侯不以兵车管仲之力也如其仁如其仁
Zilu said, “When Duke Huan had his brother Prince Jiu murdered, Shao Hu died for his master, whereas Guan Zhong did not.” He then added, “Does this behavior not fall short of Goodness?”
The Master replied, “It was Guan Zhong’s strength that allowed Duke Huan, on many occasions, to harmoniously unite the feudal lords without the use of military force. But as for his Goodness, as for his Goodness …”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zilu said, When Duke Huan put to death his brother, the ducal son Jiu, Shao Hu died with him but Guan Zhong did not. That was hardly humane of Guan Zhong, was it?
The Master said, Duke Huan nine times called the other feudal rulers together in assembly and did so without employing his war chariots. Guan Zhong’s influence made this possible. But as for his humaneness, as for his humaneness—
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰晋文公谲而不正齐桓公正而不谲
The Master said, “Duke Wen of Jin was crafty, but not correct, whereas Duke Huan of Qi was correct, but not crafty.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Duke Wen of Jin used devious methods, not upright ones. Duke Huan of Qi used upright methods, not devious ones.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
