Analects – Book Nine

Analects 9.31

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nine

Original Text:

唐棣之华偏其反而岂不尔思室是远尔子曰未之思也夫何远之有

Translation:

Other Translations:

“The flowery branch of the wild cherry

How swiftly it flies back!

Of course I am thinking of you,

It is just that your house is so far away.”

The Master said, “He was not really thinking of her. If he were, what difference would the distance make?”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The blossoms of the cherry,

how they flutter and turn.

It’s not that I don’t think of you,

but your house is far away.

The Master said, He doesn’t really think of her. If he did, why would he worry how far it was?

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 9.30

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nine

Original Text:

子曰可与共学未可与适道可与适道未可与立可与立未可与权

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Just because someone is able to learn with you does not necessarily mean that they can travel the Way in your company; just because they can travel the Way in your company does not necessarily mean that they can take their place alongside you; just because they can take their place alongside you does not necessarily mean that they can join you in employing discretion.”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, You may study alongside a person but can’t agree with him how to pursue the Way. You may pursue the Way with him but can’t agree where to take your stand. You may agree where to take your stand but not how to adapt to circumstances.

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 9.29

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nine

Original Text:

子曰知者不惑仁者不忧勇者不惧

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The wise are not confused, the Good do not worry, and the courageous do not fear.”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The wise are never perplexed; the humane, never anxious; the brave, never afraid.

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 9.28

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nine

Original Text:

子曰：“岁寒，然后知松柏之后凋也。”

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Only after Winter comes do we know that the pine and cypress are the last to fade.”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, When the year-end cold comes, then we know that the pine and cypress are the last to lose their leaves.

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 9.27

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nine

Original Text:

子曰衣敝缊袍与衣狐貉者立而不耻者其由也与不忮不求何用不臧子路终身诵之子曰是道也何足以臧

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Clad only in a shabby quilted gown, and yet unashamed to stand side-by-side with someone dressed in expensive furs—does this not describe Zilu?

‘Not envious, not covetous,

How could he not be good?’ ”

Zilu took to reciting this stanza constantly. The Master thereupon remarked, “The Way summed up in these lines is hardly worth treasuring so.”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Wearing a shoddy floss-wadded jacket, standing beside someone clad in fox and badger furs, and feeling no shame—that would be You (Zilu)!

Doing no harm, seeking nothing—

why am I not seen as good?

Zilu was forever reciting these lines. The Master said, That approach—why would anyone rate it as good?

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 9.26

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nine

Original Text:

子曰三军可夺帅也匹夫不可夺志也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The three armies can have their general taken from them by force, but even a commoner cannot be deprived of his will in this fashion.”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The Three Armies may be stripped of their commander, but even a simple commoner cannot be deprived of his will.

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 9.25

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nine

Original Text:

子曰主忠信毋友不如己者过则勿惮改

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Let your actions be governed by dutifulness and trustworthiness, and do not accept as a friend one who is not your equal. If you have committed a transgression, do not be afraid to change your ways.”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Put prime value on loyalty and trustworthiness, have no friends who are not your equal, and, if you make mistakes, don’t be afraid to correct them.

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 9.24

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nine

Original Text:

子曰法语之言能无从乎改之为贵巽与之言能无说乎绎之为贵说而不绎从而不改吾末如之何也已矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “When a man is rebuked with exemplary words after having made a mistake, he cannot help but agree with them. However, what is important is that he change himself in order to accord with them. When a man is praised with words of respect, he cannot help but be pleased with them. However, what is important is that he actually live up to them. A person who finds respectful words pleasing but does not live up to them, or agrees with others’ reproaches and yet does not change—there is nothing I can do with one such as this.”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, authoritative words—can one fail to heed them? But what is important is that they bring about a change in you. Words of friendly advice—can one fail to delight in them? But what is important is to interpret them correctly. To delight but not interpret, to heed but not change—I can do nothing with those who take that approach.

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 9.23

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nine

Original Text:

子曰后生可畏焉知来者之不如今也四十五十而无闻焉斯亦不足畏也已

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “We should look upon the younger generation with awe because how are we to know that those who come after us will not prove our equals? Once, however, a man reaches the age of forty or fifty without having learned anything, we can conclude from this fact alone that he is not worthy of being held in awe.”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Respect those younger than yourself. How do you know that the coming generation may not prove as good as our present one? But if a person lives to forty or fifty and hasn’t been heard of, then he’s no longer worthy of respect.

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 9.22

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nine

Original Text:

子曰苗而不秀者有矣夫秀而不实者有矣夫

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Surely there are some sprouts that fail to flower, just as surely as there are some flowers that fail to bear fruit!”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, There are seedlings that never grow to maturity, are there not? And mature plants that never bear fruit.

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.