Analects – Book Nine

Analects 9.11

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Original Text:

颜渊喟然叹曰仰之弥高钻之弥坚瞻之在前忽焉在后夫子循循然善诱人博我以文约我以礼欲罢不能既竭吾才如有所立卓尔虽欲从之末由也已

Translation:

Other Translations:

With a great sigh Yan Hui lamented, “The more I look up at it the higher it seems; the more I delve into it, the harder it becomes. Catching a glimpse of it before me, I then find it suddenly at my back.

“The Master is skilled at gradually leading me on, step by step. He broadens me with culture and restrains me with the rites, so that even if I wanted to give up I could not. Having exhausted all of my strength, it seems as if there is still something left, looming up ahead of me. Though I desire to follow it, there seems to be no way through.”

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

Yan Yuan, sighing, exclaimed, Look up and it’s higher than ever, bore into it and it’s harder still. I see it in front of me, then suddenly it’s behind. Our Master—step by step, how skillfully he leads others along! He broadens me with culture, reins me in with ritual. I want to give up but cannot. Already he has exhausted my ability, yet I see him standing tall before me. But although I want to follow him, I’ve no way to do so.

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

Analects 9.10

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Original Text:

子见齐衰者冕衣裳者与瞽者见之虽少必作过之必趋

Translation:

Other Translations:

Whenever the Master saw someone who was wearing mourning clothes, was garbed in full official dress, or was blind, he would always rise to his feet, even if the person was his junior. When passing such a person, he would always hasten his step.

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

If the Master saw a person in mourning clothes, in ceremonial cap and robe, or a blind person, though the person might be younger in age, he would invariably rise to his feet and, if passing the person, would invariably quicken his steps.

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

Analects 9.9

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Original Text:

子曰凤鸟不至河不出图吾已矣夫

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The phoenix has not appeared, the [Yellow] River has not produced its chart—it is all over for me, is it not?”

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

The Master said, The phoenix does not appear; the river puts forth no chart. It is all over with me, is it not?

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

Analects 9.8

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Original Text:

子曰吾有知乎哉无知也有鄙夫问于我空空如也我叩其两端而竭焉

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Do I possess wisdom? No, I do not. [For example, recently] a common fellow asked a question of me, and I came up completely empty. But I discussed the problem with him from beginning to end until we finally got to the bottom of it.”

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

The Master said, Do I have knowledge? I have no special knowledge. But if an uneducated fellow comes to me with a question, I attack it with all sincerity, exploring it from end to end until I’ve exhausted it.

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

Analects 9.7

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Original Text:

牢曰子云吾不试故艺

Translation:

Other Translations:

Lao said, “The Master once remarked, ‘I have not been employed, and therefore have become accomplished in the arts.’ ”

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

Lao reports that the Master said, I have never been given a proper trial—hence these “accomplishments.”

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

Analects 9.6

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Original Text:

太宰问于子贡曰夫子圣者与何其多能也子贡曰固天纵之将圣又多能也子闻之曰太宰知我乎吾少也贱故多能鄙事君子多乎哉不多也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Prime Minister asked Zigong, “Your Master is a sage, is he not? How is it, then, that he is skilled at so many menial tasks?”

Zigong replied, “Surely Heaven not only not intends him for sagehood, but also gave him many other talents.”

When the Master heard of this, he remarked, “How well the Prime Minister knows me! In my youth, I was of humble status, so I became proficient in many menial tasks. Is the gentleman broadly skilled in trivial matters? No, he is not.”

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

The prime minister questioned Zigong, saying, The Master—is he a sage? He has so many capabilities!

Zigong said, Indeed, Heaven has opened the way for him to become a sage. And he has many capabilities besides.

When the Master heard this, he said, The prime minister knows me well. When I was young, I was in humble circumstances and hence became capable in many menial undertakings. But is the true gentleman a person of many capabilities? Surely, he is not!

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

Analects 9.5

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Original Text:

子畏于匡曰文王既没文不在兹乎天之将丧斯文也后死者不得与于斯文也天之未丧斯文也匡人其如予何

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master was surrounded in Kuang. He said, “Now that King Wen is gone, is not culture now invested here in me? If Heaven intended this culture to perish, it would not have given it to those of us who live after King Wen’s death. Since Heaven did not intend that this culture should perish, what can the people of Kuang do to me?”

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

The Master’s life was endangered in Kuang. He said, King Wen is deceased, but his culture (wen) remains here with me. If Heaven had intended to destroy that culture, then those who come after him could not have inherited that culture. But if Heaven is not ready to destroy that culture, what can the people of Kuang do to me?

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

Analects 9.4

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Original Text:

子绝四毋意毋必毋固毋我

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master was entirely free of four faults: arbitrariness, inflexibility, rigidity, and selfishness.

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

The Master observed four prohibitions: no willfulness, no obstinacy, no narrow-mindedness, no egotism.

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

Analects 9.3

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Original Text:

子曰麻冕礼也今也纯俭吾从众拜下礼也今拜乎上泰也虽违众吾从下

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “A ceremonial cap made of linen is prescribed by the rites, but these days people use silk. This is frugal, and I follow the majority. To bow before ascending the stairs is what is prescribed by the rites, but these days people bow after ascending. This is arrogant, and—though it goes against the majority—I continue to bow before ascending.”

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

The Master said, Ritual calls for caps of hemp, though nowadays silk is used, because it is more economical. I go along with others in this.

Ritual calls for one to bow at the foot of the stairs. Nowadays people bow at the top of the stairs, but this is presumptuous. Although it means differing from others, I perform the bow at the foot of the stairs.

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

Analects 9.1

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Original Text:

子罕言利与命与仁

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master openly expressed his views on profit, the Heavenly Mandate, and Goodness.

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

The Master seldom spoke about profit, about fate, or about humaneness.

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