子温而厉威而不猛恭而安
The Master was affable yet firm, awe-inspiring without being severe, simultaneously respectful and relaxed.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master was both mild and sharp-spoken, dignified but not oppressively so, respectful but relaxed.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰君子坦荡荡小人长戚戚
The Master said, “The gentleman is self-possessed and relaxed, while the petty man is perpetually full of worry.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, The gentleman is composed, at peace with things. The petty man is constantly fretting, fretting.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰奢则不孙俭则固与其不孙也宁固
The Master said, “Extravagance leads to presumption, while frugality leads to shabbiness. Compared to presumption, though, shabbiness is to be preferred.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
子疾病子路请祷子曰有诸子路对曰有之诔曰祷尔于上下神祇子曰丘之祷久矣
The Master was seriously ill, and Zilu asked permission to offer a prayer.
The Master said, “Is such a thing done?”
Zilu said, “It is. The Eulogy reads, ‘We pray for you above and below, to the spirits of Heaven and of Earth.’ ”
The Master said, “In that case, I have already been offering up my prayers for some time now.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master was gravely ill. Zilu asked to be allowed to offer prayers for his recovery. The Master said, Is that done? Zilu replied, Yes. The Eulogies say, Prayers are offered for you to the upper and lower gods and spirits.
The Master said, My praying began a long time ago.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰若圣与仁则吾岂敢抑为之不厌诲人不倦则可谓云尔已矣公西华曰正唯弟子不能学也
The Master said, “How could I dare to lay claim to either sageliness or Goodness? What can be said about me is no more than this: I work at it without growing tired and encourage others without growing weary.”
Gong Xihua observed, “This is precisely what we disciples are unable to learn.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, The title of sage or humane man—how could I dare lay claim to such? But working without tiring, teaching others and never growing weary—yes, that much could be said of me.
Gongxi Hua said, It’s precisely this that we, his disciples, cannot equal him in!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰文莫吾犹人也躬行君子则吾未之有得
The Master said, “There is no one who is my equal when it comes to cultural refinement, but as for actually becoming a gentleman in practice, this is something that I have not yet been able to achieve.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, In cultural matters I believe I do as well as others. But as for personally enacting the role of the gentleman—that I am not yet up to.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子与人歌而善必使反之而后和之
Whenever the Master was singing in a group and heard something that he liked, he inevitably asked to have it sung again, and only then would harmonize with it.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
If the Master was singing with others and one of them happened to be particularly good, he would invariably ask the person to repeat the piece and then he would join in.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
陈司败问昭公知礼乎孔子曰知礼孔子退揖巫马期而进之曰吾闻君子不党君子亦党乎君取于吴为同姓谓之吴孟子君而知礼孰不知礼巫马期以告子曰丘也幸苟有过人必知之
The Minister of Crime in the state of Chen asked, “Can we say that Duke Zhao [of Lu] understood ritual?”
Confucius answered, “Yes, he understood ritual.”
Confucius then retired. With a bow, the Minister invited Wuma Qi to approach and said to him, “I have heard it said that the gentleman is not partial. Is the gentleman in fact partial after all? His lordship took as his wife a woman from the state of Wu who was of the same clan, and then called her ‘Elder Daughter of Wu.’ If his lordship understood ritual, who does not understand it?”
Later, Wuma Qi reported this conversation to Confucius. Confucius said, “How fortunate I am! If I happen to make a mistake, others are sure to inform me.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The minister of crime of the state of Chen asked whether Duke Zhao of Lu understood ritual. Confucius replied, Yes, he understood ritual.
After Confucius had retired from the scene, the minister of crime signaled to Wuma Qi to step forward and said, I have heard that a gentleman is not partisan, but some gentlemen appear to be partisan indeed! Duke Zhao took a wife from the state of Wu, but because she was of the same surname as Duke Zhao, she was referred to simply as Wu Mengzi. If Duke Zhao understood ritual, then who doesn’t understand ritual?
Wuma Qi reported this to Confucius. The Master said, How fortunate I am! If I make a mistake, someone is certain to let me know.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰仁远乎哉我欲仁斯仁至矣
The Master said, “Is Goodness really so far away? If I simply desire Goodness, I will find that it is already here.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Is humaneness so far away? If I want humaneness, then humaneness is right here.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
互乡难与言童子见门人惑子曰与其进也不与其退也唯何甚人洁己以进与其洁也不保其往也
The people of Hu Village were difficult to talk with [about the Way]. Therefore, when a young boy from the village presented himself for an interview, the disciples hesitated to let him in.
The Master said, “In allowing him to enter, I am not endorsing what he does after he retires. Why are you being so extreme? If a person purifies himself to enter, I accept his purification—I make no guarantees about what he will do once he leaves.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The people of Hu village are hard to talk to. A young man came for an interview with the Master. His disciples were troubled by this.
The Master said, My concern was with what brought him, not with what he did after he left. What was so wrong about that? When a person comes to you in good faith, give him credit for the good faith. Don’t expect guarantees for what comes after.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
