Analects – Book Seven

Analects 7.28

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Original Text:

子曰盖有不知而作之者我无是也多闻择其善者而从之多见而识之知之次也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “No doubt there are those who try to innovate without acquiring knowledge, but this is a fault that I do not possess. I listen widely, and then pick out that which is excellent in order to follow it; I see many things, and then remember them. This constitutes a second-best sort of knowledge.”

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

The Master said, There are those who do not have knowledge and yet make things. I’m not that way. I hear much, choose what is good and follow it, see much and keep it in mind. This is the next best thing to knowledge.

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

Analects 7.27

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Original Text:

子钓而不纲弋不射宿

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master would fish with a hook, but not with a net. He would shoot with a corded line, but would not aim at roosting birds.

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

The Master fished with a rod but not with a longline. He shot at birds with a stringed arrow, but not if they were roosting.

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

Analects 7.26

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Original Text:

子曰圣人吾不得而见之矣得见君子者斯可矣子曰善人吾不得而见之矣得见有恒者斯可矣亡而为有虚而为盈约而为泰难乎有恒乎

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “A sage I will never get to meet; if I manage to meet a gentleman, I suppose I would be content. An excellent person I will never get to meet; if I manage to meet someone with constancy, I suppose I would be content. [Yet all I see around me is] nothing masquerading as something, emptiness masquerading as substance, limitation masquerading as grandness. I think even constancy will be hard to find.”

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

The Master said, A sage I have never managed to see. If I could see a true gentleman, that would be enough.

The Master said, A truly good person I have never managed to see. If I could see a person of constancy, that would be enough. With nothingness pretending to possession, emptiness pretending to fullness, want pretending to affluence, true constancy is hard to find.

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

Analects 7.25

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Original Text:

子以四教文行忠信

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master taught four things: cultural refinement, comportment, dutifulness, and trustworthiness.

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

The Master taught four things: culture, behavior, loyalty, trustworthiness.

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

Analects 7.24

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Original Text:

子曰二三子以我为隐乎吾无隐乎尔吾无行而不与二三子者是丘也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Do you disciples imagine that I am being secretive? I hide nothing from you. I take no action, I make no move, without sharing it with you. This is the kind of person that I am.”

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

The Master said, You young men, do you think I’m hiding something? I’m not hiding anything. I take no actions that are not taken in conjunction with you. That’s Qiu for you.

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

Analects 7.23

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Original Text:

子曰天生德于予桓魋其如予何

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “It is Heaven itself that has endowed me with virtue. What have I to fear from the likes of Huan Tui?”

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

The Master said, Heaven has implanted this virtue in me. Huan Tui—what can he do to me?

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

Analects 7.22

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Original Text:

子曰三人行必有我师焉择其善者而从之其不善者而改之

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “When walking with two other people, I will always find a teacher among them. I focus on those who are good and seek to emulate them, and focus on those who are bad in order to be reminded of what needs to be changed in myself.”

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

The Master said, When I walk with two others, I’m bound to find my teacher there. I single out their good points and pursue them, note their bad points and make my corrections.

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

Analects 7.21

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Original Text:

子不语怪力乱神

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master did not discuss prodigies, feats of strength, disorderly conduct, or the supernatural.

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

Subjects the Master did not discuss: strange occurrences, feats of strength, rebellion, the gods.

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

Analects 7.20

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Original Text:

子曰我非生而知之者好古敏以求之者也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “I am not someone who was born with knowledge. I simply love antiquity, and diligently look there for knowledge.”

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

The Master said, I was not born understanding anything. A lover of antiquity, I have diligently worked to acquire understanding.

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

Analects 7.19

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Original Text:

叶公问孔子于子路子路不对子曰女奚不曰其为人也发愤忘食乐以忘忧不知老之将至云尔

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Duke of She asked Zilu about Confucius. Zilu had no reply.

[Upon Zilu’s return], the Master said, “Why did you not just say: ‘He is the type of person who is so passionate that he forgets to eat, whose joy renders him free of worries, and who grows old without noticing the passage of the years.’ ”

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

The lord of She asked Zilu about Confucius, but Zilu did not reply.

The Master said, Why didn’t you tell him that he’s the kind of person who in bursts of enthusiasm forgets to eat, in his delight forgets to worry, and doesn’t even realize that old age is coming on?

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