Analects - Book Two - Confucian Pages

Analects 2.24

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Original Text:

子曰非其鬼而祭之谄也见义不为无勇也

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The Master said, “To sacrifice to spirits that are not one’s own is to be presumptuous. To see what is right, but to fail to do it, is to be lacking in courage.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, To sacrifice to those who are not one’s ancestors is flattery. To see what is right and not do it is cowardly.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 2.23

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Original Text:

子张问十世可知也子曰殷因于夏礼所损益可知也周因于殷礼所损益可知也其或继周者虽百世可知也

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Zizhang asked, “Can we know what it will be like ten generations from now?”
The Master responded. “The Yin followed the rituals of the Xia., altering them only in ways that we know. The Zhou followed the rituals of the Yin, altering them only in ways that we know. If some dynasty succeeds the Zhou, we can know what it will be like even a hundred generations from now.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zizhang questioned the Master, saying, Can we know how things will be ten generations from now?
The Master said, Yin followed the rites of Xia, and we know in what ways it added to or subtracted from them. Zhou follows the rites of Yin, and we know in what ways it added to or subtracted from them. Whoever carries on from Zhou, we can know how things will be even a hundred generations from now.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 2.22

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Original Text:

子曰人而无信不知其可也大车无輗小车无軏其何以行之哉

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The Master said, “I cannot see how a person devoid of trustworthiness could possibly get along in the world. Imagine a large ox-drawn cart without a linchpin for its yolk, or a small horse drawn cart without a linchpin for its collar; how could they possibly be driven?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Persons who lack trustworthiness – I don’t know how they get by! Big carts that have no yoke-bar, little carts that have no collar-bar – how can you go anywhere in them?”
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 2.21

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Original Text:

或谓孔子曰子奚不为政子曰书云孝乎惟孝友于兄弟施于有政是亦为政奚其为为政

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Some people said of Confucius, “Why is it that he is not participating in government?”
[Upon being informed of this,] the Master remarked, “The Book of Documents says,
‘Filial, oh so filial,
Friendly to one’s elders and juniors;
[In this way] exerting an influence upon those who govern.’
Thus in being a filial son and good brother one is already taking part in government. What need is there, then, to speak of ‘participating in government’?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Someone questioned Confucius, saying, Why aren’t you in government?
The Master said, The Book of Documents says: Filial, only be filial, a friend to elder and younger brothers – this contributes to government. To do this is in fact to take part in government. Why must I be “in government”?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 2.20

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Original Text:

季康子问使民敬忠以劝如之何子曰临之以庄则敬孝慈则忠举善而教不能则劝

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Ji Kangzi asked, “How can I cause the common people to be respectful, dutiful, and industrious?”
The Master said, “Oversee them with dignity, and the people will be respectful; oversee them with filiality and kindness, and the people will be dutiful; oversee them by raising up the accomplished and instructing those who are unable, and the people will be industrious.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Ji Kangzi asked, How can I make the common people respectful, loyal, and diligent in their work?
The Master said, If you are strict in overseeing them, they will be respectful. If you are filial and compassionate, they will be loyal. If you promote persons of goodness and teach those who are incompetent, then the people will be diligent.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 2.19

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Original Text:

哀公问曰何为则民服孔子对曰举直错诸枉则民服举枉错诸直则民不服

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Duke Ai asked, “What can I do to induce the common people to be obedient?”
Confucius replied, “Raise up the straight and apply them to the crooked, and the people will submit to you. If you raise up the crooked and apply them to the straight, the people will never submit.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Duke Ai asked, saying, How can I make the common people submissive? Confucius replied, Promote the straight and let them oversee the crooked – then the common people will be submissive. Promoted the crooked and let them oversee the straight – then the common people will not be submissive.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 2.18

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Original Text:

子张学干禄子曰多闻阙疑慎言其余则寡尤多见阙殆慎行其余则寡悔言寡尤行寡悔禄在其中矣

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Zizhang asked about obtaining official position.
Confucius said, “If you first learn as much as you can, then guard against that which is dubious and speak carefully about the rest, you will seldom speak in error. If you first observe as much as you can, then guard against that which is perilous and carefully put the rest into action, you will seldom have cause for regret. If in your speech you seldom err, and in your behavior you seldom have cause for regret, an official position will follow naturally.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zizhang was studying to gain an official position. The Master said, Hear much, put aside what’s doubtful, and in your speech apply the rest with caution – then you’ll make few mistakes. Observe much, put aside what’s suspicious, and in your actions apply the rest with caution – then you’ll have little to regret. Making few mistakes, having little to regret – the way to official position lies in this.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 2.17

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Original Text:

子曰由诲汝知之乎知之为知之不知为不知是知也

Translation:

The Master said, “Zilu, remark well what I am about to teach you! This is wisdom: to recognize what you know as what you know, and recognize what you do not know as what you do not know.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, You (Zilu), shall I teach you what it means to know something? When you know, to know you know. When you don’t know, to know you don’t know. That’s what knowing is.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 2.16

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Original Text:

子曰攻乎异端斯害也已

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The Master said, “Working from the wrong starting point will lead to nothing but harm.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, To delve into strange doctrines can bring only harm.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 2.15

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Original Text:

子曰学而不思则罔思而不学则殆

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The Master said, “If you learn without thinking about what you have learned, you will be lost. If you think without learning, however, you will fall into danger.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Learning without thought is pointless. Thought without learning is dangerous.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects – Book Two

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