Analects - Confucian Pages

Analects 14.5

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Original Text:

南宫适问于孔子曰羿善射奡荡舟俱不得其死然禹稷躬稼而有天下夫子不答南宫适出子曰君子哉若人尚德哉若人

Translation:

Other Translations:

Nangong Kuo said to Confucius, “Yi was a skillful archer, and Ao was a powerful naval commander, and yet neither of them met a natural death. Yu and Hou Ji, on the other hand, did nothing but personally tend to the land, and yet they both ended up with possession of the world.”
The Master did not answer.
After Nangong Kuo left, the Master sighed, “What a gentlemanly person that man is! How he reveres Virtue!”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Nangong Kuo questioned Confucius, saying, Yi was a skilled archer and Ao could push a boat over dry land, but neither was able to die a natural death. Yu and Ji, however, though they worked the fields in person, gained possession of the empire. The Master made no reply.
After Nangong Kuo had left, the Master said, A gentleman should be like this! An upholder of virtue should be like this!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 14.4

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Original Text:

子曰有德者必有言有言者不必有德仁者必有勇勇者不必有仁

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Those who possess Virtue will inevitably have something to say, whereas those who have something to say do not necessarily possess Virtue. Those who are Good will necessarily display courage, but those who display courage are not necessarily Good.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Those who have virtue invariably have something to say, but those who have something to say do not invariably have virtue. Those who are humane are invariably courageous, but those who are courageous are not invariably humane.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 14.3

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Original Text:

子曰邦有道危言危行邦无道危行言孙

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “When the state possesses the Way, be audaciously correct in both word and action; when the state lacks the Way, be audaciously correct in action, but let one’s speech be conciliatory.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, When a state follows the Way, be stern in speech, stern in action. When a state is without the Way, be stern in action but conciliatory in speech.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 14.2

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Original Text:

子曰士而怀居不足以为士矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “A scholar-official who cherishes comfort is not worthy of the name.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, A man of station who longs for the comforts of home does not deserve to be called a man of station.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 14.1

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Original Text:

宪问耻子曰邦有道谷邦无道谷耻也克伐怨欲不行焉可以为仁矣子曰可以为难矣仁则吾不知也

Translation:

Other Translations:

Yuan Si asked about shame.
The Master said, “When the state has the Way, accept a salary; when the state is without the Way, to accept a salary is shameful.”
“To refrain from competitiveness, boastfulness, envy, and greed—can this be considered Goodness?”
The Master said, “This can be considered difficult, but as for its being Good, that I do not know.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Xian (Yuan Si) asked what is shameful. The Master said, When a state follows the Way, one receives an official stipend. But when a state is without the Way, to receive an official stipend is shameful.
[Yuan Si said,] If one is free of high-handedness, bragging, enmity, and craving, can this be termed humaneness? The Master said, It may be termed difficult. But as for humaneness—I don’t know about that.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.30

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Original Text:

子曰以不教民战是谓弃之

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Leading people who have not been instructed into battle—this is called, ‘throwing them away.’ ”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, To fail to instruct the common people in warfare—you could call that throwing them away.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.29

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Original Text:

子曰善人教民七年亦可以即戎矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Having been instructed by an excellent person for seven years, the common people will be ready for anything, even the taking up of arms.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Let a good man instruct them for seven years, and the common people will be capable of military service.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.28

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Original Text:

子路问曰何如斯可谓之士矣子曰切切偲偲怡怡如也可谓士矣朋友切切偲偲兄弟怡怡

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zilu asked, “What does a person have to be like to be considered a true scholar-official?”
The Master replied, “He must be earnest and critical, but also affable—earnest and critical with his friends, and affable with his brothers.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zilu asked, How should one conduct himself in order to be called a man of station?
The Master said, Earnest, exacting, but also harmonious—that would qualify you to be called a man of station. With friends, earnest, exacting. With elder and younger brothers, harmonious.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.27

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Original Text:

子曰刚毅木讷近仁

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Resolute, decisive, straightforward, and reticent—these qualities are close to Goodness.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The firm, the bold, the simple, the slow in speech are near to humaneness.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.26

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Original Text:

子曰君子泰而不骄小人骄而不泰

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The gentleman is grand, but never arrogant; the petty person is arrogant, but never grand.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The gentleman is self-possessed but not arrogant. The petty man is arrogant but not self-possessed.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.