Analects - Confucian Pages

Analects 6.12

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Original Text:

冉求曰非不说子之道力不足也子曰力不足者中道而废今女画

Translation:

Other Translations:

Ran Qiu said, “It is not that I do not delight in your Way, Master, it is simply that my strength is insufficient.”
The Master said, “Someone whose strength is genuinely insufficient collapses somewhere along the Way. As for you, you deliberately draw the line.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Ran Qiu said, It’s not that I don’t delight in the Master’s Way, but I don’t have sufficient strength for it.
The Master said, Those whose strength is insufficient go at least halfway before giving up. But now you are setting limits for yourself.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.11

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Original Text:

子曰贤哉回也一箪食一瓢饮在陋巷人不堪其忧回也不改其乐贤哉回也

Translation:

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The Master said, “What a worthy man was Yan Hui! Living in a narrow alley, subsisting on a basket of grain and gourd full of water—other people could not have born such hardship, yet it never spoiled Hui’s joy. What a worthy man was Hui!”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, What a fine man Hui was! One container of rice, one dipperful of drink, living in a back alley—others couldn’t have endured the gloom of it, but he never let it affect his happiness. What a fine man Hui was!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.10

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Original Text:

伯牛有疾子问之自牖执其手曰亡之命矣夫斯人也而有斯疾也斯人也而有斯疾也

Translation:

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Boniu fell ill, and the Master went to ask after his health. Grasping his hand through the window, the Master sighed, “That we are going to lose him must be due to fate! How else could such a man be afflicted with such an illness, [and we left with nothing we can do?] How else could such a man be afflicted with such an illness?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Boniu (Ran Boniu) had an illness. The Master went to ask how he was, holding his hand through the window. He said, We are going to lose him. It’s fate, is it not? Such a man, and to have such an illness. Such a man, and to have such an illness.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.9

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Original Text:

季氏使闵子骞为费宰闵子骞曰善为我辞焉如有复我者则吾必在汶上矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Ji Family offered Min Ziqian the position of steward of the Ji Family fortress at Bi.
Min Ziqian said [to the messenger bringing this news], “Please courteously decline the offer for me. If they ask for me again, you can find me beyond the banks of the Wen River.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

he Ji family wanted to appoint Min Ziqian as steward of Bi. Min Ziqian said, Can someone kindly refuse this offer for me? If they continue to press me, I will have to retire to the banks of the Wen River.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.8

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Original Text:

季康子问仲由可使从政也与子曰由也果于从政乎何有曰赐也可使从政也与曰赐也达于从政乎何有曰求也可使从政也与曰求也艺于从政乎何有

Translation:

Other Translations:

Ji Kangzi asked, “Could Zilu be employed to carry out official business?”
The Master replied, “Zilu is resolute. What difficulty would he have carrying out official business?”
“What about Zigong?”
“Zigong is perceptive. What difficulty would he have carrying out official business?”
“What about Ran Qiu?”
“Ran Qiu is a master of the arts. What difficulty would he have carrying out official business?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Ji Kangzi asked, Would Zhongyou (Zilu) be suitable to hold government office?
The Master said, Zhongyou is decisive. Why wouldn’t he do for government office?
Would Si (Zigong) do for government office?
The Master said, Si is knowledgeable. Why wouldn’t he do for government office?
Would Qiu (Ran Qiu) do for government office?
The Master said, Qiu is talented. Why wouldn’t he do for government office?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.7

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Original Text:

子曰回也其心三月不违仁其余则日月至焉而已矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Ah, Yan Hui! For three months at a time his heart did not stray from Goodness. The rest could only sporadically maintain such a state.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, As for Hui, he could go three months without in his mind ever departing from humaneness. The others can do so for a day or a month, but that is all!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.6

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Original Text:

子谓仲弓曰犁牛之子骍且角虽欲勿用山川其舍诸

Translation:

Other Translations:

With regard to Zhonggong, the Master said, “If the offspring of a plow-ox has a solid red coat and nicely-formed horns, even if people may think it unsuitable for sacrifice, would the spirits of the mountains and rivers reject it?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said of Zhonggong, The calf of an ordinary cow, if it is red in color and has proper horns, [is fit to be used as a sacrifice,] though people might hesitate to do so. Surely the gods of the mountains and rivers will not reject it.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.5

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Original Text:

原思为之宰与之粟九百辞子曰毋以与尔邻里乡党乎

Translation:

Other Translations:

When Yuan Si was serving as steward, he was offered a salary of nine hundred measures of millet,4 but he declined it.
The Master said, “Do not decline it! [If you do not need it yourself], could you not use it to aid the households in your neighborhood?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

When Yuan Si was given the post of steward, he was offered an allotment of nine hundred measures of grain, but he declined it.
The Master said, Oh, no! You could have shared it with your neighboring communities, couldn’t you?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.4

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Original Text:

子华使于齐冉子为其母请粟子曰与之釜请益曰与之庾冉子与之粟五秉子曰赤之适齐也乘肥马衣轻裘吾闻之也君子周急不继富

Translation:

Other Translations:

When Zihua went on an official mission to the state of Qi, Ran Qiu requested a stipend of millet for his mother.
The Master said, “Give her a fu .”
Ran Qiu asked that the stipend be larger.
The Master said, “Give her an yu then.”
In the end, Ran Qiu gave her five bing.
[Upon hearing of this], the Master commented, “When Zihua left for Qi he was riding a fat horse and wearing light furs. I have heard it said that the gentleman aids the needy but does not help the rich to become richer.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zihua went on a mission to the state of Qi. Ran Qiu asked that Zihua’s mother be given an allowance of grain. The Master said, Give her a peck. When Ran Qiu asked for more, the Master said, Give her a bushel. Ran Qiu in the end gave her five large measures of grain.
The Master said, When Chi (Gongxi Zihua) set off for Qi, he had a team of fat horses and was wearing light furs. The way I’ve heard it, the gentleman helps out the needy but does not contribute to the upkeep of the rich.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.3

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Original Text:

哀公问弟子孰为好学孔子对曰有颜回者好学不迁怒不贰过不幸短命死矣今也则亡未闻好学者也

Translation:

Other Translations:

Duke Ai asked, “Who among your disciples might be said to love learning?”
Confucius answered, “There was one named Yan Hui who loved learning. He never misdirected his anger and never made the same mistake twice. Unfortunately, his allotted lifespan was short, and he has passed away. Now that he is gone, there are none who really love learning—at least, I have yet to hear of one.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Duke Ai questioned Confucius, saying, Who among your disciples loves learning?
Confucius replied, There was Yan Hui—he loved learning, never took his anger out on others, never repeated his mistakes. Regrettably, he had a short life and is dead now. Since then, there are none who love learning, or none I’ve heard of.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.