Affairs - Confucian Pages

Analects 15.34

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fifteen

Original Text:

子曰君子不可小知而可大受也小人不可大受而可小知也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The gentleman is incapable of petty cleverness, but he can take on great tasks; the petty person is the opposite.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The gentleman cannot handle affairs demanding only limited understanding, but he is capable of large undertakings. The petty man is not capable of large undertakings, but he can handle affairs demanding limited understanding.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.14

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Thirteen

Original Text:

冉子退朝子曰何晏也对曰有政子曰其事也如有政虽不吾以吾其与闻之

Translation:

Other Translations:

Ran Qiu returned from court.
The Master asked, “Why so late?
Ran Qiu replied, “There were governmental matters to be discussed.”
The Master said, “No, what you were discussing were ‘private affairs’. If there were governmental matters to be discussed, how would I have not received word of them, even though I am not employed?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Master Ran came from a gathering of the court. The Master said, Why are you so late?
Ran You replied, There was government business.
The Master said, Routine matters, no doubt. If there had been real government business, though I do not hold office, I would surely have been consulted.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 4.10

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Four

Original Text:

子曰君子之于天下也无适也无莫也义之与比

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “With regard to the world, the gentleman has no predispositions for or against any person. He merely associates with those he considers right.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, With regard to worldly affairs, the gentleman has no strong likes and no strong dislikes – he sides with what is right.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 3.21

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Three

Original Text:

哀公问社于宰我宰我对曰夏后氏以松殷人以柏周人以栗曰使民战栗子闻之曰成事不说遂事不谏既往不咎

Translation:

Other Translations:

Duke Ai asked Zai Wo about the altar to the soil.
Zai Wo replied, “The clans of the Xia sovereigns used the pine tree, the Shang people used the cypress tree, and the Zhou people used the chestnut tree (li). It is said that they wanted to instill fear (li) in the people.”
Having been informed of this, the Master remarked, “One does not try to explain what is over and done with, one does not try to criticize what is already gone, and one does not try to censure that which is already fast.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Duke Ai asked Zai Wo about the altar to the god of the soil. Zai Wo replied, The Xia rulers planted it with pines, the men of Yin planted it with cedars, the men of Zhou plant it with chestnuts (li), in order, they say to make the common people tremble (li).
When the Master heard of this, he said, Completed affairs one does not comment on; things done one does not carp over; what is past one does not criticize.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.