Analects

Analects 17.5

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seventeen

Original Text:

公山弗扰以费畔召子欲往子路不说曰末之也已何必公山氏之之也子曰夫召我者而岂徒哉如有用我者吾其为东周乎

Translation:

Other Translations:

Gongshan Furao used the stronghold of Bi to stage a revolt against the Ji Family. He summoned Confucius, and the Master was inclined to go.

Zilu was displeased, and said, “We have nowhere else to go, that is true. But why must we go to the house of Gongshan?”

The Master replied, “I have been summoned—how could it be for naught? If I found someone to employ me, could I not establish a new Zhou in the East?”

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

Gongshan Furao headed a rebellion in the region of Bi and invited Confucius to join him. The Master wanted to go, but Zilu, displeased, said, Don’t go, and that will end the matter. What need is there to join someone like Gongshan?

The Master said, He has invited me—how could it be a complete waste? If someone would only make use of me, I could create a Zhou of the east!

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

Analects 17.4

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seventeen

Original Text:

子之武城闻弦歌之声夫子莞尔而笑曰割鸡焉用牛刀子游对曰昔者偃也闻诸夫子曰君子学道则爱人小人学道则易使也子曰二三子偃之言是也前言戏之耳

Translation:

Other Translations:

When the Master went to Wucheng, he heard the sound of stringed instruments and song. Smiling gently, he remarked, “Why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken?”

Ziyou replied, “In the past, Master, I have heard you say, ‘If the gentleman learns the Way he will be able to care for others, and if commoners learn the Way they will be easy to manage.’ ”

[Addressing the disciples who had accompanied him to Wucheng,] the Master said, “Take note, my disciples! What Ziyou says is true. My earlier comment was meant only as a joke.”

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

When the Master visited Wucheng, he listened to the music of stringed instruments and a chorus. A smile came to his face, and he said, To cut up a chicken, why use an ox-cleaver?

Ziyou replied, In the past I have heard you say, Master, that when the gentleman studies the Way, he learns to love others, and when the petty man studies the Way, he becomes easy to employ.

The Master said, You young men, what Yan (Ziyou) says is right. My earlier remark was just meant as a joke.

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

Analects 17.3

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seventeen

Original Text:

子曰唯上知与下愚不移

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Only the very wise and the very stupid do not change.”

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

The Master said, Only the highest among the wise and the lowest among the stupid never change.

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

Analects 17.2

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seventeen

Original Text:

子曰性相近也习相远也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “By nature people are similar; they diverge as the result of practice.”

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

The Master said, In nature close to one another, in practice far apart.

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

Analects 16.14

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Sixteen

Original Text:

邦君之妻君称之曰夫人夫人自称曰小童邦人称之曰君夫人称诸异邦曰寡小君异邦人称之亦曰君夫人

Translation:

Other Translations:

With regard to the wife of the lord of a state, the lord refers to her as his “Lady,” while the Lady refers to herself as “little child.” The people of the state refer to her as “our Lord’s Lady,” but when abroad refer to her as “Our Orphaned Little Lord.” People of other states refer to her as “that Lord’s Lady.”

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

In the case of the wife of the ruler of a state, the ruler refers to her as “the lady,” and she refers to herself as “this little youth.” The people of the state refer to her as “the lord’s lady,” but when they are addressing persons of other states, they call her “our little lord.” The people of other states refer to her as “the lord’s lady.”

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

Analects 16.13

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Sixteen

Original Text:

陈亢问于伯鱼曰子亦有异闻乎对曰未也尝独立鲤趋而过庭曰学诗乎对曰未也不学诗无以言

鲤退而学诗他日又独立鲤趋而过庭曰学礼乎对曰未也不学礼无以立’鲤退而学礼

闻斯二者陈亢退而喜曰问一得三闻诗闻礼又闻君子之远其子也

Translation:

Other Translations:

Ziqin asked Boyu, “Have you acquired any esoteric learning?”

Boyu replied, “I have not. My father was once standing by himself in the courtyard and, as I hurried by with quickened steps, he asked, ‘Have you learned the Odes?’ I replied, ‘Not yet.’ He said, ‘If you do not learn the Odes, you will lack the means to speak.’ I then retired and learned the Odes.

“On another day, my father was once again standing by himself in the courtyard and, as I hurried by with quickened steps, he asked, ‘Have you learned ritual?’ I replied, ‘Not yet.’ He said, ‘If you do not learn ritual, you will lack the means to take your place.’ I then retired and learned ritual.

“These two things are what I have been taught.”

Ziqin retired and, smiling to himself, remarked “I asked one question and got three answers: I learned about the Odes, I learned about ritual, and I learned how the gentleman keeps his son at a distance.”

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

Chen Gang (Ziqin) questioned [Confucius’s son] Boyu, saying, As a son, have you received any special instruction?

No, replied Boyu. But once, when my father was standing by himself and I hurried across the courtyard, he said, Have you studied the Odes? Not yet, I replied. He said, If you don’t study the Odes, you won’t know how to speak properly! So after that I studied the Odes. Another day, when he was standing by himself and I hurried across the courtyard, he said, Have you studied the rites? Not yet, I replied. He said, If you don’t study the rites, you won’t have any basis to stand on. So after that I studied the rites. He gave me these two pieces of instruction.

Afterward Chen Gang, delighted, said, I asked one question and learned three things. I learned about the Odes, I learned about rites, and I learned that the gentleman maintains a certain distance in relations with his son.

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

Analects 17.1

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seventeen

Original Text:

阳货欲见孔子孔子不见归孔子豚孔子时其亡也而往拜之遇诸途谓孔子曰来予与尔言曰怀其宝而迷其邦可谓仁乎曰不可好从事而亟失时可谓知乎曰不可日月逝矣岁不我与孔子曰诺吾将仕矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Yang Huo wanted to have an audience with Confucius, but Confucius would not see him. Yang Huo therefore sent Confucius a suckling pig as a gift. Confucius waited until Yang Huo was not at home before going to offer his thanks, but ended up running into Yang Huo on the road.

Yang Huo called out to Confucius, “Come! I would like to speak with you.” [After Confucius approached him,] he said, “Clutching a treasure to one’s bosom, and thereby letting the state go to ruin—could this be called Good?”

Confucius replied, “No, it could not.”

“Being eager to serve, but repeatedly missing opportunities to do so—could this be called wise?”

Confucius replied, “No, it could not.”

“The days and months are slipping away, and time is not on our side.”

“Very well,” Confucius said. “I will enter official service.”

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

Yang Huo (Yang Hu?) wanted to see Confucius, but Confucius refused to see him. He then sent Confucius a suckling pig. Confucius, choosing a time when Yang was not at home, went to express thanks for the gift, but he happened to meet Yang in the street. Addressing Confucius, Yang Huo said, Come—I have something to say to you. You hide in your heart a wealth of talent and yet let your country go astray. Can that be called humaneness? Of course not! You long to hold office and yet time and again miss the chance to do so. Can that be called wisdom? Of course not! The days and months fly by, time does not work in our favor!

Confucius said, Very well—I will take public office.

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

Analects 16.12

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Sixteen

Original Text:

齐景公有马千驷死之日民无德而称焉伯夷叔齐饿于首阳之下民到于今称之其斯之谓与

Translation:

Other Translations:

“ ‘Duke Jing of Qi had a thousand teams of horses, and yet on the day he died, the people could find no reason to praise him. Bo Yi and Shu Qi starved to death at the foot of Mt. Shouyang, and yet to this day the common people still praise them.’ ”

“Is this not an example of this?”

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

Duke Jing of Qi had a thousand teams of four horses, but the day he died, the common people of Qi could think of no bounty to praise him for. Bo Yi and Shu Qi died of hunger on Mount Shou-yang, yet to this day the common people praise them. This is what the saying means.

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

Analects 16.11

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Sixteen

Original Text:

孔子曰见善如不及见不善如探汤吾见其人矣吾闻其语矣隐居以求其志行义以达其道吾闻其语矣未见其人也

Translation:

Other Translations:

Confucius said, “ ‘Seeing goodness, and striving for it urgently, as if never able catch up; seeing badness, and recoiling as if scalded by hot water’—I have seen such people, and have heard such words.”

“ ‘Dwelling in seclusion in order to pursue one’s aspirations, practicing rightness in order to realize the Way’—I have heard such words, but have yet to see such a person.”

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

Confucius said, He sees what is good and acts as though he could never attain it, sees what is not good and acts as though he had put his hand in scalding water—I’ve seen people like that and heard reports of their kind. He lives in seclusion in order to fulfill his aims, practices rightness in order to perfect his Way—I’ve heard reports of such people but never actually seen them.

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

Analects 16.10

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Sixteen

Original Text:

孔子曰君子有九思视思明听思聪色思温貌思恭言思忠事思敬疑思问忿思难见得思义

Translation:

Other Translations:

Confucius said, “There are nine things upon which a gentleman focuses his attention: when looking, he focuses on seeing clearly; when listening, he focuses on being discerning; in his expression, he focuses on being amiable; in his demeanor, he focuses on being reverent; in his speech, he focuses on being dutiful; in his actions, he focuses on being respectful; when in doubt, he focuses on asking questions; when angry, he focuses on thinking about the potential negative consequences of his anger; and when seeing gain, he focuses upon what is right.”

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

Confucius said, The gentleman has nine things he thinks of. He thinks—is my vision clear? He thinks—is my hearing acute? He thinks—is my expression genial? He thinks—is my manner courteous? He thinks—are my words loyal? He thinks—am I respectful in the way I serve? He thinks—when in doubt, do I seek advice? He thinks—when angry, do I think of the troubles that may ensue? He thinks—when I spy gain, would I be right to take it?

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