Astray - Confucian Pages

Analects 17.1

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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 14.36

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Original Text:

公伯寮愬子路于季孙子服景伯以告曰夫子固有惑志于公伯寮吾力犹能肆诸市朝子曰道之将行也与命也道之将废也与命也公伯寮其如命何

Translation:

Other Translations:

Gongbo Liao submitted an accusation against Zilu to the head of the Ji Family. Zifu Jingbo reported this to Confucius, adding, “That master [i.e., Ji Kangzi] has certainly been led astray by Gongbo Liao, but my influence with him is still sufficient to see to it that Gongbo Liao’s corpse is displayed at court or in the marketplace.”
The Master said, “Whether or not the Way is to be put into action is a matter of fate. Whether or not the Way is to be discarded is also a matter of fate. What power does Gongbo Liao have to affect fate!”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Gongbo Liao spoke ill of Zilu to the head of the Ji family. Zifu Jingbo reported this, saying, My master[, Ji Sun,] has for some time been led astray by Gongbo Liao. But I still have enough influence to see that Gongbo Liao is executed and his corpse exposed in the marketplace.
The Master said, If the Way is destined to proceed, that is a matter of fate. And if the Way is destined to fail, that too is fate. How can Gongbo Liao change what is fated?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 12.15

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Original Text:

子曰博学于文约之以礼亦可以弗畔矣夫

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Someone who is broadly learned with regard to culture, and whose conduct is restrained by the rites, can be counted upon to not go astray.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Acquire broad learning in cultural matters, focus it through ritual, and you are hardly likely to go far astray—isn’t that so?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.27

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Six

Original Text:

子曰君子博学于文约之以礼亦可以弗畔矣夫

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Someone who is broadly learned with regard to culture, and whose conduct is restrained by the rites, can be counted upon to not go astray.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, If the gentleman acquires broad learning in cultural matters and focuses it through ritual, he is hardly likely to go far astray, is he?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.