Beautiful

Analects 13.8

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Original Text:

子谓卫公子荆善居室始有曰苟合矣少有曰苟完矣富有曰苟美矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said of Prince Jing of Wei, “He is good at running a household. When he first built his house, he said, ‘Oh, it seems acceptable.’ After he had worked on it for a while, he said, ‘Oh, it seems finished.’ When he became wealthy and had improved it, he said, ‘It seems beautiful to me.’ ”

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

The Master said of the ducal son Jing of Wei, He was good at managing his household wealth. At first he said, This just about covers things. When he had accumulated a little more, he said, Just about enough! When he became truly rich, he said, Just about perfect!

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

Analects 5.25

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Original Text:

子曰巧言令色足恭左丘明耻之丘亦耻之匿怨而友其人左丘明耻之丘亦耻之

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Clever words, an ingratiating countenance, and perfunctory gestures of respect are all things that Zuoqiu Ming considered shameful, and I, too, consider them shameful. Concealing one’s resentment and feigning friendship toward another is something Zuoqiu considered shameful, and I, too, consider it shameful.”

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

The Master said, Clever words, a pleasing countenance, politeness overdone—Zuoqiu Ming would be ashamed of such, and I would be ashamed too. To hide your distaste for someone and become that person’s friend—Zuoqiu Ming would be ashamed of that, and I would be ashamed too.

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

Analects 3.25

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Original Text:

子谓韶尽美矣又尽善也谓武尽美矣未尽善也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said of the Shao music, “It is perfectly beautiful, and also perfectly good.”

He said of the Wu music, “It is perfectly beautiful but not perfectly good.”

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

Of the Shao music, the Master said, Perfect in beauty, perfect in goodness. Of the Wu music, he said, Perfect in beauty, but not perfect in goodness.

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

Analects 3.8

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Original Text:

子夏问曰巧笑倩兮美目盼兮素以为绚兮’何谓也子曰绘事后素曰礼后乎子曰起予者商也始可与言诗已矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zixia asked, “[An ode says,]

‘Her artful smile, with its alluring dimples,

Her beautiful eyes, so clear,

The unadorned upon which to paint.’

What does this mean?”

The Master said, “The application of colors comes only after a suitable unadorned background is present.”

Zixia said, “So it is the rites that come after?”

The Master said, “It is you, Zixia, who has awakened me to the meaning of these lines! It is only with someone like you that I can begin to discuss the Odes.”

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

Zixia asked, saying,

Her artful smile engaging,

lovely eyes in clear outline,

colors on a white ground,

What do these lines mean?

The Master said, The painting comes after the white background.

Zixia said, So ritual comes afterward?

The Master said, Shang (Zixia) si the one who reads my meaning. At last I have someone to discuss the Odes with.

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

Analects 1.7

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Original Text:

子夏曰贤贤易色事父母能竭其力事君能致其身与朋友交言而有信虽曰未学吾必谓之学矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zixia said, “Imagine someone who recognizes and admires worthiness and therefore changes his lustful nature, who is able to fully exhaust his strength in serving his parents and extend himself to the utmost in serving his lord, and who is trustworthy in speech when interacting with friends and associates. Even if you said of such a person ‘Oh, but he is not learned,’ I would still insist that it is precisely such qualities that make on worthy of being called ‘learned.'”

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

Zixia said, If he treats worthy persons as worthy and is respectful to them, does all in his power to serve his father and mother, gives his best in the service of the ruler, and in dealings with friends is faithful to his word, though some may say he lacks learning, I would surely call him learned!

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

Analects 1.3

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Original Text:

子曰巧言令色鲜矣仁

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “A clever tongue and fine appearance are rarely signs of Goodness”

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

The Master said, Clever words and a pleasing countenance – little humaneness there!

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