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Original Text:

逸民伯夷叔齐虞仲夷逸朱张柳下惠少连子曰不降其志不辱其身伯夷叔齐与谓柳下惠少连降志辱身矣言中伦行中虑其斯而已矣谓虞仲夷逸隐居放言身中清废中权我则异于是无可无不可

Translation:

Other Translations:

Those men who went into seclusion include Bo Yi, Shu Qi, Yu Zhong, Yi Yi, Zhu Zhang, Liuxia Hui, and Shao Lian.

The Master said, “Unwilling to lower their aspirations or bring disgrace upon their persons—such were Bo Yi and Shu Qi.”

Of Liuxia Hui and Shao Lian he said, “Although they lowered their aspirations and brought disgrace upon their persons, at least their speech was in accord with their status and their actions were in accord with their thoughts.”

Of Yu Zhong and Yi Yi he said, “Living in seclusion and freely speaking their minds, their persons remained pure and their resignations from office were well-considered.”

He concluded, “I, however, am different from all of them in that I have no preconceived notions of what is permissible and what is not.”

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

Those who withdrew from the world: Bo Yi, Shu Qi, Yu Zhong, Yi Yi, Zhu Zhang, Liuxia Hui, Shao Lian.

he Master said, They never lowered their aims, never let themselves be disgraced—that would be Bo Yi and Shu Qi, would it not?

He said, Liuxia Hui and Shao Lian lowered their aims and suffered disgrace. But they spoke in accordance with reason, acted in accordance with careful thought—that much can be said of them.

And he said, Yu Zhong and Yi Yi lived in seclusion, gave up speaking, kept themselves free of stain, and in their withdrawal accorded with expediency. I myself differ from these men. I have no hard and fast dos and don’ts.

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