Business

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 11.19

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Eleven

Original Text:

子曰回也其庶乎屡空赐不受命而货殖焉亿则屡中

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “How close was Yan Hui [to being morally perfected], and yet he was perpetually impoverished. [Unlike Yan Hui,] Zigong will not accept his fate, and so engages in business speculation. His conjectures, though, are always on the mark.”

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

The Master said, Hui comes near [to the ideal], though he is often in want. Si (Zigong) holds no government office but knows how to turn a profit. His guesses often hit the mark.

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

Analects 6.14

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Six

Original Text:

子游为武城宰子曰女得人焉尔乎曰有澹台灭明者行不由径非公事未尝至于偃之室也

Translation:

Other Translations:

Ziyou was serving as steward of Wucheng.

The Master asked him, “Have you managed to find any worthy people there?”

Ziyou answered, “There is one named Tantai Mieming. He does not take shortcuts when conducting business, and I have never seen him in my chamber except upon official business.”

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

Ziyou was made steward of Wucheng. The Master said, Have you come upon any good men?

Ziyou said, There’s Tantai Mieming. He doesn’t take any shortcuts, and he never comes to my room unless it is on official business.

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