Common

Analects 17.15

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seventeen

Original Text:

子曰鄙夫可与事君也与哉其未得之也患得之既得之患失之苟患失之无所不至矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Is it really possible to work alongside one of these common fellows in serving your lord? Before such a person has obtained an official position, all that concerns him is getting one; once he has gotten one, all that concerns him is hanging onto it. And if he is concerned about hanging onto it, there are no extremes to which he will not go.”

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

The Master said, Can you serve the ruler with some mean-minded fellow as your companion? Before he has gotten what he wants, he worries he won’t get it. After he has gotten it, he worries he’ll lose it. And when he starts worrying about losing it, there’s nothing he won’t do!

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

Analects 15.25

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fifteen

Original Text:

子曰吾之于人也谁毁谁誉如有所誉者其有所试矣斯民也三代之所以直道而行也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “When it comes to other people, whom have I condemned? Whom have I praised? If I have praised someone, you can be sure it is because they have been put to the test. The common people today are the same people who allowed the Three Dynasties to put the upright Way into practice.”

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

The Master said, In my dealings with others, who have I censured, who have I praised? If I praise someone, it is because he has been put to the test. The common people of today are the ones who carried out the straight Way of the Three Dynasties.

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

Analects 6.29

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Six

Original Text:

子曰中庸之为德也其至矣乎民鲜久矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Acquiring Virtue by applying the mean—is this not best? And yet among the common people few are able to practice this virtue for long.”

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

The Master said, The virtue embodied in the doctrine of the Mean11 is of the highest order. But it has long been rare among people.

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