子曰巧言令色鲜矣仁
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.
子谓伯鱼曰女为周南召南矣乎人而不为周南召南其犹正墙面而立也与
The Master said to Boyu, “Have you mastered the Odes from the ‘South of Zhou’ and the ‘South of Shao’? A man who has not mastered the ‘South of Zhou’ and the ‘South of Shao’ is like someone standing with his face to the wall, is he not?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said to [his son] Boyu, Have you studied the “Zhounan” and “Shaonan”? Anyone who doesn’t know the “Zhounan” and “Shaonan” is like a person who stands with a wall in front of him.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
孔子曰侍于君子有三愆言未及之而言谓之躁言及之而不言谓之隐未见颜色而言谓之瞽
Confucius said, “When attending a gentleman, there are three types of errors one may commit. To speak when it is not yet time to speak—this is called being rash. To not speak when it is time to speak—this is called being secretive. To speak without taking into account the countenance of one’s lord—this is called being blind.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Confucius said, In one’s relations with a gentleman, there are three errors to avoid. To speak of something before the time is right—this is called boorishness. To fail to speak when it is time to do so—this is called secretiveness. To speak without first observing the face of the person one is addressing—this is called blindness.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰无为而治者其舜也与夫何为哉恭己正南面而已矣
The Master said, “Is Shun not an example of someone who ruled by means of wu-wei? What did he do? He made himself reverent and took his proper [ritual] position facing south, that is all.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Of those who ruled through inaction, surely Shun was one. What did he do? Dedicating himself to courtesy, he faced directly south, that was all.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
