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Analects 11.24

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Eleven

Original Text:

季子然问仲由冉求可谓大臣与子曰吾以子为异之问曾由与求之问所谓大臣者以道事君不可则止今由与求也可谓具臣矣曰然则从之者与子曰弑父与君亦不从也

Translation:

Other Translations:

Ji Ziran asked, “Could Zilu and Ran Qiu be considered great ministers?”

The Master replied, “I thought you were going to ask about some exceptional individuals, but instead you always ask about Zilu and Ran Qiu! What we call ‘great ministers’ are those who seek to serve their lord by means of the Way, and who resign if unable to do so. Now, Zilu and Ran Qiu are what we might call ‘useful ministers’ .”

“Then are they the type who do what they are told?”

“If it came to murdering their father or their lord, surely even they would not obey.”

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

Ji Ziran asked whether Zhongyou (Zilu) and Ran Qiu were fit to be called great ministers.

The Master said, I thought that you were going to ask a quite different question, but now you ask about Zhongyou and Ran Qiu. The term “great minister” applies to someone who serves the ruler according to the Way. If he cannot do that, he retires. As for You and Qiu, they can best be called stop-gap ministers.

So you mean they would do whatever they were told to do? asked Ji Ziran.

The Master said, If it involved killing a father or a ruler, they would never go along.

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

Analects 11.20

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Original Text:

子张问善人之道子曰不践迹亦不入于室

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zizhang asked about the Way of the excellent person.

The Master replied, “If he does not personally follow in the footsteps [of the ancients], he will be unable to enter the inner chamber.”

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

Zizhang asked about the way of the truly good person. The Master said, Unless you follow in others’ footsteps, you cannot enter the inner room.

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

Analects 9.11

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Original Text:

颜渊喟然叹曰仰之弥高钻之弥坚瞻之在前忽焉在后夫子循循然善诱人博我以文约我以礼欲罢不能既竭吾才如有所立卓尔虽欲从之末由也已

Translation:

Other Translations:

With a great sigh Yan Hui lamented, “The more I look up at it the higher it seems; the more I delve into it, the harder it becomes. Catching a glimpse of it before me, I then find it suddenly at my back.

“The Master is skilled at gradually leading me on, step by step. He broadens me with culture and restrains me with the rites, so that even if I wanted to give up I could not. Having exhausted all of my strength, it seems as if there is still something left, looming up ahead of me. Though I desire to follow it, there seems to be no way through.”

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

Yan Yuan, sighing, exclaimed, Look up and it’s higher than ever, bore into it and it’s harder still. I see it in front of me, then suddenly it’s behind. Our Master—step by step, how skillfully he leads others along! He broadens me with culture, reins me in with ritual. I want to give up but cannot. Already he has exhausted my ability, yet I see him standing tall before me. But although I want to follow him, I’ve no way to do so.

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

Analects 8.9

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Original Text:

子曰民可使由之不可使知之

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The common people can be made to follow it, but they cannot be made to understand it.”

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

The Master said, The common people can be made to follow a course, but cannot be made to understand why they should do so.

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