Gift

Analects 10.23

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Original Text:

朋友之馈虽车马非祭肉不拜

Translation:

Other Translations:

When receiving a gift from a friend—even something as valuable as a cart or a horse—he did not bow unless it was a gift of sacrificial meat.

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

If a friend presented him with a gift, even though it might be a horse or carriage, he did not bow to the ground to receive it. Only in the case of sacrificial meat did he do so.

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

Analects 10.18

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Original Text:

君赐食必正席先尝之君赐腥必熟而荐之君赐生必畜之侍食于君君祭先饭

Translation:

Other Translations:

When presented with a gift of food from his lord, he would taste it before even straightening his mat. When presented with raw meat, he would always have it cooked and then present it as an offering [to his ancestors]. When presented with livestock, he would always have it reared.

When attending his lord at a meal, he would taste the food his lord had sacrificed before giving it to him to eat.

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

When the ruler sent him a gift of food, he would always straighten his sitting mat and first taste it. If the ruler sent a gift of uncooked meat, he would always cook it and make an offering to the ancestors. If the ruler sent a live animal, he would raise it.

If he was attending the ruler at a meal, while the ruler made an offering of a portion of the food, Confucius would first taste it.

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

Analects 10.16

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Ten

Original Text:

康子馈药拜而受之曰丘未达不敢尝

Translation:

Other Translations:

When Ji Kangzi sent him a gift of medicinal herbs, he bowed [to the messenger] and accepted it, but said, “I do not know what sort of medicine this is, so I dare not taste it.”

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

(Ji) Kangzi presented Confucius with some medicine. Confucius bowed to the ground in accepting it, but said, As I am not familiar with this medicine, I do not venture to taste it.

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