Goodness - Confucian Pages

Analects 14.1

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Original Text:

宪问耻子曰邦有道谷邦无道谷耻也克伐怨欲不行焉可以为仁矣子曰可以为难矣仁则吾不知也

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Yuan Si asked about shame.
The Master said, “When the state has the Way, accept a salary; when the state is without the Way, to accept a salary is shameful.”
“To refrain from competitiveness, boastfulness, envy, and greed—can this be considered Goodness?”
The Master said, “This can be considered difficult, but as for its being Good, that I do not know.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Xian (Yuan Si) asked what is shameful. The Master said, When a state follows the Way, one receives an official stipend. But when a state is without the Way, to receive an official stipend is shameful.
[Yuan Si said,] If one is free of high-handedness, bragging, enmity, and craving, can this be termed humaneness? The Master said, It may be termed difficult. But as for humaneness—I don’t know about that.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.27

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Original Text:

子曰刚毅木讷近仁

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Resolute, decisive, straightforward, and reticent—these qualities are close to Goodness.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The firm, the bold, the simple, the slow in speech are near to humaneness.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.19

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Original Text:

樊迟问仁子曰居处恭执事敬与人忠虽之夷狄不可弃也

Translation:

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Fan Chi asked about Goodness.
The Master replied, “When occupying your place, remain reverent; when performing public duties, be respectful; and when dealing with others, be dutiful. These are virtues that cannot be abandoned, even if you go to dwell among the Yi or Di barbarians.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Fan Chi asked about humaneness. The Master said, In private life, be courteous; in handling affairs, respectful; in dealings with others, loyal. Even if you go among the Yi or Di tribes,7 these rules can never be put aside.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.12

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Original Text:

子曰如有王者必世而后仁

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “If a true king were to arise, though, we would certainly see a return to Goodness after a single generation.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Even if we had a true king, it would require a generation before humaneness would prevail.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 12.23

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Original Text:

子贡问友子曰忠告而善道之不可则止毋自辱焉

Translation:

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Zigong asked about friendship.
The Master replied, “Reprove your friend when dutifulness requires, but do so gently. If your words are not accepted then desist, lest you incur insult.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zigong asked how to deal with friends. The Master said, Advise them in a loyal manner; lead them with goodness. But if you get nowhere, then stop. No use to bring shame on yourself.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 12.22

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Original Text:

樊迟问仁子曰爱人问知子曰知人樊迟未达子曰举直错诸枉能使枉者直樊迟退见子夏曰乡也吾见于夫子而问知子曰举直错诸枉能使枉者直何谓也子夏曰富哉言乎舜有天下选于众举皋陶不仁者远矣汤有天下选于众举伊尹不仁者远矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Fan Chi asked about Goodness.
The Master replied, “Care for others.”
He then asked about wisdom.
The Master replied, “Know others.”
Fan Chi still did not understand, so the Master elaborated: “Raise up the straight and apply them to the crooked, and the crooked will be made straight.”
Fan Chi retired from the Master’s presence. Seeing Zixia, he said, “Just before I asked the Master about wisdom, and he replied, ‘Raise up the straight and apply them to the crooked, and the crooked will be made straight.’ What did he mean by that?”
Zixia answered, “What a wealth of instruction you have received! When Shun ruled the world, he selected from amongst the multitude, raising up Gao Yao, and those who were not Good then kept their distance. When Tang ruled the world, he selected from amongst the multitude, raising up Yi Yin, and those who were not Good then kept their distance.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Fan Chi asked about humaneness. The Master said, Love others. Fan Chi asked about understanding. The Master said, Understand others.
When Fan Chi failed to grasp the meaning, the Master said, Promote the straight, and let them oversee the crooked. That way, you can cause the crooked to be straight.
After Fan Chi had left the Master, he met Zixia. A while ago, he said, I met the Master and asked him about understanding. He said, Promote the straight, and let them oversee the crooked—that way you can cause the crooked to be straight. What does that mean?
Zixia said, How rich in meaning—these words! When Shun ruled the empire, he chose Gao Yao from among the multitude—and those who lacked humaneness were kept at a distance. When Tang ruled the empire, he chose Yi Yin from among the multitude—and those who lacked humaneness were kept at a distance.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 12.21

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Original Text:

樊迟从游于舞雩之下曰敢问崇德修慝辨惑子曰善哉问先事后得非崇德与攻其恶无攻人之恶非修慝与一朝之忿忘其身以及其亲非惑与

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Fan Chi was on an excursion with the Master, wandering below the Rain Dance Altar, when he asked, “May I ask what it means to, ‘Accumulate Virtue, reform vice, and resolve confusion’?”
The Master replied, “A noble question indeed! Put service first and reward last—is this not the way to accumulate Virtue? Attack the bad qualities in yourself rather than the badness in others—is this not the way to remedy vice? To forget yourself in a moment of anger and thereby bring ruin upon both you and your family—is this not an example of confusion?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Fan Chi was accompanying the Master in an outing to the rain altars. He said, If I may, I would like to ask how to uphold virtue, remedy badness, and detect faulty thinking.
The Master said, An excellent question! Think of the work first and the gains afterward—this is how to uphold virtue, isn’t it? Attack the evils in yourself, not the evils in others—this is how to remedy badness, isn’t it? Because of one morning’s anger, to forget your own safety and even endanger those close to you—this is faulty thinking, isn’t it?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 12.3

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Original Text:

司马牛问仁子曰仁者其言也讱曰其言也讱斯谓之仁已乎子曰为之难言之得无讱乎

Translation:

Other Translations:

Sima Niu asked about Goodness.
The Master said, “The Good person is hesitant to speak.”
“ ‘Hesitant to speak’—is that all there is to Goodness?”
“When being Good is so difficult, how can one not be hesitant to speak about it?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Sima Niu asked about humaneness. The Master said, The humane person is cautious about how he speaks of it.
Being cautious in how you speak—is that what it means to be humane?
The Master said, When it is so difficult to do, how can you fail to be cautious in speaking of it?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 12.2

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Original Text:

仲弓问仁子曰出门如见大宾使民如承大祭己所不欲勿施于人在邦无怨在家无怨仲弓曰雍虽不敏请事斯语矣

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Zhonggong asked about Goodness.
The Master said, “ ‘When in public, comport yourself as if you were receiving an important guest, and in your management of the common people, behave as if you were overseeing a great sacrifice.’ Do not impose upon others what you yourself do not desire. In this way, you will encounter no resentment in your public or private life.”
Zhonggong replied, “Although I am not quick to understand, I ask permission to devote myself to this teaching.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zhonggong asked about humaneness. The Master said, When you go out the door, behave as though you were going to meet an important guest. When you employ the common people, do so as though you were conducting an important sacrifice. What you do not want others to do to you, do not do to others. In the domain, let there be no grievances against you; in the family, let there be no grievances against you.
Zhonggong said, Lacking in cleverness though I am, I would like, if I may, to honor these words.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 12.1

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Original Text:

颜渊问仁子曰克己复礼为仁一日克己复礼天下归仁焉为仁由己而由人乎哉颜渊曰请问其目子曰非礼勿视非礼勿听非礼勿言非礼勿动颜渊曰回虽不敏请事斯语矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Yan Hui asked about Goodness.
The Master said, “Restraining yourself and returning to the rites constitutes Goodness. If for one day you managed to restrain yourself and return to the rites, in this way you could lead the entire world back to Goodness. The key to achieving Goodness lies within yourself—how could it come from others?”
Yan Hui asked, “May I inquire as to the specifics?”
The Master said, “Do not look unless it is in accordance with ritual; do not listen unless it is in accordance with ritual; do not speak unless it is in accordance with ritual; do not move unless it is in accordance with ritual.”
Yan Hui replied, “Although I am not quick to understand, I ask permission to devote myself to this teaching.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Yan Yuan asked about humaneness. The Master said, To master the self and return to ritual is to be humane. For one day master the self and return to ritual, and the whole world will become humane. Being humane proceeds from you yourself. How could it proceed from others?
Yan Yuan said, May I ask how to go about this?
The Master said, If it is contrary to ritual, don’t look at it. If it is contrary to ritual, don’t listen to it. If it is contrary to ritual, don’t utter it. If it is contrary to ritual, don’t do it.
Yan Yuan said, Lacking in cleverness though I am, I would like, if I may, to honor these words.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.