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Analects 14.5

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fourteen

Original Text:

南宫适问于孔子曰羿善射奡荡舟俱不得其死然禹稷躬稼而有天下夫子不答南宫适出子曰君子哉若人尚德哉若人

Translation:

Other Translations:

Nangong Kuo said to Confucius, “Yi was a skillful archer, and Ao was a powerful naval commander, and yet neither of them met a natural death. Yu and Hou Ji, on the other hand, did nothing but personally tend to the land, and yet they both ended up with possession of the world.”
The Master did not answer.
After Nangong Kuo left, the Master sighed, “What a gentlemanly person that man is! How he reveres Virtue!”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Nangong Kuo questioned Confucius, saying, Yi was a skilled archer and Ao could push a boat over dry land, but neither was able to die a natural death. Yu and Ji, however, though they worked the fields in person, gained possession of the empire. The Master made no reply.
After Nangong Kuo had left, the Master said, A gentleman should be like this! An upholder of virtue should be like this!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 12.11

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Twelve

Original Text:

齐景公问政于孔子孔子对曰君君臣臣父父子子公曰善哉信如君不君臣不臣父不父子不子虽有粟吾得而食诸

Translation:

Other Translations:

Duke Jing of Qi asked Confucius about governing.
Confucius responded, “Let the lord be a true lord, the ministers true ministers, the fathers true fathers, and the sons true sons.”
The Duke replied, “Well put! Certainly if the lord is not a true lord, the ministers not true ministers, the fathers not true fathers, and the sons not true sons, even if there is sufficient grain, will I ever get to eat it?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Duke Jing of Qi questioned Confucius about government. Confucius replied, Let the ruler be a ruler; the subject, a subject; the father, a father; the son, a son.
The duke said, Splendid! For if indeed the ruler is not a ruler, the subject not a subject, the father not a father, the son not a son, then although there is grain, how will I be able to eat it?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.4

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Six

Original Text:

子华使于齐冉子为其母请粟子曰与之釜请益曰与之庾冉子与之粟五秉子曰赤之适齐也乘肥马衣轻裘吾闻之也君子周急不继富

Translation:

Other Translations:

When Zihua went on an official mission to the state of Qi, Ran Qiu requested a stipend of millet for his mother.
The Master said, “Give her a fu .”
Ran Qiu asked that the stipend be larger.
The Master said, “Give her an yu then.”
In the end, Ran Qiu gave her five bing.
[Upon hearing of this], the Master commented, “When Zihua left for Qi he was riding a fat horse and wearing light furs. I have heard it said that the gentleman aids the needy but does not help the rich to become richer.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zihua went on a mission to the state of Qi. Ran Qiu asked that Zihua’s mother be given an allowance of grain. The Master said, Give her a peck. When Ran Qiu asked for more, the Master said, Give her a bushel. Ran Qiu in the end gave her five large measures of grain.
The Master said, When Chi (Gongxi Zihua) set off for Qi, he had a team of fat horses and was wearing light furs. The way I’ve heard it, the gentleman helps out the needy but does not contribute to the upkeep of the rich.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.