Humility - Confucian Pages

Analects 15.18

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fifteen

Original Text:

子曰君子义以为质礼以行之孙以出之信以成之君子哉

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The gentleman takes rightness as his substance, puts it into practice by means of ritual, gives it expression through modesty, and perfects it by being trustworthy. Now that is a gentleman!”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The gentleman makes rightness the substance, practices it through ritual, displays it with humility, brings it to completion with trustworthiness. That’s the gentleman.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 14.43

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fourteen

Original Text:

原壤夷俟子曰幼而不孙弟长而无述焉老而不死是为贼以杖叩其胫

Translation:

Other Translations:

Yuan Rang sat casually, with his legs sprawled out, waiting for Confucius.
On seeing him, the Master remarked, “A young man devoid of humility and respect for his elders will grow into an adult who contributes nothing to his community. Growing older and older without the dignity to pass away, he becomes a burden on society.” He then rapped him on the shin with his staff.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Yuan Rang sat waiting for Confucius in a slovenly posture. The Master said, Young but not properly submissive, grown and no one speaks well of you, old and you still don’t die—a real pest!
He rapped on Yuan’s shins with his cane.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.15

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Six

Original Text:

子曰孟之反不伐奔而殿将入门策其马曰非敢后也马不进也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Meng Zhifan is not given to boasting. When his forces were retreating he stayed behind to defend the rear, but as they were about to enter the city gates he spurred his horses ahead, saying, ‘It was not my courage that kept me back, but merely that my horses would not advance.’ ”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Meng Zhifan never boasted. When our forces fled in defeat, he guarded the rear. But when he was about to enter the city gates, he whipped up his horses, saying, I wasn’t deliberately lagging behind—my horses wouldn’t go any faster.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.