Life

Analects 19.1

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nineteen

Original Text:

子张曰士见危致命见得思义祭思敬丧思哀其可已矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zizhang said, “To submit to fate when confronted with danger, to think of rightness when presented with an opportunity for gain, to focus on respectfulness when offering sacrifices, and to concentrate upon your grief when in mourning—these are the qualities that make a scholar-official acceptable.”

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

Zizhang said, When a man of station spies danger, he is prepared to give his life. When he spies gain, he thinks of what is right. At a sacrifice, he thinks of respectfulness; at a funeral, he thinks of grief. If he does this much, he will get by.

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

Analects 17.26

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seventeen

Original Text:

子曰年四十而见恶焉其终也已

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “If, having reached the age of forty, you still find yourself despised by others, you will remain despised until the end of your days.”

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

The Master said, Forty and hated by others—and he’ll be so the rest of his life.

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

Analects 15.24

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fifteen

Original Text:

子贡问曰有一言而可以终身行之者乎子曰其恕乎己所不欲勿施于人

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zigong asked, “Is there one word that can serve as a guide for one’s entire life?”

The Master answered, “Is it not ‘understanding’ ? Do not impose upon others what you yourself do not desire.”

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

Zigong asked, Is there a single word that can guide a person’s conduct throughout life?

The Master said, That would be reciprocity, wouldn’t it? What you do not want others to do to you, do not do to others.

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

Analects 15.9

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fifteen

Original Text:

子曰志士仁人无求生以害仁有杀身以成仁

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “No scholar-official of noble intention or Good person would ever pursue life at the expense of Goodness, and in fact some may be called upon to give up their lives in order to fulfill Goodness.”

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

The Master said, The man of high ideals, the humane person, never tries to go on living if it is harmful to humaneness. There are times when he sacrifices his life to preserve humaneness.

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

Analects 12.5

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Original Text:

司马牛忧曰人皆有兄弟我独亡子夏曰商闻之矣死生有命富贵在天君子敬而无失与人恭而有礼四海之内皆兄弟也君子何患乎无兄弟也

Translation:

Other Translations:

Anxiously, Sima Niu remarked, “Everyone has brothers, I alone have none.”

Zixia replied, “I have heard it said, ‘Life and death are governed by fate, wealth and honor are determined by Heaven.’ A gentleman is respectful and free of errors. He is reverent and ritually proper in his dealings with others. In this way, everyone within the Four Seas is his brother. How could a gentleman be concerned about not having brothers?”

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

Sima Niu, troubled, said, All men have elder and younger brothers, but I alone have none.

Zixia said, The way I’ve heard it, life and death are a matter of fate; wealth and eminence rest with Heaven. If a gentleman is respectful and free of error, if he is considerate of others and treats them according to ritual, then all within the four seas are his elder and younger brothers. Why should a gentleman be troubled that he has no elder or younger brothers?

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

Analects 11.12

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Eleven

Original Text:

季路问事鬼神子曰未能事人焉能事鬼曰敢问死曰未知生焉知死

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zilu asked about serving ghosts and spirits. The Master said, “You are not yet able to serve people—how could you be able to serve ghosts and spirits?”

“May I inquire about death?”

“You do not yet understand life—how could you possibly understand death?”

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

Jilu asked how one should serve the gods and spirits. The Master said, When you don’t yet know how to serve human beings, how can you serve the spirits?

Jilu said, May I venture to ask about death? The Master said, When you don’t yet understand life, how can you understand death?

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

Analects 11.7

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Eleven

Original Text:

季康子问弟子孰为好学孔子对曰有颜回者好学不幸短命死矣今也则亡

Translation:

Other Translations:

Ji Kangzi asked, “Who among your disciples could be said to love learning?”

The Master replied, “There was one named Yan Hui who loved learning, but unfortunately he was fated to live a short life, and has since passed away. Now there are none who really love learning.”

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

Ji Kangzi asked, Who among your disciples loves learning? Confucius replied, There was Yan Hui—he loved learning. Regrettably, he had only a short life and is dead now. Now there is no one.

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

Analects 6.19

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Six

Original Text:

子曰人之生也直罔之生也幸而免

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “A person survives by being upright. If you try leading a crooked life, only blind luck will allow you to get by.”

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

The Master said, Human life is a matter of honesty. Live without it, and you’ll be lucky to escape with your life.

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