The Master said to Boyu, “Have you mastered the Odes from the ‘South of Zhou’ and the ‘South of Shao’? A man who has not mastered the ‘South of Zhou’ and the ‘South of Shao’ is like someone standing with his face to the wall, is he not?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said to [his son] Boyu, Have you studied the “Zhounan” and “Shaonan”? Anyone who doesn’t know the “Zhounan” and “Shaonan” is like a person who stands with a wall in front of him.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “Little Ones, why do none of you learn the Odes? The Odes can be a source of inspiration and a basis for evaluation; they can help you to come together with others, as well as to properly express complaints. In the home, they teach you about how to serve your father, and in public life they teach you about how to serve your lord. They also broadly acquaint you with the names of various birds, beasts, plants, and trees.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Young people, why do none of you study the Odes? The Odes train you in analogy, allow you to observe customs, teach you to be sociable, teach you to express anger. Close at hand, you learn how to serve your father; in more distant terms, how to serve the ruler. And you become familiar with the names of numerous birds, animals, plants, and trees.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Ziqin asked Boyu, “Have you acquired any esoteric learning?”
Boyu replied, “I have not. My father was once standing by himself in the courtyard and, as I hurried by with quickened steps, he asked, ‘Have you learned the Odes?’ I replied, ‘Not yet.’ He said, ‘If you do not learn the Odes, you will lack the means to speak.’ I then retired and learned the Odes.
“On another day, my father was once again standing by himself in the courtyard and, as I hurried by with quickened steps, he asked, ‘Have you learned ritual?’ I replied, ‘Not yet.’ He said, ‘If you do not learn ritual, you will lack the means to take your place.’ I then retired and learned ritual.
“These two things are what I have been taught.”
Ziqin retired and, smiling to himself, remarked “I asked one question and got three answers: I learned about the Odes, I learned about ritual, and I learned how the gentleman keeps his son at a distance.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Chen Gang (Ziqin) questioned [Confucius’s son] Boyu, saying, As a son, have you received any special instruction?
No, replied Boyu. But once, when my father was standing by himself and I hurried across the courtyard, he said, Have you studied the Odes? Not yet, I replied. He said, If you don’t study the Odes, you won’t know how to speak properly! So after that I studied the Odes. Another day, when he was standing by himself and I hurried across the courtyard, he said, Have you studied the rites? Not yet, I replied. He said, If you don’t study the rites, you won’t have any basis to stand on. So after that I studied the rites. He gave me these two pieces of instruction.
Afterward Chen Gang, delighted, said, I asked one question and learned three things. I learned about the Odes, I learned about rites, and I learned that the gentleman maintains a certain distance in relations with his son.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “Imagine a person who can recite the several hundred odes by heart but, when delegated a governmental task, is unable to carry it out, or when sent abroad as an envoy, is unable to engage in repartee. No matter how many odes he might have memorized, what good are they to him?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, A man may be able to recite all three hundred odes, but if you assign him as an envoy to some neighboring state and he can’t give his answers unassisted, then no matter how many odes he might know, what good is he?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
