Official

Analects 19.13

Original Text:

子夏曰仕而优则学学而优则仕

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zixia said, “One who excels in his official position should then devote himself to learning. One who excels in learning should then devote himself to official service.”

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

Zixia said, Hold public office, and if you have time left over, study. Study, and if you have time left over, hold public office.

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

Analects 19.1

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 18.11

Original Text:

周有八士伯达伯适仲突仲忽叔夜叔夏季随季騧

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Zhou had eight [worthy] scholar-officials: the Eldest-Sons Da and Kuo, the Second-Sons Tu and Hu, the Third-Sons Ye and Xia, and the Youngest-Sons Sui and Gua.

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

The Zhou had eight men of station: elder brother Da and elder brother Kuo; middle brother Tu and middle brother Hu; younger brother Ye and younger brother Xia; youngest brother Sui and youngest brother Kuo.

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

Analects 18.8

Original Text:

逸民伯夷叔齐虞仲夷逸朱张柳下惠少连子曰不降其志不辱其身伯夷叔齐与谓柳下惠少连降志辱身矣言中伦行中虑其斯而已矣谓虞仲夷逸隐居放言身中清废中权我则异于是无可无不可

Translation:

Other Translations:

Those men who went into seclusion include Bo Yi, Shu Qi, Yu Zhong, Yi Yi, Zhu Zhang, Liuxia Hui, and Shao Lian.

The Master said, “Unwilling to lower their aspirations or bring disgrace upon their persons—such were Bo Yi and Shu Qi.”

Of Liuxia Hui and Shao Lian he said, “Although they lowered their aspirations and brought disgrace upon their persons, at least their speech was in accord with their status and their actions were in accord with their thoughts.”

Of Yu Zhong and Yi Yi he said, “Living in seclusion and freely speaking their minds, their persons remained pure and their resignations from office were well-considered.”

He concluded, “I, however, am different from all of them in that I have no preconceived notions of what is permissible and what is not.”

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

Those who withdrew from the world: Bo Yi, Shu Qi, Yu Zhong, Yi Yi, Zhu Zhang, Liuxia Hui, Shao Lian.

he Master said, They never lowered their aims, never let themselves be disgraced—that would be Bo Yi and Shu Qi, would it not?

He said, Liuxia Hui and Shao Lian lowered their aims and suffered disgrace. But they spoke in accordance with reason, acted in accordance with careful thought—that much can be said of them.

And he said, Yu Zhong and Yi Yi lived in seclusion, gave up speaking, kept themselves free of stain, and in their withdrawal accorded with expediency. I myself differ from these men. I have no hard and fast dos and don’ts.

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

Analects 17.15

Original Text:

子曰鄙夫可与事君也与哉其未得之也患得之既得之患失之苟患失之无所不至矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Is it really possible to work alongside one of these common fellows in serving your lord? Before such a person has obtained an official position, all that concerns him is getting one; once he has gotten one, all that concerns him is hanging onto it. And if he is concerned about hanging onto it, there are no extremes to which he will not go.”

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

The Master said, Can you serve the ruler with some mean-minded fellow as your companion? Before he has gotten what he wants, he worries he won’t get it. After he has gotten it, he worries he’ll lose it. And when he starts worrying about losing it, there’s nothing he won’t do!

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

Analects 15.14

Original Text:

子曰臧文仲其窃位者与知柳下惠之贤而不与立也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “As for Zang Wenzhong, was he not a thief of official positions? He was aware of Liuxia Hui’s worthiness, and yet would not have him as a colleague.”

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

The Master said, Zang Wenzhong held high office unjustly, did he not? He knew that Liuxia Hui was a man of worth, but failed to elevate him to a position comparable to his own.

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

Analects 15.10

Original Text:

子贡问为仁子曰工欲善其事必先利其器居是邦也事其大夫之贤者友其士之仁者

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zigong asked about becoming Good.

The Master said, “Any craftsman who wishes to do his job well must first sharpen his tools. In the same way, when living in a given state, one must serve those ministers who are worthy and befriend those scholar-officials who are Good.”

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

Zigong asked how to practice humaneness. The Master said, A craftsman who wants to do his job well must first sharpen his tools. Whatever country you are in, be of service to the high officials who are worthy and become friends with the men of station who are humane.

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

Analects 14.18

Original Text:

公叔文子之臣大夫僎与文子同升诸公子闻之曰可以为文矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Gongshu Wenzi had his household minister Zhuan promoted along with him to the ducal court. When Confucius heard of this, he remarked, “Surely he deserves to be considered ‘cultured’.”

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

Zhuan had been a retainer to Gongshu Wenzi, but later he became a high official, taking a place beside Wenzi in the service of the ruler. When the Master heard of this, he said, Gongshu Wenzi deserves the posthumous name Cultured (Wen).

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

Analects 14.11

Original Text:

子曰孟公绰为赵魏老则优不可以为滕薛大夫

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Meng Gongchuo would make an excellent household manager for the Zhao or Wei, but could not be employed as a minister in Teng or Xue.”

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

The Master said, Meng Gongchuo would have been excellent as chief retainer to the powerful Zhao or Wei family. But he could not have served as a high official even in the little states of Deng and Xue.

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

Analects 14.2

Original Text:

子曰士而怀居不足以为士矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “A scholar-official who cherishes comfort is not worthy of the name.”

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

The Master said, A man of station who longs for the comforts of home does not deserve to be called a man of station.

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