People - Confucian Pages

Analects 20.1

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Original Text:

尧曰咨尔舜天之历数在尔躬允执其中四海困穷天禄永终舜亦以命禹

曰予小子履敢用玄牡敢昭告于皇皇后帝有罪不敢赦帝臣不蔽简在帝心朕躬有罪无以万方万方有罪罪在朕躬

周有大赉善人是富虽有周亲不如仁人百姓有过在予一人

谨权量审法度修废官四方之政行焉兴灭国继绝世举逸民天下之民归心焉

所重民食丧祭

宽则得众信则民任焉敏则有功公则说

Translation:

Correction: Line two fourth character should be a proper name Lu.

Other Translations:

Yao said, “Oh, you Shun! The orderly succession of Heaven now rests upon your shoulders. Hold faithfully to the mean. If those within the Four Seas should fall into hardship and poverty, Heaven’s emoluments will be cut off from you forever.”
Shun charged Yu with the same words.
[Tang] said, “I, your little child Lü, dare to offer up a black bull in sacrifice, and make so bold as to plainly declare to you, my Most August Sovereign Lord, that I do not dare to pardon those who have committed offenses. Your servant, Lord, conceals nothing; examine my actions with your mind, oh Lord. If I should personally commit an offense, let not the punishment be visited upon the inhabitants of the myriad regions; if the inhabitants of the myriad regions commit offenses, let the punishment be visited upon me personally.”
The Zhou were generously endowed, rich in excellent men.
[King Wu said,] “Though I may have many close kinsmen, it is better to employ Good men. If any of the Hundred Clans commit a transgression, let the punishment be visited upon me alone.”
He was scrupulous about weights and measures, carefully examined models and regulations, restored neglected official posts, and the administration of the four quarters was thereby carried out.
He restored destroyed states, re-established interrupted lines of succession, raised lost people back into prominence, and the hearts and minds of all the people in the world turned to him.
He gave weight to the people, food, mourning, and sacrifice.
Generous, he won over the masses. Trustworthy, the people put their faith in him. Diligent, he was successful. Just, [the people] were pleased.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Yao said, Ah, you, Shun—the destiny decreed by Heaven rests with you. Hold sincerely to the center. If those within the four seas suffer hardship and want, Heaven’s bounty will end forever.
And Shun voiced the same command [when he ceded the throne] to Yu.
[Tang] said, I, the little one, Lu, venture to sacrifice this black ox, I venture to report clearly to the most august Lord above. The guilty one I have not ventured to pardon, but I do nothing to hinder the Lord’s officials. May they be chosen in accordance with the Lord’s will. If there is blame on my part, let the ten thousand regions not suffer. If the ten thousand regions have any blame, let that blame rest on me.
Zhou has received great gifts; good persons are enriched. Although Zhou has kinsmen, they cannot equal persons of humaneness. If the people have any fault, may the blame be upon me alone.
Carefully adjust the weights and measures; clarify the laws and regulations; restore offices that have been discontinued—then the governing of the four directions will proceed. Reestablish states that have been wiped out; appoint heirs to successions that have come to an end; promote men who have gone into hiding—then the people of the empire will give their hearts to you. What is to be held in esteem: the people, food, mourning, and sacrifice.
Be tolerant, and you win over the multitude. Be trustworthy, and the people will trust you. Be diligent, and your work will go well. Be fair, and the people will rejoice.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 19.22

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nineteen

Original Text:

卫公孙朝问于子贡曰仲尼焉学子贡曰文武之道未坠于地在人贤者识其大者不贤者识其小者莫不有文武之道焉夫子焉不学而亦何常师之有

Translation:

Other Translations:

Gongsun Chao of Wei asked Zigong, “From whom did Confucius acquire his learning?”
Zigong replied, “The Way of Kings Wen and Wu has not yet fallen to the ground—it still exists in people. Those who are worthy understand its greater aspects, while those who are unworthy understand its lesser aspects. There is no one who does not have the Way of Wen and Wu within them. From whom did the Master not acquire his learning? And what need was there for him to have a formal teacher?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Gongsun Chao of Wei questioned Zigong, saying, Where did Zhongni (Confucius) study?
Zigong said, The Way of Wen and Wu has not yet disappeared completely. Among the populace, worthy men remember the essentials, and those of little worth remember the minor points. There are none who do not possess the Way of Wen and Wu, so how could our Master fail to study it? But how can you say he studied with any particular teacher?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 15.25

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fifteen

Original Text:

子曰吾之于人也谁毁谁誉如有所誉者其有所试矣斯民也三代之所以直道而行也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “When it comes to other people, whom have I condemned? Whom have I praised? If I have praised someone, you can be sure it is because they have been put to the test. The common people today are the same people who allowed the Three Dynasties to put the upright Way into practice.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, In my dealings with others, who have I censured, who have I praised? If I praise someone, it is because he has been put to the test. The common people of today are the ones who carried out the straight Way of the Three Dynasties.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.9

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Thirteen

Original Text:

子适卫冉有仆子曰庶矣哉冉有曰既庶矣又何加焉曰富之曰既富矣又何加焉曰教之

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master traveled to Wei, with Ran Qiu as his carriage driver. [Upon arriving,] the Master remarked, “How numerous the people of this state are!”
Ran Qiu asked, “Being already numerous, what can be done to further improve them?”
The Master replied, “Make them wealthy.”
“Once they are wealthy, what else can be done to improve them?”
“Instruct them.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

When the Master went to Wei, Ran You acted as his carriage driver. The Master said, A sizable population!
Ran You said, Once you have a sizable population, what should you do next?
The Master said, Make them rich!
And once they are rich?
The Master said, Instruct them!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 8.9

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Eight

Original Text:

子曰民可使由之不可使知之

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The common people can be made to follow it, but they cannot be made to understand it.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The common people can be made to follow a course, but cannot be made to understand why they should do so.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.30

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Six

Original Text:

子贡曰如有博施于民而能济众何如可谓仁乎子曰何事于仁必也圣乎尧舜其犹病诸夫仁者己欲立而立人己欲达而达人能近取譬，可谓仁之方也已

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zigong said, “If there were one able to broadly extend his benevolence to the common people and bring succor to the multitudes, what would you make of him? Could such a person be called Good?”
The Master said, “Why stop at Good? Such a person should surely be called a sage! Even someone like Yao or Shun would find such a task daunting. Desiring to take his stand, one who is Good helps others to take their stand; wanting to realize himself, he helps others to realize themselves. Being able to take what is near at hand as an analogy could perhaps be called the method of Goodness.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zigong said, If someone could spread bounty abroad among the people and rescue the populace, how would that be? Could that be called humaneness?
The Master said, Why bring humaneness into the discussion? If you must have a label, call the man a sage. Even Yao and Shun had trouble doing that much.
The humane person wants standing, and so he helps others to gain standing. He wants achievement, and so he helps others to achieve. To know how to proceed on the analogy of what is close at hand—this can be called the humane approach.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.22

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Six

Original Text:

樊迟问知子曰务民之义敬鬼神而远之可谓知矣问仁曰仁者先难而后获可谓仁矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Fan Chi asked about wisdom.
The Master said, “Working to ensure social harmony among the common people, respecting the ghosts and spirits while keeping them at a distance—this might be called wisdom.”
He then asked about Goodness.
The Master said, “One who is Good sees as his first priority the hardship of self-cultivation, and only after thinks about results or rewards. Yes, this is what we might call Goodness.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Fan Chi asked about wisdom. The Master said, Work to lead the people toward what is right. Respect the gods and spirits but keep them at a distance—this can be called wisdom.
When he asked about humaneness, the Master said, Humaneness means tending to difficulties first and leaving benefits for later—this can be called humaneness.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 2.19

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Two

Original Text:

哀公问曰何为则民服孔子对曰举直错诸枉则民服举枉错诸直则民不服

Translation:

Other Translations:

Duke Ai asked, “What can I do to induce the common people to be obedient?”
Confucius replied, “Raise up the straight and apply them to the crooked, and the people will submit to you. If you raise up the crooked and apply them to the straight, the people will never submit.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Duke Ai asked, saying, How can I make the common people submissive? Confucius replied, Promote the straight and let them oversee the crooked – then the common people will be submissive. Promoted the crooked and let them oversee the straight – then the common people will not be submissive.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 1.5

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Original Text:

子曰道千乘之国敬事而信节用而爱人使民以时

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “To guide a state of one thousand chariots, be respectful in your handing of affairs and display trustworthiness; be frugal in your expenditures and cherish others; and employ the common people only at the proper times.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Guiding a state of a thousand chariots, be attentive to affairs and trustworthy, frugal in expenditures and sparing of others. Employ the common people only at proper times.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.