Poor

Analects 15.32

Original Text:

子曰君子谋道不谋食耕也馁在其中矣学也禄在其中矣君子忧道不忧贫

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The gentleman devotes his thoughts to attaining the Way, not to obtaining food. In the pursuit of agriculture, there is the possibility of starvation; in the pursuit of learning, there is the possibility of salary. The gentleman is concerned about the Way and not about poverty.”

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

The Master said, The gentleman schemes for the Way; he does not scheme for food. You might work the fields and still at times encounter hunger; you might study and at times acquire an official stipend. But the gentleman worries about the Way; he does not worry about poverty.

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

Analects 14.10

Original Text:

子曰贫而无怨难富而无骄易

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “It is difficult to be poor and still free of resentment, but relatively easy to be rich without being arrogant.”

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

The Master said, To be poor but not resentful is difficult. To be rich and not arrogant is easy.

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

Analects 12.9

Original Text:

哀公问于有若曰年饥用不足如之何有若对曰盍彻乎曰二吾犹不足如之何其彻也对曰百姓足君孰与不足百姓不足君孰与足

Translation:

Other Translations:

Duke Ai said to Master You, “The harvest was poor and I cannot satisfy my needs. What should I do?”

Master You said, “Why do you not try taxing the people one part in ten?”

“I am currently taxing them two parts in ten, and even so I cannot satisfy my needs. How could reducing the tax to one part in ten help?”

Master You answered, “If the common people’s needs are satisfied, how could their lord be lacking? If the common people needs are not satisfied, how can their lord be content?”

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

Duke Ai questioned You Ruo, saying, The crop is bad this year, and I don’t have enough for government needs. What should I do?

You Ruo replied, Why not halve the rate of taxation?

The duke said, Even when I take two-tenths of the crop in taxes, I don’t have enough. How could I get by with half?

You Ruo replied, If the people have enough, what ruler will be left without enough? But if the people don’t have enough, how can the ruler hope to have enough?

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

Analects 8.13

Original Text:

子曰笃信好学守死善道危邦不入乱邦不居天下有道则见无道则隐邦有道贫且贱焉耻也邦无道富且贵焉耻也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Be sincerely trustworthy and love learning, and hold fast to the good Way until death. Do not enter a state that is endangered, and do not reside in a state that is disordered. If the Way is being realized in the world then show yourself; if it is not, then go into reclusion. In a state that has the Way, to be poor and of low status is a cause for shame; in a state that is without the Way, to be wealthy and honored is equally a cause for shame.”

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

The Master said, Entirely trustworthy, a lover of learning, faithful until death, exemplar of the Way, he never enters a state where there is peril, never remains in a state where there is disorder. When the Way prevails in the world, he appears; when the Way is lacking, he retires. When the state follows the Way, being poor and lowly is a cause for shame. When the state is without the Way, being rich and eminent is a cause for shame.

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

Analects 6.4

Original Text:

子华使于齐冉子为其母请粟子曰与之釜请益曰与之庾冉子与之粟五秉子曰赤之适齐也乘肥马衣轻裘吾闻之也君子周急不继富

Translation:

Other Translations:

When Zihua went on an official mission to the state of Qi, Ran Qiu requested a stipend of millet for his mother.

The Master said, “Give her a fu .”

Ran Qiu asked that the stipend be larger.

The Master said, “Give her an yu then.”

In the end, Ran Qiu gave her five bing.

[Upon hearing of this], the Master commented, “When Zihua left for Qi he was riding a fat horse and wearing light furs. I have heard it said that the gentleman aids the needy but does not help the rich to become richer.”

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

Zihua went on a mission to the state of Qi. Ran Qiu asked that Zihua’s mother be given an allowance of grain. The Master said, Give her a peck. When Ran Qiu asked for more, the Master said, Give her a bushel. Ran Qiu in the end gave her five large measures of grain.

The Master said, When Chi (Gongxi Zihua) set off for Qi, he had a team of fat horses and was wearing light furs. The way I’ve heard it, the gentleman helps out the needy but does not contribute to the upkeep of the rich.

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

Analects 4.5

Original Text:

子曰富与贵是人之所欲也不以其道得之不处也贫与贱是人之所恶也不以其道得之不去也君子去仁恶乎成名君子无终食之间违仁造次必于是颠沛必于是

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Wealth and social eminence are things that all people desire, and yet unless they are acquired in the proper way I will not abide them. Poverty and disgrace are things that all people hate, and yet unless they are avoided in the proper way I will not despise them.

“If the gentleman abandons Goodness, how can he merit the name? The gentleman does not go against Goodness even for the amount of time required to finish a meal. Even in times of urgency or distress, he necessarily accords with it.”

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

The Master said, Wealth and eminence are what people desire, but if one can’t get them by means that accord with the Way, one will not accept them. Poverty and low position are what people hate, but if one can’t avoid them by means that accord with the Way, one will not reject them.

If the gentleman rejects humaneness, how can he be worthy of the name of gentleman? The gentleman never departs from humanness even fort he space of a meal – in confusion and distress he holds fast to it; stumbling, faltering, he holds fast to it.

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

Analects 1.15

Original Text:

子贡曰贫而无谄富而无骄何如子曰可也未若贫而乐富而好礼者也子贡曰诗云如切如磋如琢如磨其斯之谓与子曰赐也始可与言诗已矣告诸往而知来者

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zigong said, “Poor without being obsequious, rich without being arrogant – what would you say about someone like that?”

The Master answered, “That is acceptable, but it is still not as good as being poor yet joyful, rich and yet loving ritual.”

Zigong said, “An ode says,

‘As if cut, as if polished;

As if carved, as if ground.’

Is this not what you have in mind?”

The Master said, “Zigong, you are precisely the kind of person with whom one can begin to discuss the Odes. Informed as to what has gone before, you know what is to come.”

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

Zigong said, Poor but free of obsequiousness, rich but free of arrogance – how would that do?

The Master said, All right. But not as good as poor but happy in the Way, rich but a lover of rites.

Zigong said, When the Odessays:

As something cut, something filed,

something ground, something polished

Is that what it’s talking about?

The Master said, Si (Zigong), now I can begin to talk to you about the Odes. Someone tells you the first step, and you understand the step that comes after!

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