Punishment - Confucian Pages

Analects 20.1

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Twenty

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 13.3

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Thirteen

Original Text:

子路曰卫君待子而为政子将奚先子曰必也正名乎子路曰有是哉子之迂也奚其正子曰野哉由也君子于其所不知盖阙如也名不正则言不顺言不顺则事不成事不成则礼乐不兴礼乐不兴则刑罚不中刑罚不中则民无所措手足故君子名之必可言也言之必可行也君子于其言无所苟而已矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zilu asked, “If the Duke of Wei were to employ you to serve in the government of his state, what would be your first priority?”
The Master answered, “It would, of course, be the rectification of names.”
Zilu said, “Could you, Master, really be so far off the mark? Why worry about rectifying names?”
The Master replied, “How boorish you are, Zilu! When it comes to matters that he does not understand, the gentleman should remain silent.
“If names are not rectified, speech will not accord with reality; when speech does not accord with reality, things will not be successfully accomplished. When things are not successfully accomplished, ritual practice and music will fail to flourish; when ritual and music fail to flourish, punishments and penalties will miss the mark. And when punishments and penalties miss the mark, the common people will be at a loss as to what to do with themselves. This is why the gentleman only applies names that can be properly spoken and assures that what he says can be properly put into action. The gentleman simply guards against arbitrariness in his speech. That is all there is to it.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zilu said, If the ruler of Wei were waiting for you, Master, to take charge of government affairs, what would you do first?
The Master said, If I had to name my first action, I would rectify names.
Zilu said, There—that’s why people say you are out of touch with reality!
The Master said, How boorish you are, You (Zilu)! When a gentleman is confronted with something he does not understand, he should adopt a respectful attitude!
If names are not rectified, then speech will not function properly, and if speech does not function properly, then undertakings will not succeed. If undertakings do not succeed, then rites and music will not flourish. If rites and music do not flourish, then punishments and penalties will not be justly administered. And if punishments and penalties are not justly administered, then the common people will not know where to place their hands and feet.
Therefore, when the gentleman names a thing, that naming can be conveyed in speech, and if it is conveyed in speech, then it can surely be put into action. When the gentleman speaks, there is nothing arbitrary in the way he does so.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 5.10

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Five

Original Text:

宰予昼寝子曰朽木不可雕也粪土之墙不可杇也于予与何诛子曰始吾于人也听其言而信其行今吾于人也听其言而观其行于予与改是

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zai Wo was sleeping during the daytime. The Master said, “Rotten wood cannot be carved, and a wall of dung cannot be plastered. As for Zai Wo, what would be the use of reprimanding him?”
The Master added, “At first, when evaluating people, I would listen to their words and then simply trust that the corresponding conduct would follow. Now when I evaluate people I listen to their words but then closely observe their conduct. It is my experience with Zai Wo that has brought about this change.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zai Yu (Zai Wo) was given to sleeping in the daytime. The Master said, Rotten wood can’t be carved; a wall of stinking earth can’t be troweled. What’s the use of trying to reprimand Yu?
The Master said, At first, when it came to people, I listened to their words and trusted their conduct. Now, when it comes to people, I listen to their words and observe their conduct. It was Yu who brought about this change.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 5.2

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Five

Original Text:

子谓南容邦有道不废邦无道免于刑戮以其兄之子妻之

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said of Nan Rong, “When the state possesses the Way he will not be dismissed from office, and when the state is without the Way he will manage to avoid punishment or execution.” He gave the daughter of his elder brother to him in marriage.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

he Master said of Nan Rong, If the state is ruled by the Way, he will not be overlooked. If the state is not ruled by the Way, he will still stay clear of penalties and punishments.

And he gave him the daughter of his elder brother for a wife.

Analects 4.11

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Four

Original Text:

子曰君子怀德小人怀土君子怀刑小人怀惠

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The gentleman cherishes virtue, whereas the petty person cherishes physical possessions. The gentleman thinks about punishments, whereas the petty person thinks about exemptions.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The gentleman has his mind fixed on virtue; the petty man has his mind fixed on land. The gentleman has his mind fixed on penalties; the petty man has his mind fixed on bounty.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.