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Analects 16.10

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Sixteen

Original Text:

孔子曰君子有九思视思明听思聪色思温貌思恭言思忠事思敬疑思问忿思难见得思义

Translation:

Other Translations:

Confucius said, “There are nine things upon which a gentleman focuses his attention: when looking, he focuses on seeing clearly; when listening, he focuses on being discerning; in his expression, he focuses on being amiable; in his demeanor, he focuses on being reverent; in his speech, he focuses on being dutiful; in his actions, he focuses on being respectful; when in doubt, he focuses on asking questions; when angry, he focuses on thinking about the potential negative consequences of his anger; and when seeing gain, he focuses upon what is right.”

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

Confucius said, The gentleman has nine things he thinks of. He thinks—is my vision clear? He thinks—is my hearing acute? He thinks—is my expression genial? He thinks—is my manner courteous? He thinks—are my words loyal? He thinks—am I respectful in the way I serve? He thinks—when in doubt, do I seek advice? He thinks—when angry, do I think of the troubles that may ensue? He thinks—when I spy gain, would I be right to take it?

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

Analects 14.13

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Original Text:

子问公叔文子于公明贾曰信乎夫子不言不笑不取乎公明贾对曰以告者过也夫子时然后言人不厌其言乐然后笑人不厌其笑义然后取人不厌其取子曰其然岂其然乎

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master asked Gongming Jia about Gongshu Wenzi, saying, “Is it really true that your master did not speak, did not laugh, and did not take?”

Gongming Jia answered, “Whoever told you that was exaggerating. My master only spoke when the time was right, and so people never grew impatient listening to him. He only laughed when he was genuinely full of joy, and so people never tired of hearing him laugh. He only took what was rightfully his, and so people never resented his taking of things.”

The Master said, “Was he really that good? Could he really have been that good?”

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

The Master questioned Gongming Jia about Gongshu Wenzi, saying, Is it true that your master never spoke, never laughed, and never accepted things?

Gongming Jia replied, Whoever told you that was exaggerating. My master spoke only when it was time to do so—thus others did not object to his speaking. He laughed only when he was happy—so others did not object to his laughter. He accepted things only when it was right to do so—thus others did not object to his accepting.

The Master said, Is that so? Could that really be so?

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

Analects 14.12

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Original Text:

子路问成人子曰若臧武仲之知公绰之不欲卞庄子之勇冉求之艺文之以礼乐亦可以为成人矣曰今之成人者何必然见利思义见危授命久要不忘平生之言亦可以为成人矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zilu asked about the complete person.

The Master said, “Take a person as wise as Zang Wuzhong, as free of desire as Gongchuo, as courageous as Zhuangzi of Bian, and as accomplished in the arts as Ran Qiu, and then acculturate them by means of ritual and music—such a man might be called a complete person.”

He continued: “But must a complete person today be exactly like this? When seeing a chance for profit he thinks of what is right; when confronting danger he is ready to take his life into his own hands; when enduring an extended period of hardship, he does not forget what he had professed in more fortunate times—such a man might also be called a complete person.”

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

Zilu asked about the complete person. The Master said, Zang Wuzhong’s understanding, Meng Gongchuo’s freedom from desire, the valor of Zhuangzi of Pian, the arts of Ran Qiu—embellish them through rites and music, and you have what may be termed the complete person.

And he said, But the complete person of our times need not necessarily be like this. If when he spies gain, he remembers what is right; when he spies danger, is ready to risk his life; when faced with old promises, does not forget his past words; then he can be termed a complete person.

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

Analects 12.20

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Original Text:

子张问士何如斯可谓之达矣子曰何哉尔所谓达者子张对曰在邦必闻在家必闻子曰是闻也非达也夫达也者质直而好义察言而观色虑以下人在邦必达在家必达夫闻也者色取仁而行违居之不疑在邦必闻在家必闻

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zizhang inquired, “What must a scholar-official be like before he can be considered accomplished?”

The Master replied, “What do you mean by ‘accomplished’?”

“Sure to be renowned, whether serving the state or a noble family.”

The Master said, “That is merely being ‘renowned,’ not being ‘accomplished.’ Someone who is accomplished is upright in his native substance and fond of rightness. He examines other people’s words and observes their demeanor, and always takes the interests of his inferiors into account when considering something—no matter whether serving the state or a noble family. Someone who is renowned, on the other hand, adopts the appearance of Goodness but violates it in his actual conduct, all the while never doubting that he deserves to be called Good. Thus, he is sure to be renowned, whether serving the state or a noble family.”

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

Zizhang asked, What does a man of station have to do to be known as accomplished?

The Master said, What do you mean by accomplished?

Zizhang replied, In the domain, invariably well reputed; in the family, invariably well reputed.

The Master said, That is reputation, not accomplishment. The accomplished man is solid, straightforward, a lover of right. He weighs people’s words, observes their attitude, and is careful to defer to others. In the domain, he is invariably recognized for his accomplishments; in the family, invariably recognized for his accomplishments. The man of reputation pretends to adhere to humaneness but acts quite differently and never shows any doubt in what he’s doing—so in the domain, he is invariably well reputed; in the family, invariably well reputed.

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

Analects 12.17

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Twelve

Original Text:

季康子问政于孔子孔子对曰政者正也子帅以正孰敢不正

Translation:

Other Translations:

Ji Kangzi asked Confucius about governing.

Confucius responded, “To ‘govern’ means to be ‘correct’. If you set an example by being correct yourself, who will dare to be incorrect?”

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

Ji Kangzi asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, To govern is to put to rights. If you lead in the right direction, who will dare do what is not right?

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

Analects 12.10

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Original Text:

子张问崇德辨惑子曰主忠信徙义崇德也爱之欲其生恶之欲其死既欲其生又欲其死是惑也诚不以富亦只以异

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zizhang asked about accumulating Virtue and resolving confusion.

The Master said, “Make it your guiding principle to be dutiful and trustworthy, and always move in the direction of what is right. This is what it means to accumulate Virtue. If you love someone, you desire that they live; if you hate them, you desire that they perish. Now, having already desired that someone live, and then to desire that they perish—this is confusion.

‘Not for the sake of wealth,

But simply for the sake of variety.’ ”

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

Zizhang asked how to uphold virtue and detect faulty thinking.

The Master said, Concentrate on loyalty and trustworthiness and follow what is right—that’s the way to uphold virtue. When you love someone, you hope that the person will live, but if you hate him, you wish that he were dead. Having wished for life, you turn around and wish for death—this is faulty thinking.

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

Analects 8.1

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Original Text:

子曰泰伯其可谓至德也已矣三以天下让民无得而称焉

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Surely we can say that the Great Uncle possessed ultimate Virtue! He declined rulership of the world three times, and yet remained unpraised because the common people never learned of his actions.”

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

The Master said, Tai Bo may be said to exemplify the highest virtue. Three times he relinquished the right to the empire, but the common people did not understand why this was praiseworthy.

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