子曰觚不觚觚哉觚哉
The Master said, “A gu that is not a proper gu—is it really a gu? Is it really a gu?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, A gu drinking cup that is not a gu drinking cup—what a gu, what a gu!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰能以礼让为国乎何有不能以礼让为国如礼何
The Master said, “If a person is able to govern the state by means of ritual propriety and deference, what difficulties will he encounter? If, on the other hand, a person is not able to govern the state through ritual propriety and deference, of what use are the rites to him?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Can you govern the state with ritual and a deferential approach? then you will have no difficulty. If you cannot govern the state with ritual and a deferential approach, then what use is ritual alone?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰居上不宽为礼不敬临丧不哀吾何以观之哉
The Master said, “Someone who lacks magnanimity when occupying high office, who is not respectful when performing ritual, and who remains unmoved by sorrow when overseeing mourning rights – how could I bear to look upon such a person?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Standing above others but without tolerance, carrying out rites but without reverence, conducting funeral proceedings but without grief – how can I bear to view such as these?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰管仲之器小哉或曰管仲俭乎曰管氏有三归官事不摄焉得俭然则管仲知礼乎曰邦君树塞门管氏亦树塞门邦君为两君之好有反坫管氏亦有反坫管氏而知礼孰不知礼
The Master said, “Guan Zhong’s vessel was of small capacity.”
Someone asked, “Do you mean that he was frugal?”
The Master replied, “Guan maintained three separate residences and had a separate staff member for each duty. How could be called frugal?”
“Well, then, do you mean to say that Guan Zhong understood ritual?”
The Master replied, “The lord of a state erects a wall in front of his gate, and Guan did the same. The lord of a state, when entertaining other lords, has a stand upon which to place the drinking ups after the toast, and Guan also had one of these. If Guan understood ritual, who does not understand it?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Guan Zhong was a man of small parts!
Someone objected, saying, Guan Zhong was noted for frugality, was he not?
The Master said, Guan Zhong had his Three Returning mansion, and he did not require his staff to perform double duties – how can that be called frugal?
But, said the other person, Guan Zhong understood ritual, did he not?
The Master said, Rulers of states put up gate screens, and Mr. Guan put up a gate screen too. Rulers of states, when entertaining another ruler, have a stand for inverted wine cups, and Mr. Guan had a stand for inverted wine cups too. If Mr. Guan understood ritual, who doesn’t understand ritual?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子贡欲去告朔之饩羊子曰赐也尔爱其羊我爱其礼
Zigong wanted to do away with the practice of sacrificing a lamb to announce the beginning of the month.
The Master said, “Zigong! You regret the loss of the lamb, whereas I regret the loss of the rite.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zigong wanted to do away with the sacrificial sheep at the first-of-the-month announcement to the ancestors. The Master said, Si (Zigong), you care about the sheep, I care about the ritual.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
王孙贾问曰与其媚于奥宁媚于灶何谓也子曰然获罪于天无所祷也
Wang-sun Jia asked, “What do you think about the saying,
‘It is better to pay homage to the kitchen stove
Than to the corner shrine’
The Master replied, “This is not so. Once you have incurred the wrath of Heaven, there is no one whom you can pray for help.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Wangsun Jia said,
Better pay compliments to the kitchen stove
than to the southwest corner.
What does this mean?
The Master said, Not true! If you incur blame with Heaven, you have nowhere to turn for forgiveness!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
祭如在祭神如神在子曰吾不与祭如不祭
“Sacrifice as if [they were] present” means that, when sacrificing to the spirits, you should comport yourself as if the spirits were present.
The Master said, “If I am not fully present at the sacrifice, it is as if I did not sacrifice at all.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Sacrifice as if they were present means to sacrifice as if the gods were present. But the Master said, If I can’t take part in the sacrifices, it’s as though I haven’t sacrificed at all.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
或问禘之说子曰不知也知其说者之于天下也其如示诸斯乎指其掌
Someone asked for an explanation of the di sacrifice. The Master said, “I do not understand it. One who understood it could handle the world as if he had it right here,” and he pointed to the palm of his hand.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Someone asked about the meaning of the ancestral sacrifice. The Master said, I don’t know. Someone who knew its meaning would understand all the affairs of the world as if they were displayed right here – and he pointed to his palm.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
季氏旅于泰山子谓冉有曰女弗能救与对曰不能子曰呜呼曾谓泰山不如林放乎
The head of the Ji Family made a sacrificial pilgrimage to Mt. Tai. The Master said to Ran Qiu, “Were you not able to prevent this?”
Ran Qiu replied, “I was not.”
The Master exclaimed, “Oh! That one would ever have to say that Mt. Tai was not the equal of Lin Fang!”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The head of the Ji family was planning to make a sacrifice to Mount Tai. The Master said to Ran You, Can’t you save him from this?
Ran You replied, No I can’t.
The Master said, Are we to suppose that Mount Tai knows less about ritual than Lin Fang?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
子曰禘自既灌而往者吾不欲观之矣
The Master said, “As for that part of the di sacrifice that comes after the pouring of the ceremonial libation, I have no desire to witness it.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, As for all that comes after the libation to the spirits in the ancestral sacrifice – I have no wish to see it.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
