Ritual - Confucian Pages

Analects 3.15

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Original Text:

子入太庙每事问或曰孰谓鄹人之子知礼乎入太庙每事问子闻之曰是礼也

Translation:

Other Translations:

When the Master went into the Great Ancestral Temple, he asked questions about everything that took place.
Someone said, “Who said that this son of a man from Zou understands ritual? When he went into the Great Ancestral Temple, he had to ask questions about everything.”
When this comment was reported to the Master, his reply was, “This asking is, in fact, part of ritual.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

When the Master entered the Grand Temple, he asked questions about everything. Someone said,
Who claims that this son of a man of Zou understands ritual? When he enters the Grand Temple he asks about everything!
When the Master heard this, he said, Asking is part of the ritual.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 3.13

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Original Text:

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

Translation:

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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.

Analects 3.12

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Original Text:

祭如在祭神如神在子曰吾不与祭如不祭

Translation:

Other Translations:

“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.

Analects 3.11

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Original Text:

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

Translation:

Other Translations:

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.

Analects 3.6

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Original Text:

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

Translation:

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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.

Analects 3.10

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Original Text:

子曰禘自既灌而往者吾不欲观之矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

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.

Analects 3.8

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Original Text:

子夏问曰巧笑倩兮美目盼兮素以为绚兮’何谓也子曰绘事后素曰礼后乎子曰起予者商也始可与言诗已矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zixia asked, “[An ode says,]
‘Her artful smile, with its alluring dimples,
Her beautiful eyes, so clear,
The unadorned upon which to paint.’
What does this mean?”
The Master said, “The application of colors comes only after a suitable unadorned background is present.”
Zixia said, “So it is the rites that come after?”
The Master said, “It is you, Zixia, who has awakened me to the meaning of these lines! It is only with someone like you that I can begin to discuss the Odes.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zixia asked, saying,
Her artful smile engaging,
lovely eyes in clear outline,
colors on a white ground,
What do these lines mean?
The Master said, The painting comes after the white background.
Zixia said, So ritual comes afterward?
The Master said, Shang (Zixia) si the one who reads my meaning. At last I have someone to discuss the Odes with.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 3.7

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Original Text:

子曰君子无所争必也射乎揖让而升下而饮其争也君子

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Surely archery can serve as an illustration of the fact that the gentleman does not compete! Before mounting the stairs to the archery hall, gentlemen bow and defer to one another, and after descending from the hall they mutually offer up toasts. This is how a gentleman ‘competes.'”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The gentleman never strives with others. To be sure, there are the archery matches. But even they have their bows and deferences as the contestants go up and come down, and the wine drinking at the end. Such is the “striving” of the gentleman.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 3.4

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Three

Original Text:

林放问礼之本子曰大哉问礼与其奢也宁俭丧与其易也宁戚

Translation:

Other Translations:

Lin Fang asked about the roots of ritual.
The Master exclaimed, “What a noble question! When it comes to ritual, it is better to be pare than extravagant. When it comes to mourning, it is better to be excessively sorrowful than fastidious.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Lin Fang asked what is basic in ritual. The Master said, A big question indeed! In rites in general, rather than extravagance, better frugality. In funeral rites, rather than thoroughness, better real grief.”
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 2.24

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Two

Original Text:

子曰非其鬼而祭之谄也见义不为无勇也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “To sacrifice to spirits that are not one’s own is to be presumptuous. To see what is right, but to fail to do it, is to be lacking in courage.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, To sacrifice to those who are not one’s ancestors is flattery. To see what is right and not do it is cowardly.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.