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Analects 19.12

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Original Text:

子游曰子夏之门人小子当洒扫应对进退则可矣抑末也本之则无如之何子夏闻之曰噫言游过矣君子之道孰先传焉孰后倦焉譬诸草木区以别矣君子之道焉可诬也有始有卒者其惟圣人乎

Translation:

Other Translations:

Ziyou said, “Among the disciples of Zixia, the younger ones are fairly competent when it comes to tasks such as mopping and sweeping, answering summons, and entering and retiring from formal company, but these are all superficialities. They are completely at a loss when it comes to mastering the basics. Why is this?”
When Zixia heard of this, he remarked, “Alas! Ziyou seems to have missed the point. Whose disciples will be the first to be taught the Way of the gentleman, and then in the end grow tired of it? It is like the grass and the trees: you make distinctions between them according to their kind. The Way of the gentleman, how can it be slandered so? Starting at the beginning and working through to the end—surely this describes none other than the sage!”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Ziyou said, The young men who are followers of Zixia are competent at sprinkling and sweeping, receiving and responding to guests, advancing and retiring. But these are minor affairs. Question them on fundamentals, and they have no answer. How can that be?
When Zixia heard this, he said, Ah—Ziyou is mistaken. In the Way of the gentleman, what is to be taught first, what can be put aside until later? It’s like the case of plants or trees, which require different types of handling. But the Way of the gentleman—how can it be handled incorrectly? And who understands it from beginning to end?—only the sage can do that!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 16.8

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Original Text:

孔子曰君子有三畏畏天命畏大人畏圣人之言小人不知天命而不畏也狎大人侮圣人之言

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The gentleman stands in awe of three things: the Mandate of Heaven, great men, and the teachings of the sages. The petty person does not understand the Mandate of Heaven, and thus does not regard it with awe; he shows disrespect to great men, and ridicules the teachings of the sages.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Confucius said, The gentleman has three things he stands in awe of. He stands in awe of the Mandate of Heaven, of persons in high position, and of the words of the sages. The petty man, failing to understand the Mandate of Heaven, does not view it with awe. He treats persons in high position with disrespect and scorns the words of the sages.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 9.6

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Original Text:

太宰问于子贡曰夫子圣者与何其多能也子贡曰固天纵之将圣又多能也子闻之曰太宰知我乎吾少也贱故多能鄙事君子多乎哉不多也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Prime Minister asked Zigong, “Your Master is a sage, is he not? How is it, then, that he is skilled at so many menial tasks?”
Zigong replied, “Surely Heaven not only not intends him for sagehood, but also gave him many other talents.”
When the Master heard of this, he remarked, “How well the Prime Minister knows me! In my youth, I was of humble status, so I became proficient in many menial tasks. Is the gentleman broadly skilled in trivial matters? No, he is not.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The prime minister questioned Zigong, saying, The Master—is he a sage? He has so many capabilities!
Zigong said, Indeed, Heaven has opened the way for him to become a sage. And he has many capabilities besides.
When the Master heard this, he said, The prime minister knows me well. When I was young, I was in humble circumstances and hence became capable in many menial undertakings. But is the true gentleman a person of many capabilities? Surely, he is not!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 7.34

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Original Text:

子曰若圣与仁则吾岂敢抑为之不厌诲人不倦则可谓云尔已矣公西华曰正唯弟子不能学也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “How could I dare to lay claim to either sageliness or Goodness? What can be said about me is no more than this: I work at it without growing tired and encourage others without growing weary.”
Gong Xihua observed, “This is precisely what we disciples are unable to learn.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The title of sage or humane man—how could I dare lay claim to such? But working without tiring, teaching others and never growing weary—yes, that much could be said of me.
Gongxi Hua said, It’s precisely this that we, his disciples, cannot equal him in!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 7.15

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Original Text:

冉有曰夫子为卫君乎子贡曰诺吾将问之入曰伯夷叔齐何人也曰古之贤人也曰怨乎曰求仁而得仁又何怨出曰夫子不为也

Translation:

Other Translations:

Ran Qiu was wondering out loud, “Does the Master support the Duke of Wei?”
Zigong replied, “Well, I will go ask him.”
He went in to see the Master, and said, “What sort of people were Bo Yi and Shu Qi?”
The Master replied, “They were ancient worthies.”
“Did they harbor any regrets?”
“They pursued Goodness and attained Goodness, what regrets could they possible have?”
Zigong emerged and reported to the other disciples, “The Master does not support him.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Ran You said, Will our Master side with the ruler of Wei? Zigong said, Very well, I’ll go and ask him.
Entering the Master’s room, Zigong said, What sort of men were Bo Yi and Shu Qi?
The Master said, Worthy men of antiquity.
Did they harbor rancor?
They sought to behave humanely, and they succeeded in doing so. Why would they harbor rancor?
When Zigong emerged from the room, he said, Our Master will not side with the ruler of Wei.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.30

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Six

Original Text:

子贡曰如有博施于民而能济众何如可谓仁乎子曰何事于仁必也圣乎尧舜其犹病诸夫仁者己欲立而立人己欲达而达人能近取譬，可谓仁之方也已

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zigong said, “If there were one able to broadly extend his benevolence to the common people and bring succor to the multitudes, what would you make of him? Could such a person be called Good?”
The Master said, “Why stop at Good? Such a person should surely be called a sage! Even someone like Yao or Shun would find such a task daunting. Desiring to take his stand, one who is Good helps others to take their stand; wanting to realize himself, he helps others to realize themselves. Being able to take what is near at hand as an analogy could perhaps be called the method of Goodness.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zigong said, If someone could spread bounty abroad among the people and rescue the populace, how would that be? Could that be called humaneness?
The Master said, Why bring humaneness into the discussion? If you must have a label, call the man a sage. Even Yao and Shun had trouble doing that much.
The humane person wants standing, and so he helps others to gain standing. He wants achievement, and so he helps others to achieve. To know how to proceed on the analogy of what is close at hand—this can be called the humane approach.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.