子曰刚毅木讷近仁
The Master said, “Resolute, decisive, straightforward, and reticent—these qualities are close to Goodness.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, The firm, the bold, the simple, the slow in speech are near to humaneness.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
柴也愚参也鲁师也辟由也喭
Zigao is simple-minded, Master Zeng is dull, Zizhang is prone to excess, and Zilu is wildly fierce.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
——said, Chai (Zigao) is stupid; Shen (Zeng Shen) is dull; Shi is erratic; You is unruly.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
仲弓问子桑伯子子曰可也简仲弓曰居敬而行简以临其民不亦可乎居简而行简无乃大简乎子曰雍之言然
Zhonggong asked about Zisang Bozi.
The Master replied, “He is simple, and therefore acceptable.”
Zhonggong said, “To watch over the people by occupying one’s position with respect and being simple in one’s conduct—this is no doubt acceptable. To occupy one’s position with simplicity and also to be simple in one’s conduct, however, seems to me to be taking simplicity too far.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zhonggong asked about Zisang Bozi. The Master said, He will do—he’s lenient in nature.
Zhonggong said, If he is strict with himself but lenient when it comes to overseeing the common people, will that be all right? If one is lenient with himself and behaves toward others in a lenient manner, that’s too much leniency, isn’t it?
The Master said, What you say is correct.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
