Speech

Analects 16.10

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 15.41

Original Text:

子曰辞达而已矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Words should convey their point, and leave it at that.”

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

The Master said, With words it is enough if they get the meaning across.

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

Analects 15.8

Original Text:

子曰可与言而不与之言失人不可与言而与之言失言知者不失人亦不失言

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “If someone is open to what you have to say, but you do not speak to them, this is letting the person go to waste; if, however, someone is not open to what you have to say, but you speak to them anyway, this is letting your words go to waste. The wise person does not let people go to waste, but he also does not waste his words.”

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

The Master said, If it’s someone you ought to speak to and you fail to speak, you waste a person. If it’s someone you ought not to speak to and you speak, you waste words. The wise man doesn’t waste people and doesn’t waste words either.

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

Analects 14.20

Original Text:

子曰其言之不怍则为之也难

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “If you are shameless in what you propose, you may then find it difficult to put your words into practice.”

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

The Master said, He who speaks irresponsibly will find it hard to put his words into action.

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

Analects 14.13

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 14.4

Original Text:

子曰有德者必有言有言者不必有德仁者必有勇勇者不必有仁

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Those who possess Virtue will inevitably have something to say, whereas those who have something to say do not necessarily possess Virtue. Those who are Good will necessarily display courage, but those who display courage are not necessarily Good.”

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

The Master said, Those who have virtue invariably have something to say, but those who have something to say do not invariably have virtue. Those who are humane are invariably courageous, but those who are courageous are not invariably humane.

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

Analects 14.3

Original Text:

子曰邦有道危言危行邦无道危行言孙

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “When the state possesses the Way, be audaciously correct in both word and action; when the state lacks the Way, be audaciously correct in action, but let one’s speech be conciliatory.”

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

The Master said, When a state follows the Way, be stern in speech, stern in action. When a state is without the Way, be stern in action but conciliatory in speech.

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

Analects 13.27

Original Text:

子曰刚毅木讷近仁

Translation:

Other Translations:

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.

Analects 13.3

Original Text:

子路曰卫君待子而为政子将奚先子曰必也正名乎子路曰有是哉子之迂也奚其正子曰野哉由也君子于其所不知盖阙如也名不正则言不顺言不顺则事不成事不成则礼乐不兴礼乐不兴则刑罚不中刑罚不中则民无所措手足故君子名之必可言也言之必可行也君子于其言无所苟而已矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zilu asked, “If the Duke of Wei were to employ you to serve in the government of his state, what would be your first priority?”

The Master answered, “It would, of course, be the rectification of names.”

Zilu said, “Could you, Master, really be so far off the mark? Why worry about rectifying names?”

The Master replied, “How boorish you are, Zilu! When it comes to matters that he does not understand, the gentleman should remain silent.

“If names are not rectified, speech will not accord with reality; when speech does not accord with reality, things will not be successfully accomplished. When things are not successfully accomplished, ritual practice and music will fail to flourish; when ritual and music fail to flourish, punishments and penalties will miss the mark. And when punishments and penalties miss the mark, the common people will be at a loss as to what to do with themselves. This is why the gentleman only applies names that can be properly spoken and assures that what he says can be properly put into action. The gentleman simply guards against arbitrariness in his speech. That is all there is to it.”

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

Zilu said, If the ruler of Wei were waiting for you, Master, to take charge of government affairs, what would you do first?

The Master said, If I had to name my first action, I would rectify names.

Zilu said, There—that’s why people say you are out of touch with reality!

The Master said, How boorish you are, You (Zilu)! When a gentleman is confronted with something he does not understand, he should adopt a respectful attitude!

If names are not rectified, then speech will not function properly, and if speech does not function properly, then undertakings will not succeed. If undertakings do not succeed, then rites and music will not flourish. If rites and music do not flourish, then punishments and penalties will not be justly administered. And if punishments and penalties are not justly administered, then the common people will not know where to place their hands and feet.

Therefore, when the gentleman names a thing, that naming can be conveyed in speech, and if it is conveyed in speech, then it can surely be put into action. When the gentleman speaks, there is nothing arbitrary in the way he does so.

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

Analects 10.1

Original Text:

孔子于乡党恂恂如也似不能言者其在宗庙朝廷便便言唯谨尔

Translation:

Other Translations:

In his village community, Confucius was respectful and circumspect, seeming to be at a loss for words. When in the ancestral temples or at court, however, he spoke eloquently, though always with caution and restraint.

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

When Confucius was among the people of the community, he was mild and deferential, as though he were unable to speak. When he was in the ancestral temple of the ruler or at court, he spoke at length, though always in a circumspect manner.

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