Surrounded - Confucian Pages

Other Translations:

The Master was surrounded in Kuang. Yan Hui had fallen behind, [and when he finally caught up], the Master said, “I thought that you were dead.”

Yan Hui replied, “As long as you are still here, Master, how could I dare to allow myself to die?”

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

When the Master faced danger in Kuang, Yan Yuan was some distance behind. The Master said, I thought you had died!

Yan Yuan said, While the Master is alive, how would I dare to die?

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

Analects 9.5

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nine

Original Text:

子畏于匡曰文王既没文不在兹乎天之将丧斯文也后死者不得与于斯文也天之未丧斯文也匡人其如予何

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master was surrounded in Kuang. He said, “Now that King Wen is gone, is not culture now invested here in me? If Heaven intended this culture to perish, it would not have given it to those of us who live after King Wen’s death. Since Heaven did not intend that this culture should perish, what can the people of Kuang do to me?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master’s life was endangered in Kuang. He said, King Wen is deceased, but his culture (wen) remains here with me. If Heaven had intended to destroy that culture, then those who come after him could not have inherited that culture. But if Heaven is not ready to destroy that culture, what can the people of Kuang do to me?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.