Trying - Confucian Pages

Analects 14.38

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Original Text:

子路宿于石门晨门曰奚自子路曰自孔氏曰是知其不可而为之者与

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zilu spent the night at Stone Gate. The next morning, the gatekeeper asked him, “Where have you come from?”
Zilu answered, “From the house of Confucius.”
“Isn’t he the one who knows that what he does is impossible and yet persists anyway?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zilu stopped for the night at Stone Gate. The gatekeeper said, Where are you from? Zilu said, From the household of Confucius.
The gatekeeper said, The one who knows there’s nothing that can be done but keeps on trying?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Other Translations:

The Master said, “If wealth were something worth pursuing, then I would pursue it, even if that meant serving as an officer holding a whip at the entrance to the marketplace. Since it is not worth pursuing, however, I prefer to follow that which I love.”

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

The Master said, If one could get rich just by trying, then although it meant being a herald with whip in hand, I would go along with that. But if one can’t get rich just by trying, I prefer to follow my own desires.

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