Understand

Analects 20.3

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Twenty

Original Text:

孔子曰不知命无以为君子也不知礼无以立也不知言无以知人也

Translation:

Other Translations:

Confucius said, “One who does not understand fate lacks the means to become a gentleman. One who does not understand ritual lacks the means to take his place. One who does not understand words lacks the means to evaluate others.”

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

Confucius said, If you do not understand the will of Heaven, you will have no way to become a gentleman. If you do not understand ritual, you will have nowhere to take your stand. If you do not understand words, you will have no way to know people.

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

Analects 16.8

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Sixteen

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 15.4

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fifteen

Original Text:

子曰由知德者鲜矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Zilu! Rare are those able to understand Virtue.”

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

The Master said, You (Zilu), those who understand virtue are few!

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

Analects 14.35

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fourteen

Original Text:

子曰莫我知也夫子贡曰何为其莫知子也子曰不怨天不尤人下学而上达知我者其天乎

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master sighed, “Alas! No one understands me.”

Zigong replied, “How can you say that no one understands you, Master?”

“I am not bitter toward Heaven, nor do I blame others. I study what is below in order to comprehend what is above. If there is anyone who could understand me, perhaps it is Heaven.”

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

The Master said, No one understands me—isn’t that so?

Zigong said, Why do you suppose that no one understands you?

The Master said, I bear no grudge against Heaven; I do not blame others. I study affairs close at hand and try to become adept in higher matters. Perhaps it is Heaven that understands me!

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

Analects 14.30

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fourteen

Original Text:

子曰不患人之不己知患其不能也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Do not worry that you are not recognized by others; worry rather that you yourself lack ability.”

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

The Master said, Don’t worry about others’ not understanding you. Worry about your own lack of ability.

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

Analects 14.23

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fourteen

Original Text:

子曰君子上达小人下达

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The gentleman understands higher things, whereas the petty person understands only the low.”

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

The Master said, The gentleman is an expert in important matters; the petty man, an expert in trivial ones.

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

Analects 8.9

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Eight

Original Text:

子曰民可使由之不可使知之

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The common people can be made to follow it, but they cannot be made to understand it.”

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

The Master said, The common people can be made to follow a course, but cannot be made to understand why they should do so.

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

Analects 7.8

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seven

Original Text:

子曰不愤不启不悱不发举一隅不以三隅反则不复也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “I will not open the door for a mind that is not already striving to understand, nor will I provide words to a tongue that is not already struggling to speak. If I hold up one corner of a problem, and the student cannot come back to me with the other three, I will not attempt to instruct him again.”

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

The Master said, If they’re not eager to learn, I don’t enlighten them; if they’re not struggling to put it into words, I don’t assist them. I hold up one corner to show them, and if they can’t come back with the other three, then I don’t go on.

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

Analects 7.2

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seven

Original Text:

子曰默而识之学而不厌诲人不倦何有于我哉

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Remaining silent and yet comprehending, learning and yet never becoming tired, encouraging others and never growing weary—these are tasks that present me with no difficulty.”

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

The Master said, To be silent and understand, to learn without tiring, never to weary of teaching others—this much I can do.

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

Analects 1.16

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book One

Original Text:

子曰不患人之不己知患不知人也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Do not be concerned about whether or not others know you; be concerned about whether or not you know others.”

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

The Master said, Don’t worry about whether other people understand you. Worry about whether you understand other people.

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