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Analects 17.24

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seventeen

Original Text:

子贡曰君子亦有恶乎子曰有恶恶称人之恶者恶居下流而讪上者恶勇而无礼者恶果敢而窒者曰赐也亦有恶乎恶徼以为知者恶不孙以为勇者恶讦以为直者

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Zigong asked, “Does the gentleman also have those whom he despises?”
The Master replied, “Yes, he does. He despises those who proclaim the faults of others; those who, occupying an inferior position, slander their superiors; those who are courageous but lack ritual; and those who are resolute and daring, but overly stubborn.”
“Do you, Zigong, also have those whom you despise?”
Zigong said, “I despise those who parrot others’ ideas and mistake this for wisdom; those who mistake insubordination for courage; and those who mistake the malicious exposing of other’s private affairs for uprightness.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zigong asked, Does the gentleman too have things he hates? The Master said, He has his hates. He hates those who go on about what is hateful in others. He hates those in low position who revile those above them. He hates courage that ignores ritual decorum; he hates firmness and decision that is not open-minded.
Zigong said, I too have things I hate. I hate plagiarists who pretend to be wise. I hate unruly people who pretend to be courageous. I hate scandal mongerers who pretend to be upright.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 17.16

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Original Text:

子曰古者民有三疾今也或是之亡也古之狂也肆今之狂也荡古之矜也廉今之矜也忿戾古之愚也直今之愚也诈而已矣

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The Master said, “In ancient times, people had three type of faults, which have perhaps since disappeared. In ancient times, those who were wild were at least forthright; nowadays, they are simply deviant. In ancient times, those who were proud were at least principled; nowadays, they are simply belligerent and easily provoked. In ancient times, those who were stupid were at least upright; nowadays, they are simply devious.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, In former times the common people had three weaknesses, but now even these seem to have largely disappeared. Assertive persons in the past were reckless; now they are downright overbearing. Firm-minded persons in the past were prudish; now they are testy and belligerent. Stupid persons in the past were at least upright; now all they do is try to deceive others.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 17.8

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seventeen

Original Text:

子曰由也女闻六言六蔽矣乎对曰未也居吾语女好仁不好学其蔽也愚好知不好学其蔽也荡好信不好学其蔽也贼好直不好学其蔽也绞好勇不好学其蔽也乱好刚不好学其蔽也狂

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The Master said, “Zilu! Have you heard about the six [virtuous] words and their six corresponding vices?”
Zilu replied, “I have not.”
“Sit! I will tell you about them.
“Loving Goodness without balancing it with a love for learning will result in the vice of foolishness. Loving wisdom without balancing it with a love for learning will result in the vice of deviance. Loving trustworthiness without balancing it with a love for learning will result in the vice of harmful rigidity. Loving uprightness without balancing it with a love for learning will result in the vice of intolerance. Loving courage without balancing it with a love for learning will result in the vice of unruliness. Loving resoluteness without balancing it with a love for learning will result in the vice of willfulness.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, You (Zilu), have you heard of the six terms and the six flaws attending them?
Zilu replied, No, not yet.
Sit down, said the Master, and I will tell you. Love of humaneness without love of study invites the flaw of foolishness. Love of understanding without love of study invites the flaw of recklessness. Love of trustworthiness without love of study invites the flaw of injurious behavior. Love of uprightness without love of study invites the flaw of bluntness. Love of bravery without love of study invites the flaw of riotousness. Love of firmness without love of study invites the flaw of irrational action.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 15.7

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fifteen

Original Text:

子曰直哉史鱼邦有道如矢邦无道如矢君子哉蘧伯玉邦有道则仕邦无道则可卷而怀之

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The Master said, “How upright was Historian Yu! When the state possessed the Way, he was straight as an arrow, and when the state lacked the Way, he was also straight as an arrow. What a gentleman was Qu Boyu! When the state possessed the Way, he served it; when the state lacked the Way, he was able to roll up his talents and hide them away.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

he Master said, How upright Shi Yu was! When the state followed the Way, he was straight as an arrow. When the state was without the Way, he was straight as an arrow. What a gentleman Qu Boyu was! When the state followed the Way, he held office. When the state was without the Way, he knew how to fold up his hopes and put them away in the breast of his robe.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 14.34

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fourteen

Original Text:

或曰以德报怨何如子曰何以报德以直报怨以德报德

Translation:

Other Translations:

Someone asked, “What do you think of the saying, ‘Requite injury with kindness’?”
The Master replied, “With what, then, would one requite kindness? Requite injury with uprightness, and kindness with kindness.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Someone said, Repay hatred with virtue—how would that do?
The Master said, Then how would you repay virtue? Repay hatred with uprightness. Repay virtue with virtue.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 14.15

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fourteen

Original Text:

子曰晋文公谲而不正齐桓公正而不谲

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Duke Wen of Jin was crafty, but not correct, whereas Duke Huan of Qi was correct, but not crafty.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Duke Wen of Jin used devious methods, not upright ones. Duke Huan of Qi used upright methods, not devious ones.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.18

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Thirteen

Original Text:

叶公语孔子曰吾党有直躬者其父攘羊而子证之孔子曰吾党之直者异于是父为子隐子为父隐直在其中矣

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The Duke of She said to Confucius, “Among my people there is one we call ‘Upright Gong.’ When his father stole a sheep, he reported him to the authorities.”
Confucius replied, “Among my people, those who we consider ‘upright’ are different from this: fathers cover up for their sons, and sons cover up for their fathers. ‘Uprightness’ is to be found in this.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Talking with Confucius, the lord of She said, In our district there’s a fellow called Honest Body. When his father stole a sheep, the son testified against him.
Confucius said, In our district the honest people are different from that. A father covers up for his son; a son covers up for his father. There’s honesty in that, too.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 8.16

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Eight

Original Text:

子曰狂而不直侗而不愿悾悾而不信吾不知之矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “People who are wild without at least being upright, simple-minded without at least being honest, or ingenuous without at least being trustworthy—I simply do not understand them.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Enthusiastic but not straightforward; naive but insincere; simple, guileless, but not to be trusted—such persons I do not understand.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 8.2

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Eight

Original Text:

子曰恭而无礼则劳慎而无礼则葸勇而无礼则乱直而无礼则绞君子笃于亲则民兴于仁故旧不遗则民不偷

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The Master said, “If you are respectful but lack ritual you will become exasperating; if you are careful but lack ritual you will become timid; if you are courageous but lack ritual you will become unruly; and if you are upright but lack ritual you will become inflexible.
“If the gentleman is kind to his relatives, the common people will be inspired toward goodness; if he does not neglect his old acquaintances, the people will honor their obligations to others.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Courtesy without ritual becomes labored; caution without ritual becomes timidity; daring without ritual becomes riotousness; directness without ritual becomes obtrusiveness.
If the gentleman treats those close to him with generosity, the common people will be moved to humaneness. If he does not forget his old associates, the common people will shun cold-heartedness.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.19

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Six

Original Text:

子曰人之生也直罔之生也幸而免

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “A person survives by being upright. If you try leading a crooked life, only blind luck will allow you to get by.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Human life is a matter of honesty. Live without it, and you’ll be lucky to escape with your life.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.