Virtue

Analects 8.13

Original Text:

子曰笃信好学守死善道危邦不入乱邦不居天下有道则见无道则隐邦有道贫且贱焉耻也邦无道富且贵焉耻也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Be sincerely trustworthy and love learning, and hold fast to the good Way until death. Do not enter a state that is endangered, and do not reside in a state that is disordered. If the Way is being realized in the world then show yourself; if it is not, then go into reclusion. In a state that has the Way, to be poor and of low status is a cause for shame; in a state that is without the Way, to be wealthy and honored is equally a cause for shame.”

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

The Master said, Entirely trustworthy, a lover of learning, faithful until death, exemplar of the Way, he never enters a state where there is peril, never remains in a state where there is disorder. When the Way prevails in the world, he appears; when the Way is lacking, he retires. When the state follows the Way, being poor and lowly is a cause for shame. When the state is without the Way, being rich and eminent is a cause for shame.

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

Analects 8.11

Original Text:

子曰如有周公之才之美使骄且吝其余不足观也已

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “If a person has talents as fine as the Duke of Zhou, but is arrogant and mean-spirited, the rest of his qualities are not worth notice.”

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

The Master said, Although one may have talents as admirable as those of the duke of Zhou, if he employs them in an arrogant or a mean manner, then whatever other qualities he has are not worth a look!

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

Analects 8.1

Original Text:

子曰泰伯其可谓至德也已矣三以天下让民无得而称焉

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Surely we can say that the Great Uncle possessed ultimate Virtue! He declined rulership of the world three times, and yet remained unpraised because the common people never learned of his actions.”

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

The Master said, Tai Bo may be said to exemplify the highest virtue. Three times he relinquished the right to the empire, but the common people did not understand why this was praiseworthy.

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

Analects 7.34

Original Text:

子曰若圣与仁则吾岂敢抑为之不厌诲人不倦则可谓云尔已矣公西华曰正唯弟子不能学也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “How could I dare to lay claim to either sageliness or Goodness? What can be said about me is no more than this: I work at it without growing tired and encourage others without growing weary.”

Gong Xihua observed, “This is precisely what we disciples are unable to learn.”

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

The Master said, The title of sage or humane man—how could I dare lay claim to such? But working without tiring, teaching others and never growing weary—yes, that much could be said of me.

Gongxi Hua said, It’s precisely this that we, his disciples, cannot equal him in!

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

Analects 7.23

Original Text:

子曰天生德于予桓魋其如予何

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “It is Heaven itself that has endowed me with virtue. What have I to fear from the likes of Huan Tui?”

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

The Master said, Heaven has implanted this virtue in me. Huan Tui—what can he do to me?

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

Analects 7.6

Original Text:

子曰志于道据于德依于仁游于艺

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Set your heart upon the Way, rely upon Virtue, lean upon Goodness, and explore widely in your cultivation of the arts.”

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

The Master said, Set your sights on the Way, base yourself on virtue, rely on humaneness, relax with the arts.

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

Analects 7.3

Original Text:

子曰德之不修学之不讲闻义不能徙不善不能改是吾忧也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “That I fail to cultivate Virtue, that I fail to inquire more deeply into that which I have learned, that upon hearing what is right I remain unable to move myself to do it, and that I prove unable to reform when I have done something wrong—such potential failings are a source of constant worry to me.”

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

The Master said, Virtue not sufficiently practiced, learning not sufficiently digested, to hear what is right and not be able to do it, to have shortcomings and not be able to remedy them—these are the things that I worry about.

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

Analects 6.29

Original Text:

子曰中庸之为德也其至矣乎民鲜久矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Acquiring Virtue by applying the mean—is this not best? And yet among the common people few are able to practice this virtue for long.”

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

The Master said, The virtue embodied in the doctrine of the Mean11 is of the highest order. But it has long been rare among people.

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

Analects 6.24

Original Text:

子曰齐一变至于鲁鲁一变至于道

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “With a single change, Qi could measure up to Lu. With a single change, Lu could attain the Way.”

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

The Master said, With one change, Qi could measure up to Lu. And with one change, Lu could measure up to the Way.

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

Analects 6.17

Original Text:

子曰谁能出不由户何莫由斯道也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Who is able to leave a room without going out through the door? How is it, then, that no one follows this Way?”

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

The Master said, Who can go out of a house without using the door? Why does no one use this Way of mine?

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