Wise - Confucian Pages

Analects 19.25

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nineteen

Original Text:

陈子禽谓子贡曰子为恭也仲尼岂贤于子乎子贡曰君子一言以为知一言以为不知言不可不慎也夫子之不可及也犹天之不可阶而升也夫子之得邦家者所谓立之斯立道之斯行绥之斯来动之斯和其生也荣其死也哀如之何其可及也

Translation:

Other Translations:

Chen Ziqin said to Zigong, “You show reverence to Confucius, but how could he be more worthy than you?”
Zigong replied, “A gentleman can be judged wise or unwise on the basis of a single comment—this is why one cannot fail to be careful in one’s speech. One cannot equal the Master anymore than one can climb a stairway to the heavens. Had the Master acquired control of a state or noble family, then, as they say: ‘When he raised them up, they would stand; when he led them forward they would advance; when he comforted them they would come; and when he moved them they would become harmonious.’ His birth was glorious and his death was universally mourned. How could anyone equal him?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Chen Ziqin said to Zigong, You are being too modest. How could Zhongni be a worthier man than you?
Zigong said, The gentleman speaks one word and shows that he is wise, speaks one word and shows that he is unwise. Therefore, he must be careful how he speaks. Our Master can no more be equaled than one can mount a stairway to the sky. If our Master were to preside over a state or a powerful family, then, as the saying has it, If he raised them, they would stand; if he led, they would go forward; if he chose peace, they would flock around; if he moved, they would move in harmony. In life he is glorious; in death, deeply mourned. How, then, could he be equaled?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

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

Translation:

Other Translations:

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 17.3

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seventeen

Original Text:

子曰唯上知与下愚不移

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Only the very wise and the very stupid do not change.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Only the highest among the wise and the lowest among the stupid never change.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 17.1

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seventeen

Original Text:

阳货欲见孔子孔子不见归孔子豚孔子时其亡也而往拜之遇诸途谓孔子曰来予与尔言曰怀其宝而迷其邦可谓仁乎曰不可好从事而亟失时可谓知乎曰不可日月逝矣岁不我与孔子曰诺吾将仕矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Yang Huo wanted to have an audience with Confucius, but Confucius would not see him. Yang Huo therefore sent Confucius a suckling pig as a gift. Confucius waited until Yang Huo was not at home before going to offer his thanks, but ended up running into Yang Huo on the road.
Yang Huo called out to Confucius, “Come! I would like to speak with you.” [After Confucius approached him,] he said, “Clutching a treasure to one’s bosom, and thereby letting the state go to ruin—could this be called Good?”
Confucius replied, “No, it could not.”
“Being eager to serve, but repeatedly missing opportunities to do so—could this be called wise?”
Confucius replied, “No, it could not.”
“The days and months are slipping away, and time is not on our side.”
“Very well,” Confucius said. “I will enter official service.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Yang Huo (Yang Hu?) wanted to see Confucius, but Confucius refused to see him. He then sent Confucius a suckling pig. Confucius, choosing a time when Yang was not at home, went to express thanks for the gift, but he happened to meet Yang in the street. Addressing Confucius, Yang Huo said, Come—I have something to say to you. You hide in your heart a wealth of talent and yet let your country go astray. Can that be called humaneness? Of course not! You long to hold office and yet time and again miss the chance to do so. Can that be called wisdom? Of course not! The days and months fly by, time does not work in our favor!
Confucius said, Very well—I will take public office.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 15.33

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fifteen

Original Text:

子曰知及之仁不能守之虽得之必失之知及之仁能守之不庄以涖之则民不敬知及之仁能守之庄以涖之动之不以礼未善也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “If your wisdom reaches it, but your Goodness cannot protect it, then even though you may have attained it, you are sure to eventually lose it. If your wisdom reaches it, and your Goodness is able to protect it, but you cannot manifest it with dignity, then the common people will not be respectful. If your wisdom reaches it, your Goodness is able to protect it, and you can manifest it with dignity, but you do not use ritual to put it into motion, it will never be truly excellent.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, You might have sufficient knowledge to gain a position, but if you do not have the humaneness needed to hold on to it, then although you gain it, you will surely lose it. You might have sufficient knowledge to gain a position and the humaneness needed to hold on to it, but if you do not administer it with dignity, the common people will not respect you. You might have sufficient knowledge to gain a position, the humaneness needed to hold on to it, and may administer it with dignity, but if your actions do not accord with ritual, the results will be less than good.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 15.8

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fifteen

Original Text:

子曰可与言而不与之言失人不可与言而与之言失言知者不失人亦不失言

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “If someone is open to what you have to say, but you do not speak to them, this is letting the person go to waste; if, however, someone is not open to what you have to say, but you speak to them anyway, this is letting your words go to waste. The wise person does not let people go to waste, but he also does not waste his words.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, If it’s someone you ought to speak to and you fail to speak, you waste a person. If it’s someone you ought not to speak to and you speak, you waste words. The wise man doesn’t waste people and doesn’t waste words either.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 14.31

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fourteen

Original Text:

子曰不逆诈不亿不信抑亦先觉者是贤乎

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Not anticipating betrayal, nor expecting untrustworthiness, yet still being the first to perceive it—this is a worthy person indeed.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Do not be overly wary of deception; do not suspect others of bad faith. But he who is first to perceive the true situation is the wise one!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 14.28

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fourteen

Original Text:

子曰君子道者三我无能焉仁者不忧知者不惑勇者不惧子贡曰夫子自道也

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The Way of the gentleman is threefold, and yet I have not been able to achieve any aspect of it: ‘The Good do not worry, the wise are not confused, and the courageous do not fear.’ ”
Zigong replied, “[By quoting this saying], the Master has in fact described himself.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

he Master said, The Way of the gentleman has three characteristics that are still beyond me. The humane are never anxious; the wise, never perplexed; the brave, never afraid.
Zigong said, Master, that is your own Way.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 9.29

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Nine

Original Text:

子曰知者不惑仁者不忧勇者不惧

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The wise are not confused, the Good do not worry, and the courageous do not fear.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The wise are never perplexed; the humane, never anxious; the brave, never afraid.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 6.23

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Six

Original Text:

子曰知者乐水仁者乐山知者动仁者静知者乐仁者寿

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The wise take joy in rivers, while the Good take joy in mountains. The wise are active, while the Good are still. The wise are joyful, while the Good are long-lived.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The wise delight in water; the humane delight in mountains. The wise move; the humane are still. The wise are happy; the humane live long.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.