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Analects 18.6

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Eighteen

Original Text:

长沮桀溺耦而耕孔子过之使子路问津焉长沮曰夫执舆者为谁子路曰为孔丘曰是鲁孔丘与曰是也曰是知津矣问于桀溺桀溺曰子为谁曰为仲由曰是鲁孔丘之徒与对曰然曰滔滔者天下皆是也而谁以易之且而与其从辟人之士也岂若从辟世之士哉耰而不辍子路行以告夫子怃然曰鸟兽不可与同群吾非斯人之徒与而谁与天下有道丘不与易也

Translation:

Other Translations:

Confucius passed Chang Ju and Jie Ni, who were yoked together pulling a plow through a field. He sent Zilu to ask them where the ford was to be found.
Chang Ju inquired, “That fellow holding the reins there—who is he?”
Zilu answered, “That is Confucius.”
“Do you mean Confucius of Lu?”
“The same.”
“Then he should know where the ford is.”
Zilu then asked Jie Ni.
Jie Ni also replied with a question: “Who are you?”
“I am Zilu.”
“The disciple of Confucius of Lu?”
“Yes.”
“The whole world is as if engulfed in a great flood, and who can change it? Given this, instead of following a scholar who merely avoids the bad people [of this age], wouldn’t it be better for you to follow scholars like us, who avoid the age itself?” He then proceeded to cover up his seeds with dirt and did not pause again.
Zilu returned and reported this conversation to Confucius. The Master was lost in thought for a moment, and then remarked, “A person cannot flock together with the birds and the beasts. If I do not associate with the followers of men, then with whom would I associate? If the Way were realized in the world, then I would not need to change anything.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Changju and Jieni had teamed up to do the plowing when Confucius passed by. He sent Zilu to ask them where the ford was.
Changju said, Who is that driving the carriage?
That’s Kong Qiu, said Zilu.
Kong Qiu of Lu?
Yes, Zilu replied.
Then he must know where the ford is.
Zilu put the same question to Jieni. Jieni said, Who are you?
I’m Zhongyou (Zilu).
Are you a follower of this Kong Qiu of Lu?
I am, Zilu replied.
Turmoil, turmoil, said Jieni—the whole world’s that way, and who’s going to change it? Rather than following someone who shuns this person or that, wouldn’t it be better to follow one who shuns the world itself? Then he went back to breaking up the clods, never stopping.
Zilu returned and reported this to Confucius, who sighed and said, One cannot simply live with the birds and beasts. If I am not to join with my fellow men, who am I to join with? If the Way prevailed in the world, I would not try to change things.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 16.2

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Sixteen

Original Text:

孔子曰天下有道则礼乐征伐自天子出天下无道则礼乐征伐自诸侯出自诸侯出盖十世希不失矣自大夫出五世希不失矣陪臣执国命三世希不失矣天下有道则政不在大夫天下有道则庶人不议

Translation:

Other Translations:

Confucius said, “When the Way prevails in the world, rituals, music, punitive expeditions, and attacks against foreign powers issue from the Son of Heaven. When the Way does not prevail in the world, these things issue from the feudal lords. When they issue from the feudal lords, it is seldom more than ten generations before the lords lose control of them. When they issue from ministers, it is seldom more than five generations before the ministers lose control of them, and once household ministers seize control of state commands, it is seldom more than three generations before they lose control of them.”
“When the Way prevails in the world, control of the government does not reside with the ministers. When the Way prevails in the world, commoners do not debate matters of government.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Confucius said, When the Way prevails in the world, rites, music, and punitive expeditions proceed from the Son of Heaven. When the Way no longer prevails in the world, rites, music, and punitive expeditions proceed from the feudal lords, and rarely does this situation continue for ten generations before failure ensues. If these proceed from the high officials, rarely five generations pass before failure; and if the retainers of the high officials govern the fate of the nation, rarely three generations before failure. When the Way prevails in the world, government is not in the hands of the high officials. When the Way prevails in the world, ordinary people voice no criticisms.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 15.20

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fifteen

Original Text:

子曰君子疾没世而名不称焉

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The gentleman is troubled by the possibility that his name will go uncelebrated after his death.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The gentleman is pained to think that after he has left the world his name will not be remembered.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 14.5

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Fourteen

Original Text:

南宫适问于孔子曰羿善射奡荡舟俱不得其死然禹稷躬稼而有天下夫子不答南宫适出子曰君子哉若人尚德哉若人

Translation:

Other Translations:

Nangong Kuo said to Confucius, “Yi was a skillful archer, and Ao was a powerful naval commander, and yet neither of them met a natural death. Yu and Hou Ji, on the other hand, did nothing but personally tend to the land, and yet they both ended up with possession of the world.”
The Master did not answer.
After Nangong Kuo left, the Master sighed, “What a gentlemanly person that man is! How he reveres Virtue!”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Nangong Kuo questioned Confucius, saying, Yi was a skilled archer and Ao could push a boat over dry land, but neither was able to die a natural death. Yu and Ji, however, though they worked the fields in person, gained possession of the empire. The Master made no reply.
After Nangong Kuo had left, the Master said, A gentleman should be like this! An upholder of virtue should be like this!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 12.22

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Twelve

Original Text:

樊迟问仁子曰爱人问知子曰知人樊迟未达子曰举直错诸枉能使枉者直樊迟退见子夏曰乡也吾见于夫子而问知子曰举直错诸枉能使枉者直何谓也子夏曰富哉言乎舜有天下选于众举皋陶不仁者远矣汤有天下选于众举伊尹不仁者远矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Fan Chi asked about Goodness.
The Master replied, “Care for others.”
He then asked about wisdom.
The Master replied, “Know others.”
Fan Chi still did not understand, so the Master elaborated: “Raise up the straight and apply them to the crooked, and the crooked will be made straight.”
Fan Chi retired from the Master’s presence. Seeing Zixia, he said, “Just before I asked the Master about wisdom, and he replied, ‘Raise up the straight and apply them to the crooked, and the crooked will be made straight.’ What did he mean by that?”
Zixia answered, “What a wealth of instruction you have received! When Shun ruled the world, he selected from amongst the multitude, raising up Gao Yao, and those who were not Good then kept their distance. When Tang ruled the world, he selected from amongst the multitude, raising up Yi Yin, and those who were not Good then kept their distance.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Fan Chi asked about humaneness. The Master said, Love others. Fan Chi asked about understanding. The Master said, Understand others.
When Fan Chi failed to grasp the meaning, the Master said, Promote the straight, and let them oversee the crooked. That way, you can cause the crooked to be straight.
After Fan Chi had left the Master, he met Zixia. A while ago, he said, I met the Master and asked him about understanding. He said, Promote the straight, and let them oversee the crooked—that way you can cause the crooked to be straight. What does that mean?
Zixia said, How rich in meaning—these words! When Shun ruled the empire, he chose Gao Yao from among the multitude—and those who lacked humaneness were kept at a distance. When Tang ruled the empire, he chose Yi Yin from among the multitude—and those who lacked humaneness were kept at a distance.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 8.18

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Eight

Original Text:

子曰巍巍乎舜禹之有天下也而不与焉

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “How majestic! Shun and Yu possessed the entire world and yet had no need to actively manage it.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Awesome was the way in which Shun and Yu held possession of the empire! Yet they took no part in it.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 8.1

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Eight

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.