Sayings on learning, friends and family
- Written
- about 400 BCE (sayings of Confucius, who died in 479 BCE, collected after his death)
- Place
- State of Lu
- Language
- Classical Chinese
- Kind of source
- literature
- Reading time
- 11 minutes
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Low: nothing violent or distressing
Philosophy and right livingSchools and teachingFamily and loss
A student asks Confucius whether there is one word a person can follow all through life. Confucius gives one, shu, “consideration,” and spells it out: what you yourself do not want, do not do to others. The student is Zigong, a follower of Confucius, and the exchange is chapter 15.23 of the Analects.
The Analects (Lunyu 論語, “Discussed Sayings”) is a book of short sayings and exchanges in twenty books. It centers on Confucius (Kong Qiu, traditionally 551–479 BCE), a teacher from the state of Lu, in what is now Shandong. He did not write it. The eighty sayings here come from Books 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 15 and 17 and are about learning, friends, family and daily conduct. Each is numbered by book and chapter as in James Legge’s edition.
Later tradition said Confucius’s followers put the book together soon after his death. Legge, whose Chinese text we use, did not accept this: Book 8 describes the illness of Zeng Shen, a follower, and Book 19 holds only sayings of the followers, some from a time when they had schools of their own. Legge concluded that the pupils of the followers compiled it, and he put the date about 400 BCE. William Soothill (1910) also rejected a compilation just after Confucius’s death, but thought Legge’s date unnecessarily late and held that the editors worked from records already in their teachers’ hands. Many recent scholars think the book grew in stages over about two hundred years, through the Warring States period (475–221 BCE). In the Han dynasty scholars compared a Lu version, a Qi version with two more books, and an old copy said to have been found in the wall of Confucius’s house, and the text was fixed.
The sayings are very short and give little background. There are no dates, and the reader often has to supply who is speaking and why. We cannot tell which words Confucius spoke and which were shaped later. Legge and Soothill both note that the same remark sometimes appears in several books, and that the first ten books are better ordered than those after.
Watch for the gentleman (junzi), who is defined by contrast with the petty person, and for how much of the teaching is about habits more than rules: what to do with a mistake, how to treat a friend, when to speak and when to hold back.
The edited translation, in simplified modern English. Bracketed words were added for clarity; [...] marks a cut. Tap a note number to read the note. Point at or tap a phrase to see the original behind it. Phrase links checked in a separate review.
Book 1: *Xue er* 學而, “Learning”
1.1The Master said: To learn and practice it at the right times, isn’t that a pleasure? To have a friend come from far away, isn’t that a joy? To go unrecognized by others and feel no resentment, isn’t that the mark of a gentleman?1
1.3The Master said: Clever words and a smooth face seldom go with goodness.2
1.4Master Zeng said:3 Each day I examine myself on three points: Have I been disloyal when making plans for others? Have I been untrustworthy in dealing with friends? Have I failed to review what was handed down to me?4
1.6The Master said: Young people should show filial duty at home and respect for elders outside it,5 be careful and trustworthy, love people widely and keep close to the good. If they have strength left over, let them spend it on culture.6
1.8The Master said: A gentleman who is not serious will not be respected, and his learning will not hold firm.7 Put loyalty and good faith first. Have no friend who is not your equal. When you make a mistake, do not be afraid to fix it.
1.14The Master said: A gentleman does not look for a full stomach or a comfortable home, is quick in his work and careful in his speech, and goes to those who have the Way to be set straight.8 Such a man can be called eager to learn.
1.16The Master said: Do not worry that others do not know you; worry that you do not know others.
Book 2: *Wei zheng* 為政, “Governing”
2.1The Master said: One who governs by virtue9 is like the North Star,10 which stays in its place while all the stars turn toward it.
2.2The Master said: The Odes number three hundred,11 yet one saying can cover them all. It is this: No crooked thoughts.
2.8Zixia asked about filial duty.12 The Master said: The hard part is the look on your face.13 When there is work, the young people do it; when there is food and drink, the elders are served. Is that all it takes to be called filial?
2.11The Master said: One who reviews the old and so learns the new is fit to be a teacher.
2.12The Master said: A gentleman is not a vessel.14
2.13Zigong asked about the gentleman.15 The Master said: He first carries out what he says, and only then speaks in line with it.
2.14The Master said: A gentleman is broad in sympathy and does not take sides; a petty person takes sides and is not broad.16
2.15The Master said: Learning without thinking leaves a person lost; thinking without learning leaves a person in danger.
2.17The Master said: You,17 shall I teach you what knowing is? To know a thing is to know it; not to know it is to say you do not know; that is what it is to know.
2.22The Master said: A person without good faith is of no use that I can see. A big cart without its yoke-bar,18 a small cart without its yoke-bar, how could either move?
Book 4: *Li ren* 里仁, “Living in goodness”
4.1The Master said: It is fine to live where goodness is. If you choose a home without goodness, how can you call yourself wise?
4.3The Master said: Only a good person can love others and dislike them.
4.10The Master said: In dealing with the world, a gentleman is not set for anything or against anything; he goes along with what is right.
4.11The Master said: A gentleman thinks of virtue; a petty person thinks of home comforts.19 A gentleman thinks of the law; a petty person thinks of favors.
4.12The Master said: A person who acts by what pays will be much resented.
4.14The Master said: Do not worry about having no position; worry about what you need to hold one. Do not worry that no one knows you; seek to be worth knowing.
4.16The Master said: A gentleman understands what is right; a petty person understands what pays.
4.17The Master said: When you see a worthy person, think of becoming his equal; when you see an unworthy one, look inward and examine yourself.
4.19The Master said: While your parents are alive, do not travel far; if you do travel, have a set destination.
4.21The Master said: The age of your parents must always be known: on one side it is a reason for gladness, on the other a reason for fear.
4.22The Master said: The people of old kept their words back, ashamed that their own actions might fall short.
4.23The Master said: By keeping within limits, those who go wrong are few.
4.24The Master said: A gentleman wants to be slow to speak and quick to act.
4.25The Master said: Virtue is never alone; it always has neighbors.
4.26Ziyou said:20 In serving a ruler, to press him again and again21 brings disgrace; with friends, to press them again and again brings distance.
Book 5: *Gongye Chang* 公冶長, named for a disciple
5.11Zigong said: What I do not want others to do to me, I likewise want to avoid doing to them. The Master said: Ci, that is beyond your reach.
5.12Zigong said: What the Master shows of his learning and manners we are able to hear; but what he says about human nature and the course of Heaven22 we are not able to hear.
5.15The Master spoke of Zichan:23 he had four of the gentleman’s ways. In his own conduct he was courteous; in serving his superiors, respectful; in caring for the people, kind; in employing the people, just.
5.16The Master said: Yan Pingzhong24 was good at friendship; even after a long time he still treated them with respect.
5.19Ji Wenzi thought three times before he acted.25 The Master heard of it and said: Twice is enough.
5.26The Master said: I give up! I have yet to see anyone who can see his own faults and bring the charge against himself inwardly.
5.27The Master said: In a town of ten households there are sure to be people as loyal and trustworthy as I am,26 but none who love learning as I do.
Book 7: *Shu er* 述而, “Passing on”
7.1The Master said: I pass things on and do not make them up; I trust the ancient ways and love them. In this I would quietly set myself beside our Lao Peng.27
7.2The Master said: To take things in silently and remember them, to study and not tire of it, to teach others and not grow weary: which of these do I have?28
7.3The Master said: Virtue not cultivated, learning not discussed, hearing what is right and being unable to move toward it, knowing what is wrong and being unable to change it: these are what trouble me.
7.4When the Master was at ease at home, he was relaxed and unhurried and cheerful in look.
7.6The Master said: Set your heart on the Way. Rely on virtue. Lean on goodness. Move freely among the arts.29
7.7The Master said: From anyone who brought a bundle of dried meat or more,30 I never refused to teach him.
7.8The Master said: I do not open the door for one who is not eager, or draw out the words of one who is not struggling to say them. If I show one corner of a subject and he cannot come back with the other three, I will not teach it again.
7.15The Master said: Coarse rice to eat, water to drink, a bent arm for a pillow: there is joy in this too. Wealth and rank got by wrong means are to me like floating clouds.
7.18The Duke of She31 asked Zilu about Confucius, and Zilu did not answer. The Master said: Why did you not say, He is the sort of man who forgets his meals when he is eager to learn, forgets his troubles in his joy, and does not notice that old age is on its way?
7.19The Master said: I was not born knowing things. I love the ancient ways and have worked hard to seek them.
7.21The Master said: Walking with two others, I am sure to find a teacher among them. I pick out their good points and follow them; I see their bad points and correct them in myself.32
7.24The Master taught four things: culture, conduct, loyalty, and good faith.
7.26The Master fished but not with a net; he used a corded arrow, but never shot at a roosting bird.33
7.31When the Master sang with others and they sang well, he always had them repeat it, and then joined in.
7.35The Master said: Extravagance makes people overbearing; thrift makes them narrow.34 Rather than be overbearing, better to be narrow.
7.36The Master said: A gentleman is calm and open; a petty person is always full of worry.
7.37The Master was gentle yet firm, dignified but not fierce, respectful yet at ease.
Book 15: *Wei Ling gong* 衛靈公, “Duke Ling of Wei”
15.3The Master said: You, those who understand virtue are few.
15.9Zigong asked how to practice goodness. The Master said: A craftsman who wants his work to go well must first sharpen his tools. When you live in a state, serve the worthiest of its high officials and befriend the good among its scholars.
15.11The Master said: A person who does not plan far ahead will have trouble close at hand.
15.12The Master said: I give up! I have never seen anyone love virtue as people love a beautiful face.
15.14The Master said: Ask much of yourself and little of others, and resentment will keep far away.
15.16The Master said: Spending all day together in a crowd, never speaking of what is right, and fond of showing off small cleverness: it is hard to know what to do with such people!
15.17The Master said: A gentleman takes rightness as his core, carries it out by ritual,35 speaks it with humility, and completes it with good faith. That is a gentleman!
15.18The Master said: A gentleman is troubled by his own lack of ability; he is not troubled that others do not know him.
15.20The Master said: A gentleman looks to himself; a petty person looks to others.
15.21The Master said: A gentleman is dignified but does not quarrel; he joins with others but forms no cliques.
15.22The Master said: A gentleman does not promote a person for his words, nor throw out words because of the person.
15.23Zigong asked, Is there one word a person can follow all his life? The Master said: Perhaps it is consideration for others:36 what you yourself do not want, do not do to others.
15.27The Master said: When the crowd dislikes a person, look into it yourself; when the crowd likes a person, look into it yourself.
15.28The Master said: A person can broaden the Way; the Way cannot broaden a person.
15.29The Master said: To make a mistake and not correct it: that is what a real mistake is.
15.35The Master said: When it comes to goodness, do not give way even to your teacher.
15.38The Master said: Teach everyone, and sort no one by class.
15.39The Master said: Those whose ways differ do not make plans together.
15.40The Master said: Words need only get the meaning across.
Book 17: *Yang Huo* 陽貨, named for a man of Lu
17.2The Master said: By nature people are close to one another; by habit they grow far apart.
17.11The Master said: Ritual, ritual, they say! Does that mean jade and silk?37 Music, music, they say! Does that mean bells and drums?
17.14The Master said: To hear something on the road and repeat it on the road is to throw virtue away.
17.19The Master said: I wish to say nothing. Zigong said: If you do not speak, Master, what will we, your pupils, have to pass on? The Master said: Does Heaven speak? The four seasons run their course; all creatures grow. Does Heaven speak?
17.22The Master said: To eat one’s fill all day and put one’s mind to nothing, what can come of that! Are there not board games?38 Even playing them is better than idling.
Notes
- Junzi 君子 is explained as “son of a ruler,” and in the Analects it comes to mean a person of fine character, whatever his birth, set against the “petty person.” Legge renders it “superior man.” back
- Ren 仁 is the highest quality of character in the Analects: a person at his best in dealing with others, kind and fully human. No single English word fits; this translation uses “goodness.” back
- Zeng Shen, a younger follower of Confucius, called Master Zeng (Zengzi) by later admirers. back
- 吾日三省吾身 can mean “each day I examine myself on three points” (Legge) or “three times a day”; this is a choice. 傳 is what a teacher handed down to him, or what he hands on. back
- Xiao 孝, “filial duty,” is the care and respect children owe their parents. The second word here, ti 弟, is the respect a younger brother owes his elders. back
- Wen 文, “culture,” covers the polite arts of an educated person: ceremony, music, archery, charioteering, writing, and arithmetic. back
- 固 is read two ways: “firm, solid” (Legge, so “his learning will not be solid”) or “obscured, narrow” (Kong Anguo, an early commentator). The translation follows Legge. back
- Dao 道, “the Way,” is the right course for a person to follow, in his own conduct and in government. back
- De 德, “virtue,” is the moral power of a person’s character, which draws others without force. back
- The North Star seemed to stay in one place while the other stars turned around it. back
- The Odes (Shijing) are the old collection of songs and hymns, a little over 300 poems. back
- Zixia, a follower of Confucius. back
- 色 means “look” or “face.” Readers take the point to be that serving one’s parents with a cheerful face is the hard part. back
- A vessel, or utensil, serves one purpose only. The gentleman is not limited so; Legge notes that he is ready for any task. back
- Zigong, personal name Ci 賜, a follower of Confucius. back
- Xiaoren 小人, “small person,” is a person of narrow, self-serving character, whatever his rank. The gentleman is his opposite. back
- Zilu (Zhong You), a follower of Confucius. Here Confucius calls him by his personal name, You. back
- Legge, following Zhu Xi, takes 輗 (ni) and 軏 (yue) as the cross-bar at the end of the cart pole, to yoke oxen to a large cart and horses to a small one. Without it the cart cannot be drawn. back
- 土, “soil,” is explained as the place of comfort one settles into, so Legge has “comfort.” Others read it as land held as property. Legge asks whether it means “what is earthly.” back
- Ziyou, a follower of Confucius. back
- 數 (shuò) means “again and again.” What is repeated is not stated; readers take it as urging or scolding. back
- Tian 天, “Heaven,” is the highest power over the world and its order, sometimes spoken of almost as a person. back
- Zichan, chief minister of the state of Zheng and, Legge says, perhaps the ablest and most upright statesman of Confucius’s time. back
- Yan Pingzhong, also called Yan Ying, was a leading minister of the state of Qi. back
- Ji Wenzi was an officer of Lu, known as faithful and unselfish; Wen is a title given after his death. Confucius is understood to favor prompt decision. back
- Qiu 丘 was Confucius’s personal name. He uses it of himself. back
- Who Lao Peng was is uncertain. Legge reports that some take him to be Laozi and some make two men, and that Zhu Xi, following the Li Sao, calls him a worthy of the Shang dynasty. back
- Another reading takes the line as “These are no trouble to me.” Legge rejects it and takes the line as modest. back
- The six arts are ceremonies, music, archery, charioteering, writing, and arithmetic. back
- A bundle of strips of dried meat, ten to a bundle, was one of the smallest gifts a pupil could bring to a teacher. Some early commentators instead took 束脩 as an age, about fifteen. back
- Ye, read here as She, was a district of Chu. Its governor was called gong, “duke.” back
- 改之 means “change them”: Confucius corrects in himself the faults he sees in others. back
- 綱 is the large rope on a net that could sweep a whole stream. 弋 is shooting with a cord tied to the arrow so it can be drawn back. Confucius took only what he needed, without unfair advantage. back
- 固 here means “mean” or “narrow” (Legge: “meanness”). Kong Anguo reads it as narrow or obscured. The point is that thrift can shrink a person. back
- Li 禮, “ritual,” is the proper form of ceremony and manners for each occasion. No single English word fits. back
- Shu 恕, translated here as “consideration,” is putting oneself in another’s place. Legge renders it “reciprocity.” back
- Jade and silk were gifts offered in ceremonies, and bells and drums were instruments of music. Confucius says ritual and music are more than these outward things. back
- 博 and 奕 are two board games. Legge could not name the first and took the second as a kind of chess. 奕 is usually identified with weiqi (Go), played on a board with 361 points. back
Zǐ子yuē曰、xué學ér而shí時xí習zhī之、bù不yì亦yuè說hū乎。yǒu有péng朋zì自yuǎn遠fāng方lái來、bù不yì亦lè樂hū乎。rén人bù不zhī知ér而bù不yùn慍、bù不yì亦jūn君zǐ子hū乎。
The Master said: to learn and at times practice it, is that not also a pleasure? To have a friend come from far places, is that not also a joy? When people do not know one and one is not resentful, is that not also a gentleman?
The Master said: To learn and practice it at the right times, isn’t that a pleasure? To have a friend come from far away, isn’t that a joy? To go unrecognized by others and feel no resentment, isn’t that the mark of a gentleman?
1. The Master said, ‘Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application? 2. ‘Is it not delightful to have friends coming from distant quarters?’ 3. ‘Is he not a man of complete virtue, who feels no discomposure though men may take no note of him?’
- Junzi 君子 is explained as “son of a ruler,” and in the Analects it comes to mean a person of fine character, whatever his birth, set against the “petty person.” Legge renders it “superior man.”
Zǐ子yuē曰、qiǎo巧yán言lìng令sè色、xiǎn鮮yǐ矣rén仁。
The Master said: clever words, a fine-looking face are few goodness.
The Master said: Clever words and a smooth face seldom go with goodness.
The Master said, ‘Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.’
- Ren 仁 is the highest quality of character in the Analects: a person at his best in dealing with others, kind and fully human. No single English word fits; this translation uses “goodness.”
Zēng曾Zǐ子yuē曰、wú吾rì日sān三xǐng省wú吾shēn身、wèi為rén人móu謀、ér而bù不zhōng忠hū乎、yǔ與péng朋yǒu友jiāo交、ér而bù不xìn信hū乎、chuán傳bù不xí習hū乎。
Master Zeng said: I each day three times examine my person: in planning for others, am I not loyal? In dealing with friends, am I not trustworthy? What was handed down, did I not practice it?
Master Zeng said: Each day I examine myself on three points: Have I been disloyal when making plans for others? Have I been untrustworthy in dealing with friends? Have I failed to review what was handed down to me?
The philosopher Tsang said, ‘I daily examine myself on three points:—whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful;—whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere;—whether I may have not mastered and practised the instructions of my teacher.’
- Zeng Shen, a younger follower of Confucius, called Master Zeng (Zengzi) by later admirers.
- 吾日三省吾身 can mean “each day I examine myself on three points” (Legge) or “three times a day”; this is a choice. 傳 is what a teacher handed down to him, or what he hands on.
Zǐ子yuē曰、dì弟zǐ子、rù入zé則xiào孝、chū出zé則tì弟、jǐn謹ér而xìn信、fàn汎ài愛zhòng眾、ér而qīn親rén仁、xíng行yǒu有yú餘lì力、zé則yǐ以xué學wén文。
The Master said: young people at home then filial, outside then brotherly, careful and trustworthy, broadly love the many and be close to the good, when action has strength left over, then use it to study culture.
The Master said: Young people should show filial duty at home and respect for elders outside it, be careful and trustworthy, love people widely and keep close to the good. If they have strength left over, let them spend it on culture.
The Master said, ‘A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good. When he has time and opportunity, after the performance of these things, he should employ them in polite studies.’
- Xiao 孝, “filial duty,” is the care and respect children owe their parents. The second word here, ti 弟, is the respect a younger brother owes his elders.
- Wen 文, “culture,” covers the polite arts of an educated person: ceremony, music, archery, charioteering, writing, and arithmetic.
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子bù不zhòng重、zé則bù不wēi威、xué學zé則bù不gù固。zhǔ主zhōng忠xìn信。wú無yǒu友bù不rú如jǐ己zhě者。guò過zé則wù勿dàn憚gǎi改。
The Master said: a gentleman not weighty, then not awe-inspiring, his learning then not firm. Take loyalty and trustworthiness as chief. Have no friend not like oneself. When at fault, then do not fear to change.
The Master said: A gentleman who is not serious will not be respected, and his learning will not hold firm. Put loyalty and good faith first. Have no friend who is not your equal. When you make a mistake, do not be afraid to fix it.
1. The Master said, ‘If the scholar be not grave, he will not call forth any veneration, and his learning will not be solid. 2. ‘Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. 3. ‘Have no friends not equal to yourself. 4. ‘When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.’
- 固 is read two ways: “firm, solid” (Legge, so “his learning will not be solid”) or “obscured, narrow” (Kong Anguo, an early commentator). The translation follows Legge.
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子shí食wú無qiú求bǎo飽、jū居wú無qiú求ān安、mǐn敏yú於shì事、ér而shèn慎yú於yán言、jiù就yǒu有dào道、ér而zhèng正yān焉、kě可wèi謂hǎo好xué學yě也yǐ已。
The Master said: a gentleman in food seeks no fullness, in lodging seeks no ease, is quick in affairs and careful in speech, goes to those who have the Way and is set straight by them. He can be said to love learning.
The Master said: A gentleman does not look for a full stomach or a comfortable home, is quick in his work and careful in his speech, and goes to those who have the Way to be set straight. Such a man can be called eager to learn.
The Master said, ‘He who aims to be a man of complete virtue in his food does not seek to gratify his appetite, nor in his dwelling-place does he seek the appliances of ease; he is earnest in what he is doing, and careful in his speech; he frequents the company of men of principle that he may be rectified:—such a person may be said indeed to love to learn.’
- Dao 道, “the Way,” is the right course for a person to follow, in his own conduct and in government.
Zǐ子yuē曰、bù不huàn患rén人zhī之bù不jǐ己zhī知、huàn患bù不zhī知rén人yě也。
The Master said: do not worry that people do not know oneself, worry that one does not know people.
The Master said: Do not worry that others do not know you; worry that you do not know others.
The Master said, ‘I will not be afflicted at men’s not knowing me; I will be afflicted that I do not know men.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、wéi為zhèng政yǐ以dé德、pì譬rú如běi北chén辰、jū居qí其suǒ所、ér而zhòng眾xīng星gǒng共zhī之。
The Master said: to govern by virtue is compared to the North Star, which sits in its place and the many stars face it.
The Master said: One who governs by virtue is like the North Star, which stays in its place while all the stars turn toward it.
The Master said, ‘He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.’
- De 德, “virtue,” is the moral power of a person’s character, which draws others without force.
- The North Star seemed to stay in one place while the other stars turned around it.
Zǐ子yuē曰、shī詩sān三bǎi百、yī一yán言yǐ以bì蔽zhī之、yuē曰、sī思wú無xié邪。
The Master said: the Odes, three hundred, one phrase covers them, it says: thoughts without crookedness.
The Master said: The Odes number three hundred, yet one saying can cover them all. It is this: No crooked thoughts.
The Master said, ‘In the Book of Poetry are three hundred pieces, but the design of them all may be embraced in one sentence—“Having no depraved thoughts.”’
- The Odes (Shijing) are the old collection of songs and hymns, a little over 300 poems.
Zǐ子Xià夏wèn問xiào孝、Zǐ子yuē曰、sè色nán難、yǒu有shì事、dì弟zǐ子fú服qí其láo勞、yǒu有jiǔ酒shí食、xiān先shēng生zhuàn饌、céng曾shì是yǐ以wéi為xiào孝hū乎。
Zixia asked about filial duty. The Master said: the look on the face is hard. When there is work, the young bear its toil, when there is wine and food, the elders are served. Is this indeed to be taken as filial?
Zixia asked about filial duty. The Master said: The hard part is the look on your face. When there is work, the young people do it; when there is food and drink, the elders are served. Is that all it takes to be called filial?
Tsze-hsia asked what filial piety was. The Master said, ‘The difficulty is with the countenance. If, when their elders have any troublesome affairs, the young take the toil of them, and if, when the young have wine and food, they set them before their elders, is THIS to be considered filial piety?’
- Zixia, a follower of Confucius.
- 色 means “look” or “face.” Readers take the point to be that serving one’s parents with a cheerful face is the hard part.
Zǐ子yuē曰、wēn溫gù故ér而zhī知xīn新、kě可yǐ以wéi為shī師yǐ矣。
The Master said: warm up the old and know the new, can be a teacher.
The Master said: One who reviews the old and so learns the new is fit to be a teacher.
The Master said, ‘If a man keeps cherishing his old knowledge, so as continually to be acquiring new, he may be a teacher of others.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子bù不qì器。
The Master said: a gentleman is not a vessel.
The Master said: A gentleman is not a vessel.
The Master said, ‘The accomplished scholar is not a utensil.’
- A vessel, or utensil, serves one purpose only. The gentleman is not limited so; Legge notes that he is ready for any task.
Zǐ子Gòng貢wèn問jūn君zǐ子、Zǐ子yuē曰、xiān先xíng行qí其yán言、ér而hòu後cóng從zhī之。
Zigong asked about the gentleman. The Master said: first act on his words, and afterward follow them.
Zigong asked about the gentleman. The Master said: He first carries out what he says, and only then speaks in line with it.
Tsze-kung asked what constituted the superior man. The Master said, ‘He acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions.’
- Zigong, personal name Ci 賜, a follower of Confucius.
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子zhōu周ér而bù不bì比、xiǎo小rén人bì比ér而bù不zhōu周。
The Master said: the gentleman is all-embracing and not partisan, the petty person is partisan and not all-embracing.
The Master said: A gentleman is broad in sympathy and does not take sides; a petty person takes sides and is not broad.
The Master said, ‘The superior man is catholic and no partisan. The mean man is partisan and not catholic.’
- Xiaoren 小人, “small person,” is a person of narrow, self-serving character, whatever his rank. The gentleman is his opposite.
Zǐ子yuē曰、xué學ér而bù不sī思zé則wǎng罔、sī思ér而bù不xué學zé則dài殆。
The Master said: learning without thinking, then lost; thinking without learning, then in danger.
The Master said: Learning without thinking leaves a person lost; thinking without learning leaves a person in danger.
The Master said, ‘Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、yóu由、huì誨rǔ女zhī知zhī之hū乎、zhī知zhī之wéi為zhī知zhī之、bù不zhī知wéi為bù不zhī知、shì是zhì知yě也。
The Master said: You, shall I teach you about knowing? To know it is to know it, not to know it is to not know it, this is knowing.
The Master said: You, shall I teach you what knowing is? To know a thing is to know it; not to know it is to say you do not know; that is what it is to know.
The Master said, ‘Yu, shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it;—this is knowledge.’
- Zilu (Zhong You), a follower of Confucius. Here Confucius calls him by his personal name, You.
Zǐ子yuē曰、rén人ér而wú無xìn信、bù不zhī知qí其kě可yě也、dà大chē車wú無ní輗、xiǎo小chē車wú無yuè軏、qí其hé何yǐ以xíng行zhī之zāi哉。
The Master said: a person without good faith I do not know what is acceptable in him. A big cart without its ni, a small cart without its yue, by what could it go?
The Master said: A person without good faith is of no use that I can see. A big cart without its yoke-bar, a small cart without its yoke-bar, how could either move?
The Master said, ‘I do not know how a man without truthfulness is to get on. How can a large carriage be made to go without the cross-bar for yoking the oxen to, or a small carriage without the arrangement for yoking the horses?’
- Legge, following Zhu Xi, takes 輗 (ni) and 軏 (yue) as the cross-bar at the end of the cart pole, to yoke oxen to a large cart and horses to a small one. Without it the cart cannot be drawn.
Zǐ子yuē曰、lǐ里rén仁wéi為měi美、zé擇bù不chǔ處rén仁、yān焉dé得zhì知。
The Master said: to dwell in goodness is fine. Choosing not to dwell in goodness, how can one be wise?
The Master said: It is fine to live where goodness is. If you choose a home without goodness, how can you call yourself wise?
The Master said, ‘It is virtuous manners which constitute the excellence of a neighbourhood. If a man in selecting a residence, do not fix on one where such prevail, how can he be wise?’
Zǐ子yuē曰、wéi惟rén仁zhě者、néng能hào好rén人、néng能wù惡rén人。
The Master said: only a good person can love people and can dislike people.
The Master said: Only a good person can love others and dislike them.
The Master said, ‘It is only the (truly) virtuous man, who can love, or who can hate, others.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子zhī之yú於tiān天xià下yě也、wú無dí適yě也、wú無mò莫yě也、yì義zhī之yǔ與bì比。
The Master said: the gentleman, toward the world, has no fixed for, has no fixed against; he sides with rightness.
The Master said: In dealing with the world, a gentleman is not set for anything or against anything; he goes along with what is right.
The Master said, ‘The superior man, in the world, does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子huái懷dé德、xiǎo小rén人huái懷tǔ土、jūn君zǐ子huái懷xíng刑、xiǎo小rén人huái懷huì惠。
The Master said: the gentleman cherishes virtue, the petty person cherishes the soil, the gentleman cherishes the law, the petty person cherishes favors.
The Master said: A gentleman thinks of virtue; a petty person thinks of home comforts. A gentleman thinks of the law; a petty person thinks of favors.
The Master said, ‘The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort. The superior man thinks of the sanctions of law; the small man thinks of favours which he may receive.’
- 土, “soil,” is explained as the place of comfort one settles into, so Legge has “comfort.” Others read it as land held as property. Legge asks whether it means “what is earthly.”
Zǐ子yuē曰、fǎng放yú於lì利ér而xíng行、duō多yuàn怨。
The Master said: to act by the rule of profit brings many resentments.
The Master said: A person who acts by what pays will be much resented.
The Master said, ‘He who acts with a constant view to his own advantage will be much murmured against.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、bù不huàn患wú無wèi位、huàn患suǒ所yǐ以lì立、bù不huàn患mò莫jǐ己zhī知、qiú求wéi為kě可zhī知yě也。
The Master said: do not worry about having no position, worry about what one stands on. Do not worry that none know oneself, seek to be knowable.
The Master said: Do not worry about having no position; worry about what you need to hold one. Do not worry that no one knows you; seek to be worth knowing.
The Master said, ‘A man should say, I am not concerned that I have no place, I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy to be known.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子yù喻yú於yì義、xiǎo小rén人yù喻yú於lì利。
The Master said: the gentleman understands rightness, the petty person understands profit.
The Master said: A gentleman understands what is right; a petty person understands what pays.
The Master said, ‘The mind of the superior man is conversant with righteousness; the mind of the mean man is conversant with gain.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、jiàn見xián賢sī思qí齊yān焉、jiàn見bù不xián賢ér而nèi內zì自xǐng省yě也。
The Master said: on seeing the worthy, think of being level with him; on seeing the unworthy, look inward and examine oneself.
The Master said: When you see a worthy person, think of becoming his equal; when you see an unworthy one, look inward and examine yourself.
The Master said, ‘When we see men of worth, we should think of equalling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、fù父mǔ母zài在、bù不yuǎn遠yóu遊、yóu遊bì必yǒu有fāng方。
The Master said: parents being present, do not wander far; when wandering, have a direction.
The Master said: While your parents are alive, do not travel far; if you do travel, have a set destination.
The Master said, ‘While his parents are alive, the son may not go abroad to a distance. If he does go abroad, he must have a fixed place to which he goes.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、fù父mǔ母zhī之nián年、bù不kě可bù不zhī知yě也、yī一zé則yǐ以xǐ喜、yī一zé則yǐ以jù懼。
The Master said: the years of one’s parents one must not fail to know; on one side for gladness, on the other for fear.
The Master said: The age of your parents must always be known: on one side it is a reason for gladness, on the other a reason for fear.
The Master said, ‘The years of parents may by no means not be kept in the memory, as an occasion at once for joy and for fear.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、gǔ古zhě者yán言zhī之bù不chū出、chǐ恥gōng躬zhī之bù不dài逮yě也。
The Master said: the ancients did not let words go out, ashamed that their person would not catch up.
The Master said: The people of old kept their words back, ashamed that their own actions might fall short.
The Master said, ‘The reason why the ancients did not readily give utterance to their words, was that they feared lest their actions should not come up to them.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、yǐ以yuē約、shī失zhī之zhě者xiǎn鮮yǐ矣。
The Master said: by holding to restraint, those who go wrong are few.
The Master said: By keeping within limits, those who go wrong are few.
The Master said, ‘The cautious seldom err.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子yù欲nè訥yú於yán言、ér而mǐn敏yú於xíng行。
The Master said: the gentleman wishes to be slow in speech and quick in action.
The Master said: A gentleman wants to be slow to speak and quick to act.
The Master said, ‘The superior man wishes to be slow in his speech and earnest in his conduct.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、dé德bù不gū孤、bì必yǒu有lín鄰。
The Master said: virtue is not alone; it must have neighbors.
The Master said: Virtue is never alone; it always has neighbors.
The Master said, ‘Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practises it will have neighbours.’
Zǐ子Yóu游yuē曰、shì事jūn君shuò數、sī斯rǔ辱yǐ矣、péng朋yǒu友shuò數、sī斯shū疏yǐ矣。
Ziyou said: serving a ruler, repeatedly, then disgrace; with friends, repeatedly, then distance.
Ziyou said: In serving a ruler, to press him again and again brings disgrace; with friends, to press them again and again brings distance.
Tsze-yu said, ‘In serving a prince, frequent remonstrances lead to disgrace. Between friends, frequent reproofs make the friendship distant.’
- Ziyou, a follower of Confucius.
- 數 (shuò) means “again and again.” What is repeated is not stated; readers take it as urging or scolding.
Zǐ子Gòng貢yuē曰、wǒ我bù不yù欲rén人zhī之jiā加zhū諸wǒ我yě也、wú吾yì亦yù欲wú無jiā加zhū諸rén人。Zǐ子yuē曰、cì賜yě也、fēi非ěr爾suǒ所jí及yě也。
Zigong said: what I do not wish people to put on me, I also wish not to put on people. The Master said: Ci, that is not what you can reach.
Zigong said: What I do not want others to do to me, I likewise want to avoid doing to them. The Master said: Ci, that is beyond your reach.
Tsze-kung said, ‘What I do not wish men to do to me, I also wish not to do to men.’ The Master said, ‘Ts‘ze, you have not attained to that.’
Zǐ子Gòng貢yuē曰、fū夫zǐ子zhī之wén文zhāng章、kě可dé得ér而wén聞yě也、fū夫zǐ子zhī之yán言xìng性yǔ與tiān天dào道、bù不kě可dé得ér而wén聞yě也。
Zigong said: the Master’s cultured display, can be heard; the Master’s words on nature and the Way of Heaven, cannot be heard.
Zigong said: What the Master shows of his learning and manners we are able to hear; but what he says about human nature and the course of Heaven we are not able to hear.
Tsze-kung said, ‘The Master’s personal displays of his principles and ordinary descriptions of them may be heard. His discourses about man’s nature, and the way of Heaven, cannot be heard.’
- Tian 天, “Heaven,” is the highest power over the world and its order, sometimes spoken of almost as a person.
Zǐ子wèi謂Zǐ子Chǎn產、yǒu有jūn君zǐ子zhī之dào道sì四yān焉、qí其xíng行jǐ己yě也gōng恭、qí其shì事shàng上yě也jìng敬、qí其yǎng養mín民yě也huì惠、qí其shǐ使mín民yě也yì義。
The Master spoke of Zichan: he had four of the gentleman’s ways: in conducting himself, respectful; in serving superiors, reverent; in nourishing the people, kind; in employing the people, right.
The Master spoke of Zichan: he had four of the gentleman’s ways. In his own conduct he was courteous; in serving his superiors, respectful; in caring for the people, kind; in employing the people, just.
The Master said of Tsze-ch‘an that he had four of the characteristics of a superior man:—in his conduct of himself, he was humble; in serving his superiors, he was respectful; in nourishing the people, he was kind; in ordering the people, he was just.’
- Zichan, chief minister of the state of Zheng and, Legge says, perhaps the ablest and most upright statesman of Confucius’s time.
Zǐ子yuē曰、Yàn晏Píng平Zhòng仲shàn善yǔ與rén人jiāo交、jiǔ久ér而jìng敬zhī之。
The Master said: Yan Pingzhong was good at dealing with people; long, and still respected them.
The Master said: Yan Pingzhong was good at friendship; even after a long time he still treated them with respect.
The Master said, ‘Yen P‘ing knew well how to maintain friendly intercourse. The acquaintance might be long, but he showed the same respect as at first.’
- Yan Pingzhong, also called Yan Ying, was a leading minister of the state of Qi.
Jì季Wén文Zǐ子sān三sī思ér而hòu後xíng行。Zǐ子wén聞zhī之yuē曰、zài再、sī斯kě可yǐ矣。
Ji Wenzi thought three times and then acted. The Master heard of it and said: twice will do.
Ji Wenzi thought three times before he acted. The Master heard of it and said: Twice is enough.
Chi Wan thought thrice, and then acted. When the Master was informed of it, he said, ‘Twice may do.’
- Ji Wenzi was an officer of Lu, known as faithful and unselfish; Wen is a title given after his death. Confucius is understood to favor prompt decision.
Zǐ子yuē曰、yǐ已yǐ矣hū乎、wú吾wèi未jiàn見néng能jiàn見qí其guò過、ér而nèi內zì自sòng訟zhě者yě也。
The Master said: it is finished! I have not yet seen one who can see his own faults and inwardly bring charges against himself.
The Master said: I give up! I have yet to see anyone who can see his own faults and bring the charge against himself inwardly.
The Master said, ‘It is all over! I have not yet seen one who could perceive his faults, and inwardly accuse himself.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、shí十shì室zhī之yì邑、bì必yǒu有zhōng忠xìn信、rú如qiū丘zhě者yān焉、bù不rú如qiū丘zhī之hào好xué學yě也。
The Master said: in a town of ten households there must be the loyal and trustworthy like Qiu, but none like Qiu in loving learning.
The Master said: In a town of ten households there are sure to be people as loyal and trustworthy as I am, but none who love learning as I do.
The Master said, ‘In a hamlet of ten families, there may be found one honourable and sincere as I am, but not so fond of learning.’
- Qiu 丘 was Confucius’s personal name. He uses it of himself.
Zǐ子yuē曰、shù述ér而bù不zuò作、xìn信ér而hào好gǔ古、qiè竊bǐ比yú於wǒ我Lǎo老Péng彭。
The Master said: transmit and do not create; trust and love the ancient; quietly compare myself to our Lao Peng.
The Master said: I pass things on and do not make them up; I trust the ancient ways and love them. In this I would quietly set myself beside our Lao Peng.
The Master said, ‘A transmitter and not a maker, believing in and loving the ancients, I venture to compare myself with our old P‘ang.’
- Who Lao Peng was is uncertain. Legge reports that some take him to be Laozi and some make two men, and that Zhu Xi, following the Li Sao, calls him a worthy of the Shang dynasty.
Zǐ子yuē曰、mò默ér而zhì識zhī之、xué學ér而bù不yàn厭、huì誨rén人bù不juàn倦、hé何yǒu有yú於wǒ我zāi哉。
The Master said: to take in silently and remember, to learn and not tire, to teach people and not weary: what is there in me of these?
The Master said: To take things in silently and remember them, to study and not tire of it, to teach others and not grow weary: which of these do I have?
The Master said, ‘The silent treasuring up of knowledge; learning without satiety; and instructing others without being wearied:—which one of these things belongs to me?’
- Another reading takes the line as “These are no trouble to me.” Legge rejects it and takes the line as modest.
Zǐ子yuē曰、dé德zhī之bù不xiū脩、xué學zhī之bù不jiǎng講、wén聞yì義bù不néng能xǐ徙、bù不shàn善bù不néng能gǎi改、shì是wú吾yōu憂yě也。
The Master said: virtue not cultivated, learning not discussed, hearing rightness and not able to move toward it, what is not good and not able to change it: this is my worry.
The Master said: Virtue not cultivated, learning not discussed, hearing what is right and being unable to move toward it, knowing what is wrong and being unable to change it: these are what trouble me.
The Master said, ‘The leaving virtue without proper cultivation; the not thoroughly discussing what is learned; not being able to move towards righteousness of which a knowledge is gained; and not being able to change what is not good:—these are the things which occasion me solicitude.’
Zǐ子zhī之yàn燕jū居、shēn申shēn申rú如yě也、yāo夭yāo夭rú如yě也。
The Master at leisure at home was stretched out and easy, and bright and mild.
When the Master was at ease at home, he was relaxed and unhurried and cheerful in look.
When the Master was unoccupied with business, his manner was easy, and he looked pleased.
Zǐ子yuē曰、zhì志yú於dào道。jù據yú於dé德。yī依yú於rén仁。yóu游yú於yì藝。
The Master said: set the heart on the Way. Hold to virtue. Lean on goodness. Roam in the arts.
The Master said: Set your heart on the Way. Rely on virtue. Lean on goodness. Move freely among the arts.
1. The Master said, ‘Let the will be set on the path of duty. 2. ‘Let every attainment in what is good be firmly grasped. 3. ‘Let perfect virtue be accorded with. 4. ‘Let relaxation and enjoyment be found in the polite arts.’
- The six arts are ceremonies, music, archery, charioteering, writing, and arithmetic.
Zǐ子yuē曰、zì自xíng行shù束xiū脩yǐ以shàng上、wú吾wèi未cháng嘗wú無huì誨yān焉。
The Master said: from one who came with a bundle of dried meat or more, I have never been without teaching.
The Master said: From anyone who brought a bundle of dried meat or more, I never refused to teach him.
The Master said, ‘From the man bringing his bundle of dried flesh for my teaching upwards, I have never refused instruction to any one.’
- A bundle of strips of dried meat, ten to a bundle, was one of the smallest gifts a pupil could bring to a teacher. Some early commentators instead took 束脩 as an age, about fifteen.
Zǐ子yuē曰、bù不fèn憤bù不qǐ啟、bù不fěi悱bù不fā發、jǔ舉yì一yú隅、bù不yǐ以sān三yú隅fǎn反、zé則bù不fù復yě也。
The Master said: not eager, I do not open; not struggling, I do not start; if I raise one corner and he does not come back with three corners, then I do not repeat.
The Master said: I do not open the door for one who is not eager, or draw out the words of one who is not struggling to say them. If I show one corner of a subject and he cannot come back with the other three, I will not teach it again.
The Master said, ‘I do not open up the truth to one who is not eager to get knowledge, nor help out any one who is not anxious to explain himself. When I have presented one corner of a subject to any one, and he cannot from it learn the other three, I do not repeat my lesson.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、fàn飯shū疏sì食yǐn飲shuǐ水、qū曲gōng肱ér而zhěn枕zhī之、lè樂yì亦zài在qí其zhōng中yǐ矣、bù不yì義ér而fù富qiě且guì貴、yú於wǒ我rú如fú浮yún雲。
The Master said: eat coarse rice, drink water, bend the arm and pillow on it: joy is also in the midst of it. Wealth and rank through what is not right are to me like floating clouds.
The Master said: Coarse rice to eat, water to drink, a bent arm for a pillow: there is joy in this too. Wealth and rank got by wrong means are to me like floating clouds.
The Master said, ‘With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow;—I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honours acquired by unrighteousness are to me as a floating cloud.’
Shè葉Gōng公wèn問Kǒng孔Zǐ子yú於Zǐ子Lù路、Zǐ子Lù路bù不duì對。Zǐ子yuē曰、rǔ女xī奚bù不yuē曰、qí其wéi為rén人yě也、fā發fèn憤wàng忘shí食、lè樂yǐ以wàng忘yōu憂、bù不zhī知lǎo老zhī之jiāng將zhì至yún云ěr爾。
The Duke of She asked Zilu about Confucius, and Zilu did not answer. The Master said: why did you not say: as a man, he is one who in eagerness forgets his food, in joy forgets his sorrows, and does not know old age is about to arrive?
The Duke of She asked Zilu about Confucius, and Zilu did not answer. The Master said: Why did you not say, He is the sort of man who forgets his meals when he is eager to learn, forgets his troubles in his joy, and does not notice that old age is on its way?
1. The duke of Sheh asked Tsze-lu about Confucius, and Tsze-lu did not answer him. 2. The Master said, ‘Why did you not say to him,—He is simply a man, who in his eager pursuit (of knowledge) forgets his food, who in the joy of its attainment forgets his sorrows, and who does not perceive that old age is coming on?’
- Ye, read here as She, was a district of Chu. Its governor was called gong, “duke.”
Zǐ子yuē曰、wǒ我fēi非shēng生ér而zhī知zhī之zhě者、hào好gǔ古、mǐn敏yǐ以qiú求zhī之zhě者yě也。
The Master said: I am not one born knowing it; loving the ancient and quick to seek it.
The Master said: I was not born knowing things. I love the ancient ways and have worked hard to seek them.
The Master said, ‘I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、sān三rén人xíng行、bì必yǒu有wǒ我shī師yān焉、zé擇qí其shàn善zhě者ér而cóng從zhī之、qí其bù不shàn善zhě者ér而gǎi改zhī之。
The Master said: three people walking, there is surely a teacher for me; choose their good points and follow them, their bad points and change them.
The Master said: Walking with two others, I am sure to find a teacher among them. I pick out their good points and follow them; I see their bad points and correct them in myself.
The Master said, ‘When I walk along with two others, they may serve me as my teachers. I will select their good qualities and follow them, their bad qualities and avoid them.’
- 改之 means “change them”: Confucius corrects in himself the faults he sees in others.
Zǐ子yǐ以sì四jiāo教、wén文、xíng行、zhōng忠、xìn信。
The Master taught with four: culture, conduct, loyalty, good faith.
The Master taught four things: culture, conduct, loyalty, and good faith.
There were four things which the Master taught,—letters, ethics, devotion of soul, and truthfulness.
Zǐ子diào釣ér而bù不gāng綱、yì弋bù不shè射sù宿。
The Master fished but not with a net; with a corded arrow he did not shoot at the roosting.
The Master fished but not with a net; he used a corded arrow, but never shot at a roosting bird.
The Master angled,—but did not use a net. He shot,—but not at birds perching.
- 綱 is the large rope on a net that could sweep a whole stream. 弋 is shooting with a cord tied to the arrow so it can be drawn back. Confucius took only what he needed, without unfair advantage.
Zǐ子yǔ與rén人gē歌、ér而shàn善、bì必shǐ使fǎn反zhī之、ér而hòu後hè和zhī之。
When the Master sang with others and it was good, he always had it repeated, and afterward joined in.
When the Master sang with others and they sang well, he always had them repeat it, and then joined in.
When the Master was in company with a person who was singing, if he sang well, he would make him repeat the song, while he accompanied it with his own voice.
Zǐ子yuē曰、shē奢zé則bù不xùn孫、jiǎn儉zé則gù固、yǔ與qí其bù不xùn孫yě也、níng寧gù固。
The Master said: extravagance then lacks humility, thrift then is narrow. Rather than lack humility, better to be narrow.
The Master said: Extravagance makes people overbearing; thrift makes them narrow. Rather than be overbearing, better to be narrow.
The Master said, ‘Extravagance leads to insubordination, and parsimony to meanness. It is better to be mean than to be insubordinate.’
- 固 here means “mean” or “narrow” (Legge: “meanness”). Kong Anguo reads it as narrow or obscured. The point is that thrift can shrink a person.
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子tǎn坦dàng蕩dàng蕩、xiǎo小rén人cháng長qī戚qī戚。
The Master said: the gentleman is level and broad, the petty person is long worried.
The Master said: A gentleman is calm and open; a petty person is always full of worry.
The Master said, ‘The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.’
Zǐ子wēn溫ér而lì厲、wēi威ér而bù不měng猛、gōng恭ér而ān安。
The Master was mild and yet stern, awe-inspiring and not fierce, respectful and at ease.
The Master was gentle yet firm, dignified but not fierce, respectful yet at ease.
The Master was mild, and yet dignified; majestic, and yet not fierce; respectful, and yet easy.
Zǐ子yuē曰、yóu由、zhī知dé德zhě者xiǎn鮮yǐ矣。
The Master said: You, those who know virtue are few.
The Master said: You, those who understand virtue are few.
The Master said, ‘Yu, those who know virtue are few.’
Zǐ子Gòng貢wèn問wéi為rén仁。Zǐ子yuē曰、gōng工yù欲shàn善qí其shì事、bì必xiān先lì利qí其qì器、jū居shì是bāng邦yě也、shì事qí其dà大fū夫zhī之xián賢zhě者、yǒu友qí其shì士zhī之rén仁zhě者。
Zigong asked about practicing goodness. The Master said: a craftsman who wishes to do his work well must first sharpen his tools. Living in this state, serve the worthy among its great officers, befriend the good among its gentlemen.
Zigong asked how to practice goodness. The Master said: A craftsman who wants his work to go well must first sharpen his tools. When you live in a state, serve the worthiest of its high officials and befriend the good among its scholars.
Tsze-kung asked about the practice of virtue. The Master said, ‘The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any State, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、rén人wú無yuǎn遠lǜ慮、bì必yǒu有jìn近yōu憂。
The Master said: a person without far thoughts must have near worries.
The Master said: A person who does not plan far ahead will have trouble close at hand.
The Master said, ‘If a man take no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、yǐ已yǐ矣hū乎、wú吾wèi未jiàn見hào好dé德rú如hào好sè色zhě者yě也。
The Master said: it is finished! I have not seen one who loves virtue as he loves beauty.
The Master said: I give up! I have never seen anyone love virtue as people love a beautiful face.
The Master said, ‘It is all over! I have not seen one who loves virtue as he loves beauty.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、gōng躬zì自hòu厚、ér而bó薄zé責yú於rén人、zé則yuǎn遠yuàn怨yǐ矣。
The Master said: in oneself be generous, and in blaming others be slight, then resentment is far off.
The Master said: Ask much of yourself and little of others, and resentment will keep far away.
The Master said, ‘He who requires much from himself and little from others, will keep himself from being the object of resentment.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、qún群jū居zhōng終rì日、yán言bù不jí及yì義、hào好xíng行xiǎo小huì慧、nán難yǐ矣zāi哉。
The Master said: in a crowd all day, speech never reaching rightness, fond of practicing petty cleverness: hard indeed!
The Master said: Spending all day together in a crowd, never speaking of what is right, and fond of showing off small cleverness: it is hard to know what to do with such people!
The Master said, ‘When a number of people are together, for a whole day, without their conversation turning on righteousness, and when they are fond of carrying out the suggestions of a small shrewdness;—theirs is indeed a hard case.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子yì義yǐ以wéi為zhì質、lǐ禮yǐ以xíng行zhī之、xùn孫yǐ以chū出zhī之、xìn信yǐ以chéng成zhī之、jūn君zǐ子zāi哉。
The Master said: the gentleman takes rightness as his substance, carries it out by ritual, brings it forth with humility, completes it with good faith. A gentleman indeed!
The Master said: A gentleman takes rightness as his core, carries it out by ritual, speaks it with humility, and completes it with good faith. That is a gentleman!
The Master said, ‘The superior man in everything considers righteousness to be essential. He performs it according to the rules of propriety. He brings it forth in humility. He completes it with sincerity. This is indeed a superior man.’
- Li 禮, “ritual,” is the proper form of ceremony and manners for each occasion. No single English word fits.
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子bìng病wú無néng能yān焉、bù不bìng病rén人zhī之bù不jǐ己zhī知yě也。
The Master said: the gentleman is pained by his lack of ability, not pained that people do not know him.
The Master said: A gentleman is troubled by his own lack of ability; he is not troubled that others do not know him.
The Master said, ‘The superior man is distressed by his want of ability. He is not distressed by men’s not knowing him.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子qiú求zhū諸jǐ己、xiǎo小rén人qiú求zhū諸rén人。
The Master said: the gentleman seeks it in himself, the petty person seeks it in others.
The Master said: A gentleman looks to himself; a petty person looks to others.
The Master said, ‘What the superior man seeks, is in himself. What the mean man seeks, is in others.
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子jīn矜ér而bù不zhēng爭、qún群ér而bù不dǎng黨。
The Master said: the gentleman is dignified and does not contend, in company and not in factions.
The Master said: A gentleman is dignified but does not quarrel; he joins with others but forms no cliques.
The Master said, ‘The superior man is dignified, but does not wrangle. He is sociable, but not a partizan.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、jūn君zǐ子bù不yǐ以yán言jǔ舉rén人、bù不yǐ以rén人fèi廢yán言。
The Master said: the gentleman does not raise a man for his words, does not discard words for the man.
The Master said: A gentleman does not promote a person for his words, nor throw out words because of the person.
The Master said, ‘The superior man does not promote a man simply on account of his words, nor does he put aside good words because of the man.’
Zǐ子Gòng貢wèn問yuē曰、yǒu有yī一yán言、ér而kě可yǐ以zhōng終shēn身xíng行zhī之zhě者hū乎。Zǐ子yuē曰、qí其shù恕hū乎、jǐ己suǒ所bù不yù欲、wù勿shī施yú於rén人。
Zigong asked: is there one word that one can practice to the end of life? The Master said: is it not reciprocity? What you yourself do not want, do not apply to others.
Zigong asked, Is there one word a person can follow all his life? The Master said: Perhaps it is consideration for others: what you yourself do not want, do not do to others.
Tsze-kung asked, saying, ‘Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one’s life?’ The Master said, ‘Is not RECIPROCITY such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.’
- Shu 恕, translated here as “consideration,” is putting oneself in another’s place. Legge renders it “reciprocity.”
Zǐ子yuē曰、zhòng眾wù惡zhī之、bì必chá察yān焉、zhòng眾hào好zhī之、bì必chá察yān焉。
The Master said: when the many dislike a person, one must look into it; when the many like a person, one must look into it.
The Master said: When the crowd dislikes a person, look into it yourself; when the crowd likes a person, look into it yourself.
The Master said, ‘When the multitude hate a man, it is necessary to examine into the case. When the multitude like a man, it is necessary to examine into the case.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、rén人néng能hóng弘dào道、fēi非dào道hóng弘rén人。
The Master said: a person can broaden the Way, the Way does not broaden a person.
The Master said: A person can broaden the Way; the Way cannot broaden a person.
The Master said, ‘A man can enlarge the principles which he follows; those principles do not enlarge the man.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、guò過ér而bù不gǎi改、shì是wèi謂guò過yǐ矣。
The Master said: to err and not change, this is called an error.
The Master said: To make a mistake and not correct it: that is what a real mistake is.
The Master said, ‘To have faults and not to reform them,—this, indeed, should be pronounced having faults.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、dāng當rén仁、bù不ràng讓yú於shī師。
The Master said: when it is goodness, do not yield even to a teacher.
The Master said: When it comes to goodness, do not give way even to your teacher.
The Master said, ‘Let every man consider virtue as what devolves on himself. He may not yield the performance of it even to his teacher.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、yǒu有jiào教、wú無lèi類。
The Master said: where there is teaching, there are no kinds.
The Master said: Teach everyone, and sort no one by class.
The Master said, ‘In teaching there should be no distinction of classes.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、dào道bù不tóng同、bù不xiāng相wéi為móu謀。
The Master said: those whose ways differ do not plan with one another.
The Master said: Those whose ways differ do not make plans together.
The Master said, ‘Those whose courses are different cannot lay plans for one another.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、cí辭、dá達ér而yǐ已yǐ矣。
The Master said: words need only get across.
The Master said: Words need only get the meaning across.
The Master said, ‘In language it is simply required that it convey the meaning.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、xìng性xiāng相jìn近yě也、xí習xiāng相yuǎn遠yě也。
The Master said: by nature people are close, by practice they are far apart.
The Master said: By nature people are close to one another; by habit they grow far apart.
The Master said, ‘By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、lǐ禮yún云lǐ禮yún云、yù玉bó帛yún云hū乎zāi哉、yuè樂yún云yuè樂yún云、zhōng鍾gǔ鼓yún云hū乎zāi哉。
The Master said: ritual, ritual, they say! Do they mean jade and silk? Music, music, they say! Do they mean bells and drums?
The Master said: Ritual, ritual, they say! Does that mean jade and silk? Music, music, they say! Does that mean bells and drums?
The Master said, ‘“It is according to the rules of propriety,” they say.—“It is according to the rules of propriety,” they say. Are gems and silk all that is meant by propriety? “It is music,” they say.—“It is music,” they say. Are bells and drums all that is meant by music?’
- Jade and silk were gifts offered in ceremonies, and bells and drums were instruments of music. Confucius says ritual and music are more than these outward things.
Zǐ子yuē曰、dào道tīng聽ér而tú塗shuō說、dé德zhī之qì棄yě也。
The Master said: to hear on the road and speak on the road is to throw virtue away.
The Master said: To hear something on the road and repeat it on the road is to throw virtue away.
The Master said, ‘To tell, as we go along, what we have heard on the way, is to cast away our virtue.’
Zǐ子yuē曰、yú予yù欲wú無yán言。Zǐ子Gòng貢yuē曰、Zǐ子rú如bù不yán言、zé則xiǎo小zǐ子hé何shù述yān焉。Zǐ子yuē曰、tiān天hé何yán言zāi哉、sì四shí時xíng行yān焉、bǎi百wù物shēng生yān焉、tiān天hé何yán言zāi哉。
The Master said: I wish to be without words. Zigong said: if you, Master, do not speak, then what will we, your pupils, hand on? The Master said: what does Heaven say? The four seasons go round, the hundred things are born; what does Heaven say?
The Master said: I wish to say nothing. Zigong said: If you do not speak, Master, what will we, your pupils, have to pass on? The Master said: Does Heaven speak? The four seasons run their course; all creatures grow. Does Heaven speak?
1. The Master said, ‘I would prefer not speaking.’ 2. Tsze-kung said, ‘If you, Master, do not speak, what shall we, your disciples, have to record?’ 3. The Master said, ‘Does Heaven speak? The four seasons pursue their courses, and all things are continually being produced, but does Heaven say anything?’
Zǐ子yuē曰、bǎo飽shí食zhōng終rì日、wú無suǒ所yòng用xīn心、nán難yǐ矣zāi哉、bù不yǒu有bó博yì奕zhě者hū乎、wéi為zhī之yóu猶xián賢hū乎yǐ已。
The Master said: to eat one’s fill all day, with nothing to use the mind on, hard indeed! Are there not players of bo and yi? To play them is still better than stopping.
The Master said: To eat one’s fill all day and put one’s mind to nothing, what can come of that! Are there not board games? Even playing them is better than idling.
The Master said, ‘Hard is it to deal with him, who will stuff himself with food the whole day, without applying his mind to anything good! Are there not gamesters and chessplayers? To be one of these would still be better than doing nothing at all.’
- 博 and 奕 are two board games. Legge could not name the first and took the second as a kind of chess. 奕 is usually identified with weiqi (Go), played on a board with 361 points.
Questions a reader might ask, with short answers and the sections they rest on. Not yet checked.
What happens
What one word does Confucius give as a rule for a whole life?
Shu, “consideration,” which he explains as: what you yourself do not want, do not do to others. The student who asked was Zigong.
Read section 15.23
What does a gentleman think about that a petty person does not?
A gentleman thinks of virtue and the law and understands what is right. A petty person thinks of his land and favors and understands what pays.
How should young people behave, according to Confucius?
At home they should show filial duty, and outside it respect for elders. They should be careful and trustworthy, kind to everyone, and close to the good, and spend any strength left over on culture.
Read section 1.6
How does Confucius describe himself as a learner?
He says he was not born knowing things but loves the old ways and works hard to seek them. In 7.18 he tells Zilu what he could have said about him, that he is a man who forgets his meals when he is eager to learn and does not notice that old age is on its way.
What does Confucius say about learning and thinking?
Each needs the other. Learning without thinking leaves a person lost, and thinking without learning leaves a person in danger.
Read section 2.15
Thinking further
Why does Confucius think it is a mistake to act only for profit?
A person who acts only by what pays will be much resented. A gentleman understands what is right instead.
What does Confucius mean by saying that Heaven does not speak?
He tells Zigong that he wishes to say nothing. His point is that Heaven says nothing, yet the seasons run their course and all creatures grow, so his example can teach without words. The text does not spell the point out, so this is how readers have taken it.
Read section 17.19
Who and what this source names, in the original. Each name links to every source in the library that mentions it. Not yet checked.
Ideas
- Filial duty (孝) The care and respect children owe their parents, and a younger person owes elders. Sections 1.6, 2.8.
- Goodness (仁) The highest quality of character in the Analects: a person at his best in dealing with others. No single English word fits. Sections 1.3, 1.6, 4.1, 4.3, 7.6, 15.9, 15.35.
- The gentleman (君子) In the Analects, a person of fine character, whatever his birth, set against the petty person. Literally “son of a ruler.” Sections 1.1, 1.8, 1.14, 2.12, 2.13, 2.14, 4.10, 4.11, 4.16, 4.24, 5.15, 7.36, 15.17, 15.18, 15.20, 15.21, 15.22.
People
- Confucius (孔子) Chinese teacher from the state of Lu, whose sayings his followers collected in the Analects. Later ages took him as the model of the teacher and the gentleman. Sections 1.1, 1.3, 1.6, 1.8, 1.14, 1.16, 2.1, 2.2, 2.11, 2.12, 2.14, 2.15, 2.17, 2.22, 4.1, 4.3, 4.10, 4.11, 4.12, 4.14, 4.16, 4.17, 4.19, 4.21, 4.22, 4.23, 4.24, 4.25, 5.15, 5.16, 5.26, 5.27, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.15, 7.18, 7.19, 7.21, 7.24, 7.26, 7.31, 7.35, 7.36, 7.37, 15.3, 15.11, 15.12, 15.14, 15.16, 15.17, 15.18, 15.20, 15.21, 15.22, 15.27, 15.28, 15.29, 15.35, 15.38, 15.39, 15.40, 17.2, 17.11, 17.14, 17.19, 17.22.
- Zeng Shen (曾參), Master Zeng (曾子) A younger follower of Confucius, called Master Zeng (曾子). Book 8 of the Analects describes his last illness. Sections 1.4.
- Zichan (子產) Chief minister of the state of Zheng in Confucius's time, whom the translator James Legge called perhaps the ablest and most upright statesman of the age. Sections 5.15.
- Zigong (子貢) A follower of Confucius, personal name Ci (賜), who often questions the Master in the Analects. Sections 2.13, 5.11, 5.12, 15.9, 15.23, 17.19.
Page images of the original object or of the printed edition, from the libraries and archives that hold them. The pages shown are copied here where the holder marks them public domain; titles link to the holder's own viewer. Click a page to see it full size.
The Chinese Classics, vol. 1, 2nd ed., revised (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1893)
Internet Archive (Princeton Theological Seminary Library copy). pp. 137–354 (Analects); the 80 chapters are on pp. 137–329. Published in 1893, before 1931.
The edition our text follows, read against these page images.
Other translations of this passage. Links go to copies that are free to read online.
The Chinese Classics, vol. 1, 2nd ed., revised (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1893)
James Legge, 1893. English. Public domain.
All 80 chapters, with notes. Also at Project Gutenberg, ebook 4094.
Difficulty: Moderate, very short sayings, but the reader often has to work out who is speaking and why; the footnotes explain the key terms.
Fits these units
- Learning and good conduct. How did ancient teachers say people should learn and treat one another?
Key terms
- gentleman
- *junzi*, a person of fine character, whatever his birth; the opposite of the petty person
- petty person
- a person of narrow, self-serving character, whatever his rank
- filial duty
- the care and respect children owe their parents
- goodness
- *ren*, the highest quality of character in the *Analects*: a person at his best in dealing with others, kind and fully human
- ritual
- *li*, the proper form of ceremony and manners for each occasion
- the Way
- the right course for a person to follow, in his own conduct and in government
- virtue
- moral goodness; here, the moral power of a person’s character, which draws others without force
Questions
- Comprehension
In 7.8, what does Confucius expect of a student before he will go on teaching him?
- Analysis
Several sayings compare what a person says with what he does (1.14, 2.13, 4.22, 4.24). How do these sayings connect speech and action, and why might Confucius judge a person this way?
- Analysis (reliability)
Confucius did not write the Analects. Some chapters describe him from the outside (7.4, 7.37), and scholars disagree about when and by whom the book was put together. How far can we tell Confucius’s own words from those of the people who collected them?
- Connection
In A young wife learns to run the house, Ischomachus teaches his wife, who came to him not yet fifteen and had been raised to see, hear, and ask as little as possible. Compare this with what Confucius says about his students in 7.7, 7.8, and 15.38. Who chooses what is learned in each text, and what is the learner expected to do?
Activity
In pairs, students collect every saying that names the gentleman or the petty person and set them out in two columns, with the chapter number beside each line. Each pair then writes a short description of the gentleman using only its chart. Pairs share one quality the sayings leave unclear and look for a saying that might settle it.
A printable worksheet for this source · More on Hearth Learning
New translation from the Classical Chinese text of James Legge, The Chinese Classics, vol. 1, 2nd ed., revised (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1893), read in the Internet Archive scan. The digital copy is Project Gutenberg ebook 4094.
We chose 80 short chapters out of about 500, on learning, friendship, family, conduct and daily life, from Books 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 15 and 17. Each unit is one chapter, and the ids follow Legge’s numbering. Some other editions number chapters one higher in parts of Books 5, 7 and 15; for example, Legge’s 15.23 is often cited as 15.24. Chapters 4.8, 5.25 and 7.29 have no separate Chinese in the digital text and were not used.
Every chosen chapter was read against the page image. Four slips in the digital text were corrected to the printed characters: 汎 in 1.6, 徙 in 7.3, 遊 twice in 4.19, and 奕 in 17.22. The scan prints the variant forms 爲, 衆, 温 and 内; the digital text has the usual 為, 眾, 溫 and 內, which are kept.
Words with no exact English match: 君子 “gentleman,” 小人 “petty person,” 仁 “goodness,” 道 “the Way,” 禮 “ritual,” 德 “virtue,” 孝 “filial duty,” 天 “Heaven.” Each is footnoted where it first appears. 子曰 is “The Master said:”.
The English was written phrase by phrase from the Chinese. Legge’s translation and notes were read for the footnotes and compared with ours afterward; Soothill (1910) was read for the introduction and the note on 7.7. Overlap check against Legge (tools/overlap_check.py, runs of six or more words): 4 shared runs, 32 words, 1.6 percent of our text. Each is “The Master said” followed by a few words the Chinese leaves little choice about, or the saying about sharpening tools.
- Original
- Text as printed in the named edition or on the object, read from page images. Edition: James Legge, The Chinese Classics, vol. 1, Confucian Analects, the Great Learning, and the Doctrine of the Mean, 2nd ed., revised (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1893), Analects pp. 137–354. Digital text: Project Gutenberg ebook 4094, read against the Internet Archive scan chineseclassics01legg (Princeton Theological Seminary copy), where the image number is the printed page plus 19.
- Transliterated
- Machine transliteration (pinyin), generated by script, not reviewed
- Close English
- Close translation drafted by Claude (Anthropic), kept as a working draft
- Simplified English
- Drafted by Claude (Anthropic) from the original and checked unit by unit against the original in a separate review, then compared with earlier translations and tested for borrowed wording.
- Editor’s review
- Not yet.
- Specialist review
- Not yet. Readings a specialist should confirm are listed for later review.
- Rights
- Original: public domain. Edition: being checked. Our translations and notes: CC BY-SA 4.0; credit “Hearth Library, hearthinteractive.com” with a link.
Sources for the notes
- Legge, James. The Chinese Classics. Vol. 1, Confucian Analects, the Great Learning, and the Doctrine of the Mean. 2nd ed., revised. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1893. Pp. 137–354 (the Analects), with Legge’s notes on the chosen chapters, and the Prolegomena, ch. 2, secs. 1–2, pp. 12–17 (formation of the text; when and by whom it was written). Internet Archive chineseclassics01legg.
- Soothill, William Edward. The Analects of Confucius. Yokohama: Fukuin Printing, 1910. Introduction, pp. 68–72 (authorship and date of the Lun Yu), and the note on chapter 7.7, pp. 331–332. Internet Archive theanalectsofcon00sootuoft.
- “Analects.” Wikipedia. Read October 2026 for the modern view that the book grew in stages over about two hundred years. A general summary only; the headnote’s other claims rest on Legge and Soothill.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Confucianism.” Online article, read October 2026; its text on the Analects was not available, so nothing here rests on it.