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Pa Yih · 08

子zǐ夏xià问wèn曰yuē，巧qiǎo笑xiào倩qiàn兮xī，美měi目mù盼pàn兮xī，素sù以yǐ为wéi绚xuàn兮xī。何hé谓wèi也yě。子zǐ曰yuē，绘huì事shì后hòu素sù。曰yuē，礼lǐ后hòu乎hū。子zǐ曰yuē，起qǐ予yú者zhě商shāng也yě，始shǐ可kě与yǔ言yán诗shī已yǐ矣yǐ。

Modern Chinese Guide

子夏问道：《诗经》里说“美好的笑容动人啊，明亮的眼睛顾盼啊，就像洁白的底子上画出绚丽的色彩”，这几句是什么意思呢？孔子说：先有白色的底子，然后才能在上面绘画。子夏说：这么说来，礼是产生在仁德之后的吗？孔子说：能启发我的就是你商啊！现在可以同你谈论《诗经》了。

James Legge Translation

1. Tsze-hsia asked, saying, "What is the meaning of the passage—'The pretty dimples of her artful smile! The well-defined black and white of her eye! The plain ground for the colours?'" 2. The Master said, "The business of laying on the colours follows (the preparation of) the plain ground." 3. "Ceremonies then are a subsequent thing?" The Master said, "It is Shang who can bring out my meaning. Now I can begin to talk about the odes with him."

Source: James Legge, public domain, 1893.

Notes

  • 底本：Wikisource 整理的 James Legge《The Chinese Classics》公版中英文本（1893–1895）。
  • 简体化：原文由繁体转为简体（OpenCC），与公版英译逐句对应。
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