哀公问社于宰我。宰我对曰，夏后氏以松，殷人以柏，周人以栗，曰，使民战栗。子闻之曰，成事不说，遂事不谏，既往不咎。
Modern Chinese Guide
鲁哀公向宰我请教做社主用什么木。宰我回答说：夏朝人用松木，殷朝人用柏木，周朝人用栗木，用栗木是要使百姓战战栗栗、心生敬畏。孔子听到后说：已经做成的事不便再解说，已经完成的事不便再劝阻，已经过去的事不必再责怪。
James Legge Translation
1. The Duke Ai asked Tsai Wo about the altars of the spirits of the land. Tsai Wo replied, "The Hsia sovereign planted the pine tree about them; the men of the Yin planted the cypress; and the men of the Chau planted the chestnut tree, meaning thereby to cause the people to be in awe." 2. When the Master heard it, he said, "Things that are done, it is needless to speak about; things that have had their course, it is needless to remonstrate about; things that are past, it is needless to blame."
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。
- 白话参考底本：《白话论语读本》，张兆瑢、沈元起编译，上海广益书局1948 年新三版。