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。
Modern Chinese Guide
孔子说：可以同他谈话却不同他谈，就会错失这个人；不可以同他谈话却同他谈，就是白费言语。有智慧的人既不错失人，也不浪费言语。
James Legge Translation
The Master said, "When a man may be spoken with, not to speak to him is to err in reference to the man. When a man may not be spoken with, to speak to him is to err in reference to our words. The wise err neither in regard to their man nor to their words."
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。