子路从而后，遇丈人，以杖荷蓧。子路问曰，子见夫子乎。丈人曰，四体不勤，五谷不分，孰为夫子。植其杖而芸。子路拱而立。止子路宿，杀鸡为黍而食之，见其二子焉。明日，子路行以告。子曰，隐者也。使子路反见之。至则行矣。子路曰，不仕无义。长幼之节，不可废也，君臣之义，如之何其废之。欲洁其身，而乱大伦。君子之仕也，行其义也。道之不行，已知之矣。
Modern Chinese Guide
子路跟随孔子出行，落在了后面，遇到一位老人，用手杖挑着除草的农具。子路问道：您看见我的老师了吗？老人说：四肢不劳动，五谷分不清，谁是你的老师？说完就把手杖插在地上去锄草。子路拱着手恭敬地站在一旁。老人留子路到他家住宿，杀鸡做饭给他吃，又叫两个儿子出来相见。第二天，子路赶上孔子，把这件事告诉了他。孔子说：这是个隐士啊。叫子路返回去再见他。子路到了那里，老人却已经走了。子路说：不出来做官是不合道义的。长幼之间的礼节尚且不可废弃，君臣之间的道义又怎么能废弃呢？想要洁身自好，却破坏了君臣这一重大伦常。君子出来做官，是为了实践道义。至于自己的主张行不通，那是早就知道了的。
James Legge Translation
1. Tsze-lu, following the Master, happened to fall behind, when he met an old man, carrying across his shoulder on a staff a basket for weeds. Tsze-lu said to him, "Have you seen my master, sir!" The old man replied, "Your four limbs are unaccustomed to toil; you cannot distinguish the five kinds of grain:—who is your master?" With this, he planted his staff in the ground, and proceeded to weed. 2. Tsze-lu joined his hands across his breast, and stood before him. 3. The old man kept Tsze-lu to pass the night in his house, killed a fowl, prepared millet, and feasted him. He also introduced to him his two sons. 4. Next day, Tsze-lu went on his way, and reported his adventure. The Master said, "He is a recluse," and sent Tsze-lu back to see him again, but when he got to the place, the old man was gone. 5. Tsze-lu then said to the family, "Not to take office is not
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。