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Hsien Tsin · 11

季jì路lù问wèn事shì鬼guǐ神shén。子zǐ曰yuē，未wèi能néng事shì人rén，焉yān能néng事shì鬼guǐ。敢gǎn问wèn死sǐ。曰yuē，未wèi知zhī生shēng，焉yān知zhī死sǐ。

Modern Chinese Guide

季路问怎样侍奉鬼神。孔子说：连活人都还不能侍奉好，怎么谈得上侍奉鬼神？季路又说：我大胆地问一问死是怎么回事。孔子说：连生的道理都还不明白，又怎么能明白死呢？

James Legge Translation

Chi Lu asked about serving the spirits of the dead. The Master said, "While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve their spirits?" Chi Lu added, "I venture to ask about death?" He was answered, "While you do not know life, how can you know about death?"

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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