子路问闻斯行诸。子曰，有父兄在，如之何其闻斯行之。冉有问闻斯行诸。子曰，闻斯行之。公西华曰，由也问闻斯行诸，子曰，有父兄在，求也问闻斯行诸，子曰，闻斯行之，赤也惑，敢问。子曰，求也退，故进之，由也兼人，故退之。
Modern Chinese Guide
子路问：听到该做的事就立刻去做吗？孔子说：有父亲兄长在，怎么能一听到就去做呢？冉有问：听到该做的事就立刻去做吗？孔子说：听到就去做。公西华说：仲由问听到该做的事就去做吗，您说有父亲兄长在；冉求问听到该做的事就去做吗，您说听到就去做。我糊涂了，大胆地问一问这是为什么。孔子说：冉求平时做事退缩，所以我鼓励他进取；仲由勇气过人，所以我加以约束。
James Legge Translation
Tsze-lu asked whether he should immediately carry into practice what he heard. The Master said, "There are your father and elder brothers to be consulted;—why should you act on that principle of immediately carrying into practice what you hear?" Zan Yu asked the same, whether he should immediately carry into practice what he heard, and the Master answered, "Immediately carry into practice what you hear." Kung-hsi Hwa said, "Yu asked whether he should carry immediately into practice what he heard, and you said, 'There are your father and elder brothers to be consulted.' Ch'iu asked whether he should immediately carry into practice what he heard, and you said, 'Carry it immediately into practice.' I, Ch'ih, am perplexed, and venture to ask you for an explanation." The Master said, "Ch'iu is retiring and slow; therefore, I urged him forward. Yu has more than his own share of energy; therefore I kept him back."
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。