棘子成曰，君子质而已矣，何以文为。子贡曰，惜乎，夫子之说，君子也，驷不及舌。文犹质也，质犹文也，虎豹之鞹，犹犬羊之鞹。
Modern Chinese Guide
棘子成说：君子只要有好的本质就够了，何必要那些文采修饰呢？子贡说：可惜啊，先生这样谈论君子，可是话一出口，四匹马拉的车也追不回来了。文采如同本质一样重要，本质也如同文采一样重要。如果去掉了毛，虎豹的皮革就跟犬羊的皮革没有分别了。
James Legge Translation
1. Chi Tsze-ch'ang said, "In a superior man it is only the substantial qualities which are wanted;—why should we seek for ornamental accomplishments?" 2. Tsze-kung said, "Alas! Your words, sir, show you to be a superior man, but four horses cannot overtake the tongue. 3. Ornament is as substance; substance is as ornament. The hide of a tiger or a leopard stripped of its hair, is like the hide of a dog or a goat stripped of its hair."
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。