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Yang Huo（阳货）
Yang Huo contains 26 passages on learning, virtue, and practical conduct.
This book has 26 chapters; 20/26 chapters currently have audio.
Passages in this book
阳货欲见孔子，孔子不见，归孔子豚。孔子时其亡也，而往拜之，遇诸涂。谓孔子曰，来，予与尔言。曰，怀其宝而迷其邦，可谓仁乎。曰，不可。好从事而亟失时，可谓知乎。曰，不可。日月逝矣，岁不我与。孔子曰，诺，吾将仕矣。
1. Yang Ho wished to see Confucius, but Confucius would not go to see him. On this, he sent a present of a pig to Confucius, who, having chosen a time when Ho was not at home, went to pay his respects for the gift. He met him, however, on the way. 2. Ho said to Confucius, "Come, let me speak with you." He then asked, "Can he be called benevolent who keeps his jewel in his
Study this passage子曰，性相近也，习相远也。
The Master said, "By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart."
Study this passage子曰，唯上知与下愚不移。
The Master said, "There are only the wise of the highest class, and the stupid of the lowest class, who cannot be changed."
Study this passage子之武城，闻弦歌之声。夫子莞尔而笑曰，割鸡焉用牛刀。子游对曰，昔者偃也，闻诸夫子曰，君子学道则爱人，小人学道则易使也。子曰，二三子，偃之言是也，前言戏之耳。
1. The Master, having come to Wu-ch'ang, heard there the sound of stringed instruments and singing. 2. Well pleased and smiling, he said, "Why use an ox knife to kill a fowl?" 3. Tsze-yu replied, "Formerly, Master, I heard you say,—'When the man of high station is well instructed, he loves men; when the man of low station is well instructed, he is easily ruled.'" 4. The Master said, "My disciples, Yen's words are right. What I said was only in sport."
Study this passage公山弗扰以费畔，召，子欲往。子路不说，曰，末之也已，何必公山氏之之也。子曰，夫召我者，而岂徒哉。如有用我者，吾其为东周乎。
1. Kung-shan Fu-zao, when he was holding Pi, and in an attitude of rebellion, invited the Master to visit him, who was rather inclined to go. 2. Tsze-lu was displeased, and said, "Indeed, you cannot go! Why must you think of going to see Kung-shan?"
Study this passage子张问仁于孔子，孔子曰，能行五者于天下为仁矣。请问之，曰，恭，宽，信，敏，惠，恭，则不侮，宽，则得众，信，则人任焉，敏，则有功，惠，则足以使人。
Tsze-chang asked Confucius about perfect virtue. Confucius said, "To be able to practise five things everywhere under heaven constitutes perfect virtue." He begged to ask what they were, and was told, "Gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness. If you are grave, you will not be treated with disrespect. If you are generous, you will win all. If you are sincere, people will repose trust in you. If you are earnest, you will accomplish much. If you are kind, this will enable you to employ the services of others.
Study this passage佛肸召。子欲往。子路曰，昔者由也，闻诸夫子曰，亲于其身，为不善者，君子不入也，佛肸以中牟畔，子之往也，如之何。子曰，然，有是言也，不曰坚乎，磨而不磷，不曰白乎，涅而不缁。吾岂匏瓜也哉，焉能系而不食。
1. Pi Hsi inviting him to visit him, the Master was inclined to go. 2. Tsze-lu said, "Master, formerly I have heard you say, 'When a man in his own person is guilty of doing evil, a superior man will not associate with him.' Pi Hsi is in rebellion, holding possession of Chung-mau; if you go to him, what shall be said?" 3. The Master said, "Yes, I did use these words. But is it not said, that, if a thing be really hard, it may be ground without being made thin? Is it not said, that, if a thing be really white, it may be steeped in a dark fluid without being made black? 4. "Am I a bitter gourd! How can I be hung up out of the way of being eaten?"
Study this passage子曰，由也，女闻六言六蔽矣乎。对曰，未也。居，吾语女。好仁不好学，其蔽也愚，好智不好学，其蔽也荡，好信不好学，其蔽也贼，好直不好学，其蔽也绞，好勇不好学，其蔽也乱，好刚不好学，其蔽也狂。
1. The Master said, "Yu, have you heard the six words to which are attached six becloudings?" Yu replied, "I have not." 2. "Sit down, and I will tell them to you. 3. "There is the love of being benevolent without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to a foolish simplicity. There is the love of knowing without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind. There is the love of being sincere without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to an injurious disregard of consequences. There is the love of straightforwardness without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to rudeness. There is the love of boldness without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to insubordination. There is the love of firmness without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to extravagant conduct."
Study this passage子曰，小子，何莫学夫诗。诗可以兴。可以观。可以群。可以怨。迩之事父，远之事君。多识于鸟兽草木之名。
1. The Master said, "My children, why do you not study the Book of Poetry? 2. "The Odes serve to stimulate the mind. 3. "They may be used for purposes of self-contemplation. 4. "They teach the art of sociability. 5. "They show how to regulate feelings of resentment. 6. "From them you learn the more immediate duty of serving one's father, and the remoter one of serving one's prince. 7. "From them we become largely acquainted with the names of birds, beasts, and plants."
Study this passage子谓伯鱼曰，女为周南召南矣乎，人而不为周南召南，其犹正墙面而立也与。
The Master said to Po-yu, "Do you give yourself to the Chau-nan and the Shao-nan. The man who has not studied the Chau-nan and the Shao-nan, is like one who stands with his face right against a wall. Is he not so?"
Study this passage子曰，礼云礼云，玉帛云乎哉，乐云乐云，钟鼓云乎哉。
The Master said, "'It is according to the rules of propriety,' they say.—'It is according to the rules of propriety,' they say. Are gems and silk all that is meant by propriety? 'It is music,' they say.—'It is music,' they say. Are bells and drums all that is meant by music?"
Study this passage子曰，色厉而内荏，譬诸小人，其犹穿窬之盗也与。
The Master said, "He who puts on an appearance of stern firmness, while inwardly he is weak, is like one of the small, mean people;—yea, is he not like the thief who breaks through, or climbs over, a wall?"
Study this passage子曰，乡原，德之贼也。
The Master said, "Your good, careful people of the villages are the thieves of virtue."
Study this passage子曰，道听而涂说，德之弃也。
The Master said, "To tell, as we go along, what we have heard on the way, is to cast away our virtue."
Study this passage子曰，鄙夫，可与事君也与哉。其未得之也，患得之，既得之，患失之。苟患失之，无所不至矣。
1. The Master said, "There are those mean creatures! How impossible it is along with them to serve one's prince! 2. "While they have not got their aims, their anxiety is how to get them. When they have got them, their anxiety is lest they should lose them. 3. "When they are anxious lest such things should be lost, there is nothing to which they will not proceed."
Study this passage子曰，古者，民有三疾，今也或是之亡也。古之狂也肆，今之狂也荡，古之矜也廉，今之矜也忿戾，古之愚也直，今之愚也诈而已矣。
1. The Master said, "Anciently, men had three failings, which now perhaps are not to be found. 2. "The high-mindedness of antiquity showed itself in a disregard of small things; the high-mindedness of the present day shows itself in wild license. The stern dignity of antiquity showed itself in grave reserve; the stern dignity of the present day shows itself in quarrelsome perverseness. The stupidity of antiquity showed itself in straightforwardness; the stupidity of the present day shows itself in sheer deceit."
Study this passage子曰，巧言令色鲜矣仁。
The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with virtue."
Study this passage子曰，恶紫之夺朱也，恶郑声之乱雅乐也，恶利口之覆邦家者。
The Master said, "I hate the manner in which purple takes away the luster of vermilion. I hate the way in which the songs of Chang confound the music of the Ya. I hate those who with their sharp mouths overthrow kingdoms and families."
Study this passage子曰，予欲无言。子贡曰，子如不言，则小子何述焉。子曰，天何言哉，四时行焉，百物生焉，天何言哉。
1. The Master said, "I would prefer not speaking." 2. Tsze-kung said, "If you, Master, do not speak, what shall we, your disciples, have to record?" 3. The Master said, "Does Heaven speak? The four seasons pursue their courses, and all things are continually being produced, but does Heaven say anything?"
Study this passage孺悲欲见孔子，孔子辞以疾，将命者出户，取瑟而歌，使之闻之。
Zu Pei wished to see Confucius, but Confucius declined, on the ground of being sick, to see him. When the bearer of this message went out at the door, (the Master) took his lute and sang to it, in order that Pei might hear him.
Study this passage宰我问，三年之丧，期已久矣。君子三年不为礼，礼必坏，三年不为乐，乐必崩。旧谷既没，新谷既升，钻燧改火，期可已矣。子曰，食夫稻，衣夫锦，于女安乎。曰，安。女安，则为之。夫君子之居丧，食旨不甘，闻乐不乐，居处不安，故不为也。今女安，则为之。宰我出。子曰，予之不仁也。子生三年，然后免于父母之怀。夫三年之丧，天下之通丧也。予也，有三年之爱于其父母乎。
1. Tsai Wo asked about the three years" mourning for parents, saying that one year was long enough. 2. "If the superior man," said he, "abstains for three years from the observances of propriety, those observances will be quite lost. If for three years he abstains from music, music will be ruined. 3. "Within a year the old grain is exhausted, and the new grain has sprung up, and, in procuring fire by friction, we go through all the changes of wood for that purpose. After a complete year, the mourning may stop." 4. The Master said, "If you were, after a year, to eat good rice, and wear embroidered clothes, would you feel at ease?" "I should," replied Wo. 5. The Master said, "If you can feel at ease, do it. But a superior man, during the whole period of mourning, does not enjoy pleasant food which he may eat, nor derive pleasure from music which he may hear. He also does not feel at ease, if he is comfortably lodged. Therefore he does not do what you propose. But now you feel at ease and may do it." 6. Tsai Wo then went out, and the Master said, "This shows Yu's want of virtue. It is not till a child is three years old that it is allowed to leave the arms of its parents. And the three years" mourning is universally observed throughout the empire. Did Yu enjoy the three years" love of his parents?"
Study this passage子曰，饱食终日，无所用心，难矣哉，不有博弈者乎，为之犹贤乎已。
The Master said, "Hard is it to deal with him, who will stuff himself with food the whole day, without applying his mind to anything good! Are there not gamesters and chess players? To be one of these would still be better than doing nothing at all."
Study this passage子路曰，君子尙勇乎。子曰，君子义以为上，君子有勇而无义，为乱，小人有勇而无义，为盗。
Tsze-lu said, "Does the superior man esteem valour?" The Master said, "The superior man holds righteousness to be of highest importance. A man in a superior situation, having valour without righteousness, will be guilty of insubordination; one of the lower people having valour without righteousness, will commit robbery."
Study this passage子贡曰，君子亦有恶乎。子曰，有恶，恶称人之恶者，恶居下流而讪上者，恶勇而无礼者，恶果敢而窒者。曰，赐也亦有恶乎。恶徼以为知者，恶不孙以为勇者，恶讦以为直者。
1. Tsze-kung said, "Has the superior man his hatreds also?" The Master said, "He has his hatreds. He hates those who proclaim the evil of others. He hates the man who,
Study this passage子曰，唯女子与小人，为难养也，近之则不孙，远之则怨。
The Master said, "Of all people, girls and servants are the most difficult to behave to. If you are familiar with them, they lose their humility. If you maintain a reserve towards them, they are discontented."
Study this passage子曰，年四十而见恶焉，其终也已。
The Master said, "When a man at forty is the object of dislike, he will always continue what he is."
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