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Yong Ye(雍也)

Yong Ye contains 28 passages on learning, virtue, and practical conduct.

This book has 28 chapters; 20/28 chapters currently have audio.

Passages in this book

Yong Ye(雍也)·01

子zǐ曰yuē,雍yōng也yě可kě使shǐ南nán面miàn。仲zhòng弓gōng问wèn子zǐ桑sāng伯bó子zǐ。子zǐ曰yuē,可kě也yě,简jiǎn。仲zhòng弓gōng曰yuē,居jū敬jìng而ér行xíng简jiǎn,以yǐ临lín其qí民mín,不bú亦yì可kě乎hū,居jū简jiǎn而ér行xíng简jiǎn,无wú乃nǎi大tài简jiǎn乎hū。子zǐ曰yuē,雍yōng之zhī言yán然rán。

1. The Master said, "There is Yung!—He might occupy the place of a prince." 2. Chung-kung asked about Tsze-sang Po-tsze. The Master said, "He may pass. He does not mind small matters." 3. Chung-kung said, "If a man cherish in himself a reverential feeling of the necessity of attention to business, though he may be easy in small matters in his government of the people, that may be allowed. But if he cherish in himself that easy feeling, and also carry it out in his practice, is not such an easy mode of procedure excessive?" 4. The Master said, "Yung's words are right."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·02

哀āi公gōng问wèn弟dì子zǐ孰shú为wéi好hào学xué。孔kǒng子zǐ对duì曰yuē,有yǒu颜yán回huí者zhě好hào学xué,不bù迁qiān怒nù,不bú贰èr过guò,不bú幸xìng短duǎn命mìng死sǐ矣yǐ,今jīn也yě则zé亡wú,未wèi闻wén好hào学xué者zhě也yě。

1. The Duke Ai asked which of the disciples loved to learn. 2. Confucius replied to him, "There was Yen Hui; he loved to learn. He did not transfer his anger; he did not repeat a fault. Unfortunately, his appointed time was short and he died; and now there is not such another. I have not yet heard of any one who loves to learn as he did."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·03

子zǐ华huá使shǐ于yú齐qí,冉rǎn子zǐ为wèi其qí母mǔ请qǐng粟sù。子zǐ曰yuē,与yǔ之zhī釜fǔ。请qǐng益yì。曰yuē,与yǔ之zhī庾yǔ。冉rǎn子zǐ与yǔ之zhī粟sù五wǔ秉bǐng。子zǐ曰yuē,赤chì之zhī适shì齐qí也yě,乘chéng肥féi马mǎ,衣yì轻qīng裘qiú,吾wú闻wén之zhī也yě,君jūn子zǐ周zhōu急jí,不bú继jì富fù。原yuán思sī为wéi之zhī宰zǎi,与yǔ之zhī粟sù九jiǔ百bǎi,辞cí。子zǐ曰yuē,毋wú,以yǐ与yǔ尔ěr邻lín里lǐ乡xiāng党dǎng乎hū。

1. Tsze-hwa being employed on a mission to Ch'i, the disciple Zan requested grain for his mother. The Master said, "Give her a fu." Yen requested more. "Give her an yu," said the Master. Yen gave her five ping. 2. The Master said, "When Ch'ih was proceeding to Ch'i, he had fat horses to his carriage, and wore light furs. I have heard that a superior man helps the distressed, but does not add to the wealth of the rich." 3. Yuan Sze being made governor of his town by the Master, he gave him nine hundred measures of grain, but Sze declined them. 4. The Master said, "Do not decline them. May you not give them away in the neighborhoods, hamlets, towns, and villages?"

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Yong Ye(雍也)·04

子zǐ谓wèi仲zhòng弓gōng曰yuē,犁lí牛niú之zhī子zǐ骍xīng且qiě角jiǎo,虽suī欲yù勿wù用yòng,山shān川chuān其qí舍shě诸zhū。

The Master, speaking of Chung-kung, said, "If the calf of a brindled cow be red and horned, although men may not wish to use it, would the spirits of the mountains and rivers put it aside?"

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Yong Ye(雍也)·05

子zǐ曰yuē,回huí也yě,其qí心xīn三sān月yuè不bù违wéi仁rén,其qí余yú,则zé日rì月yuè至zhì焉yān而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。

The Master said, "Such was Hui that for three months there would be nothing in his mind contrary to perfect virtue. The others may attain to this on some days or in some months, but nothing more."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·06

季jì康kāng子zǐ问wèn仲zhòng由yóu,可kě使shǐ从cóng政zhèng也yě与yú。子zǐ曰yuē,由yóu也yě果guǒ,于yú从cóng政zhèng乎hū何hé有yǒu。曰yuē,赐cì也yě,可kě使shǐ从cóng政zhèng也yě与yú。曰yuē,赐cì也yě达dá,于yú从cóng政zhèng乎hū何hé有yǒu。曰yuē,求qiú也yě,可kě使shǐ从cóng政zhèng也yě与yú。曰yuē,求qiú也yě艺yì,于yú从cóng政zhèng乎hū何hé有yǒu。

Chi K'ang asked about Chung-yu, whether he was fit to be employed as an officer of government. The Master said, "Yu is a man of decision; what difficulty would he find in being an officer of government?" K'ang asked, "Is Ts'ze fit to be employed as an officer of government?" and was answered, "Ts'ze is a man of intelligence; what difficulty would he find in being an officer of government?" And to the same question about Ch'iu the Master gave the same reply, saying, "Ch'iu is a man of various ability."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·07

季jì氏shì使shǐ闵mǐn子zǐ骞qiān为wéi费bì宰zǎi,闵mǐn子zǐ骞qiān曰yuē,善shàn为wèi我wǒ辞cí焉yān,如rú有yǒu复fù我wǒ者zhě,则zé吾wú必bì在zài汶wèn上shàng矣yǐ。

The chief of the Chi family sent to ask Min Tsze-ch'ien to be governor of Pi. Min Tsze-ch'ien said, "Decline the offer for me politely. If any one come again to me with a second invitation, I shall be obliged to go and live on the banks of the Wan."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·08

伯bó牛niú有yǒu疾jí,子zǐ问wèn之zhī,自zì牖yǒu执zhí其qí手shǒu,曰yuē,亡wú之zhī,命mìng矣yǐ夫fú,斯sī人rén也yě,而ér有yǒu斯sī疾jí也yě,斯sī人rén也yě,而ér有yǒu斯sī疾jí也yě。

Po-niu being ill, the Master went to ask for him. He took hold of his hand through the window, and said, "It is killing him. It is the appointment of Heaven, alas! That such a man should have such a sickness! That such a man should have such a sickness!"

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Yong Ye(雍也)·09

子zǐ曰yuē,贤xián哉zāi回huí也yě,一yì箪dān食sì,一yì瓢piáo飮yǐn,在zài陋lòu巷xiàng,人rén不bù堪kān其qí忧yōu,回huí也yě不bù改gǎi其qí乐lè,贤xián哉zāi回huí也yě。

The Master said, "Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui! With a single bamboo dish of rice, a single gourd dish of drink, and living in his mean narrow lane, while others could not have endured the distress, he did not allow his joy to be affected by it. Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui!"

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Yong Ye(雍也)·10

冉rǎn求qiú曰yuē,非fēi不bú说yuè子zǐ之zhī道dào,力lì不bù足zú也yě。子zǐ曰yuē,力lì不bù足zú者zhě,中zhōng道dào而ér废fèi,今jīn女rǔ画huà。

Yen Ch'iu said, "It is not that I do not delight in your doctrines, but my strength is insufficient." The Master said, "Those whose strength is insufficient give over in the middle of the way but now you limit yourself."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·11

子zǐ谓wèi子zǐ夏xià曰yuē,女rǔ为wéi君jūn子zǐ儒rú,无wú为wéi小xiǎo人rén儒rú。

The Master said to Tsze-hsia, "Do you be a scholar after the style of the superior man, and not after that of the mean man."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·12

子zǐ游yóu为wéi武wǔ城chéng宰zǎi,子zǐ曰yuē,女rǔ得dé人rén焉yān耳ěr乎hū。曰yuē,有yǒu澹tán台tái灭miè明míng者zhě,行xíng不bù由yóu径jìng,非fēi公gōng事shì,未wèi尝cháng至zhì于yú偃yǎn之zhī室shì也yě。

Tsze-yu being governor of Wu-ch'ang, the Master said to him, "Have you got good men there?" He answered, "There is Tan-t'ai Mieh-ming, who never in walking takes a short cut, and never comes to my office, excepting on public business."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·13

子zǐ曰yuē,孟mèng之zhī反fǎn不bù伐fá,奔bēn而ér殿diàn,将jiāng入rù门mén,策cè其qí马mǎ,曰yuē,非fēi敢gǎn后hòu也yě,马mǎ不bú进jìn也yě。

The Master said, "Mang Chih-fan does not boast of his merit. Being in the rear on an occasion of flight, when they were about to enter the gate, he whipped up his horse, saying, 'It is not that I dare to be last. My horse would not advance.'"

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Yong Ye(雍也)·14

子zǐ曰yuē,不bù有yǒu祝zhù𬶍tuó之zhī佞nìng,而ér有yǒu宋sòng朝zhāo之zhī美měi,难nán乎hū免miǎn于yú今jīn之zhī世shì矣yǐ。

The Master said, "Without the specious speech of the litanist T'o and the beauty of the prince Chao of Sung, it is difficult to escape in the present age."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·15

子zǐ曰yuē,谁shuí能néng出chū不bù由yóu户hù,何hé莫mò由yóu斯sī道dào也yě。

The Master said, "Who can go out but by the door? How is it that men will not walk according to these ways?"

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Yong Ye(雍也)·16

子zǐ曰yuē,质zhì胜shèng文wén则zé野yě,文wén胜shèng质zhì则zé史shǐ,文wén质zhì彬bīn彬bīn,然rán后hòu君jūn子zǐ。

The Master said, "Where the solid qualities are in excess of accomplishments, we have rusticity; where the accomplishments are in excess of the solid qualities, we have the manners of a clerk. When the accomplishments and solid qualities are equally blended, we then have the man of virtue."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·17

子zǐ曰yuē,人rén之zhī生shēng也yě直zhí,罔wǎng之zhī生shēng也yě,幸xìng而ér免miǎn。

The Master said, "Man is born for uprightness. If a man lose his uprightness, and yet live, his escape from death is the effect of mere good fortune."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·18

子zǐ曰yuē,知zhī之zhī者zhě,不bù如rú好hào之zhī者zhě,好hào之zhī者zhě,不bù如rú乐lè之zhī者zhě。

The Master said, "They who know the truth are not equal to those who love it, and they who love it are not equal to those who delight in it."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·19

子zǐ曰yuē,中zhōng人rén以yǐ上shàng,可kě以yǐ语yù上shàng也yě,中zhōng人rén以yǐ下xià,不bù可kě以yǐ语yù上shàng也yě。

The Master said, "To those whose talents are above mediocrity, the highest subjects may be announced. To those who are below mediocrity, the highest subjects may not be announced."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·20

樊fán迟chí问wèn知zhì。子zǐ曰yuē,务wù民mín之zhī义yì,敬jìng鬼guǐ神shén而ér远yuǎn之zhī,可kě谓wèi知zhì矣yǐ。问wèn仁rén。曰yuē,仁rén者zhě先xiān难nán而ér后hòu获huò,可kě谓wèi仁rén矣yǐ。

Fan Ch'ih asked what constituted wisdom. The Master said, "To give one's self earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom." He asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration;—this may be called perfect virtue."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·21

子zǐ曰yuē,知zhì者zhě乐yào水shuǐ,仁rén者zhě乐yào山shān,知zhì者zhě动dòng,仁rén者zhě静jìng,知zhì者zhě乐lè,仁rén者zhě寿shòu。

The Master said, "The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·22

子zǐ曰yuē,齐qí一yí变biàn,至zhì于yú鲁lǔ,鲁lǔ一yí变biàn,至zhì于yú道dào。

The Master said, "Ch'i, by one change, would come to the State of Lu. Lu, by one change, would come to a State where true principles predominated."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·23

子zǐ曰yuē,觚gū不bù觚gū,觚gū哉zāi觚gū哉zāi。

The Master said, "A cornered vessel without corners.—A strange cornered vessel! A strange cornered vessel!"

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Yong Ye(雍也)·24

宰zǎi我wǒ问wèn曰yuē,仁rén者zhě虽suī吿gào之zhī曰yuē,井jǐng有yǒu仁rén焉yān,其qí从cóng之zhī也yě。子zǐ曰yuē,何hé为wéi其qí然rán也yě,君jūn子zǐ可kě逝shì也yě,不bù可kě陷xiàn也yě,可kě欺qī也yě,不bù可kě罔wǎng也yě。

Tsai Wo asked, saying, "A benevolent man, though it be told him,—"There is a man in the well" will go in after him, I suppose." Confucius said, "Why should he do so?" A superior man may be made to go to the well, but he cannot be made to go down into it. He may be imposed upon, but he cannot be fooled."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·25

子zǐ曰yuē,君jūn子zǐ博bó学xué于yú文wén,约yuē之zhī以yǐ礼lǐ,亦yì可kě以yǐ弗fú畔pàn矣yǐ夫fú。

The Master said, "The superior man, extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, may thus likewise not overstep what is right."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·26

子zǐ见jiàn南nán子zǐ,子zǐ路lù不bú说yuè,夫fū子zǐ矢shǐ之zhī,曰yuē,予yú所suǒ否fǒu者zhě,天tiān厌yàn之zhī,天tiān厌yàn之zhī。

The Master having visited Nan-tsze, Tsze-lu was displeased, on which the Master swore, saying, "Wherein I have done improperly, may Heaven reject me, may Heaven reject me!"

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Yong Ye(雍也)·27

子zǐ曰yuē,中zhōng庸yōng之zhī为wéi德dé也yě,其qí至zhì矣yǐ乎hū,民mín鲜xiǎn久jiǔ矣yǐ。

The Master said, "Perfect is the virtue which is according to the Constant Mean! Rare for a long time has been its practise among the people."

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Yong Ye(雍也)·28

子zǐ贡gòng曰yuē,如rú有yǒu博bó施shī于yú民mín,而ér能néng济jì众zhòng,何hé如rú,可kě谓wèi仁rén乎hū。子zǐ曰yuē,何hé事shì于yú仁rén,必bì也yě圣shèng乎hū,尧yáo舜shùn其qí犹yóu病bìng诸zhū。夫fú仁rén者zhě,己jǐ欲yù立lì而ér立lì人rén,己jǐ欲yù达dá而ér达dá人rén。能néng近jìn取qǔ譬pì,可kě谓wèi仁rén之zhī方fāng也yě已yǐ。

1. Tsze-kung said, "Suppose the case of a man extensively conferring benefits on the people, and able to assist all, what would you say of him? Might he be called perfectly virtuous?" The Master said, "Why speak only of virtue in connexion with him? Must he not have the qualities of a sage? Even Yao and Shun were still solicitous about this. 2. "Now the man of perfect virtue, wishing to be established himself, seeks also to establish others; wishing to be enlarged himself, he seeks also to enlarge others. 3. "To be able to judge of others by what is nigh in ourselves;—this may be called the art of virtue."

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