子zǐ路lù曰yuē，衞wèi君jūn待dài子zǐ而ér为wéi政zhèng，子zǐ将jiāng奚xī先xiān。子zǐ曰yuē，必bì也yě，正zhèng名míng乎hū。子zǐ路lù曰yuē，有yǒu是shì哉zāi，子zǐ之zhī迂yū也yě，奚xī其qí正zhèng。子zǐ曰yuē，野yě哉zāi，由yóu也yě，君jūn子zǐ于yú其qí所suǒ不bù知zhī，盖gài阙quē如rú也yě。名míng不bú正zhèng，则zé言yán不bú顺shùn，言yán不bú顺shùn，则zé事shì不bù成chéng。事shì不bù成chéng，则zé礼lǐ乐yuè不bù兴xīng，礼lǐ乐yuè不bù兴xīng，则zé刑xíng罚fá不bú中zhòng，刑xíng罚fá不bú中zhòng，则zé民mín无wú所suǒ措cuò手shǒu足zú。故gù君jūn子zǐ名míng之zhī必bì可kě言yán也yě，言yán之zhī必bì可kě行xíng也yě，君jūn子zǐ于yú其qí言yán，无wú所suǒ茍gǒu而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。

James Legge Translation

1. Tsze-lu said, "The ruler of Wei has been waiting for you, in order with you to administer the government. What will you consider the first thing to be done?" 2. The Master replied, "What is necessary is to rectify names." 3. "So, indeed!" said Tsze-lu. "You are wide of the mark! Why must there be such rectification?" 4. The Master said, "How uncultivated you are, Yu! A superior man, in regard to what he does not know, shows a cautious reserve. 5. "If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success. 6. "When affairs cannot be carried on to success, proprieties and music will not flourish. When proprieties and music do not flourish, punishments will not be properly awarded. When punishments are not properly awarded, the people do not know how to move hand or foot. 7. "Therefore a superior man considers it necessary that the names he uses may be spoken appropriately, and also that what he speaks may be carried out appropriately. What the superior man requires, is just that in his words there may be nothing incorrect."

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。