子zǐ曰yuē，诵sòng诗shī三sān百bǎi，授shòu之zhī以yǐ政zhèng，不bù达dá，使shǐ于yú四sì方fāng，不bù能néng专zhuān对duì，虽suī多duō，亦yì奚xī以yǐ为wéi。

Modern Chinese Guide

孔子说：熟读了《诗经》三百篇，交给他政务却办不好，派他出使各国又不能独立应对，就算读得再多，又有什么用呢？

James Legge Translation

The Master said, "Though a man may be able to recite the three hundred odes, yet if, when intrusted with a governmental charge, he knows not how to act, or if, when sent to any quarter on a mission, he cannot give his replies unassisted, notwithstanding the extent of his learning, of what practical use is it?"

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。

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