Confucius

子曰，学而时习之，不亦说乎。有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎。人不知而不愠，不亦君子乎。

1. The Master said, "Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application? 2. "Is it not delightful to have friends coming from distant quarters? 3. "Is he not a man of complete virtue, who feels no discomposure though men may take no note of him?"

子曰，巧言令色，鲜矣仁。

The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue."

子曰，道千乘之国，敬事而信，节用而爱人，使民以时。

The Master said, To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men; and the employment of the people at the proper seasons."

子曰，弟子，入则孝，出则弟，谨而信，凡爱众，而亲仁，行有余力，则以学文。

The Master said, "A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good. When he has time and opportunity, after the performance of these things, he should employ them in polite studies."

子曰，君子不重，则不威，学则不固。主忠信。无友不如己者。过则勿惮改。

1. The Master said, "If the scholar be not grave, he will not call forth any veneration, and his learning will not be solid. 2. "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. 3. "Have no friends not equal to yourself. 4. "When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them."

子禽问于子贡曰，夫子至于是邦也，必闻其政，求之与，抑与之与。子贡曰，夫子温，良，恭，俭，让，以得之，夫子之求之也，其诸异乎人之求之与。

1. Tsze-ch'in asked Tsze-kung, saying, "When our master comes to any country, he does not fail to learn all about its government. Does he ask his information? or is it given to him?" 2. Tsze-kung said, "Our master is benign, upright, courteous, temperate, and complaisant, and thus he gets his information. The master's mode of asking information!—is it not different from that of other men?"

子曰，父在，观其志，父没，观其行，三年无改于父之道，可谓孝矣。

The Master said, "While a man's father is alive, look at the bent of his will; when his father is dead, look at his conduct. If for three years he does not alter from the way of his father, he may be called filial."

子曰，君子食无求饱，居无求安，敏于事，而愼于言，就有道，而正焉，可谓好学也已。

The Master said, "He who aims to be a man of complete virtue in his food does not seek to gratify his appetite, nor in his dwelling place does he seek the appliances of ease; he is earnest in what he is doing, and careful in his speech; he frequents the company of men of principle that he may be rectified:—such a person may be said indeed to love to learn."

子贡曰贫，而无谄，富而无骄，何如。子曰，可也，未若贫而乐，富而好礼者也。子贡曰，诗云，如切如磋，如琢如磨，其斯之谓与。子曰，赐也，始可与言诗已矣，吿诸往而知来者。

1. Tsze-kung said, "What do you pronounce concerning the poor man who yet does not flatter, and the rich man who is not proud?" The Master replied, "They will do; but they are not equal to him, who, though poor, is yet cheerful, and to him, who, though rich, loves the rules of propriety." 2. Tsze-kung replied, "It is said in the Book of Poetry, 'As you cut and then file, as you carve and then polish.'—The meaning is the same, I apprehend, as that which you have just expressed." 3. The Master said, "With one like Ts'ze, I can begin to talk about the odes. I told him one point, and he knew its proper sequence."

子曰，不患人之不己知，患不知人也。

The Master said, "I will not be afflicted at men's not knowing me; I will be afflicted that I do not know men."

子曰，为政以德，譬如北辰，居其所，而众星共之。

The Master said, "He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it."

子曰，诗三百，一言以蔽之，曰，思无邪。

The Master said, "In the Book of Poetry are three hundred pieces, but the design of them all may be embraced in one sentence—'Having no depraved thoughts.'"

子曰，道之以政，齐之以刑，民免而无耻。道之以德，齐之以礼，有耻且格。

1. The Master said, "If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. 2. "If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good."

子曰，吾十有五而志于学。三十而立。四十而不惑。五十而知天命。六十而耳顺。七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。

1. The Master said, "At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning. 2. "At thirty, I stood firm. 3. "At forty, I had no doubts. 4. "At fifty, I knew the decrees of Heaven. 5. "At sixty, my ear was an obedient organ for the reception of truth. 6. "At seventy, I could follow what my heart desired, without transgressing what was right."

孟懿子问孝，子曰，无违。樊迟御，子吿之曰，孟孙问孝于我，我对曰，无违。樊迟曰，何谓也，子曰，生事之以礼，死葬之以礼，祭之以礼。

1. Mang I asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "It is not being disobedient." 2. Soon after, as Fan Ch'ih was driving him, the Master told him, saying, "Mang-sun asked me what filial piety was, and I answered him,—'not being disobedient.'" 3. Fan Ch'ih said, "What did you mean?" The Master replied, "That parents, when alive, be served according to propriety; that, when dead, they should be buried according to propriety; and that they should be sacrificed to according to propriety."

孟武伯问孝，子曰，父母唯其疾之忧。

Mang Wu asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "Parents are anxious lest their children should be sick."

子游问孝，子曰，今之孝者，是谓能养，至于犬马，皆能有养，不敬，何以别乎。

Tsze-yu asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "The filial piety of now-a-days means the support of one's parents. But dogs and horses likewise are able to do something in the way of support;—without reverence, what is there to distinguish the one support given from the other?"

子夏问孝，子曰，色难，有事，弟子服其劳，有酒食，先生馔，曾是以为孝乎。

Tsze-hsia asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "The difficulty is with the countenance. If, when their elders have any troublesome affairs, the young take the toil of them, and if, when the young have wine and food, they set them before their elders, is this to be considered filial piety?"

子曰，吾与回言终日，不违，如愚。退而省其私，亦足以发，回也不愚。

The Master said, "I have talked with Hui for a whole day, and he has not made any objection to anything I said;—as if he were stupid. He has retired, and I have examined his conduct when away from me, and found him able to illustrate my teachings. Hui!—He is not stupid."

子曰，视其所以。观其所由。察其所安。人焉廋哉，人焉廋哉。

1. The Master said, "See what a man does. 2. "Mark his motives. 3. "Examine in what things he rests. 4. "How can a man conceal his character? 5. How can a man conceal his character?"

子曰，温故而知新，可以为师矣。

The Master said, "If a man keeps cherishing his old knowledge, so as continually to be acquiring new, he may be a teacher of others."

子曰，君子不器。

The Master said, "The accomplished scholar is not a utensil."

子贡问君子，子曰，先行其言，而后从之。

Tsze-kung asked what constituted the superior man. The Master said, "He acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions."

子曰，君子周而不比，小人比而不周。

The Master said, "The superior man is catholic and no partisan. The mean man is partisan and not catholic."

子曰，学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。

The Master said, "Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous."

子曰，攻乎异端，斯害也已。

The Master said, "The study of strange doctrines is injurious indeed!"

子曰，由，诲女知之乎，知之为知之，不知为不知，是知也。

The Master said, "Yu, shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it;—this is knowledge."

子张学干禄。子曰，多闻阙疑，愼言其余，则寡尤，多见阙殆，愼行其余，则寡悔，言寡尤，行寡悔，禄在其中矣。

1. Tsze-chang was learning with a view to official emolument. 2. The Master said, "Hear much and put aside the points of which you stand in doubt, while you speak cautiously at the same time of the others:—then you will afford few occasions for blame. See much and put aside the things which seem perilous, while you are cautious at the same time in carrying the others into practice:—then you will have few occasions for repentance. When one gives few occasions for blame in his words, and few occasions for repentance in his conduct, he is in the way to get emolument."

哀公问曰，何为则民服。孔子对曰，擧直错诸枉，则民服，擧枉错诸直，则民不服。

The Duke Ai asked, saying, "What should be done in order to secure the submission of the people?" Confucius replied, "Advance the upright and set aside the crooked, then the people will submit. Advance the crooked and set aside the upright, then the people will not submit."

季康子问使民敬忠以劝，如之何。子曰，临之以庄，则敬，孝慈，则忠，擧善而教不能，则劝。

Chi K'ang asked how to cause the people to reverence their ruler, to be faithful to him, and to go on to nerve themselves to virtue. The Master said, "Let him preside over them with gravity;—then they will reverence him. Let him be filial and kind to all;—then they will be faithful to him. Let him advance the good and teach the incompetent;—then they will eagerly seek to be virtuous."

或谓孔子曰，子奚不为政。子曰，书云孝乎，惟孝友于兄弟，施于有政，是亦为政，奚其为为政。

1. Some one addressed Confucius, saying, "Sir, why are you not engaged in the government?" 2. The Master said, "What does the Shu-ching say of filial piety?—'You are filial, you discharge your brotherly duties. These qualities are displayed in government.' This then also constitutes the exercise of government. Why must there be that —making one be in the government?"

子曰，人而无信，不知其可也，大车无𫐐，小车无𫐄，其何以行之哉。

The Master said, "I do not know how a man without truthfulness is to get on. How can a large carriage be made to go without the cross-bar for yoking the oxen to, or a small carriage without the arrangement for yoking the horses?"

子张问十世，可知也。子曰，殷因于夏礼，所损益，可知也，周因于殷礼，所损益，可知也，其或继周者，虽百世，可知也。

1. Tsze-chang asked whether the affairs of ten ages after could be known. 2. Confucius said, "The Yin dynasty followed the regulations of the Hsia: wherein it took from or added to them may be known. The Chau dynasty has followed the regulations of Yin: wherein it took from or added to them may be known. Some other may follow the Chau, but though it should be at the distance of a hundred ages, its affairs may be known."

子曰，非其鬼而祭之，谄也。见义不为，无勇也。

1. The Master said, "For a man to sacrifice to a spirit which does not belong to him is flattery. 2. "To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage."

孔子谓季氏，八佾舞于庭，是可忍也，孰不可忍也。

Confucius said of the head of the Chi family, who had eight rows of pantomimes in his area, "If he can bear to do this, what may he not bear to do?"

三家者，以雍彻。子曰，相维辟公，天子穆穆，奚取于三家之堂。

The three families used the yung ode, while the vessels were being removed, at the conclusion of the sacrifice. The Master said, "'Assisting are the princes;—the son of heaven looks profound and grave:'—what application can these words have in the hall of the three families?"

子曰，人而不仁，如礼何，人而不仁，如乐何。

The Master said, "If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with the rites of propriety? If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with music?"

林放问礼之本。子曰，大哉问。礼，与其奢也，宁俭，丧，与其易也，宁戚。

1. Lin Fang asked what was the first thing to be attended to in ceremonies. 2. The Master said, "A great question indeed! 3. "In festive ceremonies, it is better to be sparing than extravagant. In the ceremonies of mourning, it is better that there be deep sorrow than a minute attention to observances."

子曰，夷狄之有君，不如诸夏之亡也。

The Master said, "The rude tribes of the east and north have their princes, and are not like the States of our great land which are without them."

季氏旅于泰山。子谓冉有曰，女弗能救与。对曰，不能。子曰，呜呼，曾谓泰山，不如林放乎。

The chief of the Chi family was about to sacrifice to the T'ai mountain. The Master said to Zan Yu, "Can you not save him from this?" He answered, "I cannot." Confucius said, "Alas! will you say that the T'ai mountain is not so discerning as Lin Fang?"

子曰，君子无所争，必也射乎，揖让而升，下而飮，其争也君子。

The Master said, "The student of virtue has no contentions. If it be said he cannot avoid them, shall this be in archery? But he bows complaisantly to his competitors; thus he ascends the hall, descends, and exacts the forfeit of drinking. In his contention, he is still the Chun-tsze."

子夏问曰，巧笑倩兮，美目盼兮，素以为绚兮。何谓也。子曰，绘事后素。曰，礼后乎。子曰，起予者商也，始可与言诗已矣。

1. Tsze-hsia asked, saying, "What is the meaning of the passage—'The pretty dimples of her artful smile! The well-defined black and white of her eye! The plain ground for the colours?'" 2. The Master said, "The business of laying on the colours follows (the preparation of) the plain ground." 3. "Ceremonies then are a subsequent thing?" The Master said, "It is Shang who can bring out my meaning. Now I can begin to talk about the odes with him."

子曰，夏礼吾能言之，杞不足征也，殷礼吾能言之，宋不足征也，文献不足故也，足，则吾能征之矣。

The Master said, "I could describe the ceremonies of the Hsia dynasty, but Chi cannot sufficiently attest my words. I could describe the ceremonies of the Yin dynasty, but Sung cannot sufficiently attest my words. (They cannot do so) because of the insufficiency of their records and wise men. If those were sufficient, I could adduce them in support of my words."

子曰，禘，自既灌而往者，吾不欲观之矣。

The Master said, "At the great sacrifice, after the pouring out of the libation, I have no wish to look on."

或问禘之说。子曰，不知也，知其说者，之于天下也，其如示诸斯乎。指其掌。

Some one asked the meaning of the great sacrifice. The Master said, "I do not know. He who knew its meaning would find it as easy to govern the kingdom as to look on this;—pointing to his palm.

祭如在，祭神如神在。子曰，吾不与祭，如不祭。

1. He sacrificed to the dead, as if they were present. He sacrificed to the spirits, as if the spirits were present. 2. The Master said, "I consider my not being present at the sacrifice, as if I did not sacrifice."

王孙贾问曰，与其媚于奥，宁媚于灶，何谓也。子曰，不然，获罪于天，无所祷也。

1. Wang-sun Chia asked, saying, "What is the meaning of the saying, 'It is better to pay court to the furnace than to the south-west corner?'" 2. The Master said, "Not so. He who offends against Heaven has none to whom he can pray."

子曰，周监于二代，郁郁乎文哉，吾从周。

The Master said, "Chau had the advantage of viewing the two past dynasties. How complete and elegant are its regulations! I follow Chau."

子入大庙，每事问。或曰，孰谓鄹人之子知礼乎，入大庙，每事问。子闻之曰，是礼也。

The Master, when he entered the grand temple, asked about everything. Some one said, "Who will say that the son of the man of Tsau knows the rules of propriety! He has entered the grand temple and asks about everything." The Master heard the remark, and said, "This is a rule of propriety."

子曰，射不主皮，为力不同科，古之道也。

The Master said, "In archery it is not going through the leather which is the principal thing;—because people's strength is not equal. This was the old way."

子贡欲去吿朔之饩羊。子曰，赐也，尔爱其羊，我爱其礼。

1. Tsze-kung wished to do away with the offering of a sheep connected with the inauguration of the first day of each month. 2. The Master said, "Ts'ze, you love the sheep; I love the ceremony."

子曰，事君尽礼，人以为谄也。

The Master said, "The full observance of the rules of propriety in serving one's prince is accounted by people to be flattery."

定公问君使臣，臣事君，如之何。孔子对曰，君使臣以礼，臣事君以忠。

The Duke Ting asked how a prince should employ his ministers, and how ministers should serve their prince. Confucius replied, "A prince should employ his minister according to the rules of propriety; ministers should serve their prince with faithfulness."

子曰，关睢乐而不淫，哀而不伤。

The Master said, "The Kwan Tsu is expressive of enjoyment without being licentious, and of grief without being hurtfully excessive."

哀公问社于宰我。宰我对曰，夏后氏以松，殷人以柏，周人以栗，曰，使民战栗。子闻之曰，成事不说，遂事不谏，既往不咎。

1. The Duke Ai asked Tsai Wo about the altars of the spirits of the land. Tsai Wo replied, "The Hsia sovereign planted the pine tree about them; the men of the Yin planted the cypress; and the men of the Chau planted the chestnut tree, meaning thereby to cause the people to be in awe." 2. When the Master heard it, he said, "Things that are done, it is needless to speak about; things that have had their course, it is needless to remonstrate about; things that are past, it is needless to blame."

子曰，管仲之器小哉。或曰，管仲俭乎。曰，管氏有三归，官事不摄，焉得俭。然则管仲知礼乎。曰，邦君树塞门，管氏亦树塞门，邦君为两君之好，有反坫，管氏亦有反坫，管氏而知礼，孰不知礼。

1. The Master said, "Small indeed was the capacity of Kwan Chung!" 2. Some one said, "Was Kwan Chung parsimonious?" "Kwan," was the reply, "had the San Kwei, and his officers performed no double duties; how can he be considered parsimonious?" 3. "Then, did Kwan Chung know the rules of propriety?" The Master said, "The princes of States have a screen intercepting the view at their gates. Kwan had likewise a screen at his gate. The princes of States on any friendly meeting between two of them, had a stand on which to place their inverted cups. Kwan had also such a stand. If Kwan knew the rules of propriety, who does not know them?"

子语鲁大师乐曰，乐其可知也，始作，翕如也，从之，纯如也，缴如也，绎如也，以成。

The Master instructing the grand music-master of Lu said, "How to play music may be known. At the commencement of the piece, all the parts should sound together. As it proceeds, they should be in harmony while severally distinct and flowing without break, and thus on to the conclusion."

仪封人请见，曰，君子之至于斯也，吾未尝不得见也。从者见之，出曰，二三子，何患于丧乎，天下之无道也久矣，天将以夫子为木铎。

The border warden at Yi requested to be introduced to the Master, saying, "When men of superior virtue have come to this, I have never been denied the privilege of seeing them." The followers of the sage introduced him, and when he came out from the interview, he said, "My friends, why are you distressed by your master's loss of office? The kingdom has long been without the principles of truth and right; Heaven is going to use your master as a bell with its wooden tongue."

子谓韶，尽美矣，又尽善也，谓武，尽美矣，未尽善也。

The Master said of the Shao that it was perfectly beautiful and also perfectly good. He said of the Wu that it was perfectly beautiful but not perfectly good.

子曰，居上不宽，为礼不敬，临丧不哀，吾何以观之哉。

The Master said, "High station filled without indulgent generosity; ceremonies performed without reverence; mourning conducted without sorrow;—wherewith should I contemplate such ways?"

子曰，里仁为美，择不处仁，焉得知。

The Master said, "It is virtuous manners which constitute the excellence of a neighborhood. If a man in selecting a residence, do not fix on one where such prevail, how can he be wise?"

子曰，不仁者，不可以久处约，不可以长处乐，仁者安仁，知者利仁。

The Master said, "Those who are without virtue cannot abide long either in a condition of poverty and hardship, or in a condition of enjoyment. The virtuous rest in virtue; the wise desire virtue."

子曰，惟仁者，能好人，能恶人。

The Master said, "It is only the (truly) virtuous man, who can love, or who can hate, others."

子曰，苟志于仁矣，无恶也。

The Master said, "If the will be set on virtue, there will be no practice of wickedness."

子曰，富与贵，是人之所欲也，不以其道得之，不处也。贫与贱，是人之所恶也，不以其道得之，不去也。君子去仁，恶乎成名。君子无终食之间违仁，造次必于是，顚沛必于是。

1. The Master said, "Riches and honours are what men desire. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and meanness are what men dislike. If it cannot be avoided in the proper way, they should not be avoided. 2. "If a superior man abandon virtue, how can he fulfil the requirements of that name? 3. "The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it."

子曰，我未见好仁者，恶不仁者，好仁者，无以尙之，恶不仁者，其为仁矣，不使不仁者，加乎其身。有能一日用其力于仁矣乎，我未见力不足者。盖有之矣，我未之见也。

1. The Master said, "I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue, would esteem nothing above it. He who hated what is not virtuous, would practise virtue in such a way that he would not allow anything that is not virtuous to approach his person. 2. "Is any one able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which his strength would be insufficient. 3. "Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it."

子曰，人之过也，各于其党，观过，斯知仁矣。

The Master said, "The faults of men are characteristic of the class to which they belong. By observing a man's faults, it may be known that he is virtuous."

子曰，朝闻道，夕死，可矣。

The Master said, "If a man in the morning hear the right way, he may die in the evening without regret."

子曰，士志于道，而耻恶衣恶食者，未足与议也。

The Master said, "A scholar, whose mind is set on truth, and who is ashamed of bad clothes and bad food, is not fit to be discoursed with."

子曰，君子之于天下也，无适也，无莫也，义之与比。

The Master said, "The superior man, in the world, does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow."

子曰，君子怀德，小人怀土，君子怀刑，小人怀惠。

The Master said, "The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort. The superior man thinks of the sanctions of law; the small man thinks of favours which he may receive."

子曰，放于利而行，多怨。

The Master said: "He who acts with a constant view to his own advantage will be much murmured against."

子曰，能以礼让为国乎，何有，不能以礼让为国，如礼何。

The Master said, "If a prince is able to govern his kingdom with the complaisance proper to the rules of propriety, what difficulty will he have? If he cannot govern it with that complaisance, what has he to do with the rules of propriety?"

子曰，不患无位，患所以立，不患莫己知，求为可知也。

The Master said, "A man should say, I am not concerned that I have no place, I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy to be known."

子曰，参乎，吾道一以贯之。曾子曰，唯。子出，门人问曰，何谓也。曾子曰，夫子之道，忠恕而已矣。

1. The Master said, "Shan, my doctrine is that of an all-pervading unity." The disciple Tsang replied, "Yes." 2. The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, "What do his words mean?" Tsang said, "The doctrine of our master is to be true to the principles of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others,—this and nothing more."

子曰，君子喻于义，小人喻于利。

The Master said, "The mind of the superior man is conversant with righteousness; the mind of the mean man is conversant with gain."

子曰，见贤思齐焉，见不贤而内自省也。

The Master said, "When we see men of worth, we should think of equalling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves."

子曰，事父母几谏，见志不从，又敬不违，劳而不怨。

The Master said, "In serving his parents, a son may remonstrate with them, but gently; when he sees that they do not incline to follow his advice, he shows an increased degree of reverence, but does not abandon his purpose; and should they punish him, he does not allow himself to murmur."

子曰，父母在，不远游，游必有方。

The Master said, "While his parents are alive, the son may not go abroad to a distance. If he does go abroad, he must have a fixed place to which he goes."

子曰，三年无改于父之道，可谓孝矣。

The Master said, "If the son for three years does not alter from the way of his father, he may be called filial."