Concepts
Junzi
The noble person: an ideal of virtue, rightness, learning, and self-cultivation.
Related passages
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?"
有子曰,其为人也孝弟,而好犯上者鲜矣,不好犯上,而好作乱者,未之有也。君子务本,本立,而道生,孝弟也者,其为仁之本与。
1. The philosopher Yu said, "They are few who, being filial and fraternal, are fond of offending against their superiors. There have been none, who, not liking to offend against their superiors, have been fond of stirring up confusion. 2. "The superior man bends his attention to what is radical.That being established, all practical courses naturally grow up. Filial piety and fraternal submission!—are they not the root of all benevolent actions?"
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,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."
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,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,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,君子欲讷于言,而敏于行。
The Master said, "The superior man wishes to be slow in his speech and earnest in his conduct."
子谓子贱,君子哉若人。鲁无君子者,斯焉取斯。
The Master said of Tsze-chien, "Of superior virtue indeed is such a man! If there were not virtuous men in Lu, how could this man have acquired this character?"
子谓子产,有君子之道四焉,其行己也恭,其事上也敬,其养民也惠,其使民也义。
The Master said of Tsze-ch'an that he had four of the characteristics of a superior man:—in his conduct of himself, he was humble; in serving his superiors, he was respectful; in nourishing the people, he was kind; in ordering the people, he was just."
子华使于齐,冉子为其母请粟。子曰,与之釜。请益。曰,与之庾。冉子与之粟五秉。子曰,赤之适齐也,乘肥马,衣轻裘,吾闻之也,君子周急,不继富。原思为之宰,与之粟九百,辞。子曰,毋,以与尔邻里乡党乎。
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?"
子谓子夏曰,女为君子儒,无为小人儒。
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."
子曰,质胜文则野,文胜质则史,文质彬彬,然后君子。
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."
宰我问曰,仁者虽吿之曰,井有仁焉,其从之也。子曰,何为其然也,君子可逝也,不可陷也,可欺也,不可罔也。
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."
子曰,君子博学于文,约之以礼,亦可以弗畔矣夫。
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."
子曰,圣人吾不得而见之矣,得见君子者,斯可矣。子曰,善人吾不得而见之矣,得见有恒者,斯可矣。亡而为有,虚而为盈,约而为泰,难乎有恒矣。
1. The Master said, "A sage it is not mine to see; could I see a man of real talent and virtue, that would satisfy me." 2. The Master said, "A good man it is not mine to see; could I see a man possessed of constancy, that would satisfy me. 3. "Having not and yet affecting to have, empty and yet affecting to be full, straitened and yet affecting to be at ease:—it is difficult with such characteristics to have constancy."
陈司败问昭公知礼乎。孔子曰,知礼。孔子退,揖巫马期而进之,曰,吾闻君子不党,君子亦党乎,君取于吴为同姓,谓之吴孟子,君而知礼,孰不知礼。巫马期以吿。子曰,丘也幸,苟有过,人必知之。
1. The minister of crime of Ch'an asked whether the duke Chao knew propriety, and Confucius said, "He knew propriety." 2. Confucius having retired, the minister bowed to Wu-ma Ch'i to come forward, and said, "I have heard that the superior man is not a partisan. May the superior man be a partisan also? The prince married a daughter of the house of Wu, of the same surname with himself, and called her,—'The elder Tsze of Wu.' If the prince knew propriety, who does not know it?" 3. Wu-ma Ch'i reported these remarks, and the Master said, "I am fortunate! If I have any errors, people are sure to know them."
子曰,文,莫吾犹人也,躬行君子,则吾未之有得。
The Master said, "In letters I am perhaps equal to other men, but the character of the superior man, carrying out in his conduct what he professes, is what I have not yet attained to."
子曰,君子坦荡荡,小人长戚戚。
The Master said, "The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress."
子曰,恭而无礼则劳,愼而无礼则葸,勇而无礼则乱,直而无礼则绞。君子笃于亲,则民兴于仁,故旧不遗,则民不偷。
1. The Master said, "Respectfulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes laborious bustle; carefulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes timidity; boldness, without the rules of propriety, becomes insubordination; straightforwardness, without the rules of propriety, becomes rudeness. 2. "When those who are in high stations perform well all their duties to their relations, the people are aroused to virtue. 3. When old friends are not neglected by them, the people are preserved from meanness."
曾子有疾,孟敬子问之。曾子言曰,鸟之将死,其鸣也哀,人之将死,其言也善。君子所贵乎道者三,动容貌,斯远暴慢矣,正颜色,斯近信笑,出辞气,斯远鄙倍矣,笾豆之事,则有司存。
1. The philosopher Tsang being ill, Meng Chang went to ask how he was. 2. Tsang said to him, "When a bird is about to die, its notes are mournful; when a man is about to die, his words are good. 3. "There are three principles of conduct which the man of high rank should consider specially important:—that in his deportment and manner he keep from violence and heedlessness; that in regulating his countenance he keep near to sincerity; and that in his words and tones he keep far from lowness and impropriety. As to such matters as attending to the sacrificial vessels, there are the proper officers for them."
曾子曰,可以托六尺之孤,可以寄百里之命,临大节,而不可夺也,君子人与,君子人也。
The philosopher Tsang said, "Suppose that there is an individual who can be entrusted with the charge of a young orphan prince, and can be commissioned with authority over a state of a hundred li, and whom no emergency however great can drive from his principles:—is such a man a superior man? He is a superior man indeed."
大宰问于子贡,曰,夫子圣者与,何其多能也。子贡曰,固天纵之将圣,又多能也。子闻之曰,大宰知我乎,吾少也贱,故多能,鄙事,君子多乎哉,不多也。牢曰,子云,吾不试,故艺。
1. A high officer asked Tsze-kung, saying, "May we not say that your Master is a sage? How various is his ability!" 2. Tsze-kung said, "Certainly Heaven has endowed him unlimitedly. He is about a sage. And, moreover, his ability is various." 3. The Master heard of the conversation and said, "Does the high officer know me? When I was young, my condition was low, and therefore I acquired my ability in many things, but they were mean matters. Must the superior man have such variety of ability? He does not need variety of ability." 4. Lao said, "The Master said, 'Having no official employment, I acquired many arts.'"
子欲居九夷。或曰,陋,如之何。子曰,君子居之,何陋之有。
1. The Master was wishing to go and live among the nine wild tribes of the east. 2. Some one said, "They are rude. How can you do such a thing?" The Master said, "If a superior man dwelt among them, what rudeness would there be?"
君子不以绀緅饰。红紫不以为亵服。当暑袗𫄨绤,必表而出之。缁衣羔裘,素衣麑裘,黄衣狐裘。亵裘长,短右袂。必有寝衣,长一身有半。狐貉之厚以居。去丧,无所不佩。非帷裳,必杀之。羔裘玄冠不以吊。吉月,必朝服而朝。
1. The superior man did not use a deep purple, or a puce colour, in the ornaments of his dress. 2. Even in his undress, he did not wear anything of a red or reddish colour. 3. In warm weather, he had a single garment either of coarse or fine texture, but he wore it displayed over an inner garment. 4. Over lamb's fur he wore a garment of black; over fawn's fur one of white; and over fox's fur one of yellow. 5. The fur robe of his undress was long, with the right sleeve short. 6. He required his sleeping dress to be half as long again as his body. 7. When staying at home, he used thick furs of the fox or the badger. 8. When he put off mourning, he wore all the appendages of the girdle. 9. His under-garment, except when it was required to be of the curtain shape, was made of silk cut narrow above and wide below. 10. He did not wear lamb's fur or a black cap, on a visit of condolence. 11. On the first day of the month he put on his court robes, and presented himself at court.
子曰,先进于礼乐,野人也,后进于礼乐,君子也,如用之,则吾从先进。
1. The Master said, "The men of former times, in the matters of ceremonies and music were rustics, it is said, while the men of these latter times, in ceremonies and music, are accomplished gentlemen. 2. "If I have occasion to use those things, I follow the men of former times."
子曰,论笃是与,君子者乎,色庄者乎。
The Master said, "If, because a man's discourse appears solid and sincere, we allow him to be a good man, is he really a superior man? or is his gravity only in appearance?"
司马牛问君子。子曰,君子不忧不惧。曰,不忧不惧,斯谓之君子矣乎。子曰,内省不疚,夫何忧何惧。
1. Sze-ma Niu asked about the superior man. The Master said, "The superior man has neither anxiety nor fear." 2. "Being without anxiety or fear!" said Nui;—"does this constitute what we call the superior man?" 3. The Master said, "When internal examination discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about, what is there to fear?"
司马牛忧曰,人皆有兄弟,我独亡。子夏曰,商闻之矣。死生有命,富贵在天。君子敬而无失,与人恭而有礼,四海之内,皆兄弟也,君子何患乎无兄弟也。
1. Sze-ma Niu, full of anxiety, said, "Other men all have their brothers, I only have not." 2. Tsze-hsia said to him, "There is the following saying which I have heard:— 3. "'Death and life have their determined appointment; riches and honours depend upon Heaven.' 4. "Let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his own conduct, and let him be respectful to others and observant of propriety:—then all within the four seas will be his brothers. What has the superior man to do with being distressed because he has no brothers?"
棘子成曰,君子质而已矣,何以文为。子贡曰,惜乎,夫子之说,君子也,驷不及舌。文犹质也,质犹文也,虎豹之鞹,犹犬羊之鞹。
1. Chi Tsze-ch'ang said, "In a superior man it is only the substantial qualities which are wanted;—why should we seek for ornamental accomplishments?" 2. Tsze-kung said, "Alas! Your words, sir, show you to be a superior man, but four horses cannot overtake the tongue. 3. Ornament is as substance; substance is as ornament. The hide of a tiger or a leopard stripped of its hair, is like the hide of a dog or a goat stripped of its hair."
子曰,君子成人之美,不成人之恶,小人反是。
The Master said, "The superior man seeks to perfect the admirable qualities of men, and does not seek to perfect their bad qualities. The mean man does the opposite of this."
季康子问政于孔子,曰,如杀无道,以就有道,何如。孔子对曰,子为政,焉用杀,子欲善,而民善矣,君子之德风,小人之德草,草上之风必偃。
Chi K'ang asked Confucius about government, saying, "What do you say to killing the unprincipled for the good of the principled?" Confucius replied, "Sir, in carrying on your government, why should you use killing at all? Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good. The relation between superiors and inferiors, is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend, when the wind blows across it."
曾子曰,君子以文会友,以友辅仁。
The philosopher Tsang said, "The superior man on grounds of culture meets with his friends, and by their friendship helps his virtue."
子路曰,衞君待子而为政,子将奚先。子曰,必也,正名乎。子路曰,有是哉,子之迂也,奚其正。子曰,野哉,由也,君子于其所不知,盖阙如也。名不正,则言不顺,言不顺,则事不成。事不成,则礼乐不兴,礼乐不兴,则刑罚不中,刑罚不中,则民无所措手足。故君子名之必可言也,言之必可行也,君子于其言,无所茍而已矣。
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."
子曰,君子和而不同,小人同而不和。
The Master said, "The superior man is affable, but not adulatory; the mean man is adulatory, but not affable."
子曰,君子易事而难说也,说之不以道,不说也,及其使人也,器之。小人难事而易说也,说之虽不以道,说也,及其使人也,求备焉。
The Master said, "The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please. If you try to please him in any way which is not accordant with right, he will not be pleased. But in his employment of men, he uses them according to their capacity. The mean man is difficult to serve, and easy to please. If you try to please him, though it be in a way which is not accordant with right, he may be pleased. But in his employment of men, he wishes them to be equal to everything."
子曰,君子泰而不骄,小人骄而不泰。
The Master said, "The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride without a dignified ease."
南宫适问于孔子曰,羿善射,奡荡舟,俱不得其死然,禹稷躬稼,而有天下。夫子不答。南宫适出。子曰,君子哉若人,尙德哉若人。
Nan-kung Kwo, submitting an inquiry to Confucius, said, "I was skillful at archery, and Ao could move a boat along upon the land, but neither of them died a natural death. Yu and Chi personally wrought at the toils of husbandry, and they became possessors of the kingdom." The Master made no reply; but when Nan-kung Kwo went out, he said, "A superior man indeed is this! An esteemer of virtue indeed is this!"
子曰,君子而不仁者有矣夫,未有小人而仁者也。
The Master said, "Superior men, and yet not always virtuous, there have been, alas! But there never has been a mean man, and, at the same time, virtuous."
子曰,君子上达,小人下达。
The Master said, "The progress of the superior man is upwards; the progress of the mean man is downwards."
曾子曰,君子思不出其位。
The philosopher Tsang said, "The superior man, in his thoughts, does not go out of his place."
子曰,君子耻其言而过其行。
The Master said, "The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions."
子曰,君子道者三,我无能焉,仁者不忧,知者不惑,勇者不惧。子贡曰,夫子自道也。
1. The Master said, "The way of the superior man is threefold, but I am not equal to it. Virtuous, he is free from anxieties; wise, he is free from perplexities; bold, he is free from fear. 2. Tsze-kung said, "Master, that is what you yourself say."
子路问君子,子曰,修己以敬。曰,如斯而已乎。曰,修己以安人,曰,如斯而已乎。曰,修己以安百姓。修己以安百姓,尧舜其犹病诸。
Tsze-lu asked what constituted the superior man. The Master said, "The cultivation of himself in reverential carefulness." "And is this all?" said Tsze-lu. "He cultivates himself so as to give rest to others," was the reply. "And is this all?" again asked Tsze-lu. The Master said, "He cultivates himself so as to give rest to all the people. He cultivates himself so as to give rest to all the people:—even Yao and Shun were still solicitous about this."
衞灵公问陈于孔子。孔子对曰,俎豆之事,则尝闻之矣,军旅之事,未之学也。明日遂行。在陈绝粮,从者病,莫能兴。子路愠见曰,君子亦有穷乎。子曰,君子固穷,小人穷斯滥矣。
1. The Duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius about tactics. Confucius replied, "I have heard all about sacrificial vessels, but I have not learned military matters." On this, he took his departure the next day. 2. When he was in Chan, their provisions were exhausted, and his followers became so ill that they were unable to rise. 3. Tsze-lu, with evident dissatisfaction, said, "Has the superior man likewise to endure in this way?" The Master said, "The superior man may indeed have to endure want, but the mean man, when he is in want, gives way to unbridled license."
子曰,直哉史鱼,邦有道如矢,邦无道如矢。君子哉,蘧伯玉,邦有道,则仕,邦无道,则可卷而怀之。
1. The Master said, "Truly straightforward was the historiographer Yu. When good government prevailed in his State, he was like an arrow. When bad government prevailed, he was like an arrow. 2. A superior man indeed is Chu Po-yu! When good government prevails in his state, he is to be found in office. When bad government prevails, he can roll his principles up, and keep them in his breast."
子曰,君子义以为质,礼以行之,孙以出之,信以成之。君子哉。
The Master said, "The superior man in everything considers righteousness to be essential. He performs it according to the rules of propriety. He brings it forth in humility. He completes it with sincerity. This is indeed a superior man."
子曰,君子病无能焉,不病人之不己知也。
The Master said, "The superior man is distressed by his want of ability. He is not distressed by men's not knowing him."
子曰,君子疾没世,而名不称焉。
The Master said, "The superior man dislikes the thought of his name not being mentioned after his death."
子曰,君子求诸己,小人求诸人。
The Master said, "What the superior man seeks, is in himself. What the mean man seeks, is in others."
子曰,君子矜而不争,群而不党。
The Master said, "The superior man is dignified, but does not wrangle. He is sociable, but not a partizan."
子曰,君子不以言举人,不以人废言。
The Master said, "The superior man does not promote a man simply on account of his words, nor does he put aside good words because of the man."
子曰,君子谋道不谋食,耕也,馁在其中矣,学也,禄在其中矣,君子忧道,不忧贫。
The Master said, "The object of the superior man is truth. Food is not his object. There is plowing;—even in that there is sometimes want. So with learning;—emolument may be found in it. The superior man is anxious lest he should not get truth; he is not anxious lest poverty should come upon him."
子曰,君子不可小知,而可大受也,小人不可大受,而可小知也。
The Master said, "The superior man cannot be known in little matters; but he may be intrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be intrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters."
子曰,君子贞,而不谅。
The Master said, "The superior man is correctly firm, and not firm merely."
孔子曰,侍于君子有三愆,言未及之而言,谓之躁,言及之而不言,谓之隐,未见颜色而言,谓之瞽。
Confucius said, "There are three errors to which they who stand in the presence of a man of virtue and station are liable. They may speak when it does not come to them to speak;—this is called rashness. They may not speak when it comes to them to speak;—this is called concealment. They may speak without looking at the countenance of their superior;—this is called blindness."
孔子曰,君子有三戒,少之时,血气未定,戒之在色,及其壮也,血气方刚,戒之在斗,及其老也,血气既衰,戒之在得。
Confucius said, "There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth, when the physical powers
孔子曰,君子有三畏,畏天命,畏大人,畏圣人之言。小人不知天命,而不畏也,狎大人,侮圣人之言。
1. Confucius said, "There are three things of which the superior man stands in awe. He stands in awe of the ordinances of Heaven. He stands in awe of great men. He stands in awe of the words of sages. 2. "The mean man does not know the ordinances of Heaven, and consequently does not stand in awe of them. He is disrespectful to great men. He makes sport of the words of sages."
孔子曰,君子有九思,视思明,听思聪,色思温,貌思恭,言思忠,事思敬,疑思问,忿思难,见得思义。
Confucius said, "The superior man has nine things which are subjects with him of thoughtful consideration. In regard to the use of his eyes, he is anxious to see clearly. In regard to the use of his ears, he is anxious to hear distinctly. In regard to his countenance, he is anxious that it should be benign. In regard to his demeanor, he is anxious that it should be respectful. In regard to his speech, he is anxious that it should be sincere. In regard to his doing of business, he is anxious that it should be reverently careful. In regard to what he doubts about, he is anxious to question others. When he is angry, he thinks of the difficulties (his anger may involve him in). When he sees gain to be got, he thinks of righteousness."
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."
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?"
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?"
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."
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,
子路从而后,遇丈人,以杖荷蓧。子路问曰,子见夫子乎。丈人曰,四体不勤,五谷不分,孰为夫子。植其杖而芸。子路拱而立。止子路宿,杀鸡为黍而食之,见其二子焉。明日,子路行以告。子曰,隐者也。使子路反见之。至则行矣。子路曰,不仕无义。长幼之节,不可废也,君臣之义,如之何其废之。欲洁其身,而乱大伦。君子之仕也,行其义也。道之不行,已知之矣。
1. Tsze-lu, following the Master, happened to fall behind, when he met an old man, carrying across his shoulder on a staff a basket for weeds. Tsze-lu said to him, "Have you seen my master, sir!" The old man replied, "Your four limbs are unaccustomed to toil; you cannot distinguish the five kinds of grain:—who is your master?" With this, he planted his staff in the ground, and proceeded to weed. 2. Tsze-lu joined his hands across his breast, and stood before him. 3. The old man kept Tsze-lu to pass the night in his house, killed a fowl, prepared millet, and feasted him. He also introduced to him his two sons. 4. Next day, Tsze-lu went on his way, and reported his adventure. The Master said, "He is a recluse," and sent Tsze-lu back to see him again, but when he got to the place, the old man was gone. 5. Tsze-lu then said to the family, "Not to take office is not
周公谓鲁公曰,君子不施其亲,不使大臣怨乎不以,故旧无大故,则不弃也,无求备于一人。
The duke of Chau addressed his son, the duke of Lu, saying, "The virtuous prince does not neglect his relations. He does not cause the great ministers to repine at his not employing them. Without some great cause, he does not dismiss from their offices the members of old families. He does not seek in one man talents for every employment."
子夏之门人问交于子张。子张曰,子夏云何。对曰,子夏曰,可者与之,其不可者拒之。子张曰,异乎吾所闻,君子尊贤而容众,嘉善而矜不能,我之大贤与,于人何所不容,我之不贤与,人将拒我,如之何其拒人也。
The disciples of Tsze-hsia asked Tsze-chang about the principles that should characterize mutual intercourse. Tsze-chang asked, "What does Tsze-hsia say on the subject?" They replied, "Tsze-hsia says:—'Associate with those who can advantage you. Put away from you those who cannot do so.'" Tsze-chang observed, "This is different from what I have learned. The superior man honours the talented and virtuous, and bears with all. He praises the good, and pities the incompetent. Am I possessed of great talents and virtue?—who is there among men whom I will not bear with? Am I devoid of talents and virtue?—men will put me away from them. What have we to do with the putting away of others?"
子夏曰,虽小道,必有可观者焉,致远恐泥,是以君子不为也。
Tsze-hsia said, "Even in inferior studies and employments there is something worth being looked at; but if it be
子夏曰,百工居肆,以成其事,君子学以致其道。
Tsze-hsia said, "Mechanics have their shops to dwell in, in order to accomplish their works. The superior man learns, in order to reach to the utmost of his principles."
子夏曰,君子有三变,望之俨然,即之也温,听其言也厉。
Tsze-hsia said, "The superior man undergoes three changes. Looked at from a distance, he appears stern; when approached, he is mild; when he is heard to speak, his language is firm and decided."
子夏曰,君子信而后劳其民,未信,则以为厉己也,信而后谏,未信,则以为谤己也。
Tsze-hsia said, "The superior man, having obtained their confidence, may then impose labours on his people. If he have not gained their confidence, they will think that he is oppressing them. Having obtained the confidence of his prince, one may then remonstrate with him. If he have not gained his confidence, the prince will think that he is vilifying him."
子游曰,子夏之门人小子,当洒扫,应对,进退,则可矣,抑末也,本之则无,如之何。子夏闻之曰,噫,言游过矣,君子之道,孰先传焉,孰后倦焉,譬诸草木,区以别矣,君子之道,焉可诬也,有始有卒者,其惟圣人乎。
1. Tsze-yu said, "The disciples and followers of Tsze-hsia, in sprinkling and sweeping the ground, in answering and replying, in advancing and receding, are sufficiently accomplished. But these are only the branches of learning, and they are left ignorant of what is essential.—How can they be acknowledged as sufficiently taught?" 2. Tsze-hsia heard of the remark and said, "Alas! Yen Yu is wrong. According to the way of the superior man in teaching, what departments are there which he considers of prime importance, and delivers? what are there which he considers of secondary importance, and allows himself to be idle about? But as in the case of plants, which are assorted according to their classes, so he deals with his disciples. How can the way of a superior man be such as to make fools of any of them? Is it not the sage alone, who can unite in one the beginning and the consummation of learning?"
子贡曰,纣之不善,不如是之甚也。是以君子恶居下流,天下之恶皆归焉。
Tsze-kung said, "Chau's wickedness was not so great as that name implies. Therefore, the superior man hates to dwell
子贡曰,君子之过也,如日月之食焉,过也,人皆见之,更也,人皆仰之。
Tsze-kung said, "The faults of the superior man are like the eclipses of the sun and moon. He has his faults, and all men see them; he changes again, and all men look up to him."
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