陈子禽谓子贡曰，子为恭也，仲尼岂贤于子乎。子贡曰，君子一言以为知，一言以为不知，言不可不慎也。夫子之不可及也，犹天之不可阶而升也。夫子之得邦家者，所谓立之斯立，道之斯行，绥之斯来，动之斯和。其生也荣，其死也哀。如之何其可及也。
白话导读
陈子禽对子贡说：您是出于恭敬吧，仲尼难道真比您强吗？子贡说：君子说一句话就可以表现出他的智慧，说一句话也可以表现出他的不明智，所以说话不可以不谨慎。我的老师是无法赶得上的，正如青天无法用阶梯攀登上去一样。我的老师如果得到国家去治理，那就会像人们所说的那样，让百姓立足他们就能立足，引导他们他们就能跟从，安抚他们他们就来归附，动员他们他们就同心协力。他活着的时候人人尊荣，他去世的时候万众哀痛。这样的境界怎么能赶得上呢？
James Legge 英译
1. Ch'an Tsze-ch'in, addressing Tsze-kung, said, "You are too modest. How can Chung-ni be said to be superior to you?" 2. Tsze-kung said to him, "For one word a man is often deemed to be wise, and for one word he is often deemed to be foolish. We ought to be careful indeed in what we say. 3. "Our Master cannot be attained to, just in the same way as the heavens cannot be gone up to by the steps of a stair. 4. "Were our Master in the position of the ruler of a State or the chief of a Family, we should find verified the description which has been given of a sage's rule:—he would plant the people, and forthwith they would be established; he would lead them on, and forthwith they would follow him; he would make them happy, and forthwith multitudes would resort to his dominions; he would stimulate them, and forthwith they would be harmonious. While he lived, he would be glorious. When he died, he would be bitterly lamented. How is it possible for him to be attained to?"
译注：James Legge 公版英译，1893 年原版。
注释
- 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。