Confucian Analects Book IX Part 1 (孔夫子論語: 子罕第九 第一部份)

Author: Confucius (孔夫子); translated by James Legge

From four things the Master was quite free: by-ends and 'must' and 'shall' and 'I.'

子罕第九 BOOK IX

1. 子罕言利，與命與仁。

The Master seldom spake of gain, or love, or the Bidding.

2. 達巷黨人曰，「大哉孔子，博學而無所成名。」子聞之，謂門弟子曰，「吾何執？執御 乎，執射乎？吾執御矣。」

A man of the village of Ta-hsiang said, The great Confucius, with his vast learning, has made no name in anything.
When the Master heard this, he said to his disciples, What shall I take up? Shall I take up driving, or shall I take up shooting? I shall take up driving.

3. 子曰：「麻冕，禮也。今也純儉，吾從眾。拜下，禮也。今拜乎上，泰也，雖違眾，吾 從下。」

The Master said, A linen cap is good form; now silk is worn. It is cheap, so I follow the many. To bow below is good form; now it is done above. This is arrogance, so, breaking with the many, I still bow below.

4. 子絕四，毋意，毋必，毋固，毋我。

From four things the Master was quite free: by-ends and 'must' and 'shall' and 'I.'

5. 子畏於匡。曰：「文王既沒，文不在茲乎，天之將喪斯文也。後死者不得與於斯文也。 天之未喪斯文也。匡人其如予何。」

When he was afraid in K'uang, the Master said, Since the death of King Wen, is not the seat of culture here? If Heaven had meant to destroy our culture, a later mortal would have had no part in it. Until Heaven condemns our culture, what can the men of K'uang do to me?

6. 大宰問於子貢曰：「夫子聖者與！何其多能也？」子貢曰：「固天縱之將聖，又多能 也。」子聞之曰：「大宰知我乎？吾少也賤，故多能鄙事。君子多乎哉？不多也！」牢曰：「子云：『吾不試，故藝。』

A high minister said to Tzu-kung, The Master must be a holy man, he can do so many things!
Tzu-kung said, Heaven has, indeed, given him so much that he is almost holy, and he can do many things, too.
When the Master heard this, he said, Does the minister know me? Because I was poor when young, I can do many paltry things. But does doing many things make a gentleman? No, not doing many does.
Lao said, The Master would say, As I had no post I learned the crafts.

7. 子曰：「吾有知乎哉？無知也。有鄙夫問於我，空空如也；我叩其兩端而竭焉。」

The Master said, Have I in truth wisdom? I have no wisdom. But when a common fellow emptily asks me anything, I tap it on this side and that, and sift it to the bottom.

8. 子曰：「鳳鳥不至，河不出圖，吾已矣乎！」

The Master said, The phœnix comes not, the River gives forth no sign: all is over with me!

9. 子見齊衰者，冕衣裳者，與瞽者見之，雖少必作，過之必趨。」

When the Master saw folk clad in mourning, or in cap and gown, or a blind man, he always rose—even for the young,—or, if he was passing them, he quickened his step.

10. 顏淵喟然嘆曰：「仰之彌高，鑽之彌堅，瞻之在前，忽焉在後！夫子循循然善誘人， 博我以文，約我以禮。欲罷不能，既竭吾才，如有所立，卓爾。雖欲從之，末由也已！」

Yen Yüan heaved a sigh, and said, As I look up it grows higher, deeper as I dig! I catch sight of it ahead, and on a sudden it is behind me! The Master leads men on, deftly bit by bit. He widens me with culture, he binds me with courtesy. If I wished to stop I could not until my strength were spent. What seems the mark stands near; but though I long to reach it, I find no way.

11. 子疾病，子路使門人為臣，病間曰：「久矣哉，由之行詐也！無臣而為有臣，吾誰欺 ？欺天乎？且予與其死於臣之手也，無寧死於二三子之手乎？且予縱不得大葬，予死於道路乎？」

When the Master was very ill, Tzu-lu made the disciples act as ministers.
During a better spell the Master said, Yu has long been feigning. This show of ministers, when I have no ministers, whom will it take in? Will Heaven be taken in? And is it not better to die in the arms of my two-three boys than to die in the arms of ministers? And, if I miss a big burial, shall I die by the roadside?

12. 子貢曰：「有美玉於斯，韞而藏諸？求善賈而沽諸？」子曰：「沽之哉！沽之哉！我 待賈者也！」

Tzu-kung said, If I had here a fair piece of jade, should I hide it away in a case, or seek a good price and sell it?
Sell it, sell it! said the Master. I tarry for my price.

13. 子欲居九夷。或曰：「陋，如之何？」子曰：「君子居之，何陋之有！」

The Master wished to dwell among the nine tribes.
One said, They are low; how could ye?
The Master said, Wherever a gentleman lives, will there be anything low?

14. 子曰：「吾自衛反魯，然後樂正，雅頌，各得其所。」
The Master said. After I came back from Wei to Lu the music was set straight and each song found its place.

15. 子曰：「出則事公卿，入則事父兄，喪事不敢不勉，不為酒困，何有於我哉！」

The Master said, To serve dukes and ministers abroad and father and brothers at home; in matters of mourning not to dare to be slack; and to be no thrall to wine: to which of these have I won?