Confucian Analects Book XIX Part 2 (孔夫子論語:第十九 第二部份)

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

Tzu-hsia said, if we teach one thing in the way of a gentleman first, shall we tire before reaching the next? Thus plants and trees differ in size. Should the way of a gentleman bewilder him? To learn it, first and last, none but the holy are fit.

第十九

BOOK XIX

11. 子夏曰：「大德不踰閑，小德出入可也。」

Tzu-hsia said, If we keep within the bounds of honour, we can step to and fro through propriety.

12. 子游曰：「子夏之門人小子，當洒掃，應對，進退，則可矣。抑末也；本之則無，如 之何？」子夏聞之曰：「噫！言游過矣！君子之道，孰先傳焉？孰後倦
焉？譬諸草木，區以別矣。君子之道，焉可誣也？有始有卒者，其惟聖人乎！」

Tzu-yu said, The disciples, the little sons of Tzu-hsia, can sprinkle and sweep, attend and answer, come in and go out; but what can come of twigs without roots?
When Tzu-hsia heard this, he said, Yen Yu is wrong. If we teach one thing in the way of a gentleman first, shall we tire before reaching the next? Thus plants and trees differ in size. Should the way of a gentleman bewilder him? To learn it, first and last, none but the holy are fit.

13. 子夏曰：「仕而優則學，學而優則仕。」

Tzu-hsia said, A servant of the crown should give his spare strength to learning. With his spare strength a scholar should serve the crown.

14. 子游曰：「喪致乎哀而止。」

Tzu-yu said, Mourning should stretch to grief, and stop there.

15. 子游曰：「吾友張也，為難能也，然而未仁。」

Tzu-yu said, Our friend Chang can do hard things, but love is not yet his.

16. 曾子曰：「堂堂乎張也，難與并為仁矣。」

Tseng-tzu said, Chang is so spacious, so lordly, that at his side it is hard to do what love bids.

17. 曾子曰：「吾聞諸夫子：『人未有自致者也，必也親喪乎！』」

Tseng-tzu said, I have heard the Master say, Man never shows what is in him unless it be in mourning those dear to him.

18. 曾子曰：「吾聞諸夫子：『孟莊子之孝也，其他可能也，其不改父之臣與父之政，是 難能也。』」

Tseng-tzu said, I have heard the Master say, In all else we may be as good a son as Meng Chuang, but in not changing his father's ministers, or his father's rule, he is hard to match.

19. 孟氏使陽膚為士師，問於曾子。曾子曰：「上失其道，民散久矣！如得其情，則哀矜 而勿喜。」

The Meng made Yang Fu Chief Knight, who spake to Tseng-tzu about it.
Tseng-tzu said, Those above have lost their way, the people have long been astray. When thou dost get at the truth, be moved to pity, not puffed with joy.

20. 子貢曰：「紂之不善，不如是之甚也。是以君子惡居下流，天下之惡皆歸焉。」

Tzu-kung said, Chou was not so very wicked! Thus a gentleman hates to live in a hollow, down into which runs all that is foul below heaven.