Confucian Analects Book XIV Part 2 (孔夫子論語:憲問第十四 第二部份)

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

The Master said, In the way of the gentleman there are three things that I cannot achieve. Love is never troubled; wisdom has no doubts; courage is without fear.

憲問第十四

BOOK XIV

16. 子曰:「晉文公譎而不正,齊桓公正而不譎。」

The Master said, Duke Wen of Chin was deep, but dishonest; Duke Huan of Ch'i was honest, but shallow.

17. 子路曰:「桓公殺公子糾,召忽死之,管仲不死。」曰:「未仁乎!」子曰:「桓公 九合諸侯,不以兵車,管仲之力也。如其仁!如其仁!」

Tzu-lu said, When Duke Huan slew the young duke Chiu, and Shao Hu died with him, but Kuan Chung did not, was not this want of love?
The Master said, Duke Huan gathered the great vassals round him, not by chariots of war, but through the might of Kuan Chung. What can love do more? What can love do more?

18. 子貢曰:「管仲非仁者與?桓公殺公子糾,不能死,又相之。」子曰:「管仲相桓公 ,霸諸侯,一匡天下,民到于今受其賜。微管仲,吾其被髮左衽矣!豈若匹夫匹婦之為諒也,自經於溝瀆,而莫之知也!」

Tzu-kung said, When Duke Huan slew the young duke Chiu, and Kuan Chung could not face death and even became his minister, surely he showed want of love?
The Master said, By Kuan Chung helping Duke Huan to put down the great vassals and make all below heaven one, men have fared the better from that day to this. But for Kuan Chung our hair would hang down our backs and our coats would button to the left; or should he, like the bumpkin and his lass, their troth to keep, have drowned in a ditch, unknown to anyone?

19. 公叔文子之臣大夫僎,與文子同升諸公。子聞之曰:「可以為文矣!」

The minister Hsien, who had been steward to Kung-shu Wen, went to audience of the Duke together with Wen.
When the Master heard of it, he said, He is rightly called Wen (well-bred).

20. 子言衛靈公之無道也,康子曰:「夫如是,奚而不喪?」孔子曰:「仲叔圉治賓客, 祝鮀治宗廟,王孫賈治軍旅,夫如是,奚其喪?」

The Master spake of Ling Duke of Wei's contempt for the Way.
K'ang said, If this be so, how does he escape ruin?
Confucius answered, With Chung-shu Yü in charge of the guests, the reader T'o in charge of the Ancestral Temple, and Wang-sun Chia in charge of the troops, how should he come to ruin?

21. 子曰:「其言之不怍,則為之也難!」

The Master said, When words are unblushing, they are hard to make good.

22. 陳成子弒簡公。孔子沐浴而朝,告於哀公曰:「陳恒弒其君,請討之。」公曰:「告 夫三子。」孔子曰:「以吾從大夫之後,不敢不告也!」君曰:「告夫三子者!之三子告,不可。」孔子曰:「以吾從大夫子後,不敢不告也!」

Ch'en Ch'eng murdered Duke Chien.
Confucius bathed, and went to court and told Duke Ai, saying, Ch'en Heng has murdered his lord: pray, punish him.
The Duke said, Tell the three chiefs.
Confucius said, As I follow in the wake of the ministers, I dared not leave this untold; but the lord says, Tell the three chiefs.
He told the three chiefs. It did no good.
Confucius said, As I follow in the wake of the ministers, I dared not leave this untold.

23. 子路問「事君」。子曰:「勿欺也,而犯之。」

Tzu-lu asked how to serve a lord.
The Master said, Never cheat him; stand up to him.

24. 子曰:「君子上達,小人下達。」

The Master said, A gentleman's life leads upwards; the small man's life leads down.

25. 子曰:「古之學者為己,今之學者為人。」

The Master said, The men of old learned for their own sake; to-day men learn for show.

26. 蘧伯玉使人於孔子,孔子與之坐而問焉。曰:「夫子何為?」對曰:「夫子欲寡其過 而未能也。」使者出。子曰:「使乎!使乎!」

Ch'ü Po-yü sent a man to Confucius.
As they sat together, Confucius asked him, What does your master do?
He answered, My master wishes to make his faults fewer, but cannot.
When the messenger had left, the Master said, A messenger, a messenger indeed!

27. 子曰:「不在其位,不謀其政。」

The Master said, When not in office discuss not policy.

28. 曾子曰:「君子思不出其位。」

Tseng-tzu said, Even in his thoughts, a gentleman does not outstep his place.

29. 子曰:「君子恥其言而過其行。」

The Master said, A gentleman is shamefast of speech: his deeds go further.

30. 子曰:「君子道者三,我無能焉:仁者不憂,知者不惑,勇者不懼。」子貢曰:「夫 子自道也!」

The Master said, In the way of the gentleman there are three things that I cannot achieve. Love is never troubled; wisdom has no doubts; courage is without fear.
That is what ye say, Sir, said Tzu-kung.