Confucian Analects Book XVII Part 2 (孔夫子論語:陽貨第十七 第二部份)

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

The Master said, Men of old had three failings, which have, perhaps, died out to-day. Ambitious men of old were not nice; now they are unprincipled. Stern men of old were hard; now they are quarrelsome. Ignorant men of old were straight; now they are false. That is all.

陽貨第十七

BOOK XVII

9. 子曰:「小子!何莫學夫詩?詩,可以興,可以觀,可以群,可以怨。邇之事父,遠 之事君,多識於鳥獸草木之名。」

The Master said, My little children, why do ye not learn poetry? Poetry would ripen you; teach you insight, friendliness and forbearance; show you how to serve your father at home; and teach your lord abroad; and it would teach you the names of many birds and beasts, plants and trees.

10. 子謂伯魚曰:「女為周南召南矣乎?人而不為周南,召南,其猶正牆面而立也與?」

The Master said to Po-yü, Hast thou done the Chou-nan and Shao-nan? He that has not done the Chou-nan and Shao-nan is like a man standing with his face to the wall.

11. 子曰:「禮云禮云,玉帛云乎哉?樂云樂云,鐘鼓云乎哉?」

The Master said, 'Courtesy, courtesy,' is the cry; but are jade and silk the whole of courtesy? 'Music, music,' is the cry; but are bells and drums the whole of music?

12. 子曰:「色厲而內荏,譬諸小人,其猶穿窬之盜也與。」

The Master said, Fierce looks and weakness within are like the small man, like the thief that breaks through or clambers over a wall.

13. 子曰:「鄉原,德之賊也。」

The Master said, The plain townsman is the bane of mind.

14. 子曰:「道聽而塗說,德之棄也。」

The Master said, To tell unto the dust all that we hear upon the way is to lay waste the mind.

15. 子曰:「鄙夫可與事君也與?其未得之也,患得之;既得之,患失之。苟患失之,無 所不至矣!」

The Master said, How can we serve the king with a low fellow, who is itching to get what he wants and trembling to lose what he has? This trembling to lose what he has may lead him anywhere.

16. 子曰:「古者民有三疾,今也或是之亡也。古之狂也肆,今之狂也蕩;古之矜也廉, 今之矜也忿戾;古之愚也直,今之愚也詐而已矣。」

The Master said, Men of old had three failings, which have, perhaps, died out to-day. Ambitious men of old were not nice; now they are unprincipled. Stern men of old were hard; now they are quarrelsome. Ignorant men of old were straight; now they are false. That is all.