Confucian Analects Book III (孔夫子論語: 八佾第三) from Administrator's blog

1. 孔子謂季氏，「八佾舞於庭，是可忍也，孰不可忍也？」

Of the Chi having eight rows of dancers in his courtyard, Confucius said, If this is to be borne, what is not to be borne?

2. 三家者以雍徹。子曰：「『相維辟公，天子穆穆』，奚取於三家之堂？」

When the sacrifice was ended, the Three Clans had the Yung hymn sung. The Master said, Princes and dukes assist. Solemn is the Son of heaven; what meaning has this in the courtyard of the Three Clans?

3. 子曰：「人而不仁，如禮何？人而不仁，如樂何？」

The Master said, A man without love, what is courtesy to him? A man without love, what is music to him?

4. 林放問禮之本。子曰：「大哉問！禮，與其奢也，寧儉；喪，與其易也，寧戚。」

Lin Fang asked what good form is at root. The Master said, A big question! At high-tides, thrift is better than waste; at burials, grief is worth more than nicety.

5. 子曰：「夷狄之有君，不如諸夏之亡也。」

The Master said, Every wild tribe has its lord, whereas the lands of Hsia have none!

6. 季氏旅於泰山，子謂冉有曰：「女弗能救與？」對曰：「不能。」子曰：「嗚呼！曾謂 泰山不如林放乎？」

The Chi sacrificed to Mount T'ai. The Master said to Jan Yu, Canst thou not stop this? He answered, I cannot. Alas! said the Master; dost thou think Mount T'ai less wise than Lin Fang?

7. 子曰：「君子無所爭，必也射乎！揖讓而升，下而飲。其爭也君子。」

The Master said, A gentleman never strives with others. Or must he, perhaps, in shooting? But then, as he bows and makes way in going up or steps down to drink, his strife is that of a gentleman.

8. 子夏問曰：「巧笑倩兮，美目盼兮，素以為絢兮。何謂也？」子曰：「繪事後素。」 曰：「禮後乎？」子曰：「起予者商也！始可與言詩矣。」

Tzu-hsia asked, What is the meaning of: Her cunning smiles, Her dimples light, Her lovely eyes, So clear and bright, All unadorned, The background white. Colouring, said the Master, is second to the plain ground. Then good form is second, said Tzu-hsia. Shang, said the Master, thou hast hit my meaning! Now I can talk of poetry to thee.

9. 子曰：「夏禮，吾能言之，杞不足徵也；殷禮，吾能言之，宋不足徵也。文獻不足故 也。足，則吾能徵之矣。」

The Master said, I can speak of the manners of Hsia; but as proof of them Chi is not enough. I can speak of the manners of Yin; but as proof of them Sung is not enough. This is due to their dearth of books and great men. If there were enough of these, I could use them as proofs.

10. 子曰：「禘自既灌而往者，吾不欲觀之矣。」

The Master said, After the drink offering at the Great Sacrifice, I have no wish to see more.

11. 或問禘之說。子曰：「不知也。知其說者之於天下也，其如示諸斯乎！」指其掌。

One asked the meaning of the Great Sacrifice. The Master said, I do not know. He that knew the meaning would overlook all below heaven as I do this—and he pointed to his palm.

12. 祭如在，祭神如神在。子曰：「吾不與祭，如不祭。」

He worshipped as if those whom he worshipped were before him; he worshipped the spirits as if they were before him. The Master said: For me, to take no part in the sacrifice is the same as not sacrificing.

13. 王孫賈問曰：「與其媚於奧，寧媚於灶，何謂也？」子曰：「不然，獲罪於天，吾所 禱也。」

Wang-sun Chia said, What is the meaning of, It is better to court the hearth-god than the god of the home? Not so, said the Master. A sin against Heaven leaves no room for prayer.

14. 子曰：「周監於二代，郁郁乎文哉！吾從周。」

The Master said, Chou looks back on two lines of kings. How rich, how rich it is in art! I follow Chou.

15. 子入太廟，每事問。或曰：「孰謂鄹人之子知禮乎？入太廟，每事問。」子聞之， 曰：「是禮也。」

On going into the Great Temple the Master asked about everything. One said, Who says that the Tsou man's son knows the rites? On going into the Great Temple he asked about everything. When he heard this, the Master said, Such is the rite.

16. 子曰：「射不主皮，為力不同科，古之道也。」

The Master said, In shooting, the arrow need not go right through the target, for men are not the same in strength. This was the old rule.

17. 子貢欲去告朔之餼羊。子曰：「賜也！爾愛其羊，我愛其禮。」

Tzu-kung wished to do away with the sheep offering at the new moon. The Master said, Thou lovest the sheep, Tz'u: I love the rite.

18. 子曰：「事君盡禮，人以為諂也。」

The Master said: Serve the king with all courtesy, men call it fawning.

19. 定公問：「君使臣，臣事君，如之何？」孔子對曰：「君使臣以禮，臣事君以忠。」

Duke Ting asked how a lord should treat his lieges, and how lieges should serve their lord. Confucius answered, The lord should treat his lieges with courtesy; lieges should serve their lord faithfully.

20. 子曰：「關睢，樂而不淫，哀而不傷。」

The Master said, The poem The Osprey is glad, but not wanton; it is sad, but not morbid.

21. 哀公問社於宰我。宰我對曰：「夏后氏以松，殷人以柏，周人以栗，曰，使民戰 栗。」子聞之，曰：「成事不說，遂事不諫，既往不咎。」

Duke Ai asked Tsai Wo about the earth-altars. Tsai Wo answered, The Emperors of the house of Hsia grew firs round them; the men of Yin grew cypress; the men of Chou grew chestnut, which was to say, Let the people tremble. On hearing this, the Master said, I do not speak of what is ended, chide what is settled, or find fault with what is past.

22. 子曰：「管仲之器小哉。」或曰：「管仲儉乎？」曰：「管氏有三歸，官事不攝， 焉得儉？然則管仲知禮乎？」曰：「邦君樹塞門，管氏亦樹塞門。邦君為兩君之好，有反坫，管氏亦有反坫。管氏而知禮，孰不知禮？」

The Master said, How shallow was Kuan Chung! But, said one, was not Kuan Chung thrifty? The Kuan, said the Master, owned San Kuei, and no one of his household held two posts: was that thrift? At least Kuan Chung knew good form. The Master said, Kings screen their gates with trees; the Kuan, too, had trees to screen his gate. When two kings are carousing, they have a stand for the turned-down cups; the Kuan had a turned-down cup-stand, too! If the Kuan knew good form, who does not know good form?

23. 子語魯大師樂，曰：「樂其可知也：始作，翕如也；從之，純如也，皦如也，繹如 也，以成。」

The Master said to the Great Master of Lu, We can learn how to play music; at first each part in unison; then a swell of harmony, each part distinct, rolling on to the finish.

24. 儀封人請見，曰：「君子之至於斯也，吾未嘗不得見也。」從者見之。出曰：「二三 子何患於喪乎？天下之無道也久矣，天將以夫子為木鐸。」

The warden of Yi asked to see Confucius, saying, No gentleman has ever come here whom I have failed to see. The followers took him in. On leaving he said, My two-three boys, why lament your fall? The Way has long been lost below heaven! Now Heaven shall make the Master into a warning bell.

25. 子謂韶，「盡美矣，又盡善也。」謂武，「盡美矣，未盡善也。」 The Master said of the music of Shao, It is thoroughly beautiful, and thoroughly good, too. Of the music of Wu, he said, It is thoroughly beautiful, but not thoroughly good.

26. 子曰：「居上不寬，為禮不敬，臨喪不哀，吾何以觀之哉？」 The Master said, Rank without beauty; ceremony without reverence; mourning without grief, why should I cast them a glance?