Confucian Analects Book XV Part 1 (孔夫子論語:衛靈公第十五 第一部份) from Administrator's blog

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

The Master said, A high will, or a loving heart, will not seek life at cost of love. To fulfil love they will kill the body.

衛靈公第十五

BOOK XV

1. 衛靈公問陳於孔子,孔子對曰:「俎豆之事,則嘗聞之矣;軍旅之事,未之學也。」 明日遂行。在陳絕糧。從者病,莫能興。子路慍見曰:「君子亦有窮乎?」子曰:「君子固窮,小人窮斯濫矣。」

Ling, Duke of Wei, asked Confucius about the line of battle. Confucius answered. Of the ritual of dish and platter I have heard somewhat: I have not learnt warfare. He left the next day. In Ch'en grain ran out. His followers were too ill to rise. Tzu-lu showed that he was put out. Has a gentleman to face want too? he said. Gentlemen have indeed to face want, said the Master. The small man, when he is in want, runs to excess.

2. 子曰:「賜也,女以予為多學而識之者與?」對曰:「然,非與?」曰:「非也!予 一以貫之。」

The Master said, Tz'u, dost thou not take me for a man that has learnt much and thought it over? Yes, he answered: is it not so? No, said the Master. I string all into one.

3. 子曰:「由,知德者鮮矣!」

The Master said, Yu, how few men know great-heartedness!

4. 子曰:「無為而治者,其舜也與!夫何為哉?恭己正南面而已矣。」

The Master said, To rule doing nothing, was what Shun did. For what is there to do? Self-respect and to set the face to rule, is all.

5. 子張問「行」。子曰:「言忠信,行篤敬,雖蠻貊之邦行矣;言不忠信,行不篤敬, 雖州里行乎哉?立則見其參於前也,在輿則見其倚於衡也,夫然後行!」子張書諸紳。

Tzu-chang asked how to get on. The Master said, Be faithful and true of word, plain and lowly in thy walk; thou wilt get on even in tribal lands. If thy words be not faithful and true, thy walk not plain and lowly, wilt thou get on even in thine own town? Standing, see these words ranged before thee; driving, see them written upon the yoke. Then thou wilt get on. Tzu-chang wrote them on his girdle.

6. 子曰:「直哉史魚!邦有道如矢,邦無道如矢。君子哉蘧伯玉!邦有道則仕,邦無道 則可卷而懷之。」

The Master said, Straight indeed was the historian Yü! Like an arrow whilst the land kept the Way; and like an arrow when it lost the Way! What a gentleman was Ch'ü Po-yü! Whilst the land kept the Way he took office, and when the land had lost the Way he rolled himself up in thought.

7. 子曰:「可與言而不與之言,失人;不可與言而與之言,失言。知者不失人,亦不 失言。」

The Master said, Not to speak to him that has ears to hear is to spill the man. To speak to a man without ears to hear is to spill thy words. Wisdom spills neither man nor words.

8. 子曰:「志士仁人,無求生以害仁,有殺身以成仁。」

The Master said, A high will, or a loving heart, will not seek life at cost of love. To fulfil love they will kill the body.

9. 子貢問為仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之賢者,友其 士之仁者。」

Tzu-kung asked how to attain to love. The Master said, A workman bent on good work must first sharpen his tools. In the land that is thy home, serve those that are worthy among the great and make friends with loving knights.

10. 顏淵問為邦。子曰:「行夏之時,乘殷之輅,服周之冕。樂則韶舞,放鄭聲,遠佞人 。鄭聲淫,佞人殆。」

Yen Yüan asked how to rule a kingdom. The Master said, Follow the Hsia seasons, drive in the chariot of Yin, wear the head-dress of Chou, take for music the Shao and its dance. Banish the strains of Cheng and flee men that are glib; for the strains of Cheng are wanton and glib speakers are dangerous.


Previous post     
     Next post
     Blog home
No comments

The Wall

You need to sign in to comment