Chapter 11 of the Analects of Confucius

子zǐ曰yuē：“先xiān进jìn于yú礼lǐ乐yuè，野yě人rén也yě。后hòu进jìn于yú礼lǐ乐yuè，君jūn子zǐ也yě。如rú用yòng之zhī，则zé吾wú从cóng先xiān进jìn。”

XI.1. The Master said: — In the matter of ceremony and music, those who came before us pass for uncultured people, and those who came after, for wise men. In practice, I follow the ancients.

子zǐ曰yuē：“从cóng我wǒ于yú陈chén蔡cài者zhě，皆jiē不bù及jí门mén也yě。德dé行xíng：颜yán渊yuān、闵mǐn子zǐ骞qiān、冉rǎn伯bó牛niú、仲zhòng弓gōng；言yán语yǔ：宰zǎi我wǒ、子zǐ贡gòng；政zhèng事shì：冉rǎn有yǒu、季jì路lù；文wén学xué：子zǐ游yóu、子zǐ夏xià。”

XI.2. The Master said: — Of all the disciples who accompanied me to the principalities of Chen and Cai, none now frequents my school. Yan Hui, Min Ziqian, Ran Boniu, and Zhonggong were remarkable for their virtues; Zai Wo and Zigong, for their skill in speaking; Ran You and Jilu, for their skill in governing; Ziyou and Zixia, for their literary skill and erudition.

子zǐ曰yuē：“回huí也yě，非fēi助zhù我wǒ者zhě也yě。于yú吾wú言yán无wú所suǒ不bù说yuè。”

XI.3. The Master said: — Hui never gave me cause to speak; he was content with everything I said.

子zǐ曰yuē：“孝xiào哉zāi，闵mǐn子zǐ骞qiān。人rén不bù间jiàn于yú其qí父fù母mǔ昆kūn弟dì之zhī言yán。”

XI.4. The Master said: — How remarkable was Min Ziqian for his filial piety! No stranger speaks of him otherwise than his father, mother, and brothers.

南nán容róng三sān复fù白bái圭guī，孔kǒng子zǐ以yǐ其qí兄xiōng之zhī子zǐ妻qì之zhī。

XI.5. Nan Rong, in order to remember that he must speak with circumspection, often repeated these words of the Shu Jing: A white tablet can be polished and its defects will disappear. Confucius gave him his brother's daughter in marriage.

季jì康kāng子zǐ问wèn：“弟dì子zǐ孰shú为wéi好hào学xué？”孔kǒng子zǐ对duì曰yuē：“有yǒu颜yán回huí者zhě好hào学xué，不bù幸xìng短duǎn命mìng死sǐ矣yǐ。今jīn也yě则zé亡wáng。”

XI.6. Ji Kangzi asked Confucius which of his disciples devoted himself wholeheartedly to the study of wisdom. The Master replied: — Yan Hui devoted himself to it with all his might. Unfortunately he died young. At present no one equals him.

颜yán渊yuān死sǐ，颜yán路lù请qǐng子zǐ之zhī车chē以yǐ为wéi之zhī椁guǒ。子zǐ曰yuē：“才cái不bù才cái，亦yì各gè言yán其qí子zǐ也yě。鲤lǐ也yě死sǐ，有yǒu棺guān而ér无wú椁guǒ。吾wú不bù徒tú行xíng以yǐ为wéi之zhī椁guǒ。以yǐ吾wú从cóng大dà夫fū之zhī后hòu，不bù可kě徒tú行xíng也yě。”

XI.7. When Yan Yuan died, Yan Lu asked for Confucius's carriage, in order to use its price to buy an outer coffin for the deceased. The Master replied: — In a father's eyes, a son is always a son, whether talented or not. When my son Li died, he had a coffin, but no outer coffin to contain and protect the first. I did not go on foot in order to provide him with an outer coffin. As I come immediately after the great prefects, it is not fitting that I should go on foot.

颜yán渊yuān死sǐ，子zǐ曰yuē：“噫yī！天tiān丧sàng予yú！天tiān丧sàng予yú！”

XI.8. When Yan Yuan died, the Master said: — Alas! Heaven has taken my life from me! Heaven has destroyed me!

颜yán渊yuān死sǐ，子zǐ哭kū之zhī恸tòng。从cóng者zhě曰yuē：“子zǐ恸tòng矣yǐ。”曰yuē：“有yǒu恸tòng乎hū？非fēi夫fú人rén之zhī为wéi恸tòng而ér谁shéi为wéi？”

XI.9. The Master wept bitterly at the death of Yan Yuan. His disciples said to him: — Master, your grief is excessive. He replied: — Is my grief excessive? If there is ever occasion to experience great affliction, is it not after the loss of such a man?

颜yán渊yuān死sǐ，门mén人rén欲yù厚hòu葬zàng之zhī。子zǐ曰yuē：“不bù可kě。”门mén人rén厚hòu葬zàng之zhī。子zǐ曰yuē：“回huí也yě视shì予yú犹yóu父fù也yě，予yú不bù得dé视shì犹yóu子zǐ也yě。非fēi我wǒ也yě，夫fú二èr三sān子zǐ也yě。”

XI.10. When Yan Yuan died, Confucius's disciples wished to give him a lavish burial. The Master said: — This is not proper. The disciples buried him lavishly nonetheless. The Master said: — Hui regarded me as his father; as for me, I was unable to treat him as my son — that is, to bury him modestly as I buried my son Li. It is not I who am the cause of this, but these disciples.

Notes:

XI.1. Confucius calls "the ancients" the men who lived in the last period of the Zhou dynasty. Among the ancients, ceremony and music were perfect both in substance and in form. In Confucius's time, they were considered too simple, and the ancients themselves were regarded as uncultured men. Later, ceremony and music had more appearance than substance. Nevertheless, in Confucius's time, they were considered perfect in substance and form, and the moderns were regarded as wise men.

XI.2. Some were at home, others in office; some were still living, others were dead.

XI.3. He never had doubt or difficulty and did not question his master. How could he have prompted him to discourse?

XI.7. Li, also named Bo Yu, was Confucius's son. He died before his father. Confucius said that Li, although inferior to Yan Yuan in talent and virtue, was nonetheless his son, just as Yan Yuan was his disciple.

季jì路lù问wèn事shì鬼guǐ神shén。子zǐ曰yuē：“未wèi能néng事shì人rén，焉yān能néng事shì鬼guǐ？”“敢gǎn问wèn死sǐ？”曰yuē：“未wèi知zhī生shēng，焉yān知zhī死sǐ？”

XI.11. Zilu questioned Confucius on the manner of honoring the spirits. The Master replied: — He who does not know how to fulfill his duties toward men, how will he know how to honor the spirits? Zilu resumed: — Allow me to question you about death. The Master replied: — He who does not know what life is, how will he know what death is?

Notes:

XI.11. The philosopher Cheng said: "He who knows what life is, knows what death is. He who perfectly fulfills his duties toward his superiors, perfectly fulfills his duties toward the spirits."

闵mǐn子zǐ伺sì侧cè，唁yàn唁yàn如rú也yě。子zǐ路lù，行xíng行xíng如rú也yě。冉rǎn有yǒu、子zǐ贡gòng，侃kǎn侃kǎn如rú也yě。子zǐ乐lè：“若ruò由yóu也yě，不bù得dé其qí死sǐ然rán。”

XI.12. One day Min Ziqian stood beside Confucius with a firm and amiable air, Zilu with the air of a brave and bold man, Ran You and Zigong with a serious air. The Master was pleased to see this firmness showing in their bearing. — A man like You, he said, cannot die a natural death.

鲁lǔ人rén为wéi长cháng府fǔ，闵mǐn子zǐ骞qiān曰yuē：“仍réng旧jiù贯guàn，如rú之zhī何hé？何hé必bì改gǎi作zuò。”子zǐ曰yuē：“夫fú人rén不bù言yán，言yán必bì有yǒu中zhòng。”

XI.13. The ministers of the principality of Lu wanted to rebuild from scratch the storehouse called Changfu. Min Ziqian said: — If the old building were repaired, would that not be good? Is it necessary to erect a new one? The Master said: — This man does not speak lightly; when he speaks, he speaks very well.

子zǐ曰yuē：“由yóu之zhī瑟sè，奚xī为wéi于yú丘qiū之zhī门mén？”门mén人rén不bù敬jìng子zǐ路lù。子zǐ曰yuē：“由yóu也yě升shēng堂táng矣yǐ，未wèi入rù于yú室shì也yě。”

XI.14. The Master said: — Why does You's lute make itself heard in my school? Confucius's disciples, having heard these words, conceived contempt for Zilu. The Master said to them: — You has already ascended to the temple of wisdom; but he has not yet penetrated into the sanctuary.

Notes:

XI.14. Zilu was of a rigid and impetuous character. The sounds of his lute imitated the cries that the inhabitants of the northern regions give during battles and massacres. The philosopher reproved him, saying: "In my school, the golden mean and harmony form the basis of teaching. You's lute entirely lacks harmony. Why does it make itself heard in my school?" Confucius's disciples, having heard these words, showed no more esteem for Zilu. The Master, to disabuse them, said: "Zilu, in the path of wisdom, has already reached a region where the ordinary man has not arrived; but he has not yet achieved the perfection that only the sage attains."

子zǐ贡gòng问wèn：“师shī与yú商shāng也yě孰shú贤xián？”子zǐ曰yuē：“师shī也yě过guò，商shāng也yě不bù及jí。”曰yuē：“然rán则zé师shī愈yù与yú？”子zǐ曰yuē：“过guò犹yóu不bù及jí。”

XI.15. Zigong asked which was superior, Shi or Shang. The Master replied: — Shi goes beyond the limits; Shang remains below them. Zigong resumed: — Then does Shi surpass Shang? The Master replied: — Going beyond the limits is no less a defect than remaining below them.

季jì氏shì富fù于yú周zhōu公gōng，而ér求qiú也yě为wéi之zhī聚jù敛liǎn而ér附fù益yì之zhī。子zǐ曰yuē：“非fēi吾wú徒tú也yě。小xiǎo子zǐ鸣míng鼓gǔ而ér攻gōng之zhī可kě也yě。”

XI.16. Ji had become richer than Zhougong had been. Nevertheless, Qiu levied taxes for him, and further increased his opulence. The Master said: — Ran You is no longer my disciple. My dear children, beat the drum and attack him — you will do well.

柴chái也yě愚yú，参shēn也yě鲁lǔ，师shī也yě辟pì，由yóu也yě谚yàn。

XI.17. Confucius said: — Chai is poorly educated, Shen is not very perspicacious, Shi is more concerned with a fine appearance than with true virtue; You is not polite enough.

子zǐ曰yuē：“回huí也yě其qí庶shù乎hū。屡lǚ空kōng。赐cì不bù受shòu命mìng，而ér货huò殖zhí焉yān，亿yì则zé屡lǚ中zhòng。”

XI.18. The Master said: — Hui had almost attained the highest perfection. He was ordinarily in want. Si does not submit to Providence; he accumulates riches; but he is judicious.

子zǐ张zhāng问wèn善shàn人rén之zhī道dào。子zǐ曰yuē：“不bù践jiàn迹jì，亦yì不bù入rù于yú室shì。”

XI.19. Zizhang questioned Confucius on the virtue of those who are naturally good. The Master replied: — They do not walk in the footsteps of the sages; they will not enter the sanctuary of wisdom.

子zǐ曰yuē：“论lùn笃dǔ是shì与yú？君jūn子zǐ者zhě乎hū，色sè庄zhuāng者zhě乎hū？”

XI.20. The Master said: — From the fact that a man makes solid dissertations on virtue, one should not immediately judge that he is virtuous. One must examine whether he is truly a sage, or whether he only has the appearance of one.

子zǐ路lù问wèn：“闻wén斯sī行xíng诸zhū？”子zǐ曰yuē：“有yǒu父fù兄xiōng在zài，如rú之zhī何hé闻wén斯sī行xíng之zhī？”冉rǎn有yǒu问wèn：“闻wén斯sī行xíng诸zhū？”子zǐ曰yuē：“闻wén斯sī行xíng之zhī。”公gōng西xī华huá曰yuē：“由yóu也yě问wèn闻wén斯sī行xíng诸zhū，子zǐ曰yuē有yǒu父fù兄xiōng在zài。求qiú也yě问wèn闻wén斯sī行xíng诸zhū，子zǐ曰yuē闻wén斯sī行xíng之zhī。赤chì也yě惑huò，敢gǎn问wèn。”子zǐ曰yuē：“求qiú也yě退tuì，故gù进jìn之zhī；由yóu也yě兼jiān人rén，故gù退tuì之zhī。”

XI.21. Zilu said to Confucius: — When I receive a useful teaching, must I put it into practice immediately? The Master replied: — You still have your father and brothers older than yourself. Would it be fitting to put immediately into execution everything useful you learn? Ran You also asked whether he should put into practice without delay everything good he learned. The Master replied: — Do it right away. Gongxi Hua said: — You asked whether he should immediately put into execution everything useful he learns. The Master replied that he still had his father and older brothers. Qiu asked the same question in the same terms. The Master replied that he should put into practice immediately everything good he learns. I, Chi, am uncertain; I dare ask you to explain it. Confucius said: — Qiu does not dare advance; I pushed him forward. You has as much ardor and boldness as two; I stopped and pulled him back.

子zǐ畏wèi于yú匡kuāng，颜yán渊yuān后hòu。子zǐ曰yuē：“吾wú以yǐ汝rǔ为wéi死sǐ矣yǐ。”曰yuē：“子zǐ在zài，回huí何hé敢gǎn死sǐ？”

XI.22. The Master had run great danger in the town of Kuang. Yan Yuan had remained behind. Confucius said to him: — I thought you were dead. Yan Yuan replied: — While you still live, how could I have allowed myself to risk death?

季jì子zǐ然rán问wèn：“仲zhòng由yóu、冉rǎn求qiú，可kě谓wèi大dà臣chén与yú？”子zǐ曰yuē：“吾wú以yǐ子zǐ为wéi异yì之zhī问wèn，曾zēng由yóu与yú求qiú之zhī问wèn。所suǒ谓wèi大dà臣chén者zhě，以yǐ道dào事shì君jūn，不bù可kě则zé止zhǐ。今jīn由yóu与yú求qiú也yě，可kě谓wèi具jù臣chén矣yǐ。”曰yuē：“然rán则zé从cóng之zhī者zhě与yú？”子zǐ曰yuē：“弑shì父fù与yú君jūn，亦yì不bù从cóng也yě。”

XI.23. Ji Ziran asked Confucius whether Zilu and Ran You had the necessary talents to be great ministers. The Master replied: — I thought you were going to speak to me of extraordinary men, and you speak to me of You and Qiu. A great minister is one who serves his prince according to the rules of justice, and who retires as soon as he can no longer do so. You and Qiu can perform the functions of ministers in an ordinary way. Ji Ziran added: — Will they be obedient to their masters? Confucius replied: — Their obedience will not go so far as to be implicated in parricide or regicide.

Notes:

XI.23. Ji Ziran was the son of Ji Pingzi and younger brother of Ji Huanzi. He believed that his family had greatly benefited by attracting Zilu and Ran You into its service. Ji Huanzi was the head of the Ji family.

子zǐ路lù使shǐ子zǐ羔gāo为wéi费fèi宰zǎi，子zǐ曰yuē：“贼zéi夫fú人rén之zhī子zǐ。”子zǐ路lù曰yuē：“有yǒu民mín人rén焉yān，有yǒu社shè稷jì焉yān。何hé必bì读dú书shū，然rán后hòu为wéi学xué。”子zǐ曰yuē：“是shì故gù恶wù夫fú佞nìng者zhě。”

XI.24. Zilu had appointed Zigao as governor of the town of Fei. The Master said: — This is doing great harm to this young man and his father. Zilu replied: — He is in charge of directing the people and the officials, of honoring the spirits that preside over the earth and harvests. For him to be considered as having learned the art of governing, must he necessarily study books? The Master replied: — I detest these fine talkers.

子zǐ路lù、曾zēng皙xī、冉rǎn有yǒu、公gōng西xī华huá伺sì坐zuò，子zǐ曰yuē：“以yǐ吾wú一yī日rì长zhǎng乎hū尔ěr，毋wú吾wú以yǐ也yě。居jū则zé曰yuē：不bù吾wú知zhī也yě。如rú或huò知zhī尔ěr，则zé何hé以yǐ哉zāi？”子zǐ路lù率shuài尔ěr对duì曰yuē：“千qiān乘shèng之zhī国guó，摄shè乎hū大dà国guó之zhī间jiān，加jiā之zhī以yǐ师shī旅lǚ，因yīn之zhī以yǐ饥jī馑jǐn，由yóu也yě为wéi之zhī，比bǐ及jí三sān年nián，可kě使shǐ有yǒu勇yǒng，且qiě知zhī方fāng也yě。”夫fú子zǐ哂shěn之zhī：“求qiú，尔ěr何hé如rú？”对duì曰yuē：“方fāng六liù七qī十shí，如rú五wǔ六liù十shí，求qiú也yě为wéi之zhī，比bǐ及jí三sān年nián，可kě使shǐ足zú民mín。如rú其qí礼lǐ乐yuè，以yǐ俟sì君jūn子zǐ。”“赤chì，尔ěr何hé如rú？”对duì曰yuē：“非fēi曰yuē能néng之zhī，愿yuàn学xué焉yān。宗zōng庙miào之zhī事shì，如rú会huì同tóng，端duān章zhāng甫fǔ，愿yuàn为wéi小xiǎo相xiàng焉yān。”“点diǎn，尔ěr何hé如rú？”鼓gǔ瑟sè希xī，铿kēng尔ěr，舍shě瑟sè而ér作zuò，对duì曰yuē：“异yì乎hū三sān子zǐ者zhě之zhī撰zhuàn。”子zǐ曰yuē：“何hé伤shāng乎hū？亦yì各gè言yán其qí志zhì也yě。”曰yuē：“暮mù春chūn者zhě，春chūn服fú既jì成chéng，冠guān者zhě五wǔ六liù人rén，童tóng子zǐ六liù七qī人rén，浴yù乎hū沂yí，风fēng乎hū舞wǔ雩yú，咏yǒng而ér归guī。”夫fú子zǐ喟kuì然rán叹tàn曰yuē：“吾wú与yú点diǎn也yě。”三sān子zǐ者zhě出chū，曾zēng皙xī后hòu，曾zēng皙xī曰yuē：“夫fú三sān子zǐ者zhě之zhī言yán何hé如rú？”子zǐ曰yuē：“亦yì各gè言yán其qí志zhì也yě已yǐ矣yǐ。”曰yuē：“夫fú子zǐ何hé哂shěn由yóu也yě？”曰yuē：“为wéi国guó以yǐ礼lǐ。其qí言yán不bù让ràng，是shì故gù哂shěn之zhī。”“唯wéi求qiú则zé非fēi邦bāng也yě与yú？”“安ān见jiàn方fāng六liù七qī十shí如rú五wǔ六liù十shí而ér非fēi邦bāng也yě者zhě？”“唯wéi赤chì则zé非fēi邦bāng也yě与yú？”“宗zōng庙miào会huì同tóng，非fēi诸zhū侯hóu而ér何hé？赤chì也yě为wéi之zhī小xiǎo，孰shú能néng为wéi之zhī大dà！”

XI.25. The Master said to Zilu, Zeng Xi, Ran You, and Gongxi Hua, who were seated beside him: — Speak to me frankly, without considering that I am a little older than you. Left in private life, you say: 'Men do not know me.' If men knew you, what would you do? Zilu hastened to reply: — Suppose that a principality, possessing a thousand war chariots, is held as if in servitude between two very powerful neighboring principalities; that, moreover, it is invaded by a numerous army; that afterwards grain and vegetables are lacking; if I were charged with governing it, within three years I could inspire courage in the inhabitants, and make them love justice. The Master smiled. — And you, Qiu, said he, what would you do? Ran You replied: — If I had to govern a small country of sixty to seventy stades, or fifty to sixty, within three years I could bring the people to prosperity. As for ceremonies and music, I would await the coming of a sage. Confucius said: — You, Chi, what would you do? Gongxi Hua replied: — I do not say that I am capable of it, but I would desire to learn it. I would desire, wearing a dark tunic and a black cap, to fulfill the office of minor assistant in ceremonies in honor of the ancestors, and at receptions at the imperial court, both when the princes all gather there together and when they are summoned there on a particular occasion. Confucius said: — You, Dian, what would you do? Zeng Xi stopped playing his lute; but the strings still vibrated. He laid it down, rose, and replied: — I do not share the aspirations of the three other disciples. The Master said: — What harm is there? Each may express his feeling. Zeng Xi resumed: — At the end of spring, when the clothes of the season are finished, to go with five or six young men of twenty years or more, with six or seven others somewhat younger, to wash my hands and feet at the warm spring of the Yi river, to breathe the fresh air under the trees of Wu Yu, to sing verses, and to return; that is what I would like. The Master said with a sigh: — I approve the sentiment of Dian. When the three other disciples had withdrawn, Zeng Xi, remaining alone, said: — What should one think of what these three disciples said? The Master replied: — Each of them expressed his feeling, and that is all. Zeng Xi said: — Why did the Master smile after hearing You? The Master replied: — He who governs a State must show modesty. You's language was not modest. That is why I smiled. Zeng Xi said: — Did not Qiu also speak of the government of a State? Confucius replied: — Is there a feudal domain of sixty to seventy stades, or fifty to sixty, that is not a State, a principality? Zeng Xi said: — Did not Chi also speak of the government of a State? Confucius replied: — The offerings to the ancestors of the princes, the meetings of princes whether particular or general — whom do they concern, if not the princes? If Chi is only a minor assistant, who can be a grand assistant?