Chapter 15 of the Analects of Confucius

卫Wei灵Ling公gong问wen陈zhen于yu孔Kong子zi。孔Kong子zi对dui曰yue：“俎zu豆dou之zhi事shi，则ze尝chang闻wen之zhi矣yi。军jun旅lv之zhi事shi，未wei之zhi学xue也ye。”明日mingri遂sui行xing。在zai陈Chen绝jue粮liang，从cong者zhe病bing，莫mo能neng兴xing。子Zi路lu愠yun见jian曰yue：“君jun子zi亦yi有you穷qiong乎hu？”子Zi曰yue：“君jun子zi固gu穷qiong，小xiao人ren穷qiong斯si滥lan矣yi。”

XV.1. Ling, prince of Wei, questioned Confucius about the art of drawing up armies in battle. Confucius replied:
— I have been taught the manner of arranging the stands and the wooden vessels for the sacrifices; I have not learned to command armies.
Confucius departed the very next day. In the principality of Chen, provisions failed him. His companions were weakened by hunger; none of them had the strength to rise any longer. Zilu, indignant, presented himself before him and said:
— Is the sage also liable to lack everything?
— The sage, replied the Master, remains constant and courageous in distress. A vulgar man, in distress, no longer knows any law.

子Zi曰yue：“赐Ci也ye，如ru以yi予yu为wei多duo学xue而er识zhi之zhi者zhe与yu？”对dui曰yue：“然ran。非fei与yu？”曰yue：“非fei也ye。予yu一yi以yi贯guan之zhi。”

XV.2. The Master said:
— Ci, do you consider me a man who has learned much and retained much?
— Yes, replied Zigong. Am I mistaken?
— You are mistaken, replied Confucius. A single thing gives me the understanding of everything.

子Zi曰yue：“由You，知zhi德de者zhe鲜xian矣yi。”

XV.3. The Master said:
— You, few men know virtue.

Notes: He who does not possess it can know neither its nature nor its charms.

子Zi曰yue：“无wu为wei而er治zhi者zhe，其qi舜Shun也ye与yu？夫fu何he为wei哉zai。恭gong己ji正zheng南nan面mian而er已yi矣yi。”

XV.4. The Master said:
— Shun was a prince who, almost without needing to do anything, maintained the empire in perfect order. What did he do? He watched attentively over himself and held himself gravely, his face turned toward the south.

子Zi张Zhang问wen行xing。子Zi曰yue：“言yan忠zhong信xin，行xing笃du敬jing，虽sui蛮man貊mo之zhi邦bang行xing矣yi。言yan不bu忠zhong信xin，行xing不bu笃du敬jing，虽sui州zhou里li行xing乎hu哉zai？立li，则ze见jian其qi参can于yu前qian也ye；在zai舆yu，则ze见jian其qi倚yi于yu衡heng也ye。夫fu然ran后hou行xing。”子Zi张Zhang书shu诸zhu绅shen。

XV.5. Zizhang asked what was the means of acting upon other men. The Master replied:
— A man sincere and truthful in his words, prudent and circumspect in his actions, will have influence, even among the barbarians of the south or the north. A man who is neither sincere nor truthful in his words, neither prudent nor circumspect in his actions, will he have any influence, even in a town or a village? When you are standing, see in thought these four virtues standing beside you, before your eyes. When you are in your carriage, contemplate them seated upon the yoke. By this means, you will acquire influence.
Zizhang wrote these words of the Master on his sash.

子Zi曰yue：“直zhi哉zai史Shi鱼Yu。邦bang有you道dao如ru矢shi，邦bang无wu道dao如ru矢shi。君jun子zi哉zai遽Ju伯Bo玉Yu。邦bang有you道dao则ze仕shi，邦bang无wu道dao则ze可ke卷juan而er怀huai之zhi。”

XV.6. The Master said:
— How admirable is the uprightness of the historiographer Yu! Whether the government be well or ill ordered, he always follows the straight path, like an arrow. How wise is Ju Boyu! When the government is well ordered, he holds office. When the government is ill ordered, he knows how to withdraw and keep his virtue hidden.

Notes: The historiographer was an official annalist. Yu was daifu in the principality of Wei; his name was Qiu. After his death, having become a corpse, he still gave counsel to his prince. Ill and about to die, he said to his son: « At the prince's court, I was unable to obtain that offices be entrusted to wise men and refused to vicious men. After my death, the funeral ceremonies must not be performed. It will suffice to lay my body in the hall that is to the north. » The prince, having gone to make the customary lamentations, asked the reason for this singularity. The son of the deceased replied with an accent of deep grief: « My father so ordered it. » « I am at fault », said the prince. At once he ordered the body of the deceased to be clothed in the place where this honour was rendered to his guests. Then he gave office to Ju Boyu and removed Mi Zixia (his unworthy minister).

子Zi曰yue：“可ke与yu言yan而er不bu与yu之zhi言yan，失shi人ren；不bu可ke与yu言yan而er与yu之zhi言yan，失shi言yan。知zhi者zhe不bu失shi人ren，亦yi不bu失shi言yan。”

XV.7. The Master said:
— If you refuse to instruct a man who has the requisite dispositions, you lose a man, that is to say, you leave in ignorance a man whom you could render virtuous and wise. If you teach a man who has not the necessary dispositions, you waste your instructions. A prudent man loses neither men nor his teachings.

子Zi曰yue：“志zhi士shi仁ren人ren，无wu求qiu生sheng以yi害hai仁ren，有you杀sha身shen以yi成cheng仁ren。”

XV.8. The Master said:
— A man who is perfect or resolved to become so never seeks to save his life at the expense of his virtue. There are circumstances in which he sacrifices his life, and thus sets the crown upon his virtue.

子Zi贡Gong问wen为wei仁ren。子Zi曰yue：“工gong欲yu善shan其qi事shi，必bi先xian利li其qi器qi。居ju是shi邦bang也ye，事shi其qi大da夫fu之zhi贤xian者zhe，友you其qi士shi之zhi仁ren者zhe。”

XV.9. Zigong asked what one must do to become perfect. The Master replied:
— The workman who wishes to do his work well must begin by sharpening his tools. In the region where he dwells, let him put himself in the service of the best daifu; let him contract friendship with the most perfect men.

颜Yan渊Yuan问wen为wei邦bang。子Zi曰yue：“行xing夏Xia之zhi时shi，乘cheng殷Yin之zhi辂lu，服fu周Zhou之zhi冕mian，乐yue则ze韶Shao舞wu。放fang郑Zheng声sheng，远yuan佞ning人ren。郑Zheng声sheng淫yin，佞ning人ren殆dai。”

XV.10. Yan Yuan asked Confucius what one must do to govern a State well.
The Master replied:
— The emperor must follow the calendar of the Xia. He must adopt the carriage of the Yin and wear in the ceremonies the cap of the Zhou. He must have the songs of Shao performed. He must banish the songs of the principality of Zheng and keep away smooth talkers. The songs of Zheng are obscene; smooth talkers are dangerous.

子Zi曰yue：“人ren无wu远yuan虑lv，必bi有you近jin忧you。”

XV.11. The Master said:
— He whose foresight does not extend far will soon be in difficulty.

子Zi曰yue：“已yi矣yi乎hu！吾wu未wei见jian好hao德de如ru好hao色se者zhe也ye。”

XV.12. The Master said:
— Must one then despair? I have not yet seen a man who loved virtue as much as one loves a beautiful appearance.

子Zi曰yue：“臧Zang文Wen仲Zhong，其qi窃qie位wei者zhe与yu？知zhi柳Liu下Xia惠Hui之zhi贤xian，而er不bu与yu立li也ye。”

XV.13. The Master said:
— Did not Zang Wenzhong use his dignity like a thief? He knew the wisdom of Hui of Liuxia and did not request him as a colleague at the prince's court.

Notes: Hui of Liuxia was Chen Huan, named Qin, a great prefect of Lu. He drew his emoluments from the town of Liuxia. He received the posthumous name of Hui, which means Beneficent.

子Zi曰yue：“躬gong自zi厚hou而er薄bo责ze于yu人ren，则ze远yuan怨yuan矣yi。”

XV.14. The Master said:
— He who reproaches himself severely for his own faults and rebukes others with indulgence avoids resentments.

子Zi曰yue：“不bu曰yue如ru之zhi何he如ru之zhi何he者zhe，吾wu末mo如ru之zhi何he也ye已yi矣yi。”

XV.15. The Master said:
— There is nothing I can do for the man who does not ask: How shall I do this? how shall I do that?

子Zi曰yue：“群qun居ju终zhong日ri，言yan不bu及ji义yi，好hao行xing小xiao慧hui，难nan矣yi哉zai！”

XV.16. Confucius said:
— Those who gather in a troop and remain together all day long, who say nothing good and wish to follow the deceptive lights of their own prudence, what difficulty will they not have!

Notes: They cannot enter the way of virtue; they will have sorrows and pains.

子Zi曰yue：“君jun子zi义yi以yi为wei质zhi，礼li以yi行xing之zhi，孙sun以yi出chu之zhi，信xin以yi成cheng之zhi。君jun子zi哉zai！”

XV.17. The Master said:
— The sage takes justice as his foundation; he practises it according to the rules established by the ancients; he displays it modestly; he keeps it always sincerely. Such a man deserves the name of sage.

子Zi曰yue：“君jun子zi病bing无wu能neng焉yan，不bu病bing人ren之zhi不bu己ji知zhi也ye。”

XV.18. The Master said:
— The sage grieves at being unable to practise virtue perfectly; he does not grieve at not being known by men.

子Zi曰yue：“君jun子zi疾ji没mo世shi而er名ming不bu称cheng焉yan。”

XV.19. The Master said:
— The sage does not wish to die before he has made himself worthy of praise.

子Zi曰yue：“君jun子zi求qiu诸zhu己ji，小xiao人ren求qiu诸zhu人ren。”

XV.20. The Master said:
— The sage expects everything from his own efforts; the vulgar man expects everything from the favour of others.

子Zi曰yue：“君jun子zi矜jin而er不bu争zheng，群qun而er不bu党dang。”

XV.21. The Master said:
— The sage is master of himself and has no dispute with anyone; he is sociable, but is not a man of party.

子Zi曰yue：“君jun子zi不bu以yi言yan举ju人ren，不bu以yi人ren废fei言yan。”

XV.22. The Master said:
— The sage does not raise a man to office merely because he has heard him speak well; and he does not reject a good word because it was spoken by a wicked man.

子Zi贡Gong问wen曰yue：“有you一yi言yan而er可ke以yi终zhong身shen行xing之zhi者zhe乎hu？”子Zi曰yue：“其qi恕shu乎hu！己ji所suo不bu欲yu，勿wu施shi于yu人ren。”

XV.23. Zigong asked whether there existed a precept which contained all the others, and which one ought to observe all one's life. The Master replied:
— Is it not the precept to love all men as oneself? Do not do to others what you do not wish to be done to yourself.

子Zi曰yue：“吾wu之zhi于yu人ren也ye，谁shui毁hui谁shui誉yu。如ru有you所suo誉yu者zhe，其qi有you所suo试shi矣yi。斯si民min也ye，三san代dai之zhi所suo以yi直zhi道dao而er行xing也ye。”

XV.24. The Master said:
— Whom have I blamed or praised to excess? If I praise someone too much, it is because I have recognized that he will make himself worthy of the praise I give him. Our people is still the one whom the emperors of the three dynasties treated with the greatest justice.

子Zi曰yue：“吾wu犹you及ji史shi之zhi阙que文wen也ye，有you马ma者zhe，借jie人ren乘cheng之zhi，今jin亡wang矣yi夫fu！”

XV.25. The Master said:
— In my childhood, I could still see a historiographer who wrote nothing of which he was not certain, a rich man who lent his horses to others. Now one sees them no more.

子Zi曰yue：“巧qiao言yan乱luan德de，小xiao不bu忍ren则ze乱luan大da谋mou。”

XV.26. The Master said:
— Fine speeches make vice be taken for virtue. A slight impatience ruins a great undertaking.

子Zi曰yue：“众zhong恶wu之zhi，必bi察cha焉yan；众zhong好hao之zhi，必bi察cha焉yan。”

XV.27. The Master said:
— When the hatred or the favour of the multitude attaches itself to a man, one must examine his conduct before judging whether he is worthy of affection or of hatred.

子Zi曰yue：“人ren能neng弘hong道dao，非fei道dao弘hong人ren。”

XV.28. The Master said:
— Man can develop and perfect his natural virtues; the natural virtues do not make man perfect.

Notes: The virtues that nature gives to each man (together with existence) are perfect in themselves. The difference between the good and the wicked is due to the difference of the elements of which their bodies are composed, and of the habits they have contracted. When a sage keeps a school, all men can, under his direction, recover the primitive perfection of their natural virtues, and deserve to be no longer ranked in the class of the wicked.

子Zi曰yue：“过guo而er不bu改gai，是shi谓wei过guo矣yi。”

XV.29. The Master said:
— Not to correct oneself after an involuntary fault is to commit a real fault.

子Zi曰yue：“吾wu尝chang终zhong日ri不bu食shi，终zhong夜ye不bu寝qin，以yi思si，无wu益yi，不bu如ru学xue也ye。”

XV.30. The Master said:
— Formerly I spent whole days without eating and whole nights without sleeping, in order to give myself to meditation. I drew little fruit from it. It is better to study in the school of others.

子Zi曰yue：“君jun子zi谋mou道dao不bu谋mou食shi。耕geng者zhe，馁nei在zai其qi中zhong矣yi；学xue也ye，禄lu在zai其qi中zhong矣yi。君jun子zi忧you道dao不bu忧you贫pin。”

XV.31. The Master said:
— The disciple of wisdom turns all his thoughts toward virtue, and not toward food. The labourer tills the soil to draw his food from it; but when the harvest fails in his work, he meets with dearth and hunger. On the contrary, the disciple of wisdom, working only to acquire virtue, draws upon himself honours and riches. He gives all his care to virtue and has no concern about poverty.

子Zi曰yue：“知zhi及ji之zhi，仁ren不bu能neng守shou之zhi，虽sui得de之zhi，必bi失shi之zhi。知zhi及ji之zhi，仁ren能neng守shou之zhi，不bu庄zhuang以yi莅li之zhi，则ze民min不bu敬jing。知zhi及ji之zhi，仁ren能neng守shou之zhi，庄zhuang以yi莅li之zhi，动dong之zhi不bu以yi礼li，未wei善shan也ye。”

XV.32. The Master said:
— If someone knew the doctrine of the sages and had not enough virtue to put it into practice, his knowledge would be of no use to him. If someone knew the doctrine of the sages and could put it into practice, but lacked gravity in public, the people would not respect him. If someone knew the doctrine of the sages, was able to put it into practice, appeared in public with gravity, but did not direct the people according to the established rules, that would not yet be perfection.

子Zi曰yue：“君jun子zi不bu可ke小xiao知zhi，而er可ke大da受shou也ye。小xiao人ren不bu可ke大da受shou，而er可ke小xiao知zhi也ye。”

XV.33. The Master said:
— One cannot appreciate the sage in a small matter, but one can entrust great matters to him. One cannot entrust great matters to the vulgar man; but one can appreciate him in small ones.

子Zi曰yue：“民min之zhi于yu仁ren也ye，甚shen于yu水shui火huo。水shui火huo，吾wu见jian蹈dao而er死si者zhe矣yi，未wei见jian蹈dao仁ren而er死si者zhe也ye。”

XV.34. The Master said:
— Virtue is more necessary to the people than water and fire. I have seen men perish walking in water or in fire; I have never seen anyone perish walking in the way of virtue.

子Zi曰yue：“当dang仁ren不bu让rang于yu师shi。”

XV.35. The Master said:
— He who applies himself chiefly to practising virtue can rival a master, that is to say, direct himself and others.

子Zi曰yue：“君jun子zi贞zhen而er不bu谅liang。”

XV.36. The Master said:
— The sage attaches himself firmly to truth and duty; he does not attach himself obstinately to his own ideas.

子Zi曰yue：“事shi君jun，敬jing其qi事shi而er后hou其qi食shi。”

XV.37. The Master said:
— He who is in the service of his prince must fulfil his office with great care, and think of his salary only last.

子Zi曰yue：“道dao不bu同tong，不bu相xiang为wei谋mou。”

XV.38. The Master said:
— The sage admits to his school all men, without distinction.

子Zi曰yue：“辞ci，达da而er已yi矣yi。”

XV.39. The Master said:
— Language must clearly express the thought, that is enough.

师Shi冕Mian见jian，及ji阶jie，子Zi曰yue：“阶jie也ye。”及ji席xi，子Zi曰yue：“席xi也ye。”皆jie坐zuo，子Zi告gao之zhi曰yue：“某mou在zai斯si，某mou在zai斯si。”师Shi冕Mian出chu，子Zi张Zhang问wen曰yue：“与yu师shi言yan之zhi，道dao与yu？”子Zi曰yue：“然ran。固gu相xiang师shi之zhi道dao也ye。”

XV.41. Mian, the prefect of music, having gone to visit Confucius, when he had reached the steps of the hall, the Master said to him:
— Here are the steps.
When he had reached the mat, the philosopher said to him:
— Here is the mat.
When everyone was seated, the Master said to the prefect of music:
— So-and-so is here; so-and-so is there.
When the prefect Mian had withdrawn, Zizhang asked whether it was a duty to inform the prefect of music thus.
— Certainly, replied the Master, it is a duty to assist the directors of music in this way.