Confucian Analects Chapter 15
The Duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius about tactics. Confucius replied, "I have heard all about sacrificial vessels, but I have not learned military matters." On this, he took his departure the next day.
When he was in Chan, their provisions were exhausted, and his followers became so in that they were unable to rise.
Tsze-lu, with evident dissatisfaction, said, "Has the superior man likewise to endure in this way?" The Master said, "The superior man may indeed have to endure want, but the mean man, when he is in want, gives way to unbridled license."
The Master said, "Ts‘ze, you think, I suppose, that I am one who learns many things and keeps them in memory?"
Tsze-kung replied, "Yes,-but perhaps it is not so?" "No," was the answer; "I seek a unity all pervading." The Master said, "Yu I those who know virtue are few." The Master said, "May not Shun be instanced as having governed
efficiently without exertion? What did he do? He did nothing but gravely and reverently occupy his royal seat."
Tsze-chang asked how a man should conduct himself, so as to be everywhere appreciated.
The Master said, "Let his words be sincere and truthful and his actions honorable and careful;-such conduct may be practiced among the rude tribes of the South or the North. If his words be not sincere and truthful and his actions not honorable and carefull will he, with such conduct, be appreciated, even in his neighborhood?
"When he is standing, let him see those two things, as it were, fronting him. When he is in a carriage, let him see them attached to the yoke. Then may he subsequently carry them into practice."
Tsze-chang wrote these counsels on the end of his sash. The Master said, "Truly straightforward was the historiographer
Yu. When good government prevailed in his state, he was like an arrow. When bad government prevailed, he was like an arrow. A superior man indeed is Chu Po-yu! When good government prevails in his state, he is to be found in office. When bad government prevails, he can roll his principles up, and keep them in his breast."
The Master said, "When a man may be spoken with, not to speak to him is to err in reference to the man. When a man may not be spoken with, to speak to him is to err in reference to our words. The wise err neither in regard to their man nor to their words."
The Master said, "The determined scholar and the man of virtue will not seek to live at the expense of injuring their virtue. They will even sacrifice their lives to preserve their virtue complete."
Tsze-kung asked about the practice of virtue. The Master said, "The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars."
Yen Yuan asked how the government of a country should be administered.
The Master said, "Follow the seasons of Hsia. "Ride in the state carriage of Yin. "Wear the ceremonial cap of Chau. "Let the music be the Shao with its pantomimes. Banish the songs
of Chang, and keep far from specious talkers. The songs of Chang are licentious; specious talkers are dangerous."
The Master said, "If a man take no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand."
The Master said, "It is all over! I have not seen one who loves virtue as he loves beauty."
The Master said, "Was not Tsang Wan like one who had stolen his situation? He knew the virtue and the talents of Hui of Liu-hsia, and yet did not procure that he should stand with him in court."
The Master said, "He who requires much from himself and little from others, will keep himself from being the object of resentment."
The Master said, "When a man is not in the habit of saying-‘What shall I think of this? What shall I think of this?‘ I can indeed do nothing with him!"
The Master said, "When a number of people are together, for a whole day, without their conversation turning on righteousness, and when they are fond of carrying out the suggestions of a small shrewdness;-theirs is indeed a hard case."
The Master said, "The superior man in everything considers righteousness to be essential. He performs it according to the rules of propriety. He brings it forth in humility. He completes it with sincerity. This is indeed a superior man."
The Master said, "The superior man is distressed by his want of ability. He is not distressed by men‘s not knowing him."
The Master said, "The superior man dislikes the thought of his name not being mentioned after his death."
The Master said, "What the superior man seeks, is in himself. What the mean man seeks, is in others."
The Master said, "The superior man is dignified, but does not wrangle. He is sociable, but not a partisan."
The Master said, "The superior man does not promote a man simply on account of his words, nor does he put aside good words because of the man."
Tsze-kung asked, saying, "Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one‘s life?" The Master said, "Is not RECIPROCITY such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others."
The Master said, "In my dealings with men, whose evil do I blame, whose goodness do I praise, beyond what is proper? If I do sometimes exceed in praise, there must be ground for it in my examination of the individual.
"This people supplied the ground why the three dynasties pursued the path of straightforwardness."
The Master said, "Even in my early days, a historiographer would leave a blank in his text, and he who had a horse would lend him to another to ride. Now, alas! there are no such things."
The Master said, "Specious words confound virtue. Want of forbearance in small matters confounds great plans."
The Master said, "When the multitude hate a man, it is necessary to examine into the case. When the multitude like a man, it is necessary to examine into the case."
The Master said, "A man can enlarge the principles which he follows; those principles do not enlarge the man."
The Master said, "To have faults and not to reform them,-this, indeed, should be pronounced having faults."
The Master said, "I have been the whole day without eating, and the whole night without sleeping:-occupied with thinking. It was of no use. better plan is to learn."
The Master said, "The object of the superior man is truth. Food is not his object. There is plowing;-even in that there is sometimes want. So with learning;-emolument may be found in it. The superior man is anxious lest he should not get truth; he is not anxious lest poverty should come upon him."
The Master said, "When a man‘s knowledge is sufficient to attain, and his virtue is not sufficient to enable him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again.
"When his knowledge is sufficient to attain, and he has virtue enough to hold fast, if he cannot govern with dignity, the people will not respect him.
"When his knowledge is sufficient to attain, and he has virtue enough to hold fast; when he governs also with dignity, yet if he try to move the people contrary to the rules of propriety:-full excellence is not reached."
The Master said, "The superior man cannot be known in little matters; but he may be intrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be intrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters."
The Master said, "Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue."
The Master said, "Let every man consider virtue as what devolves on himself. He may not yield the performance of it even to his teacher."
The Master said, "The superior man is correctly firm, and not firm merely."
The Master said, "A minister, in serving his prince, reverently discharges his duties, and makes his emolument a secondary consideration."
The Master said, "In teaching there should be no distinction of classes."
The Master said, "Those whose courses are different cannot lay plans for one another."
The Master said, "In language it is simply required that it convey the meaning."
The music master, Mien, having called upon him, when they came to the steps, the Master said, "Here are the steps." When they came to the mat for the guest to sit upon, he said, "Here is the mat." When all were seated, the Master informed him, saying, "So and so is here; so and so is here."
The music master, Mien, having gone out, Tsze-chang asked, saying. "Is it the rule to tell those things to the music master?"
The Master said, "Yes. This is certainly the rule for those who lead the blind."
15·1 卫灵公问陈于孔子。孔子对曰：“俎豆之事，则尝闻之矣；军旅之事，未之学也。”明日遂行。
卫灵公向孔子问军队列阵之法。孔子回答说：“祭祀礼仪方面的事情，我还听说过；用兵打仗的事，从来没有学过。”第二天，孔子便离开了卫国。
15·2 在陈绝粮，从者病，莫能兴。子路愠见曰：“君子亦有穷乎？”子曰：“君子固穷，小人穷斯滥矣。”
（孔子一行）在陈国断了粮食，随从的人都饿病了。子路很不高兴地来见孔子，说道：“君子也有穷得毫无办法的时候吗？”孔子说：“君子虽然穷困，但还是坚持着；小人一遇穷困就无所不为了。”
15·3 子曰：“赐也！女以予为多学而识之者与？”对曰：“然，非与？”曰：“非也。予一以贯之。”
孔子说：“赐啊！你以为我是学习得多了才一一记住的吗？”子贡答道：“是啊，难道不是这样吗？”孔子说：“不是的。我是用一个根本的东西把它们贯彻始终的。”
15·4 子曰：“由！知德者鲜矣。”
孔子说：“由啊！懂得德的人太少了。”
15·5 子曰：“
无为而治者，其舜也与？夫何为哉？恭己正南面而已矣。”
孔子说：“能够无所作为而治理天下的人，大概只有舜吧？他做了些什么呢？只是庄严端正地坐在朝廷的王位上罢了。”
15·6 子张问行。子曰“言忠信，行笃敬，虽蛮貊之邦，行矣。言不忠信，行不笃敬，虽州里，行乎哉？立则见其参于前也，在舆则见其倚于衡也，夫然后行。”子张书诸绅。
子张问如何才能使自己到处都能行得通。孔子说：“说话要忠信，行事要笃敬，即使到了蛮貊地区，也可以行得通。说话不忠信，行事不笃敬，就是在本乡本土，能行得通吗？站着，就仿佛看到忠信笃敬这几个字显现在面前，坐车，就好像看到这几个字刻在车辕前的横木上，这样才能使自己到处行得通。”子张把这些话写在腰间的大带上。
15·7 子曰：“直哉史鱼！邦有道，如矢；邦无道，如矢。君子哉蘧伯玉！邦有道，则仕；邦无道，则可卷而怀之。”
孔子说：“史鱼真是正直啊！国家有道，他的言行像箭一样直；国家无道，他的言行也像箭一样直。蘧伯玉也真是一位君子啊！国家有道就出来做官，国家无道就（辞退官职）把自己的主张收藏在心里。
15·8 子曰：“可与言而不与之言，失人；不可与言而与言，失言。知者不失人，亦不失言。”
孔子说：“可以同他谈的话，却不同他谈，这就是失掉了朋友；不可以同他谈的话，却同他谈，这就是说错了话。有智慧的人既不失去朋友，又不说错话。”
15·9 子曰：“志士仁人，无求生以害仁，有杀身以成仁。”
孔子说：“志士仁人，没有贪生怕死而损害仁的，只有牺牲自己的性命来成全仁的。”
15·10 子贡问为仁。子曰：“工欲善其事，必先利其器。居是邦也，事其大夫之贤者，友其士之仁者。”
子贡问怎样实行仁德。孔子说：“做工的人想把活儿做好，必须首先使他的工具锋利。住在这个国家，就要事奉大夫中的那些贤者，与士人中的仁者交朋友。”
15·11 颜渊问为邦。子曰：“行夏之时，乘殷之辂，服周之冕，乐则韶舞。放郑声，远侫人。郑声淫，侫人殆。”
颜渊问怎样治理国家。孔子说：“用夏代的历法，乘殷代的车子，戴周代的礼帽，奏《韶》乐，禁绝郑国的乐曲，疏远能言善辩的人，郑国的乐曲浮靡不正派，侫人太危险。”
15·12 子曰：“人无远虑，必有近忧。”
孔子说：“人没有长远的考虑，一定会有眼前的忧患。”
15·13 子曰：“已矣乎！吾未见好德如好色者也。”
孔子说：“完了，我从来没有见像好色那样好德的人。”
15·14 子曰：“臧文仲其窃位者与！知柳下惠之贤而不与立也。”
孔子说：“臧文仲是一个窃居官位的人吧！他明知道柳下惠是个贤人，却不举荐他一起做官。”
15·15 子曰：“躬自厚而薄责于人，则远怨矣。”
孔子说：“多责备自己而少责备别人，那就可以避免别人的怨恨了。”
15·16 子曰：“不曰‘如之何，如之何’者，吾末如之何也已矣。”
孔子说：“从来遇事不说‘怎么办，怎么办’的人，我对他也不知怎么办才好。”
15·17 子曰：“群居终日，言不及义，好行小慧，难矣哉！”
孔子说：“整天聚在一块，说的都达不到义的标准，专好卖弄小聪明，这种人真难教导。”
15·18 子曰：“君子义以为质，礼以行之，孙以出之，信以成之。君子哉！”
孔子说：“君子以义作为根本，用礼加以推行，用谦逊的语言来表达，用忠诚的态度来完成，这就是君子了。”
15·19 子曰：“君子病无能焉，不病人之不己知也。”
孔子说：“君子只怕自己没有才能，不怕别人不知道自己。”
15·20 子曰：“君子疾没世而名不称焉。”
孔子说：“君子担心死亡以后他的名字不为人们所称颂。”
15·21 子曰：“君子求诸己，小人求诸人。”
孔子说：“君子求之于自己，小人求之于别人。”
15·22 子曰：“君子矜而不争，群而不党。”
孔子说：“君子庄重而不与别人争执，合群而不结党营私。”
15·23 子曰：“君子不以言举人，不以人废言。”
孔子说：“君子不凭一个人说的话来举荐他，也不因为一个人不好而不采纳他的好话。”
15·24 子贡问曰：“有一言而可以终身行之者乎？”子曰：“其恕乎！己所不欲，勿施于人。”
子贡问孔子问道：“有没有一个字可以终身奉行的呢？”孔子回答说：“那就是恕吧！自己不愿意的，不要强加给别人。”
15·25 子曰：“吾之于人也，谁毁谁誉？”如有所誉者，其有所试矣。斯民也，三代之所以直道而行也。”
孔子说：“我对于别人，诋毁过谁？赞美过谁？如有所赞美的，必须是曾经考验过他的。夏商周三代的人都是这样做的，所以三代能直道而行。”
15·26 子曰：“吾犹及史之阙文也，有马者借人乘之，今亡矣夫。”
孔子说：“我还能够看到史书存疑的地方，有马的人（自己不会调教，）先给别人使用，这种精神，今天没有了罢。”
15·27 子曰：“巧言乱德。
小不忍则乱大谋。”
孔子说：“花言巧语就败坏人的德行，小事情不忍耐，就会败坏大事情。”
15·28 子曰：“众恶之，必察焉；众好之，必察焉。”
孔子说：“大家都厌恶他，我必须考察一下；大家都喜欢他，我也一定要考察一下。”
15·29 子曰：“人能弘道，非道弘人。”
孔子说：“人能够使道发扬光大，不是道使人的才能扩大。”
15·30 子曰：“过而不改，是谓过矣。”
孔子说：“有了过错而不改正，这才真叫错了。”
15·31 子曰：“吾尝终日不食，终夜不寝，以思，无益，不如学也。”
孔子说：“我曾经整天不吃饭，彻夜不睡觉，去左思右想，结果没有什么好处，还不如去学习为好。”
15·32 子曰：“君子谋道不谋食。耕也，馁在其中矣；学也，禄在其中矣。君子忧道不忧贫。”
孔子说：“君子只谋求道行道，不谋求衣食。耕田，也常要饿肚子；学习，可以得到俸禄。君子只担心道不能行，不担心贫穷。”
15·33 子曰：“知及之，仁不能守之；虽得之，必失之；知及之，仁能守之，不庄以涖之，则民不敬。知及之，仁能守之，庄以涖之，动之不以礼，未善也。”
孔子说：“凭借聪明才智足以得到它，但仁德不能保持它，即使得到，也一定会丧失。凭借聪明才智足以得到它，仁德可以保持它，不用严肃态度来治理百姓，那么百姓就会不敬；聪明才智足以得到它，仁德可以保持它，能用严肃态度来治理百姓，但动员百姓时不照礼的要求，那也是不完善的。”
15·34 子曰：“君子不可小知而可大受也，小人不可大受而可小知也。”
孔子说：“君子不能让他们做那些小事，但可以让他们承担重大的使命。小人不能让他们承担重大的使命，但可以让他们做那些小事。”
15·35 子曰：“民之于仁也，甚于水火。水火，吾见蹈而死者矣，未见蹈仁而死者也。”
孔子说：“百姓们对于仁（的需要），比对于水（的需要）更迫切。我只见过人跳到水火中而死的，却没有见过实行仁而死的。”
15·36 子曰：“当仁，不让于师。”
孔子说：“面对着仁德，就是老师，也不同他谦让。”
15·37 子曰：“君子贞而不谅。”
孔子说：“君子固守正道，而不拘泥于小信。”
15·38 子曰：“事君，敬其事而后其食。”
孔子说：“事奉君主，要认真办事而把领取傣禄的事放在后面。”
15·39 子曰：“有教无类。”
孔子说：“人人都可以接受教育，不分族类。”
15·40 子曰：“道不同，不相为谋。”
孔子说：“主张不同，不互相商议。”
15·41 子曰：“辞达而已矣。”
孔子说：“言辞只要能表达意思就行了。”
15·42 “师冕见，及阶，子曰：“阶也。”及席，子曰：“席也。”皆坐，子告之曰：“某在斯，某在斯。”师冕出，子张问曰：“与师言之道与？”子曰：“然，固相师之道也。”
乐师冕来见孔子，走到台阶沿，孔子说：“这儿是台阶。”走到坐席旁，孔子说：“这是坐席。”等大家都坐下来，孔子告诉他：“某某在这里，某某在这里。”师冕走了以后，子张就问孔子：“这就是与乐师谈话的道吗？”孔子说：“这就是帮助乐师的道。”