Confucian Analects Chapter 17
Yang Ho wished to see Confucius, but Confucius would not go to see him. On this, he sent a present of a pig to Confucius, who, having chosen a time when Ho was not at home went to pay his respects for the gift. He met him, however, on the way.
Ho said to Confucius, "Come, let me speak with you." He then asked, "Can he be called benevolent who keeps his jewel in his bosom, and leaves his country to confusion?" Confucius replied, "No." "Can he be called wise, who is anxious to be engaged in public employment, and yet is constantly losing the opportunity of being so?" Confucius again said, "No." "The days and months are passing away; the years do not wait for us." Confucius said, "Right; I will go into office."
The Master said, "By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart."
The Master said, "There are only the wise of the highest class, and the stupid of the lowest class, who cannot be changed."
The Master, having come to Wu-ch‘ang, heard there the sound of stringed instruments and singing.
Well pleased and smiling, he said, "Why use an ox knife to kill a fowl?"
Tsze-yu replied, "Formerly, Master, I heard you say,-‘When the man of high station is well instructed, he loves men; when the man of low station is well instructed, he is easily ruled.‘"
The Master said, "My disciples, Yen‘s words are right. What I said was only in sport."
Kung-shan Fu-zao, when he was holding Pi, and in an attitude of rebellion, invited the Master to visit him, who was rather inclined to go.
Tsze-lu was displeased. and said, "Indeed, you cannot go! Why must you think of going to see Kung-shan?"
The Master said, "Can it be without some reason that he has invited ME? If any one employ me, may I not make an eastern Chau?"
Tsze-chang asked Confucius about perfect virtue. Confucius said, "To be able to practice five things everywhere under heaven constitutes perfect virtue." He begged to ask what they were, and was told, "Gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness. If you are grave, you will not be treated with disrespect. If you are generous, you will win all. If you are sincere, people will repose trust in you. If you are earnest, you will accomplish much. If you are kind, this will enable you to employ the services of others.
Pi Hsi inviting him to visit him, the Master was inclined to go. Tsze-lu said, "Master, formerly I have heard you say, ‘When a man in
his own person is guilty of doing evil, a superior man will not associate with him.‘ Pi Hsi is in rebellion, holding possession of Chung-mau; if you go to him, what shall be said?"
The Master said, "Yes, I did use these words. But is it not said, that, if a thing be really hard, it may be ground without being made thin? Is it not said, that, if a thing be really white, it may be steeped in a dark fluid without being made black?
"Am I a bitter gourd? How can I be hung up out of the way of being eaten?"
The Master said, "Yu, have you heard the six words to which are attached six becloudings?" Yu replied, "I have not."
"Sit down, and I will tell them to you. "There is the love of being benevolent without the love of
learning;-the beclouding here leads to a foolish simplicity. There is the love of knowing without the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind. There is the love of being sincere without the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to an injurious disregard of consequences. There is the love of straightforwardness without the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to rudeness. There is the love of boldness without the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to insubordination. There is the love of firmness without the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to extravagant conduct."
The Master said, "My children, why do you not study the Book of Poetry?
"The Odes serve to stimulate the mind. "They may be used for purposes of self-contemplation. "They teach the art of sociability. "They show how to regulate feelings of resentment. "From them you learn the more immediate duty of serving one‘s
father, and the remoter one of serving one‘s prince.
"From them we become largely acquainted with the names of birds, beasts, and plants."
The Master said to Po-yu, "Do you give yourself to the Chau-nan and the Shao-nan. The man who has not studied the Chau-nan and the Shao-nan is like one who stands with his face right against a wall. Is he not so?"
The Master said, "‘It is according to the rules of propriety,‘ they say.-‘It is according to the rules of propriety,‘ they say. Are gems and silk all that is meant by propriety? ‘It is music,‘ they say.-‘It is music,‘ they say. Are hers and drums all that is meant by music?"
The Master said, "He who puts on an appearance of stern firmness, while inwardly he is weak, is like one of the small, mean people;-yea, is he not like the thief who breaks through, or climbs over, a wall?"
The Master said, "Your good, careful people of the villages are the thieves of virtue."
The Master said, To tell, as we go along, what we have heard on the way, is to cast away our virtue."
The Master said, "There are those mean creatures! How impossible it is along with them to serve one‘s prince!
"While they have not got their aims, their anxiety is how to get them. When they have got them, their anxiety is lest they should lose them.
"When they are anxious lest such things should be lost, there is nothing to which they will not proceed."
The Master said, "Anciently, men had three failings, which now perhaps are not to be found.
"The high-mindedness of antiquity showed itself in a disregard of small things; the high-mindedness of the present day shows itself in wild license. The stern dignity of antiquity showed itself in grave reserve; the stern dignity of the present day shows itself in quarrelsome perverseness. The stupidity of antiquity showed itself in straightforwardness; the stupidity of the present day shows itself in sheer deceit."
The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with virtue."
The Master said, "I hate the manner in which purple takes away the luster of vermilion. I hate the way in which the songs of Chang confound the music of the Ya. I hate those who with their sharp mouths overthrow kingdoms and families."
The Master said, "I would prefer not speaking." Tsze-kung said, "If you, Master, do not speak, what shall we, your disciples, have to record?"
The Master said, "Does Heaven speak? The four seasons pursue their courses, and all things are continually being produced, but does Heaven say anything?"
Zu Pei wished to see Confucius, but Confucius declined, on the ground of being sick, to see him. When the bearer of this message went out at the door, the Master took his lute and sang to it, in order that Pei might hear him.
Tsai Wo asked about the three years‘ mourning for parents, saying that one year was long enough.
"If the superior man," said he, "abstains for three years from the observances of propriety, those observances will be quite lost. If for three years he abstains from music, music will be ruined. Within a year the old grain is exhausted, and the new grain has sprung up, and, in procuring fire by friction, we go through all the changes of wood for that purpose. After a complete year, the mourning may stop."
The Master said, "If you were, after a year, to eat good rice, and wear embroidered clothes, would you feel at ease?" "I should," replied Wo.
The Master said, "If you can feel at ease, do it. But a superior man, during the whole period of mourning, does not enjoy pleasant food which he may eat, nor derive pleasure from music which he may hear. He also does not feel at ease, if he is comfortably lodged. Therefore he does not do what you propose. But now you feel at ease and may do it."
Tsai Wo then went out, and the Master said, "This shows Yu‘s want of virtue. It is not till a child is three years old that it is allowed to leave the arms of its parents. And the three years‘ mourning is universally observed throughout the empire. Did Yu enjoy the three years‘ love of his parents?"
The Master said, "Hard is it to deal with who will stuff himself with food the whole day, without applying his mind to anything good! Are there not gamesters and chess players? To be one of these would still be better than doing nothing at all."
Tsze-lu said, "Does the superior man esteem valor?" The Master said, "The superior man holds righteousness to be of highest importance. A man in a superior situation, having valor without righteousness, will be guilty of insubordination; one of the lower people having valor without righteousness, will commit robbery."
Tsze-kung said, "Has the superior man his hatreds also?" The Master said, "He has his hatreds. He hates those who proclaim the evil of others. He hates the man who, being in a low station, slanders his superiors. He hates those who have valor merely, and are unobservant of propriety. He hates those who are forward and determined, and, at the same time, of contracted understanding."
The Master then inquired, "Ts‘ze, have you also your hatreds?" Tsze-kung replied, "I hate those who pry out matters, and ascribe the knowledge to their wisdom. I hate those who are only not modest, and think that they are valorous. I hate those who make known secrets, and think that they are straightforward."
The Master said, "Of all people, girls and servants are the most difficult to behave to. If you are familiar with them, they lose their humility. If you maintain a reserve towards them, they are discontented."
The Master said, "When a man at forty is the object of dislike, he will always continue what he is."
17·1 阳货欲见孔子，孔子不见，归孔子豚。孔子时其亡也，而往拜之，遇诸涂。谓孔子曰：“来！予与尔言。”曰：“怀其宝而迷其邦 ，可谓仁乎？”曰：“不可。”“好从事而亟失时，可谓知乎？”曰：“不可。”“日月逝矣，岁不我与。”孔子曰：“诺，吾将仕矣。”
阳货想见孔子，孔子不见，他便赠送给孔子一只熟小猪，想要孔子去拜见他。孔子打听到阳货不在家时，往阳货家拜谢，却在半路上遇见了。阳货对孔子说：“来，我有话要跟你说。”（孔子走过去。）阳货说：“把自己的本领藏起来而听任国家迷乱，这可以叫做仁吗？”（孔子回答）说：“不可以。”（阳货）说： “喜欢参与政事而又屡次错过机会，这可以说是智吗？”（孔子回答）说：“不可以。”（阳货）说：“时间一天天过去了，年岁是不等人的。”孔子说：“好吧，我将要去做官了。”
17·2 子曰：“性相近也，习相远也。”
孔子说：“人的本性是相近的，由于习染不同才相互有了差别。”
17·3 子曰：“唯上知与下愚不移。”
孔子说：“只有上等的智者与下等的愚者是改变不了的。”
17·4 子之武城，闻弦歌之声。夫子莞尔而笑，曰：“
割鸡焉用牛刀？”子游对曰：“昔者偃也闻诸夫子曰：‘君子学道则爱人，小人学道则易使也。’”子曰：“二三子！偃之言是也。前言戏之耳。”
孔子到武城，听见弹琴唱歌的声音。孔子微笑着说：“杀鸡何必用宰牛的刀呢？”子游回答说：“以前我听先生说过，‘君子学习了礼乐就能爱人，小人学习了礼乐就容易指使。’”孔子说：“学生们，言偃的话是对的。我刚才说的话，只是开个玩笑而已。”
17·5 公山弗扰以费畔，召，子欲往。子路不悦，曰：“末之也已，何必公山氏之之也。”子曰：“夫召我者，而岂徒哉？如有用我者，吾其为东周乎？”
公山弗扰据费邑反叛，来召孔子，孔子准备前去。子路不高兴地说：“没有地方去就算了，为什么一定要去公山弗扰那里呢？”孔子说：“他来召我，难道只是一句空话吗？如果有人用我，我就要在东方复兴周礼，建设一个东方的西周。”
17·6 子张问仁于孔子。孔子曰：“能行五者于天下为仁矣。”“请问之。”曰：“恭、宽、信、敏、惠。恭则不侮，宽则得众，信则人任焉，敏则有功，惠则足以使人。”
子张向孔子问仁。孔子说：“能够处处实行五种品德。就是仁人了。”子张说：“请问哪五种。”孔子说：“庄重、宽厚、诚实、勤敏、慈惠。庄重就不致遭受侮辱，宽厚就会得到众人的拥护，诚信就能得到别人的任用，勤敏就会提高工作效率，慈惠就能够使唤人。”
17·7 佛肸召，子欲往。子路曰：昔者由也闻诸夫子曰：‘亲于其身为不善者，君子不入也。’佛肸以中牟畔，子之往也，如之何？”子曰：“然，有是言也。不曰坚乎，磨而不磷；不曰白乎，涅而不缁。吾岂匏瓜也哉？焉能系而不食？”
佛肸召孔子去，孔子打算前往。子路说：“从前我听先生说过：‘亲自做坏事的人那里，君子是不去的。’现在佛肸据中牟反叛，你却要去，这如何解释呢？”孔子说：“是的，我有过这样的话。不是说坚硬的东西磨也磨不坏吗？不是说洁白的东西染也染不黑吗？我难道是个苦味的葫芦吗？怎么能只挂在那里而不给人吃呢？”
17·8 子曰：“由也，女闻六言六蔽矣乎？”对曰：“未也。”“居，吾语女。好仁不好学，其蔽也愚；好知不好学，其蔽也荡；好信不好学，其蔽也贼；好直不好学，其蔽也绞；好勇不好学，其蔽也乱；好刚不好学，其蔽也狂。”
孔子说：“由呀，你听说过六种品德和六种弊病了吗？”子路回答说：“没有。”孔子说：“坐下，我告诉你。爱好仁德而不爱好学习，它的弊病是受人愚弄；爱好智慧而不爱好学习，它的弊病是行为放荡；爱好诚信而不爱好学习，它的弊病是危害亲人；爱好直率却不爱好学习，它的弊病是说话尖刻；爱好勇敢却不爱好学习，它的弊病是犯上作乱；爱好刚强却不爱好学习，它的弊病是狂妄自大。”
17·9 子曰：“小子何莫学夫诗。诗，可以兴，可以观，可以群，可以怨。迩之事父，远之事君；多识于鸟兽草木之名。”
孔子说：“学生们为什么不学习《诗》呢？学《诗》可以激发志气，可以观察天地万物及人间的盛衰与得失，可以使人懂得合群的必要，可以使人懂得怎样去讽谏上级。近可以用来事奉父母，远可以事奉君主；还可以多知道一些鸟兽草木的名字。”
17·10 子谓伯鱼曰：“女为《周南》、《召南》矣乎？人而不为《周南》、《召南》，其犹正墙面而立也与？”
孔子对伯鱼说：“你学习《周南》、《召南》了吗？一个人如果不学习《周南》、《召南》，那就像面对墙壁而站着吧？”
17·11 子曰：“礼云礼云，玉帛云乎哉？乐云乐云，钟鼓云乎哉？”
孔子说：“礼呀礼呀，只是说的玉帛之类的礼器吗？乐呀乐呀，只是说的钟鼓之类的乐器吗？”
17·12 子曰：“色厉而内荏，譬诸小人，其犹穿窬之盗也与？”
孔子说：“外表严厉而内心虚弱，以小人作比喻，就像是挖墙洞的小偷吧？”
17·13 子曰：“乡愿，德之贼也。”
孔子说：“没有道德修养的伪君子，就是破坏道德的人。”
17·14 子曰：“道听而涂说，德之弃也。”
孔子说：“在路上听到传言就到处去传播，这是道德所唾弃的。”
17·15 子曰：“鄙夫可与事君也与哉？其未得之也，患得之。既得之，患失之。苟患失之，无所不至矣。”
孔子说：“可以和一个鄙夫一起事奉君主吗？他在没有得到官位时，总担心得不到。已经得到了，又怕失去它。如果他担心失掉官职，那他就什么事都干得出来了。”
17·16 子曰：“古者民有三疾，今也或是之亡也。古之狂也肆，今之狂也荡；古之矜也廉，今之矜也忿戾；古之愚也直，今之愚也诈而已矣。”
孔子说：“古代人有三种毛病，现在恐怕连这三种毛病也不是原来的样子了。古代的狂者不过是愿望太高，而现在的狂妄者却是
放荡不羁；古代骄傲的人不过是难以接近，现在那些骄傲的人却是凶恶蛮横；古代愚笨的人不过是直率一些，现在的愚笨者却是欺诈啊！”
17·17 子曰：“巧言令色，鲜矣仁。”
孔子说：“花言巧语，装出和颜悦色的样子，这种人的仁心就很少了。”
17·18 子曰：“恶紫之夺朱也，恶郑声之乱雅乐也，恶利口之覆邦家者。”
孔子说：“我厌恶用紫色取代红色，厌恶用郑国的声乐扰乱雅乐，厌恶用伶牙利齿而颠覆国家这样的事情。”
17·19 子曰：“予欲无言。”子贡曰：“子如不言，则小子何述焉？”子曰：“天何言哉？四时行焉，百物生焉，天何言哉？”
孔子说：“我想不说话了。”子贡说：“你如果不说话，那么我们这些学生还传述什么呢？”孔子说：“天何尝说话呢？四季照常运行，百物照样生长。天说了什么话呢？”
17·20 孺悲欲见孔子，孔子辞以疾。将命者出户，取瑟而歌，使之闻之。
孺悲想见孔子，孔子以有病为由推辞不见。传话的人刚出门，（孔子）便取来瑟边弹边唱，（有意）让孺悲听到。
17·21 宰我问：“三年之丧，期已久矣。君子三年不为礼，礼必坏；三年不为乐，乐必崩。旧谷既没，新谷既升，钻燧改火，期可已矣。”子曰：“食夫稻 ，衣夫锦，于女安乎？”曰：“安。”“女安则为之。夫君子之居丧，食旨不甘，闻乐不乐，居处不安，故不为也。今女安，则为之！”宰我出，子曰：“予之不仁也！子生三年，然后免于父母之怀，夫三年之丧，天下之通丧也。予也有三年之爱于其父母乎？”
宰我问：“服丧三年，时间太长了。君子三年不讲究礼仪，礼仪必然败坏；三年不演奏音乐，音乐就会荒废。旧谷吃完，新谷登场，钻燧取火的木头轮过了一遍，有一年的时间就可以了。”孔子说：“（才一年的时间，）你就吃开了大米饭，穿起了锦缎衣，你心安吗？”宰我说：“我心安。”孔子说：“你心安，你就那样去做吧！君子守丧，吃美味不觉得香甜，听音乐不觉得快乐，住在家里不觉得舒服，所以不那样做。如今你既觉得心安，你就那样去做吧！”宰我出去后，孔子说：“宰予真是不仁啊！小孩生下来，到三岁时才能离开父母的怀抱。服丧三年，这是天下通行的丧礼。难道宰子对他的父母没有三年的爱吗？”
17·22 子路曰：“饱食终日，无所用心，难矣哉！不有博奕者乎？为之，犹贤乎已。”
孔子说：“整天吃饱了饭，什么心思也不用，真太难了！不是还有玩博和下棋的游戏吗？干这个，也比闲着好。”
17·23 子路曰：“君子尚勇乎？”子曰：“君子义以为上。君子有勇而无义为乱，小人有勇而无义为盗。”
子路说：“君子崇尚勇敢吗？”孔子答道：“君子以义作为最高尚的品德，君子有勇无义就会作乱，小人有勇无义就会偷盗。”
17·24 子贡曰：“君子亦有恶乎？”子曰：“有恶。恶称人之恶者，恶居下流而讪上者，恶勇而无礼者，恶果敢而窒者。”曰：“赐也亦有恶乎？”“恶徼以为知者，恶不孙以为勇者，恶讦以为直者。”
子贡说：“君子也有厌恶的事吗？”孔子说：“有厌恶的事。厌恶宣扬别人坏处的人，厌恶身居下位而诽谤在上者的人，厌恶勇敢而不懂礼节的人，厌恶固执而又不通事理的人。”孔子又说：“赐，你也有厌恶的事吗？”子贡说：“厌恶偷袭别人的成绩而作为自己的知识的人，厌恶把不谦虚当做勇敢的人，厌恶揭发别人的隐私而自以为直率的人。”
17·25 子曰：“唯女子与小人为难养也，近之则不孙，远之则怨。”
孔子说：“只有女子和小人是难以教养的，亲近他们，他们就会无礼，疏远他们，他们就会报怨。”
17·26 子曰：“年四十而见恶焉，其终也已。”
孔子说：“到了四十岁的时候还被人所厌恶，他这一生也就终结了。”