Book 1: 《學而》 Xue Er (Studying)
《學而》 Passage 1.4
Legge Translation (1861)
The philosopher Zeng said: "I daily examine myself on three points: — whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful; — whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere; — whether I may have not mastered and practiced the instructions of my teacher."Word by word
- 曾子 zēng zǐ
Master Zeng, disciple Zeng Shen
- 曾 surname Zeng
- 子 title of respect: master (following a surname)
- 曰 yuē
said
- 吾 wú
I, me
- 日 rì
daily, every day
- 三 sān
three
三 is contested: 朱熹 and all eight translators take it as the three points that follow; 楊伯峻 takes it as 'many times', the three items that follow being a coincidence.
- 省 xǐng
to examine, reflect on, introspect
- 吾身 wú shēn
myself, my own person
- 吾 my (first-person possessive)
- 身 one's own person, self
- 為人 wèi rén
for others, on someone else's behalf
- 為 for, on behalf of
- 人 other people, others
- 謀 móu
to plan, make plans on someone's behalf
- 而不…乎 ér bù … hū
...and yet fail to...?, rhetorical self-examination frame
- 而 conjunctive particle: and, and yet
- 不 not
- 乎 interrogative final particle
而 and 乎 individually are dropped by most translators; the negated rhetorical question is what carries the meaning
- 忠 zhōng
loyal, doing one's utmost, wholehearted devotion to others' interests
- 與…交 yǔ … jiāo
to associate with, have dealings with
- 與 with (marking association or company)
- 交 to associate with, have dealings with
- 朋友 péng yǒu
friends
- 朋 friend
- 友 friend, companion
- 而不…乎 ér bù … hū
...and yet fail to...?, rhetorical self-examination frame
- 而 conjunctive particle: and, and yet
- 不 not
- 乎 interrogative final particle
- 信 xìn
trustworthy, true to one's word
- 傳 chuán
what has been transmitted to me, teachings received from a master
何晏 takes 傳 as what one hands on to others, so the question is whether one has taught what one has not practised; 朱熹 takes it as what one received from one's teacher. Legge, Peimin Ni, Roberts and Ames & Rosemont follow 朱熹; Slingerland, Lau, Watson and Chin follow 何晏.
- 不…乎 bù … hū
...have I not...?, rhetorical self-examination frame
- 不 not
- 乎 interrogative final particle
- 習 xí
to practice, put into practice, apply what one has learned
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