Book 10: 《鄉黨》 Xiang Dang (In the Village)
《鄉黨》 Passage 10.15
Legge Translation (1861)
When he was sending complimentary inquiries to any one in another State, he bowed twice as he escorted the messenger away.Word by word
- 問 wèn
to ask after, send regards to (someone's well-being)
- 人 rén
someone, another person
Ames & Rosemont renders it more specifically as 'a friend'.
- 於 yú
in, at (locative preposition)
- 他邦 tā bāng
another state, a foreign country
- 他 other, another
- 邦 state, country
- 再拜 zài bài
to bow twice, a formal gesture of respect
- 再 twice, a second time
- 拜 to bow
Lau and Watson read 拜 as touching the ground rather than an upright bow.
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and then, after that
Translators connect the two actions variously as 'as', 'and then', 'before', or 'on'; Roberts's text is truncated before the connector.
- 送 sòng
to see off, escort a departing guest
- 之 zhī
object pronoun: him, referring to the messenger
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