Book 11: 《先進》 Xian Jin (Former Eras)
《先進》 Passage 11.26
Legge Translation (1861)
Zilu, Zeng Xi, Ran You, and Gongxi Hua were sitting by the Master. He said to them, "Though I am a day or so older than you, do not think of that. From day to day you are saying, 'We are not known.' If some ruler were to know you, what would you like to do?" Zilu hastily and lightly replied: "Suppose the case of a State of ten thousand chariots; let it be straitened between other large States; let it be suffering from invading armies; and to this let there be added a famine in corn and in all vegetables:— if I were entrusted with the government of it, in three years' time I could make the people to be bold, and to recognize the rules of righteous conduct." The Master smiled at him. Turning to Ran You, he said: "Qiu, what are your wishes?" Qiu replied: "Suppose a state of sixty or seventy li square, or one of fifty or sixty, and let me have the government of it;— in three years' time, I could make plenty to abound among the people. As to teaching them the principles of propriety, and music, I must wait for the rise of a superior man to do that." "What are your wishes, Chi," said the Master next to Gongxi Hua. Chi replied: "I do not say that my ability extends to these things, but I should wish to learn them. At the services of the ancestral temple, and at the audiences of the princes with the sovereign, I should like, dressed in the dark square-made robe and the black linen cap, to act as a small assistant." Last of all, the Master asked Zeng Xi, "Dian, what are your wishes?" Dian, pausing as he was playing on his lute, while it was yet twanging, laid the instrument aside, and rose. "My wishes," he said, "are different from the cherished purposes of these three gentlemen." "What harm is there in that?" said the Master; "do you also, as well as they, speak out your wishes." Dian then said: "In this, the last month of spring, with the dress of the season all complete, along with five or six young men who have assumed the cap, and six or seven boys, I would wash in the Yi, enjoy the breeze among the rain altars, and return home singing." The Master heaved a sigh and said: "I give my approval to Dian." The three others having gone out, Zeng Xi remained behind, and said: "What do you think of the words of these three friends?" The Master replied: "They simply told each one his wishes." Xi pursued, "Master, why did you smile at You?" He was answered: "The management of a State demands the rules of propriety. His words were not humble; therefore I smiled at him." Xi again said: "But was it not a State which Qiu proposed for himself?" The reply was, "Yes; did you ever see a territory of sixty or seventy li or one of fifty or sixty, which was not a State?" Once more, Xi inquired, "And was it not a State which Chi proposed for himself?" The Master again replied: "Yes; who but princes have to do with ancestral temples, and with audiences but the sovereign? If Chi were to be a small assistant in these services, who could be a great one?"Word by word
- 子路 zǐ lù
Zilu, a disciple of Confucius
- 子 prefix of a courtesy name, as in 子路 and 子貢; not the title Master
- 路 component of the proper name Zilu
- 曾皙 zēng xī
Zeng Xi, a disciple of Confucius
- 曾 component of the proper name Zeng Xi, a disciple of Confucius
- 皙 component of the proper name Zeng Xi
- 冉有 rǎn yǒu
Ran You, a disciple of Confucius
- 冉 component of the proper name Ran You, a disciple of Confucius
- 有 component of the proper name Ran You
- 公西華 gōng xī huá
Gongxi Hua, a disciple of Confucius
- 公 component of the proper name Gongxi Hua, a disciple of Confucius
- 西 component of the proper name Gongxi Hua
- 華 component of the proper name Gongxi Hua
- 侍坐 shì zuò
to sit in attendance (on a superior)
- 侍 to attend upon, wait in attendance on a superior
- 坐 to sit
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 Master (Confucius), in the narrative formula 子曰, 'the Master said'
- 曰 said (verb introducing quoted speech)
- 以 yǐ
because of, on account of
- 吾 wú
I, me
- 一日長 yī rì zhǎng
older by a bit (lit. a day), senior in age
- 一 one, a
- 日 day
- 長 older, senior in age
- 乎爾 hū ěr
than you (comparative frame)
- 乎 comparative particle: than
- 爾 you (addressing the disciples)
- 毋吾以也 wú wú yǐ yě
do not let that (my seniority) hold you back, do not hesitate on my account
- 毋 do not (prohibitive negative)
- 吾 me, on my account
- 以 because of, on account of
- 也 final particle of assertion
Slingerland reads 以 as 'employ' ('no one is willing to employ me'), a divergent construal from the majority reading of 毋吾以 as an inverted 'do not because-of-me [hesitate]'.
- 居則曰 jū zé yuē
in everyday life you say, you habitually say
- 居 in everyday life, ordinarily
- 則 then, in that case
- 曰 say (introduces the disciples' habitual complaint)
- 不吾知也 bù wú zhī yě
no one recognizes/appreciates me
- 不 not
- 吾 me (object pronoun, fronted before the negated verb)
- 知 to know, recognize the worth of
- 也 final particle of assertion
- 如或知爾 rú huò zhī ěr
if someone were to recognize/appreciate you
- 如 if, supposing
- 或 someone, some person
- 知 to know, recognize the worth of
- 爾 you
- 則何以哉 zé hé yǐ zāi
then what would you do?
- 則 then
- 何 what
- 以 to do, by means of (what)
- 哉 exclamatory-interrogative final particle
- 子路 zǐ lù
Zilu, a disciple of Confucius
- 子 prefix of a courtesy name, as in 子路 and 子貢; not the title Master
- 路 component of the proper name Zilu
- 率爾而 shuài ěr ér
hastily, impetuously (adverbial frame of manner)
- 率 hastily, impulsively
- 爾 adverbial suffix: -ly (manner)
- 而 conjunctive particle: and, and then
- 對曰 duì yuē
answered, replied
- 對 to respond, reply (to a superior)
- 曰 said
- 千乘之國 qiān shèng zhī guó
a state of a thousand chariots (a major power)
- 千 thousand
- 乘 chariot (numerary unit for war-chariots)
- 之 possessive/modifying particle: of
- 國 state, country
- 攝 shè
hemmed in, hard-pressed, squeezed
- 乎…之間 hū … zhī jiān
locative frame: between, among
- 乎 locative particle: between, among
- 之 possessive/modifying particle: of
- 間 space between, interval
- 大國 dà guó
great, powerful state(s)
- 大 great, powerful
- 國 state, country
- 加之以 jiā zhī yǐ
to be afflicted by, burdened with
- 加 to add to, be added to
- 之 it (referring to the state)
- 以 with, by means of
- 師旅 shī lǚ
armies, troops, military campaigns
- 師 army, troops
- 旅 military force, brigade
- 因之以 yīn zhī yǐ
compounded further by, aggravated by
- 因 to follow upon, be compounded by
- 之 it (referring to the state)
- 以 with, by means of
- 饑饉 jī jǐn
famine, crop failure
- 饑 famine, crop failure
- 饉 famine, dearth
- 由也 yóu yě
topic-marking self-reference formula: as for me, You (Zilu's own name)
- 由 You, Zilu's personal name
- 也 topic-marking particle
- 為之 wéi zhī
to govern it, administer it
- 為 to govern, manage
- 之 it (referring to the state)
- 比及三年 bì jí sān nián
by the time three years have passed
- 比 by the time of (in 比及, 'reaching to')
- 及 to reach, come up to
- 三 three
- 年 year(s)
- 可使有勇 kě shǐ yǒu yǒng
could bring it about that they have courage, make them brave
- 可 can, be able to
- 使 to cause, make (someone do something)
- 有 to have
- 勇 courage, bravery
- 且 qiě
moreover, and also
- 知方 zhī fāng
to know the right direction, have a sense of proper conduct
- 知 to know
- 方 the right direction, proper course of conduct
- 也 yě
final particle of assertion
- 夫子 fū zǐ
the Master (Confucius)
- 夫 component of the compound 夫子, 'the Master'
- 子 component of the compound 夫子, 'the Master'
Roberts's excerpt ends after Zilu's answer and does not continue into the remainder of the passage.
- 哂之 shěn zhī
to smile at him (faintly mocking amusement)
- 哂 to smile (faintly mocking or amused)
- 之 him (object pronoun, referring to Zilu)
- 求 qiú
Qiu, Ran You's personal name
- 爾何如 ěr hé rú
what about you? what would you do?
- 爾 you
- 何 what
- 如 like, about (in 何如, 'what about')
- 對曰 duì yuē
answered, replied
- 對 to respond, reply
- 曰 said
- 方六七十 fāng liù qī shí
an area of sixty to seventy li square
- 方 square, an area of ... square
- 六 six
- 七 seven
- 十 ten (in 六七十, 'sixty to seventy')
- 如五六十 rú wǔ liù shí
or fifty to sixty (li square)
- 如 or (introducing an alternative figure)
- 五 five
- 六 six
- 十 ten (in 五六十, 'fifty to sixty')
- 求也 qiú yě
topic-marking self-reference formula: as for me, Qiu
- 求 Qiu, Ran You's personal name
- 也 topic-marking particle
As with 由也 for Zilu, no translator restates Ran You's name here; English uses the first-person pronoun implied by the surrounding clause instead.
- 為之 wéi zhī
to govern it, administer it
- 為 to govern, manage
- 之 it (referring to the territory)
- 比及三年 bì jí sān nián
by the time three years have passed
- 比 by the time of
- 及 to reach, come up to
- 三 three
- 年 year(s)
- 可使足民 kě shǐ zú mín
could make the people sufficiently provided for
- 可 can, be able to
- 使 to cause, make
- 足 to make sufficient, supply enough for
- 民 the people
- 如 rú
as for, as regards
- 其禮樂 qí lǐ yuè
its rites and music
- 其 its (referring to the territory)
- 禮 ritual, rites
- 樂 music
- 以俟 yǐ sì
to wait for, defer to
- 以 in order to
- 俟 to wait for
- 君子 jūn zǐ
exemplary person, gentleman
- 君 lord, ruler; 君子 is literally a lord's son
- 子 son; 君子 is literally a lord's son, one of the ruling class, which the Analects makes a term of character
- 赤 chì
Chi, Gongxi Hua's personal name
- 爾何如 ěr hé rú
what about you? what would you do?
- 爾 you
- 何 what
- 如 about (in 何如)
- 對曰 duì yuē
answered, replied
- 對 to respond, reply
- 曰 said
- 非曰 fēi yuē
not to say that, not claiming that
- 非 not (negating a following clause)
- 曰 to say, claim
- 能之 néng zhī
able to do it
- 能 able, capable
- 之 it (referring to the task)
- 願 yuàn
to wish, desire
- 學焉 xué yān
to learn it
- 學 to learn, study
- 焉 final particle fusing 'it' with a locative sense: in/at it
- 宗廟 zōng miào
ancestral temple
- 宗 component of 宗廟, 'ancestral temple'
- 廟 component of 宗廟, 'ancestral temple'
- 之 zhī
possessive/modifying particle: of
- 事 shì
affairs, matters, ceremonial occasions
- 如 rú
or, and (introducing a second occasion)
- 會同 huì tóng
diplomatic assembly, gathering of the feudal lords
- 會 component of 會同, 'diplomatic assembly'
- 同 component of 會同, 'diplomatic assembly'
- 端章甫 duān zhāng fǔ
the dark ceremonial robe (端) and the black linen cap (章甫)
- 端 dark ceremonial robe
- 章 component of 章甫, 'ceremonial cap'
- 甫 component of 章甫, 'ceremonial cap'
- 願 yuàn
to wish, desire
- 為小相焉 wéi xiǎo xiàng yān
to serve as a minor assistant, protocol officer
- 為 to act as, serve as
- 小 minor, lesser
- 相 assistant, one who assists in ceremonies
- 焉 final particle fusing 'it' with a locative sense: in it
相 is read xiàng, departing tone, the ceremonial assistant who guides a rite (朱熹: 相，贊君之禮者); not xiāng 'mutually'.
- 點 diǎn
Dian, Zeng Xi's personal name
- 爾何如 ěr hé rú
what about you? what would you do?
- 爾 you
- 何 what
- 如 about (in 何如)
- 鼓瑟 gǔ sè
to play, strum the zither
- 鼓 to play, strum (a stringed instrument)
- 瑟 zither, a large stringed instrument
- 希 xī
sparse, growing infrequent (the notes trailing off as the playing slows)
- 鏗爾 kēng ěr
with a final clang, twang (the last ringing note)
- 鏗 a final clang or twang (sound of the last note)
- 爾 adverbial suffix: -ly (manner)
- 舍瑟 shě sè
to set aside, put down the zither
- 舍 to set aside, put down
- 瑟 zither
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and, and then
- 作 zuò
to rise, stand up
- 對曰 duì yuē
answered, replied
- 對 to respond, reply
- 曰 said
- 異乎 yì hū
different from
- 異 different
- 乎 comparative particle: from
- 三子者 sān zǐ zhě
the three others, the three other gentlemen
- 三 three
- 子 gentleman, master (in 三子者, 'the three others')
- 者 marks the noun as a definite reference: 'the three men just mentioned' — not 'those who'
- 之撰 zhī zhuàn
what one has chosen, one's stated aims
- 之 possessive/modifying particle: of
- 撰 what one has chosen, one's account or statement
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 Master (Confucius), in 子曰
- 曰 said
- 何傷乎 hé shāng hū
what harm is there in that?
- 何 what
- 傷 harm, injury
- 乎 interrogative final particle
- 亦 yì
also, too, just
- 各 gè
each
- 言 yán
to speak, tell
- 其志 qí zhì
his own aspiration, ambition
- 其 his, one's own
- 志 aspiration, ambition
- 也 yě
final particle of assertion
- 曰 yuē
said (introduces Zeng Xi's answer)
- 莫春者 mù chūn zhě
as for late spring, at the end of spring
- 莫 late (= 暮, late in the season)
- 春 spring
- 者 topic-marking particle: as for
- 春服 chūn fú
spring clothing
- 春 component of 春服, 'spring clothing'
- 服 component of 春服, 'spring clothing'
- 既成 jì chéng
already complete, finished
- 既 already
- 成 completed, finished
- 冠者 guàn zhě
young men who have undergone the capping ritual, young adults
- 冠 capped, having undergone the capping ritual (an adult)
- 者 nominalizing particle: those who
- 五六人 wǔ liù rén
five or six people
- 五 five
- 六 six
- 人 people, men
- 童子 tóng zǐ
boy, young lad
- 童 component of 童子, 'boy'
- 子 component of 童子, 'boy'
- 六七人 liù qī rén
six or seven people
- 六 six
- 七 seven
- 人 people, boys
- 浴 yù
to bathe
- 乎 hū
locative particle: in
- 沂 yí
the Yi River
- 風 fēng
to catch the breeze, air oneself
- 乎 hū
locative particle: at, upon, among
- 舞雩 wǔ yú
Wuyu, the Rain Altars (site of a rain-sacrifice ceremony)
- 舞 component of the proper name Wuyu, the Rain Altars
- 雩 component of the proper name Wuyu, the Rain Altars
- 詠 yǒng
to chant, sing
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and, and then
- 歸 guī
to return home
- 夫子 fū zǐ
the Master (Confucius)
- 夫 component of 夫子, 'the Master'
- 子 component of 夫子, 'the Master'
- 喟然歎 kuì rán tàn
to heave a deep sigh
- 喟 component of 喟然, 'sighing deeply'
- 然 adverbial suffix: -ly (manner)
- 歎 to sigh, exclaim
- 曰 yuē
said
- 吾 wú
I, me
- 與 yǔ
to be with, side with, share the sentiments of
Legge, Lau, and Chin diverge toward an evaluative 'approve of/favor' sense, while Slingerland, Peimin Ni, Ames & Rosemont, and Watson render it as simple solidarity, 'to be with'.
- 點 diǎn
Dian, Zeng Xi's personal name
- 也 yě
final particle of assertion
English renders Confucius's declaration with an exclamation point rather than a distinct final particle.
- 三子者 sān zǐ zhě
the three others, the three other disciples
- 三 three
- 子 gentleman, master (in 三子者, 'the three others')
- 者 marks the noun as a definite reference: 'the three men just mentioned' — not 'those who'
- 出 chū
to go out, leave
- 曾皙 zēng xī
Zeng Xi, a disciple of Confucius
- 曾 component of the proper name Zeng Xi
- 皙 component of the proper name Zeng Xi
- 後 hòu
to stay behind, come after
- 曾皙 zēng xī
Zeng Xi, a disciple of Confucius
- 曾 component of the proper name Zeng Xi
- 皙 component of the proper name Zeng Xi
- 曰 yuē
said, asked
- 夫 fú
initial topic-introducing particle: as for, now
English simply opens the question with 'What'.
- 三子者 sān zǐ zhě
the three others, the three other disciples
- 三 three
- 子 gentleman, master (in 三子者, 'the three others')
- 者 marks the noun as a definite reference: 'the three men just mentioned' — not 'those who'
- 之言 zhī yán
their words, what they said
- 之 possessive/modifying particle: of
- 言 words, what was said
- 何如 hé rú
what about? what do you think?
- 何 what
- 如 about (in 何如)
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 Master (Confucius), in 子曰
- 曰 said
- 亦 yì
also, too, just
- 各 gè
each
- 言 yán
to speak, tell
- 其志 qí zhì
his own aspiration, ambition
- 其 his, one's own
- 志 aspiration, ambition
- 也已矣 yě yǐ yǐ
final emphatic particle combination: that is all, and nothing more
- 也 final particle of assertion
- 已 final particle marking completion: that's all
- 矣 final particle marking completion: that's all
- 曰 yuē
said (introduces Zeng Xi's question)
- 夫子 fū zǐ
the Master (Confucius)
- 夫 component of 夫子, 'the Master'
- 子 component of 夫子, 'the Master'
- 何 hé
why
- 哂 shěn
to smile at (faintly mocking amusement)
- 由 yóu
You, Zilu's personal name
- 也 yě
interrogative final particle
- 曰 yuē
said
- 為國 wéi guó
to govern a state
- 為 to govern
- 國 a state
- 以 yǐ
by means of, through
- 禮 lǐ
ritual, rites, li
- 其言 qí yán
his words, what he said
- 其 his
- 言 words, what he said
- 不讓 bù ràng
lacking deference, immodest
- 不 not
- 讓 deference, yielding modesty
- 是故 shì gù
therefore, for this reason
- 是 this (demonstrative, in 是故, 'for this reason')
- 故 reason, cause (in 是故, 'therefore')
- 哂之 shěn zhī
to smile at him
- 哂 to smile at
- 之 him (referring to Zilu)
- 唯求 wéi qiú
as for Qiu (唯 is an initial topic particle here, not 'only')
- 唯 initial particle introducing a topic, here not 'only'
- 求 Qiu, Ran You's personal name
- 則非邦 zé fēi bāng
then, not [talking about/concerned with] a state
- 則 then, in that case
- 非 not
- 邦 a state
- 也與 yě yú
interrogative final particle combination
- 也 final particle paired with the following 與/哉 in a question
- 與 interrogative final particle
English forms the question with a question mark rather than a distinct particle.
- 安見 ān jiàn
how could one regard, see (rhetorical: obviously it is)
- 安 how (rhetorical, expressing disbelief)
- 見 to see, regard, consider
Translators phrase the rhetorical challenge differently: 'since when', 'who says', 'how can', 'what can justify saying' all serve the same incredulous function.
- 方六七十 fāng liù qī shí
an area of sixty to seventy li square
- 方 square, an area of ... square
- 六 six
- 七 seven
- 十 ten (in 六七十)
- 如五六十 rú wǔ liù shí
or fifty to sixty (li square)
- 如 or (introducing an alternative figure)
- 五 five
- 六 six
- 十 ten (in 五六十)
- 而非邦 ér fēi bāng
and yet not be a state
- 而 conjunctive particle: and yet
- 非 not
- 邦 a state
- 也者 yě zhě
final particle combination: nominalizing + assertive
- 也 final particle of assertion
- 者 nominalizing particle: that which, a case that
English forms the rhetorical question with a question mark rather than a distinct particle.
- 唯赤 wéi chì
as for Chi (唯 is an initial topic particle here, not 'only')
- 唯 initial particle introducing a topic, here not 'only'
- 赤 Chi, Gongxi Hua's personal name
- 則非邦 zé fēi bāng
then, not [talking about/concerned with] a state
- 則 then, in that case
- 非 not
- 邦 a state
- 也與 yě yú
interrogative final particle combination
- 也 final particle paired with the following 與/哉 in a question
- 與 interrogative final particle
English forms the question with a question mark rather than a distinct particle.
- 宗廟 zōng miào
ancestral temple
- 宗 component of 宗廟, 'ancestral temple'
- 廟 component of 宗廟, 'ancestral temple'
- 會同 huì tóng
diplomatic assembly, gathering of the feudal lords
- 會 component of 會同, 'diplomatic assembly'
- 同 component of 會同, 'diplomatic assembly'
- 非諸侯 fēi zhū hóu
if not the feudal lords
- 非 if not (rhetorical negative)
- 諸 component of 諸侯, 'the feudal lords'
- 侯 component of 諸侯, 'the feudal lords'
- 而何 ér hé
then what (else would they be)?
- 而 conjunctive particle: and
- 何 what
- 赤也 chì yě
as for Chi (topic-marked name; Confucius speaking of Gongxi Hua)
- 赤 Chi, Gongxi Hua's personal name
- 也 topic-marking particle
- 為之小 wéi zhī xiǎo
his role in it is minor
- 為 to act as, serve as
- 之 it (referring to the role)
- 小 a minor, lesser role
- 孰 shú
who
- 能為之大 néng wéi zhī dà
could take on the major role
- 能 able to, can
- 為 to act as, serve as
- 之 it (referring to the role)
- 大 a major, greater role
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