Book 11: 《先進》 Xian Jin (Former Eras)
《先進》 Passage 11.21
子曰：「論篤是與，君子者乎？色莊者乎？」
Legge Translation (1861)
The Master said: "If, because a man's discourse appears solid and sincere, we allow him to be a good man, is he really a superior man? or is his gravity only in appearance?"Word by word
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 the Master, Confucius (respectful title)
- 曰 said, spoke
- 論篤 lùn dǔ
sincere, earnest in what one says
- 論 discourse, what one says in speech
- 篤 sincere, genuine, earnest
- 是 shì
resumptive particle marking a fronted/preposed object
English reorders the clause or paraphrases it instead of supplying a word for 是.
- 與 yǔ
to approve of, give assent to
- 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
- 者乎 zhě hū
interrogative nominalizing frame: is he the one who...?
- 者 nominalizing particle: one who, the one who
- 乎 interrogative final particle
- 色莊 sè zhuāng
outward show of gravity, a dignified façade
- 色 outward appearance, countenance
- 莊 solemn, dignified, grave in manner
- 者乎 zhě hū
interrogative nominalizing frame: is he the one who...?
- 者 nominalizing particle: one who, the one who
- 乎 interrogative final particle
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