Book 16: 《季氏》 Ji Shi (The Ji Clan)
《季氏》 Passage 16.11
Legge Translation (1861)
Confucius said: "'Contemplating good, and pursuing it, as if they could not reach it; contemplating evil, and shrinking from it, as they would from thrusting the hand into boiling water;' — I have seen such men, as I have heard such words.'Living in retirement to study their aims, and practicing righteousness to carry out their principles;' — I have heard these words, but I have not seen such men."
Word by word
- 孔子 kǒng zǐ
Confucius, Master Kong (proper name)
- 孔 surname Kong, the Master's family name
- 子 honorific suffix: master, philosopher
- 曰 yuē
to say, said (introduces direct quotation)
- 見 jiàn
to see, perceive
- 善 shàn
good, goodness, moral excellence
Ames & Rosemont read shan as 'ability' here rather than moral goodness, an alternative interpretation of the term.
- 如 rú
as if, as though
- 不及 bù jí
unable to reach, fail to catch up with, fall short of
- 不 not
- 及 to reach, attain, catch up to
- 見 jiàn
to see, perceive
- 不善 bù shàn
what is not good, bad, evil
- 不 not
- 善 good, virtuous, morally excellent
Ames & Rosemont read this as 'a lack of ability,' consistent with their ability-based reading of shan above.
- 如 rú
as if, as though
- 探湯 tàn tāng
to test/grope at scalding water, image of instinctive recoil from harm
- 探 to grope for, test by touch
- 湯 hot water, boiling water
A vivid image for reflexive aversion, as one would flinch from touching boiling water.
- 吾 wú
I, me
- 見 jiàn
to see, encounter
- 其 qí
such, that kind of (demonstrative)
- 人 rén
people, person(s)
- 矣 yǐ
perfective final particle: marks completed action
- 吾 wú
I, me
- 聞 wén
to hear
- 其 qí
such, that kind of (demonstrative)
- 語 yǔ
words, sayings, expression
- 矣 yǐ
perfective final particle: marks completed action
- 隱居 yǐn jū
to live in reclusion, withdraw into seclusion
- 隱 hidden; to live in seclusion, withdrawn from public life
- 居 to dwell, reside
- 以 yǐ
in order to, so as to (purposive coverb)
- 求 qiú
to seek, pursue
- 其 qí
his, one's own (possessive)
- 志 zhì
aspiration, purpose, aim
- 行 xíng
to practice, carry out, put into action
- 義 yì
rightness, righteousness, what is appropriate
- 以 yǐ
in order to, so as to (purposive coverb)
- 達 dá
to reach, achieve, bring to completion
Peimin Ni's 'unblock' reflects da's sense of clearing a path so it can be travelled all the way through.
- 其 qí
his, one's own (possessive)
- 道 dào
the Way, one's moral path
- 吾 wú
I, me
- 聞 wén
to hear
- 其 qí
such, that kind of (demonstrative)
- 語 yǔ
words, sayings, expression
- 矣 yǐ
perfective final particle: marks completed action
- 未 wèi
not yet
- 見 jiàn
to see, encounter
- 其 qí
such, that kind of (demonstrative)
- 人 rén
people, person(s)
- 也 yě
final particle of assertion
English closes the sentence with punctuation alone.
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