Book 17: 《陽貨》 Yang Huo
《陽貨》 Passage 17.17
子曰：「巧言令色，鮮矣仁。」
Legge Translation (1861)
The Master said: "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with virtue."Word by word
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 Master, teacher (honorific title for Confucius)
- 曰 said, spoke
- 巧言令色 qiǎo yán lìng sè
clever words and an ingratiating manner
- 巧言 qiǎo yán
clever, glib words
- 巧 clever, glib (of speech, connoting insincerity)
- 言 words, speech
used pejoratively here: insincere, flattering talk, not admirable skill
- 令色 lìng sè
insinuating, ingratiating appearance
- 令 fine, pleasing, ingratiating (modifying appearance)
- 色 countenance, facial expression, appearance
- 鮮矣 xiǎn yǐ
rare, seldom, scarce
- 鮮 rare, few, seldom
- 矣 particle marking emphatic assertion
only Lau's 'indeed' separately registers 矣, so the two characters are glossed as one asserted predicate.
- 仁 rén
humaneness, benevolence
postposed subject of the fronted predicate 鮮矣; Ames & Rosemont's 'authoritative conduct' is a distinct rendering from the humaneness/benevolence cluster shared by the rest
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