論語The Analects of Confucius

論語The Analects of Confucius

Book 17: 《陽貨》 Yang Huo

《陽貨》 Passage 17.4

子之武城,聞弦歌之聲。夫子莞爾而笑,曰:「割雞焉用牛刀?」子游對曰:「昔者偃也聞諸夫子曰:『君子學道則愛人,小人學道則易使也。』」子曰:「二三子!偃之言是也。前言戲之耳。」

Legge Translation (1861)

The Master, having come to Wucheng, heard there the sound of stringed instruments and singing. As if pleased, he smiled, and said: "Why use an ox-knife to kill a fowl?"

Ziyou replied: "Formerly, Master, I heard you say, 'When the man of high station is well instructed, he loves men; and when the man of low station is well instructed, he is easily ruled.'"

The Master said: "My disciples, Yan's words are right. What I said was only in sport."

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