Book 19: 《子張》 Zi Zhang
《子張》 Passage 19.7
子夏曰：「百工居肆以成其事，君子學以致其道。」
Legge Translation (1861)
Zixia said: "Mechanics have their shops to dwell in, in order to accomplish their works. The superior man learns, in order to reach to the utmost of his principles."Word by word
- 子夏 zǐ xià
Zixia, disciple of Confucius
- 子 prefix of a courtesy name, as in 子路 and 子貢; not the title Master
- 夏 courtesy-name element Xia, 'summer', in the name Zixia
courtesy name of Bu Shang (卜商)
- 曰 yuē
said
- 百工 bǎi gōng
the hundred artisans, craftsmen of every trade
- 百 hundred; by extension, all the various (trades)
- 工 artisan, craftsman, worker
- 居 jū
to dwell, reside, stay
- 肆 sì
workshop, shop
- 以 yǐ
purposive coverb: in order to, so as to
- 成 chéng
to complete, accomplish
- 其 qí
their, his (possessive pronoun referring to the artisans)
- 事 shì
work, task
- 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
- 學 xué
to study, learn
- 以 yǐ
purposive coverb: in order to, so as to
- 致 zhì
to reach, attain
- 其 qí
his, their (possessive pronoun referring to the gentleman)
- 道 dào
the Way, moral path one pursues
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