Book 19: 《子張》 Zi Zhang
《子張》 Passage 19.10
Legge Translation (1861)
Zixia said: "The superior man, having obtained their confidence, may then impose labors on his people. If he have not gained their confidence, they will think that he is oppressing them. Having obtained the confidence of his prince, one may then remonstrate with him. If he have not gained his confidence, the prince will think that he is vilifying him."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 Xia, name element of the disciple Zixia
- 曰 yuē
said, spoke
- 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
- 信 xìn
to have gained trust, be trusted
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and, and then
- 後 hòu
only after, only then
- 勞 láo
to work hard, labor (causative: put to work)
- 其 qí
his, their
- 民 mín
the people, the common people
- 未信 wèi xìn
not yet trusted, without having gained trust
- 未 not yet
- 信 to have gained the trust of others, be trusted
- 則 zé
conditional connective: then, in that case
- 以 yǐ
coverb: to take, to regard (something) as
English collapses 以為 into a single verb ('think', 'consider', 'feel').
- 為 wéi
to think, consider to be
- 厲 lì
harsh, oppressive, exploitative treatment
- 己 jǐ
oneself, themselves (reflexive, referring to the common people)
己 is reflexive; translators split between pointing back to the people (themselves, them) and to the gentleman (him).
- 也 yě
final particle of assertion
English closes the clause with punctuation alone; no word carries 也's assertive force here.
- 信 xìn
to have gained trust, be trusted
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and, and then
- 後 hòu
only after, only then
- 諫 jiàn
to remonstrate, offer candid criticism to a superior
- 未信 wèi xìn
not yet trusted, without having gained trust
- 未 not yet
- 信 to have gained the trust of others, be trusted
- 則 zé
conditional connective: then, in that case
- 以 yǐ
coverb: to take, to regard (something) as
English collapses 以為 into a single verb ('think', 'consider', 'feel').
- 為 wéi
to think, consider to be
- 謗 bàng
to slander, speak ill of
- 己 jǐ
oneself, himself (reflexive, referring to the ruler)
己 is reflexive; translators split between pointing back to the ruler (himself, him) and to his subordinates (them).
- 也 yě
final particle of assertion
English closes the clause with punctuation alone; no word carries 也's assertive force here.
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