Book 2: 《為政》 Wei Zheng (Governance)
《為政》 Passage 2.20
Legge Translation (1861)
Ji Kang asked how to cause the people to reverence their ruler, to be faithful to him, and to go on to nerve themselves to virtue. The Master said: "Let him preside over them with gravity; — then they will reverence him. Let him be filial and kind to all; — then they will be faithful to him. Let him advance the good and teach the incompetent; — then they will eagerly seek to be virtuous."Word by word
- 季康子 jì kāng zǐ
Ji Kangzi, a powerful minister of the Ji clan in Lu
- 季 surname: Ji
- 康 Kang, posthumous epithet in 季康子 (Ji Kangzi, i.e. Jisun Fei 季孫肥)
- 子 honorific name-suffix, here forming 'Kangzi'
- 問 wèn
to ask, inquire
- 使 shǐ
to cause, make (someone act a certain way)
- 民 mín
the common people
- 敬 jìng
respectful, reverent
- 忠 zhōng
loyal, faithful
- 以 yǐ
coordinating conjunction: and, as well as
- 勸 quàn
encouraged, spurred to effort; to strive for the good
- 如之何 rú zhī hé
how, what is to be done about it
- 如 how, in what way
- 之 resumptive pronoun: it, this situation
- 何 what, why, how (interrogative word)
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 the Master, honorific title for Confucius
- 曰 said, spoke (introduces a quotation)
- 臨 lín
to oversee, to approach and preside over
- 之 zhī
them, the common people (object pronoun)
- 以 yǐ
with, by means of
- 莊 zhuāng
dignity, gravity, solemn bearing
Roberts renders this as 'strong authority', emphasizing coercive power rather than moral bearing.
- 則 zé
then, in that case (marks the consequence)
- 敬 jìng
respectful, reverent
- 孝 xiào
filial, devoted to one's parents
- 慈 cí
kind, compassionate, especially toward the young
- 則 zé
then, in that case (marks the consequence)
- 忠 zhōng
loyal, faithful
- 舉 jǔ
to raise up, promote (someone worthy)
- 善 shàn
the good, virtuous and capable people
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and
- 教 jiāo
to teach, instruct
- 不能 bù néng
the incapable, those unable to perform well
- 不 not, negation particle
- 能 able, capable
Peimin Ni reads this as 'the inexperienced' rather than 'the incapable'.
- 則 zé
then, in that case (marks the consequence)
- 勸 quàn
diligent, industrious, hardworking
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