Book 2: 《為政》 Wei Zheng (Governance)
《為政》 Passage 2.10
Legge Translation (1861)
The Master said: "See what a man does.Mark his motives.
Examine in what things he rests.
How can a man conceal his character? How can a man conceal his character?"
Word by word
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 Master; polite title for Confucius
- 曰 said, spoke
- 視 shì
to look at, observe
- 其 qí
possessive/demonstrative pronoun: his, referring to the person observed
- 所以 suǒ yǐ
that which one does, one's actions
- 所 nominalizing particle: that which, what
- 以 to do, to use; what one does by means of
- 觀 guān
to observe, watch closely
- 其 qí
possessive/demonstrative pronoun: his, referring to the person observed
- 所由 suǒ yóu
that which one follows, one's path or course
- 所 nominalizing particle: that which, what
- 由 to follow, proceed from; the path taken
- 察 chá
to examine, scrutinize closely
- 其 qí
possessive/demonstrative pronoun: his, referring to the person observed
- 所安 suǒ ān
that in which one is at ease, where one feels content
- 所 nominalizing particle: that which, what
- 安 at ease, content, tranquil
- 人 rén
a person, someone (the one under observation)
- 焉…哉 yān … zāi
rhetorical interrogative frame: how could...?, where could...?
- 焉 how?, in what way? (rhetorical question word)
- 哉 exclamatory-interrogative final particle
- 廋 sōu
to hide, conceal one's true character
- 人 rén
a person, someone (the one under observation)
- 焉…哉 yān … zāi
rhetorical interrogative frame: how could...?, where could...?
- 焉 how?, in what way? (rhetorical question word)
- 哉 exclamatory-interrogative final particle
- 廋 sōu
to hide, conceal one's true character
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