Book 20: 《堯曰》 Yao Yue (Yao Spoke)
《堯曰》 Passage 20.2
Legge Translation (1861)
Zizhang asked Confucius, saying: "In what way should a person in authority act in order that he may conduct government properly?"The Master replied: "Let him honor the five excellent, and banish away the four bad, things; — then may he conduct government properly."
Zizhang said: "What are meant by the five excellent things?"
The Master said: "When the person in authority is beneficent without great expenditure; when he lays tasks on the people without their repining; when he pursues what he desires without being covetous; when he maintains a dignified ease without being proud; when he is majestic without being fierce."
Zizhang said: "What is meant by being beneficent without great expenditure?"
The Master replied: "When the person in authority makes more beneficial to the people the things from which they naturally derive benefit; — is not this being beneficent without great expenditure? When he chooses the labors which are proper, and makes them labor on them, who will repine? When his desires are set on benevolent government, and he secures it, who will accuse him of covetousness? Whether he has to do with many people or few, or with things great or small, he does not dare to indicate any disrespect; — is not this to maintain a dignified ease without any pride? He adjusts his clothes and cap, and throws a dignity into his looks, so that, thus dignified, he is looked at with awe; — is not this to be majestic without being fierce?"
Zizhang then asked: "What are meant by the four bad things?"
The Master said: "To put the people to death without having instructed them; — this is called cruelty. To require from them, suddenly, the full tale of work, without having given them warning; — this is called oppression. To issue orders as if without urgency, at first, and, when the time comes, to insist on them with severity; — this is called injury. And, generally, in the giving pay or rewards to men, to do it in a stingy way; — this is called acting the part of a mere official."
Word by word
- 子張 zǐ zhāng
Zizhang, disciple of Confucius
- 子 prefix of a courtesy name, as in 子路 and 子貢; not the title Master
- 張 Zhang, courtesy-name element in 子張; the disciple's surname is 顓孫 (Zhuansun), not 張
- 問 wèn
to ask
- 於 yú
coverb marking the person addressed: of, to
- 孔子 kǒng zǐ
Confucius
- 孔 element in the name Confucius (孔子, Master Kong)
- 子 honorific suffix: master
- 曰 yuē
said, saying
- 何如 hé rú
what must one be like, how
- 何 what
- 如 to be like
- 斯 sī
resumptive particle: then, in that case
All eight translators fold this consequential 'then' into the clause's overall syntax rather than wording it separately.
- 可以 kě yǐ
can, be able to
- 可 can, to be able to
- 以 particle completing the modal 可以, able to
- 從政 cóng zhèng
to take part in government, hold office
- 從 to take part in, engage in
- 政 government, governance
- 矣 yǐ
final particle marking an assertion
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 Master, honorific title for Confucius
- 曰 said
- 尊 zūn
to honor, hold in esteem
- 五美 wǔ měi
the five excellent things, five virtues
- 五 five
- 美 fine quality, excellent thing
- 屏 bǐng
to banish, put aside, get rid of
read bǐng, to remove or put away, not píng, a screen.
- 四惡 sì è
the four bad things, four vices
- 四 four
- 惡 bad thing, vice
- 斯 sī
then, in that case
- 可以 kě yǐ
can, be able to
- 可 can, to be able to
- 以 particle completing the modal 可以, able to
- 從政 cóng zhèng
to take part in government, hold office
- 從 to take part in, engage in
- 政 government, governance
- 矣 yǐ
final particle marking an assertion
- 子張 zǐ zhāng
Zizhang, disciple of Confucius
- 子 prefix of a courtesy name, as in 子路 and 子貢; not the title Master
- 張 Zhang, courtesy-name element in 子張; the disciple's surname is 顓孫 (Zhuansun), not 張
- 曰 yuē
said, asked
- 何謂 hé wèi
what is meant by, what are
- 何 what
- 謂 to mean, to call, to be said of
- 五美 wǔ měi
the five excellent things, five virtues
- 五 five
- 美 fine quality, excellent thing
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 Master, honorific title for Confucius
- 曰 said
- 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
- 惠 huì
generous, beneficent
- 而不 ér bù
but not, yet without
- 而 conjunctive particle: but, yet
- 不 not
- 費 fèi
wasteful, extravagant
- 勞 láo
to work, put to labor
- 而不 ér bù
but not, yet without
- 而 conjunctive particle: but, yet
- 不 not
- 怨 yuàn
resentment
- 欲 yù
to desire, have desires
- 而不 ér bù
but not, yet without
- 而 conjunctive particle: but, yet
- 不 not
- 貪 tān
greedy, covetous
- 泰 tài
dignified ease, grand composure
- 而不 ér bù
but not, yet without
- 而 conjunctive particle: but, yet
- 不 not
- 驕 jiāo
arrogant, haughty
- 威 wēi
commanding, awe-inspiring
- 而不 ér bù
but not, yet without
- 而 conjunctive particle: but, yet
- 不 not
- 猛 měng
fierce, harsh
- 子張 zǐ zhāng
Zizhang, disciple of Confucius
- 子 prefix of a courtesy name, as in 子路 and 子貢; not the title Master
- 張 Zhang, courtesy-name element in 子張; the disciple's surname is 顓孫 (Zhuansun), not 張
- 曰 yuē
said, asked
- 何謂 hé wèi
what is meant by, what does it mean to be
- 何 what
- 謂 to mean, to call, to be said of
- 惠 huì
generous, beneficent
- 而不 ér bù
but not, yet without
- 而 conjunctive particle: but, yet
- 不 not
- 費 fèi
wasteful, extravagant
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 Master, honorific title for Confucius
- 曰 said
- 因 yīn
to base on, according to
- 民 mín
the people
- 之 zhī
subordinating particle: 's, of
English lets 民 modify the following clause directly, with no possessive word needed.
- 所利 suǒ lì
that which is beneficial, what is advantageous
- 所 nominalizing particle: that which
- 利 beneficial, advantageous
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and, and then
Each translator fuses the two clauses into one continuous English sentence, so no separate connective survives.
- 利之 lì zhī
to benefit them
- 利 to benefit, confer benefit on
- 之 third-person object pronoun: them
- 斯不亦…乎 sī bù yì … hū
is it not indeed...?, rhetorical confirmation frame
- 斯 then, in that case
- 不 not
- 亦 also, likewise; with 不...乎, forms is it not...?
- 乎 interrogative final particle
- 惠 huì
generous, beneficent
- 而不 ér bù
but not, yet without
- 而 conjunctive particle: but, yet
- 不 not
- 費 fèi
wasteful, extravagant
- 擇 zé
to select, choose
- 可勞 kě láo
what can suitably be labored at, fitting tasks
- 可 suitable, that can be done
- 勞 to work, labor
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and, and then
- 勞之 láo zhī
to put them to work
- 勞 to work, put to labor
- 之 third-person object pronoun: them
- 又 yòu
then, in that case
- 誰 shuí
who
- 怨 yuàn
to resent
- 欲 yù
to desire
- 仁 rén
humaneness, benevolence
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and
- 得 dé
to obtain, attain
- 仁 rén
humaneness, benevolence
- 又 yòu
then, in that case
- 焉 yān
interrogative: how, in what way
- 貪 tān
greedy, covetous
- 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
- 無 wú
whether... or not, regardless of
- 眾寡 zhòng guǎ
many or few, the multitude or the few
- 眾 many, the multitude
- 寡 few
- 無 wú
whether... or not, regardless of
- 小大 xiǎo dà
small or great
- 小 small, minor
- 大 great, major
- 無敢 wú gǎn
does not dare to
- 無 not, never (negating 敢慢, dare be casual)
- 敢 to dare
- 慢 màn
casual, disrespectful, remiss
- 斯不亦…乎 sī bù yì … hū
is it not indeed...?, rhetorical confirmation frame
- 斯 then, in that case
- 不 not
- 亦 also, likewise; with 不...乎, forms is it not...?
- 乎 interrogative final particle
- 泰 tài
dignified ease, grand composure
- 而不 ér bù
but not, yet without
- 而 conjunctive particle: but, yet
- 不 not
- 驕 jiāo
arrogant, haughty
- 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
- 正 zhèng
to straighten, make correct
- 其 qí
his, their (possessive pronoun)
- 衣冠 yī guān
robe and cap
- 衣 robe, clothing
- 冠 cap, headgear
- 尊 zūn
to make dignified, compose
- 其 qí
his (possessive pronoun)
- 瞻視 zhān shì
gaze, look, expression
- 瞻 to look, gaze (with 視)
- 視 to look, gaze (with 瞻)
- 儼然 yǎn rán
grave, dignified bearing
- 儼 grave, dignified in bearing
- 然 suffix forming an adverb/adjective: -ly, in a ... manner
- 人 rén
people, others
- 望 wàng
to look at, look upon
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and
- 畏 wèi
to be in awe of, revere
- 之 zhī
third-person object pronoun: him
- 斯不亦…乎 sī bù yì … hū
is it not indeed...?, rhetorical confirmation frame
- 斯 then, in that case
- 不 not
- 亦 also, likewise; with 不...乎, forms is it not...?
- 乎 interrogative final particle
- 威 wēi
commanding, awe-inspiring
- 而不 ér bù
but not, yet without
- 而 conjunctive particle: but, yet
- 不 not
- 猛 měng
fierce, harsh
- 子張 zǐ zhāng
Zizhang, disciple of Confucius
- 子 prefix of a courtesy name, as in 子路 and 子貢; not the title Master
- 張 Zhang, courtesy-name element in 子張; the disciple's surname is 顓孫 (Zhuansun), not 張
- 曰 yuē
said, asked
- 何謂 hé wèi
what is meant by, what are
- 何 what
- 謂 to mean, to call, to be said of
- 四惡 sì è
the four bad things, four vices
- 四 four
- 惡 bad thing, vice
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 Master, honorific title for Confucius
- 曰 said
- 不教 bù jiào
without first instructing, uninstructed
- 不 not
- 教 to teach, instruct
- 而 ér
conjunctive particle: and then
- 殺 shā
to execute, kill
- 謂之 wèi zhī
this is called, is termed
- 謂 to call, term
- 之 third-person demonstrative pronoun: it, this
- 虐 nüè
cruelty
- 不戒 bù jiè
without giving warning, without notice
- 不 not
- 戒 to warn, give notice
- 視成 shì chéng
to expect results, look for completion
- 視 to expect, look for
- 成 completion, results
- 謂之 wèi zhī
this is called, is termed
- 謂 to call, term
- 之 third-person demonstrative pronoun: it, this
- 暴 bào
peremptoriness, abrupt harshness
朱熹 glosses 暴 as 卒遽無漸, abruptness with no gradual lead-up, which Peimin Ni and Watson follow; Legge, Slingerland, Ames & Rosemont, Lau and Chin render the ordinary sense, oppression or tyranny.
- 慢令 màn lìng
slow, dilatory in issuing orders
- 慢 slow, dilatory
- 令 order, command
- 致期 zhì qī
to insist abruptly on a deadline
- 致 to bring about abruptly, insist on
- 期 deadline, appointed time
- 謂之 wèi zhī
this is called, is termed
- 謂 to call, term
- 之 third-person demonstrative pronoun: it, this
- 賊 zéi
injury, harm
朱熹: 賊者，切害之意, to harm the people by being lax at first and severe afterwards; Watson's 'brigandage' and Roberts's 'deception' take 賊 in its other senses.
- 猶之 yóu zhī
all the same, in any case
- 猶 equally, all the same, in any case
- 之 particle filling out the adverbial 猶之, with no possessive force
朱熹 reads 猶之 as 均之, equally, in any case, after 孔安國's 財物俱當與人: the thing must be given regardless, so stinginess in the handing over is mere clerkishness. 之 here has no possessive force.
- 與人 yǔ rén
to give to others
- 與 to give, bestow
- 人 other people
- 也 yě
sentence-medial pausal particle
- 出納 chū nà
the actual giving out (and taking in)
- 出 to give out, disburse
- 納 to take in, receive
- 之 zhī
subordinating particle: 's, of
- 吝 lìn
stingy, miserly
- 謂之 wèi zhī
this is called, is termed
- 謂 to call, term
- 之 third-person demonstrative pronoun: it, this
- 有司 yǒu sī
petty clerk, minor functionary
- 有 to have, possess
- 司 office, official function
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