Book 3: 《八佾》 Ba Yi (Eight Rows)
《八佾》 Passage 3.4
Legge Translation (1861)
Lin Fang asked what was the first thing to be attended to in ceremonies. The Master said: "A great question indeed!In festive ceremonies, it is better to be sparing than extravagant. In the ceremonies of mourning, it is better that there be deep sorrow than a minute attention to observances."
Word by word
- 林放 lín fàng
Lin Fang, proper name (questioner in this dialogue)
- 林 surname Lin, of the questioner Lin Fang
- 放 given name: Fang (personal name of the questioner)
- 問 wèn
to ask about, inquire into
- 禮 lǐ
ritual, the rites, proper ceremonial conduct
- 之 zhī
possessive/attributive particle: of
- 本 běn
root, basis, essential foundation
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 honorific title: Master (here, Confucius)
- 曰 said, spoke
- 大 dà
great, impressive, noble
- 哉 zāi
exclamatory final particle: indeed!
- 問 wèn
question, inquiry
- 禮 lǐ
ritual, the rites (as generally practiced)
- 與其…也 yǔ qí … yě
correlative frame: rather than..., marking the rejected option in a comparison
- 與 comparative particle: than, rather than
- 其 correlative particle: that one, the alternative option
- 也 classical final particle marking the first term of a comparison
- 奢 shē
extravagant, ostentatious
- 寧 nìng
would rather, it is preferable to
Not 'peace, tranquility'; here it is the modal adverb 'would rather'.
- 儉 jiǎn
frugal, sparing, modest
- 喪 sāng
mourning, funeral rites
- 與其…也 yǔ qí … yě
correlative frame: rather than..., marking the rejected option in a comparison
- 與 comparative particle: than, rather than
- 其 correlative particle: that one, the alternative option
- 也 classical final particle marking the first term of a comparison
- 易 yì
punctilious, overly formal, fussy about correct detail
Commentators split: 包咸 (in 何晏) reads 易 as 和易, ease or composure of manner, which Roberts follows; 朱熹 reads it as 治, the forms handled smoothly and expertly, hence the 'formality' of Legge, Lau and Chin. Either way it is set against 戚, heartfelt grief.
- 寧 nìng
would rather, it is preferable to
Not 'peace, tranquility'; here it is the modal adverb 'would rather'.
- 戚 qī
grief, sorrow, heartfelt lamentation
Not the alternate sense 'relative, kin'; here it means grief.
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