《八佾》 Passage 3.13

Wangsun Jia, a powerful minister of the state of Wey

• 王 first syllable of the double surname Wangsun (王孫)
• 孫 second syllable of the double surname Wangsun (王孫)
• 賈 given name Jia, of the Wey courtier Wangsun Jia

asked, said, in posing a question

• 問 asked, posed a question
• 曰 said, introduces the following direct speech

rather than..., it would be better to..., correlative comparison frame

• 與 comparative particle: as against, compared with
• 其 correlative particle marking the rejected option in a comparison
• 寧 adverb: rather, preferably, introduces the preferred alternative

The frame 與其⋯寧, 'rather than X, better Y': in Legge's 'It is better to pay court to the furnace than to the south-west corner', 'better' answers 寧 and 'than' the 與其 — the 其 pointing at the option the proverb rejects. Slingerland's supplied text drops the proverb itself, so no rendering can be drawn from it here.

to flatter, curry favor with, pay court to

• 媚 to flatter, curry favor with, ingratiate oneself to
• 於 preposition: to, toward, marking the object flattered

the spirit of the southwest corner of the house, a revered but remote household god

孔安國 and 朱熹 read the proverb as Wangsun Jia's veiled hint that Confucius should court the minister in power (the stove, Jia himself) rather than the ruler's inner circle (the corner). Translators split between the literal 'southwest corner' and the interpretive 'household shrine' for the same referent.

to flatter, curry favor with, pay court to

• 媚 to flatter, curry favor with, ingratiate oneself to
• 於 preposition: to, toward, marking the object flattered

the kitchen stove, the humble but ever-present kitchen god

what does this mean?, what is the point of this saying?

• 何 what, interrogative pronoun
• 謂 to mean, to signify
• 也 final particle marking a direct question

the Master said

• 子 the Master, Confucius
• 曰 said, introduces the following direct speech

not so, that is mistaken

• 不 not
• 然 so, correct, as stated

Roberts substitutes a rhetorical rebuke ('How could you?') for a direct negation of the saying.

to commit an offense against, to incur blame from

• 獲 to obtain, to bring upon oneself
• 罪 offense, guilt, blame
• 於 preposition: against, toward, marking the target of the offense

Heaven, the impersonal moral-cosmic power to which one is ultimately accountable

Ames & Rosemont leaves the term transliterated as 'tian' rather than translating it.

there is nowhere left to turn in prayer, no one who can grant pardon

• 無 there is not, to lack
• 所 nominalizing particle: that which, a place where
• 禱 to pray, to entreat
• 也 final particle of assertion, closing the statement