Book 6: 《雍也》 Yong Ye (As for Yong)
《雍也》 Passage 6.18
Legge Translation (1861)
The Master said: "Where the solid qualities are in excess of accomplishments, we have rusticity; where the accomplishments are in excess of the solid qualities, we have the manners of a clerk. When the accomplishments and solid qualities are equally blended, we then have the man of virtue."Word by word
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 honorific title: master, teacher (Confucius)
- 曰 said, spoke (introduces a quotation)
- 質 zhì
native substance, inborn character, raw material
- 勝 shèng
to exceed, overwhelm, outweigh
- 文 wén
culture, refinement, outward accomplishment
- 則 zé
then, in that case (marks the resulting consequence)
- 野 yě
rustic, uncultivated, boorish
- 文 wén
culture, refinement, outward accomplishment
- 勝 shèng
to exceed, overwhelm, outweigh
- 質 zhì
native substance, inborn character, raw material
- 則 zé
then, in that case (marks the resulting consequence)
- 史 shǐ
pedantic, overrefined, scribe-like in manner
史 literally denotes a scribe or court clerk; here used figuratively for someone whose polish outruns substance.
- 文 wén
culture, refinement, outward accomplishment
- 質 zhì
native substance, inborn character, raw material
- 彬彬 bīn bīn
well-blended, refined and substantial in due proportion
- 彬 displaying refinement and substance in due, harmonious balance
- 彬 displaying refinement and substance in due, harmonious balance
- 然後 rán hòu
only then, only after that (marks a necessary prior condition)
- 然 thus, being so (refers back to the condition just described)
- 後 after, afterward; only then, subsequently
Several translators front the 'only' onto the conditional clause itself rather than placing it on this resumptive clause, restructuring 'X 然後 Y' as 'only when X do you have Y'.
- 君子 jūn zǐ
gentleman, exemplary person
- 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
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