Book 6: 《雍也》 Yong Ye (As for Yong)
《雍也》 Passage 6.21
Legge Translation (1861)
The Master said: "To those whose talents are above mediocrity, the highest subjects may be announced. To those who are below mediocrity, the highest subjects may not be announced."Word by word
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 Master, honorific title for Confucius
- 曰 said, spoke
- 中人以上 zhōng rén yǐ shàng
those above the middling level
- 中人 zhōng rén
an average or ordinary person, one of middling capacity
- 中 average, of middling degree (describing a person's capacity)
- 人 person
- 以上 yǐ shàng
and above, or more
- 以 coverb marking a boundary of degree: at or above a given point
- 上 above, higher (describing rank or capacity)
- 可以 kě yǐ
can, may
- 可 can, may (expressing ability or permission)
- 以 coverb: thereby, by which (forms an expression of ability)
- 語 yǔ
to tell, speak to, discuss with
Often read yù (falling tone) here, a transitive verb 'to tell/inform someone of', distinct from the noun/intransitive yǔ 'speech, to converse'.
- 上 shàng
higher things, superior matters
- 也 yě
final particle of assertion, marking the end of a clause
- 中人以下 zhōng rén yǐ xià
those below the middling level
- 中人 zhōng rén
an average or ordinary person, one of middling capacity
- 中 average, of middling degree (describing a person's capacity)
- 人 person
- 以下 yǐ xià
and below, or less
- 以 coverb marking a boundary of degree: at or below a given point
- 下 below, lower (describing rank or capacity)
- 不可以 bù kě yǐ
cannot, may not
- 不 not (negates ability or permission)
- 可 can, may (expressing ability or permission)
- 以 coverb: thereby, by which (forms an expression of ability)
- 語 yǔ
to tell, speak to, discuss with
Several translators leave the verb elliptical in the second clause, relying on the 'but not' construction rather than repeating it.
- 上 shàng
higher things, superior matters
- 也 yě
final particle of assertion, marking the end of the sentence
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