Book 7: 《述而》 Shu Er (Transmission)
《述而》 Passage 7.7
Legge Translation (1861)
The Master said: "From the man bringing his bundle of dried flesh for my teaching upwards, I have never refused instruction to any one."Word by word
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 the Master (honorific title for Confucius)
- 曰 said, spoke
- 自 zì
of one's own accord, on one's own initiative
- 行 xíng
to bring, present (as a gift)
- 束脩 shù xiū
bundle of dried meat (a minimal ceremonial gift)
- 束 bundle, bound together
- 脩 dried, cured meat (jerky)
Traditionally the minimal ritual gift presented on becoming a disciple, later used figuratively for tuition; all eight translators here render it literally.
- 以上 yǐ shàng
and above, or more (marking a minimum threshold)
- 以 particle marking degree or extent: and, or more
- 上 up, above, exceeding (the higher end of a range)
- 吾 wú
I, me
- 未嘗 wèi cháng
never, not ever
- 未 not yet
- 嘗 ever, at some point (marking experiential aspect)
- 無 wú
to be without, give no (instruction)
- 誨 huì
to teach, instruct
- 焉 yān
resumptive pronoun: to him, to that person
Functions here as a resumptive pronoun referring to the visitor, not the interrogative 焉 ('how, where').
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