Book 9: 《子罕》 Zi Han (Seldom Spoke)
《子罕》 Passage 9.30
Legge Translation (1861)
The Master said: "There are some with whom we may study in common, but we shall find them unable to go along with us to principles. Perhaps we may go on with them to principles, but we shall find them unable to get established in those along with us. Or if we may get so established along with them, we shall find them unable to weigh occurring events along with us."Word by word
- 子曰 zǐ yuē
the Master said
- 子 Master (respectful title for Confucius)
- 曰 said, spoke
- 可 kě
can, is able to, may
- 與 yǔ
coverb: with, together with
- 共學 gòng xué
to study together, share in learning
- 共 together, jointly (adverb)
- 學 to study, learn
- 未可 wèi kě
not yet able to, cannot yet
- 未 not yet
- 可 can, may (expressing ability or permission)
Most translators read 未可 as a flat incapacity; Slingerland and Ames & Rosemont soften it to a logical non-entailment ('doesn't necessarily mean').
- 與 yǔ
coverb: with, together with
- 適道 shì dào
to advance along the Way, pursue the moral path
- 適 to go to, proceed to
- 道 the Way, the moral path
- 可 kě
can, is able to, may
- 與 yǔ
coverb: with, together with
- 適道 shì dào
to advance along the Way, pursue the moral path
- 適 to go to, proceed to
- 道 the Way, the moral path
- 未可 wèi kě
not yet able to, cannot yet
- 未 not yet
- 可 can, may (expressing ability or permission)
Most translators read 未可 as a flat incapacity; Slingerland and Ames & Rosemont soften it to a logical non-entailment ('doesn't necessarily mean').
- 與 yǔ
coverb: with, together with
- 立 lì
to stand firm, become established (in one's principles)
- 可 kě
can, is able to, may
- 與 yǔ
coverb: with, together with
- 立 lì
to stand firm, become established (in one's principles)
- 未可 wèi kě
not yet able to, cannot yet
- 未 not yet
- 可 can, may (expressing ability or permission)
Most translators read 未可 as a flat incapacity; Slingerland and Ames & Rosemont soften it to a logical non-entailment ('doesn't necessarily mean').
- 與 yǔ
coverb: with, together with
- 權 quán
weighing of circumstances, discretion
權's root sense is the sliding weight on a steelyard balance; Confucian usage extends it to moral judgment that adapts principle to particular circumstances, sometimes overriding literal norms — the hardest and most contested stage of the ladder.
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