宪问篇Chapter 14

1宪问耻，子曰：“邦有道，谷；邦无道，谷，耻也。”“克、伐、怨、欲不行焉，可以为仁矣？”子曰：“可以为难矣，仁则吾不知也。”
Xian asked about what shame. The Master said, "When the state is under the good government, it is good to get its salary ; but it is a shame to get its salary when the state is under the bad government." Xian asked again, "Might it be called the perfect virtue then when self-control, boasting, hatred, and covetousness are not necessary?” The Master said, "That might be called the difficult task. But I do not know whether it is the perfect virtue."

 【曾冲明译注】第十三章第二十四条也是这样，子贡的第二个问题前省略了“子贡再问”。 “宪”：姓原名宪，孔子的学生。 “谷”：谷物、五谷、粮食，这里俸禄。“克”：攻克、克服、限制、约束，如“克己复礼”。 “伐”：讨伐。季氏将伐颛zhuan臾yu。或表示“自夸”，如“不夸不矜”。

 

2子曰：“士而怀居，不足以为士矣。”
The Master said, "A scholar who cherishes the comfort of life does not deserve to be a scholar."
【曾冲明译注】“士”在孔子当时，虽然表示文士与武士，可以干脆英译为gentleman。但后来至今，“士”通常被认为是“知识分子”intellectual person或“学者”scholar。

 

3子曰：“邦有道，危言危行；邦无道，危行言孙。”
The Master said, " When the state is under the good government, there will be dangerous words first, and dangerous actions then. When the state is under the bad government, there will be dangerous actions along with crafty words"
【曾冲明译注】“危”字历来费解，也历来被人自由发挥。它究竟表示“危险”还是“崇高、勇敢的”（因此被英译成 lofty and bold）。有趣的是：无论“邦有道还是无道”，都有“危行”，但“邦有道”时，“危行”在“危言”后，“邦无道”时，“危行”在“言孙（讲话谦顺）”前。看来孔子就是这样看待他当时面对的春秋乱世的时局。从此条《论语》的语言与事理来看，“危”应该表示“危险”。这也在警示世人：任何时候都应该有忧患意识。

 

4子曰：“有德者必有言，有言者不必有德。仁者必有勇，勇者不必有仁。”

The Master said, "The virtuous in actions will be sure to have virtuous words, but those whose words are of virtues may not always be virtuous in actions. Men of virtues and principles are sure to be bold, but those who are bold may not always be men of virtues and principles."
【曾冲明译注】“仁”此处特殊地译成“有美德与原则” of virtues and principles"。

 

5南宫适问于孔子曰：“羿yi善射，奡ao荡舟，俱不得其死然；禹yu、稷ji躬稼而有天下。”夫子不答。南宫适出，子曰：“君子哉若人！尚德哉若人！”

Nan-Gong Kuo inquired to Confucius, "Yi was skillful at archery, and Ao could row a boat on the river, but both of them died a death unnaturally. Yu and Ji were engaged personally in the husbandry, and they became possessors of the country at last." The Master made no reply; but when Nan-Gong Kuo went out, he said, "What a virtuous gentleman he is! But how can he esteem the virtue like this!"
【曾冲明译注】孔子没有当面而是背后评价或褒贬弟子南宫适。南宫适:姓南宫，名适，又名韬，字子容。“适”此处音kuo， 不音shi。

看来孔子对弟子南宫适的评价褒贬参半。

 

6子曰：“君子而不仁者有矣夫？未有小人而仁者也。”
The Master said, "Alas! Are there virtuous gentlemen without virtues in the world? But there never has been a mean person who were really virtuous!”

【曾冲明译注】前句我觉得更像疑问句，当然也可以解读为感叹句。

 

7子曰：“爱之，能勿劳乎？忠焉，能勿诲乎？”

The Master said, "Could there be love without paying energy and labore? And could there be loyalty without teaching lessons?which does not lead to strictness with its object? Can there be loyalty which does not lead to the instruction of its object?"
【曾冲明译注】可见“忠”这里不表示“忠君”。曾子就说过：“为人谋而不忠乎？”孔子这里是在做自我介绍。

 

8子曰：“为命，裨bi谌shen草创之，世叔讨论之，行人子羽修饰之，东里子产润色之。”

The Master said, "In preparing the governmental notifications, Bi Shen made the rough draft first; Shi Shu discussed it; the manager of foreign affairs Zi Yu polished it; and the prime minister Zi Chan made it excellent and pretty finally."
【曾冲明译注】这是讲的郑国之事。襄公下传四代到简公时，郑国任用子产为相。按《左传》，裨谌、世叔、子羽这三个大夫都是子产推荐的。“为命”：制定命令、 法令、布告、通知等。“行人”：出使外国者，使者，外交官。 “东里”：子产的住地，或指宰相府。

9或问子产，子曰：“惠人也。”问子西，曰：“彼哉，彼哉！”问管仲，曰：“人也。夺伯氏骈pian邑三百，饭疏食，没齿无怨言。”

Some one asked about Zi chan. The Master said, "He was a kind man." He asked about Zi Xi. The Master said, "That man? That man!" He asked about Kuan Zhong. "As for him," said the Master, "the city of Pian with three hundred families, was taken from the chief of the Po family, who did not complain at all, though he had only coarse rice to eat till his death."
【曾冲明译注】此条《论语》比较难懂的是这样译处：

曰：“人也。夺伯氏骈pian邑三百，饭疏食，没齿无怨言。”

首先是“人”字。“人”这里表示“能人”、“伟人”、“仁人”、“善人”、“好人”、“真正的人”，等等？比起用来夸奖子产的“惠人”，这个“人”“夸奖”的程度是多还是少？孔子在《论语》有多处评价管仲，总起来说，“褒”大于“贬”。评价一个人本来就很难啊！孔子这里用了“夺”字，多少含有一些“贬”意。“饭疏食，没齿无怨言”的主语是伯氏。“没齿”：没有了牙齿，就意味着“老死”。全句可以这样译成现代汉语：
　孔子说：“他真是个了不起的人，他把伯氏骈邑的三百家夺走，使伯氏终生吃粗茶淡饭，直到老死也没有怨言。”

伯氏：齐国的大夫。 骈pian邑：地名，伯氏的采邑。子西：楚国的令尹，名申。

 

10子曰：“贫而无怨难，富而无骄易。”
The Master said, "It is difficult to be poor without complaint, and easy to be rich without arrogance."

 

11子曰：“孟公绰为赵、魏老则优，不可以为滕、薛大夫。”

The Master said, "Meng Gong-chou is fit to be good heads of two noble families Zhao and Wei of the great state Jin, but he is not fit to be great official of the small states Teng or Xue."
【曾冲明译注】这里先要知道此孔子语录的简单背景及其大致意思：

孔子说: 孟公绰当晋国（大国）赵大夫、魏大夫的家臣是胜任的,但却做不了滕、薛（两个小国）的大夫。

12子路问成人，子曰：“若臧武仲之知、公绰之不欲、卞庄子之勇、冉求之艺，文之以礼乐，亦可以为成人矣。”曰：“今之成人者何必然？见利思义，见危授命，久要不忘平生之言，亦可以为成人矣。”

The disciple Zi Lu asked about a grown man in the sense of virtue. The Master said, “If the knowledge of Zang Wu-zong, the freedom of Meng Gong-cho from covetousness, the bravery of Bian Zhuang-zi, and the varied talents of Ran Qiou were collected in one man and all these qualities had been adorned with the propriety and music; he might be reckoned a grown man in the sense of virtue. " The Master then added, "But all these are not necessary for such a virtuous gentleman nowadays. The man who thinks of righteousness before profits; who is prepared to give up his life before the danger; and who does not forget his old promise he gave long ago at his important post; may be reckoned a grown man in the sense of virtue. "
【曾冲明译注】这条《论语》的第二个“曰”，也是“子曰”，内容是孔子自问自答。“成人”这里指道德方面成熟之人，而不是现代汉语的词义：成年人。但“成人”还不是“完人”，“成熟”离“完善”还有较大距离。“文之以礼乐”：“文”即文质彬彬的那个“文”字，表示“形式”或“外表”。它所表现的内在本质或素质，就是前面说的知（智）、不欲、勇、艺。“见利思义”的反面是“见利忘义”；“见危授命”的“授命”，其同义词是“献生（身）”或“献出生命”；“久要不忘平生之言”的“要”：有专家解释为“困境”，我认为是表示“要津”、“要职”之类。

臧zang武仲：姬ji姓，臧氏，名纥he，谥shi武，史称臧武仲。先秦男子用氏“臧”，不用姓“姬”,故不作姬武仲。臧矮小多智，号称“圣人”。《左转·襄公二十三年》记载他的一次智慧：臧不容于权臣，出逃到齐国。齐庄公要给他田地，可他预料到齐庄公不能长久，便设法拒绝。故后来齐庄公被杀，他没有受到牵连。

 

13子问公叔文子于公明贾曰：“信乎，夫子不言，不笑，不取乎？”公明贾对曰：“以告者过也。夫子时然后言，人不厌其言；乐然后笑，人不厌其笑；义然后取，人不厌其取。”子曰：“其然？岂其然乎？”

The Master asked Gong-ming Jia about Gong-shu Wen, "Is it true that he speaks, laughs and takes nothing?" Gong-ming Jia replied, "The saying is beyond the truth. He speaks when it is the time to speak, and the listeners do not get tired of his speaking. He laughs when he is happy, and no people get tired of his laughing. He takes when it is right to do so, and nobody thinks it wrong." The Master said, " Is it so? Is it true really?"
【曾冲明译注】抽取部分原文插注如下：

子（指孔子）问（问及，问到有关）公叔文子（卫国大夫，姓公孙或公叔，名拔，字文子）于（在，向）公明贾（卫国大夫，姓公明，名贾）曰：“信乎，夫子（“夫”是语气词，这里表示“据说”；“子”指公叔文子）不言，不笑，不取乎？”公明贾（姓公明，名贾）对曰：“以（以为，我认为）告（告诉，说这话）者过也。夫子（指公叔文子）时（在合适的时候）然后言，”子（指孔子）曰：“其然？岂其然乎？”

英译中要特别注意“子”字。我认为，只有”孔子”能英译成the Master。

 

14子曰：“臧武仲以防求为后于鲁，虽曰不要君，吾不信也。”
The Master said, "Zang Wu-zhong, keeping possession of Fang, asked the duke of Lu to recognize his family menber as the successor. It was said that he was not using his force on the duke, but I do not believe this saying."
【曾冲明译注】本章第十二条就出现“臧武仲之知（智）。”臧zang武仲：姬ji姓，臧氏，名纥he，谥shi武，史称臧武仲，臧矮小多智，号称“圣人”。 先秦男子用氏“臧”，不用姓“姬”,故作“臧武仲”而非“姬武仲”。

“以防求为后于鲁”：这句是本条难点。需要了解其历史背景。据《春秋》记载，臧武仲因得罪孟孙氏逃离鲁国，后来回到防邑，以自己离开防邑为条件。要求鲁国大公立臧氏之后为卿大夫。

“要”：要挟xie。“防”是地名。臧武仲的封地或封邑。在今山东泗水西南。

据历史记载：十七年（前556）齐高厚围困他于防，由叔梁纥he（孔子之父）等人率甲三百，夜间突围护送而出。有关孔子出生的记载也三次提到“防”字，不过那是“防山”。具体细节如下：

鲁襄公二十二年（前551）孔子诞生。他刚出生时头顶是凹下去的，所以就给他取名叫丘。字仲尼，姓孔氏。 孔子出生不久叔梁纥就死了，埋葬在防山。防山在鲁国东部，因此孔子无法确知父亲的坟墓在何处，是母亲没有把父亲埋葬的地方告诉他。孔子小时候做游戏，常常摆起各种祭器，学做祭祀的礼仪动作。孔子的母亲死后，就把灵柩暂且停放在五父之衢，这是出于慎重没有马上埋葬。陬邑人挽父的母亲把孔子父亲的葬地告诉了他，然后孔子才把母亲迁去防山同父亲葬在一起。

 

15子曰：“晋文公谲jue而不正，齐桓huan公正而不谲。”

The Master said, "The crafty duke Wen of the state Jin was not upright. The upright duke Huan of the state Qi was not crafty."
【曾冲明译注】晋文公与齐桓公都是春秋时期的著名政治家。但由于前者即位后召见周天子，后者打着尊王的旗号，孔子因此对二人给予以上不同的评价。

 

16子路曰：“桓huan公杀公子纠，召忽死之，管仲不死，曰未仁乎？”子曰：“桓huan公九合诸侯不以兵车，管仲之力也。如其仁，如其仁！”

The disciple Zi Lu said, "The Duke Huan had his brother Jiu killed, but he set Guan Zhong free and made the latter the premier of Qi State. May not I say that he was not loyal and virtuous?" The Master said, "The Duke Huan ordered all the princes in the meeting without weapons and chariots: that was due to the achievements of Guan Zhong. Whose virtues were like his? Who was as virtuous as he?"
【曾冲明译注】这充分表明孔子善于实事求是、分清主次以评价历史人物的功过得失。子路问的第一件事：齐桓huan公杀了公子纠而放了管仲这个自愿被囚的重要同犯，并拜他为相。子路认为这是管仲对其原先的主子不忠不仁。孔子回答的第二件事：管仲为相后，让齐国能不用武力而成为诸侯们的霸主，使天下老百姓得以免受战争之苦。这无疑是很大的功劳。

 

17子贡曰：“管仲非仁者与？桓公杀公子纠，不能死，又相之。”子曰：“管仲相桓公霸诸侯，一匡天下，民到于今受其赐。微管仲，吾其被发左衽ren矣。岂若匹夫匹妇之为谅也，自经于沟渎而莫之知也。”

The disciple Zi Gong said, “ Was Guan Zhong not virtuous? For the Duke Huan had his brother Jiou killed, but Guan Zhong was not killed with his former master. Moreover, Guan Zhong was appointed as the prime minister of the duke Huan."  The Master said, "Guan Zhong as the prime minister helped the Duke Huan to be the leader of all the princes who competted in the whole kingdom. the people has enjoyed the contribution he made till the present. Without Guan Zhong we should have been slaves of the wild foreigners. How could he be like a common woman or a little boy who were so mean and to kill himself without being known by people.” 

【曾冲明译注】这条孔子是对上条内容的解释，由此更可见孔子如何评价历史人物的原则。
“左祍”： 代表少数民族。因为中国古代少数民族的服装习惯前襟向左掩，不同于中原一带当时汉族服装习惯前襟向右掩ren。

“岂若匹夫匹妇之为谅也，自经于沟渎du而莫之知也。”译成现代汉语：“哪能像普通百姓那样度量小，自杀在沟渠里而无人知道哩！”“谅”同“量”，表示“度量”。“渎”：水沟，水渠。“经”同“剄”，“自经（剄）”：自杀。

 

18公叔文子之臣大夫僎zhuan与文子同升诸公，子闻之,曰：“可以为‘文’矣。”

The family minister Zhuan in company with his master Gong-shu Wen ascended to the prince's court. The Master heard of that and said, "Zhuan deserved to be so-called “wen” in Chinese meaning of “ writer official”.
【曾冲明译注】“僎”zhuan同“撰”，撰写、著作。孔子说大夫僎zhuan“可以为‘文’矣。”也许是因为“僎zhuan”这个名的字面含义“撰写”与“为文”同义。

 

 19子言卫灵公之无道也，康子曰：“夫如是，奚而不丧？”孔子曰：“仲叔圉yu治宾客，祝鮀to治宗庙，王孙贾治军旅，夫如是，奚其丧？”
The Master spoke about the duke Ling of Weil State who was not on the Way and Ji Kang said, "Since he was so, why did not lose his state?" The  Master said, "The Zhong-shu Yu directed the foreign affairs, the litanist To managed the ancestral temple; and Wang-sun Jia led the forces; how should he lose his state with these talents,?"
【曾冲明译注】康子指季康，替卫灵公、也是自己辩护。实事求是地说，卫灵公在选用人才、包括对待孔子本人方面，在当时的君主中还是比较好的。比如仲叔圉yu治宾客，祝鮀to治宗庙，王孙贾治军旅，就是证明。其实，孔子这里还是把矛头针对当时位高权重、有篡位之嫌的的季康。

关于祝魠，参见《论语·雍也》：子曰：“不有祝鮀之佞，而有宋朝之美，难乎免于今之世矣。”

 

20子曰：“其言之不怍zhan，则为之也难。”

The Master said, "He who tells truth will find it difficult to act.

【曾冲明译注】怍zhan：同诈，奸诈。孔子这里揭示了人们常见的社会现象：讲话常常不能实话实说，包括现在常见的“善意的谎言”。说真话，常常办不成事。当然，讲话是要讲究方式方法的，也要考虑时间、地道、条件。但也不能谎言满天飞啊！

 

21陈成子弑简公，孔子沐浴而朝，告于哀公曰：“陈恒弑其君，请讨之。”公曰：“告夫三子。”孔子曰：“以吾从大夫之后，不敢不告也，君曰‘告夫三子’者，不可。以吾从大夫之后，不敢不告也。”
Chen Hang murdered the Duke Jian of State Qi. Confucius bathed and went to court to report to the Duke Ai, saying, "Chan Hang has slain his sovereign. I beg you to punish him." The duke said, "Tell it to the three families of Ji." Confucius said, "Since I was on the high position, I did not dare not report to you. As for my prince’s reply, ‘Tell it to the three families of Ji.’ Won’t do. Since I was on the high position, I did not dare not report to you.”

【曾冲明译注】原文一一部分似有问题。因此英译前我对原文做了一点改动。

原文以前通常如下：

陈成子弑简公，孔子沐浴而朝，告于哀公曰：“陈恒弑其君，请讨之。”公曰：“告夫三子。”孔子曰：“以吾从大夫之后，不敢不告也，君曰‘告夫三子’者！”之三子告，不可。孔子曰：“以吾从大夫之后，不敢不告也。”

问题出在如下部分：

君曰‘告夫三子’者！”之三子告，不可。孔子曰：孔子曰：

如果把双引号后移，把上句改成：

君曰‘告夫三子’者！之三子告”，不可。孔子曰：

或改成：

君曰‘告夫三子’者！之三子告，不可。”孔子曰：

那也仍然有问题，因为后面的“孔子曰”仍然显得多余。

 

22子路问事君，子曰：“勿欺也，而犯之。”
Tsze-lu asked how to serve the ruler. The Master said, "Do not deceive him, and try to tell truth to his face."
【曾冲明译注】欺：欺骗。犯：犯颜直谏。当面讲真话。

 

23子曰：“君子上达，小人下达。”

The Master said, "Virtuous gentlemen go upwards to be famous while the common people go downwards to be known."
【曾冲明译注】“达”这里表示“到达”或“闻达”。诸葛亮《出师表》有言：“苟全性命于乱世，不求闻达于诸侯”。

 

24子曰：“古之学者为己，今之学者为人。”

The scholars in ancient times are for themselves while the scholars nowadays for the people.

【曾冲明译注】 “为己”被解读为“从自己进步或修身的角度”；“为人” ”被解读为“从别人许可、承认的角度”。之所以这样，看来是因为解读者认为：孔子既然主张“克己复礼”，他这里对学者也一定是觉得“今不如昔”，一代不如一代。 网上见到的一种比较权威的英语译文就是根据这种解读：

The Master said, "In ancient times, men learned with a view to their own improvement（从自己的进步或修身的角度）. Nowadays, men learn with a view to the approbation（许可）of others.（从别人许可、承认的角度）。但我有不同看法。“疾风知劲草，乱世出忠臣”。乱世的学者更容易具有孔子忧患意识，忧国忧民之士更多。这里也可见孔子实事求是的人格与文风。因此我的新译就是根据我自己的这种认识。

 

25蘧gu伯玉使人于孔子，孔子与之坐而问焉，曰：“夫子何为？”对曰：“夫子欲寡其过而未能也。”使者出，子曰：“使乎！使乎！”
Chu Po-yu sent a messenger to Confucius. Confucius sat with him and asked, "What does your master sent you for?" The messenger replied, "My master wants to have few mistakes, but he cannot." When the messanger went out, the Master said, "A messenger indeed! But where is his master? "
【曾冲明译注】请注意“夫子何为？”的“夫子”二字。句首的“夫”是助词或语气词，表示“提醒”语气。“子”指使者的主人“蘧伯玉”。

“子曰”的“子”是指“孔子”。孔子这里说的“使乎！使乎！”是感叹既然想少犯错误的蘧伯玉居然不亲自来拜访而派一个使者前来。

蘧伯玉：姓蘧qu名瑗yuan，字伯玉。春秋时期卫国大夫。

 

26子曰：“不在其位，不谋其政。”

The Master said, "If you are not at the position, you should not interfere in its affairs."

 

27曾子曰：“君子思不出其位。”
The disciple and assictant of Confucius Zeng Shen said, "The virtuous and superior gentleman does not go out of his own position in his mind,”

【曾冲明译注】“曾子”我译成The disciple and assictant of Confucius Zeng Shen（孔子的弟子与助手曾参）

 

28子曰：“君子耻其言而过其行。”

The Master said, "The virtuous gentleman is shameful to say about himself, but he tries to do more than what he did promised.."

【曾冲明译注】还原直译成现代汉语如下：

孔子说：有道德的绅士耻于说有关自己的事情，但他努力做多于自己所承诺的。

 

29子曰：“君子道者三，我无能焉：仁者不忧，知者不惑，勇者不惧。”子贡曰：“夫子自道也。”
The Master said, "The superior gentlemen have three virtues I am unable to have: moral, he is free from sorrows; wise, he is free from perplexities; bold, he is free from fear.” Zi Gong said, "That is what our Master says about himself."

【曾冲明译注】孔子承认自己没有政治家必备的三大素质或条件：智、仁、勇。

 

30子贡方人，子曰：“赐也贤乎哉？夫我则不暇。”

Zi Gong often remarked on others. The Master said, "My Zi Lu is wise, isn’t he? But I have no leisure for it."

【曾冲明译注】按专家们的解释，“方人”： 评论或诽谤他人。但根据《论语》写到的子贡习惯，我英译为remarked（评论）。“暇xia”：闲暇，闲暇时间，闲工夫。

 

31子曰：“不患人之不己知，患其不能也。
The Master said, "It is not terrible that others don’t know you; It is terrible indeed that you are unable to know yourself.”

【曾冲明译注】人贵有自知之明。

 

32子曰：“不逆诈，不亿不信，抑亦先觉者，是贤乎！”

The Master said, "Those who do not deceive others, nor think of what they do not believe, and might see beforehand are good gentlemen, are they not so?"

【曾冲明注】“亿”表示“意料”、“臆测”。比较孔子对子贡的评价或表扬：“亿则必中”。

 

33微生亩谓孔子曰：“丘何为是栖栖者与？无乃为佞乎？”孔子曰：“非敢为佞也，疾固也。”
The recluse called “little being” said to Confucius, "What did you hurry to look for? Are you a crafty and selfish speaker?
Confucius said, "I do not dare to be such a speaker, for I hate very much the stubbornness."

【曾冲明译注】“微生亩”：这个姓名好怪啊！我上网查询，只见到一个答案：此人是鲁国隐士，姓微生，名亩。最早说这话的是宋代的大学者朱熹。但关于孔子《论语》的“朱熹集注”在一些地方的观点与解释，今天也遭到人们的质疑。比如这个人名，我就有所保留。“微生”这个双性就值得怀疑。它可否解读为此隐士自取的绰号？而“亩”可否解读为“某”字的假借？反正后人（包括朱熹）都只能根据《论语》的整体意思推测这类疑难点的大意，我也就这样来解读与英译了。

至于“佞ning”，可以表示“奸佞ning”，也可以表示“巧言善辩”。这里二者都讲得通。“疾固”：对顽固不化（表示）痛心疾首。

显然，孔子对此人的顽固无礼也表露了很不高兴。

 

34子曰：“骥不称其力，称其德也。”
The Master said, "A speed is praised not for its strength, but for its other virtues."
【曾冲明译注】“骥”表示“好马”。

 

35或曰：“以德报怨，何如？”子曰：“何以报德？以直报怨，以德报德。”
Some one asked, "Is it right that hatred should be repaid with kindness?"
The Master said, "With what should the kindness be repaid then? Repay hatred with justice, and repay kindness with kindness."
【曾冲明译注】孔子这样提倡德治的忠厚的长者，也不主张“以德报怨”。对于如何“以德报怨”的提问，孔子在回答前先提出反问“何以报德？”然后再一起回答两个问题：“以直报怨”与“以德报德”。可见孔子对此问题了解正确又全面。“直”：的确应该解读为“正直”、“正义”、“公正”。

 

36子曰：“莫我知也夫！”子贡曰：“何为其莫知子也？”子曰：“不怨天，不尤人，下学而上达。知我者其天乎！”
The Master said, "Alas! no one knows me." Zi Gong asked, "What do you mean by this?" The Master replied, "I complain neither to Heaven, nor to men. I learn from the common people and become known in the high society. But does Heaven know me?"
【曾冲明译注】“达”这里表示“到达”或“闻达”。诸葛亮《出师表》有言：“苟全性命于乱世，不求闻达于诸侯”。“下学而上达”我英译成I learn from the common people and become known in the high society.（我向普通老百姓学习，闻名与高层社会），不知可否？参见本章第二十三条及其英译：
子曰：“君子上达，小人下达。”

The Master said, "Virtuous gentlemen go upwards to be famous while the common people go downwards to be known."

37公伯寮liao愬子路于季孙。子服景伯以告，曰：“夫子固有惑志于公伯寮，吾力犹能肆诸市朝。”子曰：“道之将行也与，命也；道之将废也与，命也。公伯寮其如命何？”

Gong-bo Liao slandered Zi Lu to his master Ji-sun, Zi-fu Jing-bo informed Confucius of it, saying, "Our master is certainly being led astray by Gong-bo Liao, but I could cut Liao off, and expose his corpse in the market."
The Master said, "If my principles are to advance, it is so ordered. If they are to fall to the ground, it is so ordered. What can the Kung-po Liao do where such ordering is concerned?"
【曾冲明译注】“公伯寮liao”:《史记·仲尼弟子列传》作“公伯缭liao”。“公伯”是氏，秦以后氏就是姓。名寮，字子周，鲁国人，曾任季孙氏家臣。

“子服景伯”，子服氏，名何，字伯，景是谥shi号，鲁国大夫。

（姓和氏在秦汉以前有明显的区别。姓源于母系社会，同一个姓表示同一个母系的血缘关系。氏的产生则在姓之后，是按父系来标识血缘关系。）

“愬suo”：同“诉suo”，告诉，诬告，进谗言。

“肆si”：本义是市场，名词。但这里用作动词，处死在市场，并陈尸示众。“市朝”：即市场。

“夫子”：句首的“夫”字是语气词，表示“肯定”语气。“子”指季孙。子服景伯对位高权重的季孙尊称“子”。

” 许多人，包括孔子，都信奉“尽人事而听天命”的人生哲理。全部《论语》就是有力的证明。特别是，孔子一生为了克己复礼，周游列国，晚年著书立说，殚精竭虑，鞠躬尽瘁，真可谓“尽人事”矣！而他的“听天命”实为无奈啊！

 

39子路宿于石门，晨门曰：“奚自？”子路曰：“自孔氏。”曰：“是知其不可而为之者与？”

Zi Lu happened to pass the night in the Stone Gate。Next morning the gatekeeper asked, "Whom do you come from?" Zi Lu replied, "From Mr. K'ong." The gatekeeper asked again,  "Is it not he who wants do what he knows impossible?”

【曾冲明译注】“知其不可而为之”就是“尽人事”。

 

40子击磬qing于卫，有荷蒉kui而过孔氏之门者，曰：“有心哉，击磬乎！”既而曰：“鄙哉，硁硁乎！莫己知也，斯己而已矣。深则厉，浅则揭。”子曰：“果哉！末之难矣。”

The Master was playing, one day, on a musical stone in Weil when a man carrying a straw basket passed door of the house where Confucius was, and said, "His heart is full who so beats the musical stone."

【曾冲明译注】“磬qing”：一种打击乐器。“荷”：负荷，背着，挑着，提着。“篑kui”；筐，一筐东西（土）。如“功亏一篑”。 “硁硁”：敲击石制乐器之声。

孔子在卫国敲击此乐器，显然是因为没有得到器重。我此时联想起初中在《国文》书里读到的那篇“冯谖xuan客孟尝君”。 冯谖就是敲击着他的长剑表示自己的怀才不遇啊！”既而曰”：此人又立刻问。“既然”的“既”这里同“即刻”、“立即”的“即”。此人批评孔子无自知之明，说他“莫己知也“，并且劝孔子听其自然，“斯己而已矣”（就这样自己对待自己吧！）

此人引《诗经.匏pao有苦叶》里两句“深则厉，浅则揭”。似在劝说孔子如同过河，要小心翼翼，好自为之。这两句诗的“厉”与“揭”，专家们解释不一，因此我按自己的理解英译。

 

41子张曰：“《书》云，‘高宗谅阴，三年不言。’何谓也？”子曰：“何必高宗，古之人皆然。君薨，百官总己以听于冢宰三年。”
Tsze-chang said, "What is meant when the Shu says that Kao-tsung, while observing the usual imperial mourning, was for three years without speaking?"
The Master said, "Why must Kao-tsung be referred to as an example of this? The ancients all did so. When the sovereign died, the officers all attended to their several duties, taking instructions from the prime minister for three years."

42子曰：“上好礼，则民易使也。”
The Master said, "When rulers love to observe the rules of propriety, the people respond readily to the calls on them for service."

43子路问君子，子曰：“修己以敬。”曰：“如斯而已乎？”曰：“修己以安人。”曰：“如斯而已乎？”曰：“修己以安百姓。修己以安百姓，尧、舜其犹病诸！”

Zi Lu asked about the virtuous and superior gentleman. The Master said, "He must cultivate himself with reverential care." "And is that all?" said Zi Lu. "He cultivates himself to do good to others," replied the Master. "And is that all?" asked Zi Lu again. The Master said, "He cultivates himself to do good to the people. To cultivate oneself to do good to the people is what the sages Yao and Shun worried about day and night."
【曾冲明译注】“修己以安百姓，犹病诸”：我英译成To cultivate oneself to do good to the people is what the sages Yao and Shun worried about day and night."（为了百姓好而修身，这是圣人尧、舜日夜操心的。）

44原壤rang夷俟si，子曰：“幼而不孙弟，长而无述焉，老而不死，是为贼！”以杖叩其胫。

Yuan Rang sitting like a wild man waited for Confucius. The Master said to him, " Unhumble and unkind to brothers and friends, doing nothing worthy of being handed down and living on to old age like this;  such  man should be called a pest." The Master hit himself on the shank with his staff.
【曾冲明译注】今天我才知道，“老而不死是为贼”这句话原来出自这条《论语》，此话绝对不是针对一般的老人，而是针对原壤这样的人。当然，孔子也不会这样咒骂自己。但孔子为什么会这样痛骂、而且是当面痛骂对方呢？因为什么原因孔子才会这样厉害地痛骂对方呢？孔子又怎么会要求对方做到几乎只有自己才能达到的水平呢？谁都承认：也只有孔子才能晚年“述而不作”哩！

从网上查到这样的【注释】：原壤：鲁国人，孔子的旧友。他母亲死了，他还大声歌唱，孔子认为这是大逆不道。夷俟si：夷，双腿分开而坐。俟，等待。显得没有礼貌。孙弟：同逊悌。

 

45阙党童子将命，或问之曰：“益者与？”子曰：“吾见其居于位也，见其与先生并行也。非求益者也，欲速成者也。”

A youth of the Que Village was to be employed. Some one asked about him, "I suppose he has made progress." The Master said, "I see him try to occupy the seat; I see him walk with his elders shoulder by shoulder. He is not one seeking to make progress. He wishes to succeed too quickly."
【曾冲明译注】这条《论语》的理解难点是“阙党童子将命”六字。“阙que党”：孔子居住的故乡。见《荀子》“仲尼居于阙党”，又 比较“乡党”。“将命”：可否解读为“将要受命出仕做官”？孔子说的“居于位”似可照应或旁证。：“益”：利益。有益，有出息。“先生”：前辈，长辈。“欲速成”：反义成语是“欲速则不达”。