CHAPTER 2

子曰：“为政以德，譬如北辰，居其所而众星共之。”

1.       Confucius remarked, “ He who rule s the people, depending upon the moral sentiment, is like the Pole-star, which keeps its place while all the other stars revolve round it.”

 

子曰：“诗三百，一言以蔽之，曰：“思无邪。”

2.       Confucius remarked, “ The Book of Ballads, Songs and Psalms contains three hundred pieces. The moral of them all may be summed up in one sentence: Have no evil thoughts.”

子曰：“道之以政，齐之以刑，民免而无耻，道之以德，齐之以礼，有耻且格。”

3.       Confucius remarked, “ If in government you depend upon laws, and maintain order by enforcing those laws by punishment, you can also make the people keep away from wrong—doing, but they will lose the sense of shame for wrong –doing. If, on the other hand, in government you depend upon the moral sentiment, and maintain order by encouraging education and good manners, the people will have a sense of shame for wrong—doing and moreover, will emulate what is good.”

 

子曰：“吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲不逾矩。”

 

4.       Confucius remarked, “ At fifteen I had made up my mind to give myself up to serious studies. At thirty I had formed my opinions and judgment. At forty I had no more doubts. At fifty I understood the truth in religion. At sixty I could understand whatever I heard without exertion. At seventy I could follow whatever my heart desired without transgressing the law.”

 

孟懿子问孝，子曰：“无违。”樊迟御，子告之曰：“孟孙问孝于我，我对曰无违。”樊迟曰：“何谓也。”子曰：“生，事之以礼；死，葬之以礼，祭之以礼。”

 

5.       A noble of the Court in Confucius’ native State asked him what constituted the duty of a good son. Confucius answered, “ Do not fail in what is required of you.”

  Afterwards, as a disciple was driving him in his carriage, Confucius told the disciple, saying, My Lord M ----asked me what constituted the duty of a good son, and I answered, ‘ Do not fail in what is required of you’”

“What did you mean by that?” asked the disciple.

“ I meant,” replied Confucius, “when his parents are living, a good son should do his duties to them according to the usage prescribed by propriety; when the are dead, he should bury them and honour their memory according to the rites prescribed by propriety.”

 

孟武伯问孝，子曰：“父母唯其疾之忧。

6.       A son of the noble mentioned above put the same question to Confucius as his father did. Confucius answered, “think how anxious your parents are when you are sick, and you will know your duty towards them.”

 

子游问孝，子曰：“今之孝者，是谓能养。至于犬马，皆能有养，不敬，何以别乎？”

 

7.       A disciple of Confucius asked him the same question as the above. Confucius answered,” the duty of a good son nowadays means only to be able to support his parents. But you also keep your dogs and horses alive. If there is no feeling of love and respect, where is the difference?

 

子夏问孝，子曰：“色难。有事，弟子服其劳；有酒食，先生馔，曾是以为孝乎？”

8.       Another disciple asked the same question. Confucius answered, “The difficulty is with the expression of your look. That merely when anything is to be done the young do it, and when there is food and wine the old folk are allowed to enjoy it, --do you think that is the whole duty of a good son?”

 

子曰：“吾与回言，终日不违，如愚。退而省其私，亦足以发，回也不愚。”

9.       Confucius, speaking of a favourite disciple, whose name was Yen Hui, remarked,” I have talked with him for one whole day, during which he has never once raised one single objection to what I have said, as if he were dull of understanding. But when he has retired, on examining into his life and conversation I find he has been able to profit by what I have said to him. No—he is not a man dull of understanding.”

 

子曰：“视其所以，观其所由，察其所安，人焉廋哉？人焉廋哉？”

10.   Confucius remarked, “ You look at how a man acts; consider his motives; find out his tastes. How can a man hide himself; how can he hide himself from you?”

 

子曰：“温故而知新，可以为师矣。”

11.   Confucius remarked, “ If a man will constantly go over what he has acquired and keep continually adding to it new acquirements, he may become a teacher of men.”

 

子曰：“君子不器。”

12.   Confucius remarked,” A wise man will not make himself into a mere machine fit only to do one kind of work.”

 

子贡问君子。子曰：“先行其言而后从之。”

13.   A disciple enquired what constituted a wise and good man. Confucius answered, “ A wise and good man is one who acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions.”

 

子曰：“君子周而不比，小人比而不周。”

14.   Confucius remarked,” A wise man is impartial, not neutral. A fool is neutral but not impartial.”

 

子曰：“学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。”

15.   Confucius remarked,” Study without thinking is labor lost. Thinking without study is perilous.”

 

子曰：“攻乎异端，斯害也已。

16.   Confucius remarked, “ To give oneself up to the study of metaphysical theories – that is very injurious indeed.”

 

子曰：“由，诲女，知之乎？知之为知之，不知为不知，是知也。”

17.   Confucius said to a disciple, “ shall I teach you what is understanding? To know what it is that you know, and to know what it is that you do not know, --- that is understanding.”

 

子张学干禄，子曰：“多闻阙疑，慎言其余，则寡尤；多见阙殆，慎行其余，则寡悔。言寡尤，行寡悔，禄在其中矣。”

18.   A disciple was studying with a view to preferment. Confucius said to him, “ read and learn everything, but suspend your judgment on anything of which you are in doubt; for the rest, be careful in what you say: in that way you will give few occasions for men to criticize what you say. Mix with the world and see everything, but keep away and do not meddle with anything which may bring you into trouble; for the rest, be careful in what you do: in that way you will have few occasions for self-reproach.

“Now if in your conversation you give few occasions for men to criticize you, and in your conduct you have few occasions for self-reproach, you cannot help getting preferment, even if you would.”

 

哀公问曰：“何为则民服？”孔子对曰：“举直错诸枉，则

民服；举枉错诸直，则民不服。”

 

19.   The reigning prince of his native state asked Confucius what should be done to secure the submission of the people. Confucius answered,” Uphold the cause of the just and put down every cause that is unjust, and the people will submit. But uphold the cause of the unjust and put down every cause that is just, then the people will not submit.”

 

季康子问：“使民敬、忠以劝，如之何？”子曰：“临之以庄，则敬；孝慈，则忠；举善而教不能，则劝。”

20.   A noble who was the minister in power in the government in Confucius’ native state asked him what should be done to inspire a feeling of respect and loyalty in the people, in order to make them exert themselves for the good of the country. Confucius answered,” Treat them with seriousness and they will respect you. Let them see that you honour your parents and your prince, and are considerate for the welfare of those under you, and the people will be loyal to you. Advance those who excel in anything and educate the ignorant, and the people will exert themselves.”

 

或谓孔子曰：“子奚不为政？”子曰：“《书》云：‘孝乎惟

孝，友于兄弟。’施于有政，是亦为政，奚其为为政？”

21.   Somebody asked Confucius, saying, “Why are you not taking part in the government of the country?” Confucius answered, “ What does the ‘BOOK OF RECORDS’ say of the duties of a good son?”

 “’Be dutiful to your parents; be brotherly to your brothers; discharge your duties in the government of your family.’ These, then are also duties of government. Why then must one take part in the government of the country in order to discharge the duties of government?”

 

子曰：“人而无信，不知其可也。大车无輗，小车无軏，其何以行之哉？”

22.   Confucius remarked, “ I do not know how men get along without good faith. A cart without a yoke and a carriage without harness, --how could they go?”

 

子张问：“十世可知也？”子曰：殷因于夏礼，所损益可知也；周因于殷礼，所损益可知也。其或继周者，虽百世，可知也。”

23.   A disciple asked Confucius whether ten generations after their time the state of the civilization of the world could be known.

Confucius answered, “ The House of Yin adopted the civilization of the Hsia dynasty; what modifications they made is known. The present Chou dynasty adopted the civilization of the House of Yin; what modifications this last dynasty made are also known. Perhaps some other may hereafter take the place of the present Chou dynasty; but should that happen a hundred generations after this, the state of the civilization of the world then, can be know.”

 

子曰：“非其鬼而祭之；谄也。见义不为，无勇也。”

24.   Confucius remarked, “To worship a spirit to whom one is not bound by a real feeling of duty or respect is idolatry; to see what is right and to act against one’s judgment shows a want of courage.”