Confucian Analects Book XVII Part 2 (孔夫子論語:陽貨第十七 第二部份)

Author: Confucius (孔夫子); translated by James Legge

The Master said, Men of old had three failings, which have, perhaps, died out to-day. Ambitious men of old were not nice; now they are unprincipled. Stern men of old were hard; now they are quarrelsome. Ignorant men of old were straight; now they are false. That is all.

陽貨第十七

BOOK XVII

9. 子曰：「小子！何莫學夫詩？詩，可以興，可以觀，可以群，可以怨。邇之事父，遠 之事君，多識於鳥獸草木之名。」

The Master said, My little children, why do ye not learn poetry? Poetry would ripen you; teach you insight, friendliness and forbearance; show you how to serve your father at home; and teach your lord abroad; and it would teach you the names of many birds and beasts, plants and trees.

10. 子謂伯魚曰：「女為周南召南矣乎？人而不為周南，召南，其猶正牆面而立也與？」

The Master said to Po-yü, Hast thou done the Chou-nan and Shao-nan? He that has not done the Chou-nan and Shao-nan is like a man standing with his face to the wall.

11. 子曰：「禮云禮云，玉帛云乎哉？樂云樂云，鐘鼓云乎哉？」

The Master said, 'Courtesy, courtesy,' is the cry; but are jade and silk the whole of courtesy? 'Music, music,' is the cry; but are bells and drums the whole of music?

12. 子曰：「色厲而內荏，譬諸小人，其猶穿窬之盜也與。」

The Master said, Fierce looks and weakness within are like the small man, like the thief that breaks through or clambers over a wall.

13. 子曰：「鄉原，德之賊也。」

The Master said, The plain townsman is the bane of mind.

14. 子曰：「道聽而塗說，德之棄也。」

The Master said, To tell unto the dust all that we hear upon the way is to lay waste the mind.

15. 子曰：「鄙夫可與事君也與？其未得之也，患得之；既得之，患失之。苟患失之，無 所不至矣！」

The Master said, How can we serve the king with a low fellow, who is itching to get what he wants and trembling to lose what he has? This trembling to lose what he has may lead him anywhere.

16. 子曰：「古者民有三疾，今也或是之亡也。古之狂也肆，今之狂也蕩；古之矜也廉， 今之矜也忿戾；古之愚也直，今之愚也詐而已矣。」

The Master said, Men of old had three failings, which have, perhaps, died out to-day. Ambitious men of old were not nice; now they are unprincipled. Stern men of old were hard; now they are quarrelsome. Ignorant men of old were straight; now they are false. That is all.