Confucian Analects Book XVII Part 3 (孔夫子論語:陽貨第十七 第三部份)

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

The Master said, I hate those that take spying for wisdom, who take want of manners for courage, and take tale-telling for honesty.

陽貨第十七

BOOK XVII

17. 子曰：「巧言令色鮮矣仁。」

The Master said, Smooth words and fawning looks are seldom found with love.

18. 子曰：「惡紫之奪朱也，惡鄭聲之亂雅樂也，惡利口之覆邦家者。」

The Master said, I hate the ousting of scarlet by purple. I hate the strains of Cheng, confounders of sweet music. I hate a sharp tongue, the ruin of kingdom and home.

19. 子曰：「予欲無言！」子貢曰：「子如不言，則小子何述焉？」子曰：「天何言哉！ 四時行焉，百物生焉，天何言哉？」

The Master said, I wish no word were spoken!
Tzu-kung said, Sir, if ye said no word, what could your little children write?
The Master said, What are the words of Heaven? The four seasons pass, the hundred things bear life. What are the words of Heaven?

20. 孺悲欲見孔子，孔子辭以疾，將命者出戶，取瑟而歌，使之聞之。

Ju Pei wished to see Confucius. Confucius pleaded sickness; but, as the messenger left his door, he took a lute and sang, so the messenger should hear.

21. 宰我問：「三年之喪，期已久矣！君子三年不為禮，禮必壞；三年不為樂，樂必崩。 舊穀既沒，新穀既升；鑽燧改火，期可已矣。」子曰：「食夫稻，衣夫錦，於女安乎？」曰：「安！」「女安則為之。夫君子之居喪，食旨不甘，聞樂不樂，居處不安，故不為也。今女安，則為之。」宰我出。子曰：「予之不仁也！子生三年，然後免於父母之懷。夫三年之喪，天下之通喪也；予也，有三年之愛於其父母乎？」

Tsai Wo asked about mourning for three years. He thought that one was enough.
If for three years gentlemen forsake courtesy, courtesy must suffer. If for three years they forsake music, music must decay. The old grain passes, the new grain sprouts, the round of woods for the fire-drill is ended in one year.
The Master said, Feeding on rice, clad in brocade, couldst thou be at rest?
I could, he answered.
Then do what gives thee rest. But a gentleman, when he is mourning, has no taste for sweets and no ear for music; he cannot rest in his home. So he gives these up. Now, they give thee rest; then keep them.
After Tsai Wo had gone, the Master said, Yü's want of love! At the age of three a child first leaves the arms of his father and mother, and mourning lasts for three years everywhere below heaven. But did Yü have for three years the love of his father and mother?

22. 子曰：「飽食終日，無所用心，難矣哉！不有博弈者乎？為之猶賢乎已！」

The Master said, It is hard indeed when a man eats his fill all day, and has nothing to task the mind! Could he not play at chequers? Even that were better.

23. 子路曰：「君子尚勇乎？」子曰：「君子義以為上。君子有勇而無義為亂，小人有勇 而無義為盜。」

Tzu-lu said, Do gentlemen honour daring?
They put right higher, said the Master. With daring and no sense of right gentlemen turn rebels and small men turn robbers.

24. 子貢曰：「君子亦有惡乎？」子曰：「有惡。惡稱人之惡者，惡居下流而訕上者，惡 勇而無禮者，惡果敢而窒者。」曰：「賜也亦有惡乎？」「惡徼以為知者，惡不孫以為勇者，惡訐以為直者。」

Tzu-kung said, Do gentlemen hate too?
They do, said the Master. They hate the sounding of evil deeds; they hate men of low estate that slander those over them; they hate daring without courtesy; they hate men that are stout and fearless, but blind.
And Tz'u, he said, dost thou hate too?
I hate those that take spying for wisdom, who take want of manners for courage, and take tale-telling for honesty.

25. 子曰：「唯女子與小人為難養也！近之則不孫，遠之則怨。」

The Master said, Only maids and serving-lads are hard to train. If we draw near to them, they get unruly; if we hold them off, they grow spiteful.

26. 子曰：「年四十而見惡焉，其終也已。」

The Master said, When a man of forty is hated, he will be so to the end.