Chapter 7 of the Analects of Confucius

子zǐ曰yuē：“述shù而ér不bù作zuò，信xìn而ér好hào古gǔ，窃qiè比bǐ我wǒ于yú老lǎo彭péng。”

VII.1. The Master said:
—I transmit and do not create. I hold fast to antiquity with trust and affection; I dare to compare myself with our old Peng.

Notes :
VII.1. The old Peng, whose family name was Qian and given name Geng, was the grandchild of Emperor Zhuanxu. At the end of the Yin dynasty, he was over seven hundred years old and was not yet weakened by old age. He was granted the fief of the Da Peng valley in the state of Han and for this reason was called the old Peng.

子zǐ曰yuē：“默mò而ér识zhì之zhī，学xué而ér不bù厌yàn，诲huì人rén不bù倦juàn，何hé有yǒu于yú我wǒ哉zāi！”

VII.2. The Master said:
— To meditate and commit to memory the maxims of wisdom, to learn without ever becoming satiated, to teach without ever becoming weary—do these three virtues exist in me?

子zǐ曰yuē：“德dé之zhī不bù修xiū，学xué之zhī不bù讲jiǎng，闻wén义yì不bù能néng徙xǐ，不bù善shàn不bù能néng改gǎi，是shì吾wú忧yōu也yě。”

VII.3. The Master said:
— What I fear is not cultivating virtue, not seeking to be taught what I should learn, not being able to carry out what I know to be my duty, and not being able to correct my faults.

子zǐ之zhī燕yàn居jū，申shēn申shēn如rú也yě，夭yāo夭yāo如rú也yě。

VII.4. When the Master was not occupied with business, his demeanor was at ease, his expression kind and happy.

子zǐ曰yuē：“甚shèn矣yǐ，吾wú衰shuāi也yě久jiǔ矣yǐ！吾wú不bù复fù梦mèng见jiàn周zhōu公gōng。”

VII.5. The Master said:
— For a long time, I have declined! I no longer dream of the Duke of Zhou.

Notes :
VII.5. When Confucius was in his prime, he sought to emulate the Duke of Zhou and saw him in his dreams. When he grew old and was unable to emulate such great examples, he no longer had the same aspirations or dreams.

子zǐ曰yuē：“志zhì于yú道dào，据jù于yú德dé，依yī于yú仁rén，游yóu于yú艺yì。”

VII.6. The Master said:
— Set your heart on the path of virtue, stand firm in it, lean on benevolence, and delight in the arts.

子zǐ曰yuē：“自zì行xíng束shù修xiū以yǐ上shàng，吾wú未wèi尝cháng无wú诲huì焉yān。”

VII.7. The Master said:
— Whenever someone comes to my school on their own, bringing the customary presents, even if it's just ten slices of dried meat, I have never refused my instruction.

Notes :
VII.7. Ten slices of dried meat made a bundle. Among the ancients, when making a visit, it was customary to bring a present. A bundle of ten slices of meat was the smallest of all presents. Confucius desired that all men without exception enter the path of virtue. But it was not customary for a master to go and teach someone who did not come to receive lessons. If someone came observing the customs, Confucius always gave him his teachings.

子zǐ曰yuē：“不bù愤fèn不bù启qǐ，不bù悱fěi不bù发fā，举jǔ一yī隅yú，不bù以yǐ三sān隅yú反fǎn，则zé不bù复fù也yě。”

VII.8. The Master said:
— I do not teach one who is not eager to learn, nor do I help one to speak who is not eager to express himself. If someone, after hearing one corner of a question, cannot deduce the other three corners, I do not teach him again.

子zǐ食shí于yú有yǒu丧sāng者zhě之zhī侧cè，未wèi尝cháng饱bǎo也yě。子zǐ于yú是shì日rì哭kū，则zé不bù歌gē。

VII.9. When the Master ate beside someone who had lost a close relative, his grief allowed him to take little food. When he had been to cry for the dead, the whole day his grief prevented him from singing.

子zǐ谓wèi颜yán渊yuān曰yuē：“用yòng之zhī则zé行xíng，舍shě之zhī则zé藏cáng，唯wéi我wǒ与yú尔ěr有yǒu是shì夫fū。”子zǐ路lù曰yuē：“子zǐ行xíng三sān军jūn，则zé谁shéi与yú？”子zǐ曰yuē：“暴bào虎hǔ冯píng河hé，死sǐ而ér无wú悔huǐ者zhě，吾wú不bù与yú也yě。必bì也yě临lín事shì而ér惧jù，好hào谋móu而ér成chéng者zhě也yě。”

VII.10. The Master said to Yan Yuan:
— You and I are the only ones who are always ready to serve when offered office and to withdraw when office is taken from us.
Zilu said:
— Master, if you had three armies to lead, who would you take to help you?
The Master replied:
— I would not take one who would seize a tiger barehanded, cross a river without a boat, or face death without a care for his life. I would certainly take one who undertakes nothing without caution and plans before acting.

子zǐ曰yuē：“富fù而ér可kě求qiú也yě，虽suī执zhí鞭biān之zhī士shì，吾wú亦yì为wéi之zhī，如rú不bù可kě求qiú，从cóng吾wú所suǒ好hào。”

VII.11. The Master said:
— If it were appropriate to seek wealth, even if it meant being a servant holding a whip, I would do it. But since it is not appropriate to seek wealth, I follow what I like.

子zǐ之zhī所suǒ慎shèn：齐zhāi，战zhàn，疾jí。

VII.12. Three things especially concerned the Master: fasting, war, and illness.

Notes :
VII.12. Confucius was attentive to everything. But three things attracted his special attention: fasting, because it prepares one to communicate with spiritual intelligences; war, because the life or death of many men, the salvation or ruin of the state depend on it; illness, because our life depends on it.

子zǐ在zài齐qí闻wén韶sháo，三sān月yuè不bù知zhī肉ròu味wèi。曰yuē：“不bù图tú为wéi乐yuè之zhī至zhì于yú斯sī也yě。”

VII.13. The Master, being in the state of Qi, heard the music of Shao. For three months that he studied it, his mind was so absorbed that he did not perceive the taste of meat.
— I did not think that the composer of these songs had reached such great perfection, he said.

冉rǎn有yǒu曰yuē：“夫fú子zǐ为wèi卫wèi君jūn乎hū？”子zǐ贡gòng曰yuē：“诺nuò，吾wú将jiāng问wèn之zhī。”入rù曰yuē：“伯bó夷yí叔shū齐qí，何hé人rén也yě？”曰yuē：“古gǔ之zhī贤xián人rén也yě。”曰yuē：“怨yuàn乎hū？”曰yuē：“求qiú仁rén而ér得dé仁rén，又yòu何hé怨yuàn？”出chū曰yuē：“夫fú子zǐ不bù为wèi也yě。”

VII.14. Ran You said:
— Is our master for the prince of Wei?
Zigong replied:
— Indeed, I will ask him.
Entering where Confucius was, he said:
— What do you think of Boyi and Shuqi?
Confucius replied:
— They were ancient sages.
Zigong asked:
— Did they regret giving up the throne?
Confucius replied:
— They sought benevolence and found it; why should they regret?
Zigong, leaving, said to Ran You:
— Our master is not for the prince of Wei.

Notes :
VII.14. Ling, prince of Wei, exiled his son Kuai Kui, who should have inherited the title of prince. When the prince Ling died, his subjects put Zhe, son of Kuai Kui, in his place. But the people of the state of Jin brought Kuai Kui back to the state of Wei, and Zhe fought against his father. Confucius was then in the state of Wei. People believed that since Kuai Kui had incurred the displeasure of his father, Zhe, grandson of the prince Ling, should succeed him. Ran You had doubts and asked about it.
Boyi and Shuqi were two sons of the prince of Guzhu (a country currently included in Zhuli). When their father died, he left the title of prince to Shuqi (who was his third son). When he died, Shuqi wanted to cede the title of prince to Boyi, his elder brother. Boyi recalled his father's will, and fled to another country. Shuqi did not accept the inheritance either, and fled as well. The people established the second son of the deceased prince as heir. Later, King Wu (founder of the Zhou dynasty), having overthrown Zhou (last emperor of the Shang dynasty), Boyi and Shuqi mounted horses and went quickly to reproach King Wu for having extinguished the Shang dynasty. Considering it a shame to eat the grain harvested in the Zhou empire, they retired to Mount Shouyang, where they starved to death.
Zigong, leaving Confucius, said to Ran You: “Since our master approves the conduct of the two brothers Boyi and Shuqi, who ceded the princely dignity to each other, he certainly disapproves of the prince of Wei who disputes the dignity with his father. Obviously he is not for the prince of Wei.”

子zǐ曰yuē：“饭fàn疏shū食shí，饮yǐn水shuǐ，曲qū肱gōng而ér枕zhěn之zhī，乐lè亦yì在zài其qí中zhōng矣yǐ。不bù义yì而ér富fù且qiě贵guì，于yú我wǒ如rú浮fú云yún。”

VII.15. The Master said:
— The wise man, even if he eats coarse food, drinks water, and spends the night with his arm for a pillow, will find joy in his heart. Wealth and honors obtained through unrighteous ways are to me like floating clouds.

子zǐ曰yuē：“加jiā我wǒ数shù年nián，五wǔ十shí以yǐ学xué易yì，可kě以yǐ无wú大dà过guò矣yǐ。”

VII.16. The Master said:
— If Heaven gave me a few more years, after studying the Book of Changes for fifty years, I could avoid major mistakes.

子zǐ所suǒ雅yǎ言yán：诗shī、书shū、执zhí礼lǐ，皆jiē雅yǎ言yán也yě。

VII.17. The Master's usual conversations were about the Book of Odes, the Book of History, and the rules of propriety, which teach the duties to be fulfilled.

叶yè公gōng问wèn孔子kǒngzǐ于yú子zǐ路lù，子zǐ路lù不bù对duì。子zǐ曰yuē：“汝rǔ奚xī不bù曰yuē：其qí为wéi人rén也yě，发fā愤fèn忘wàng食shí，乐lè以yǐ忘wàng忧yōu，不bù知zhī老lǎo之zhī将jiāng至zhì云yún尔ěr。”

VII.18. The prince of She asked Zilu about Confucius, and Zilu did not answer. The Master said:
— Why not say: “He is a man who, when stirred to action, forgets to eat, and who, plunged in joy, forgets his sorrows, and who does not notice old age coming on?”

Notes :
VII.18. The prince of She was Shen Zhu Liang, named Zigao, prefect of Shebian. He had usurped the title of prince.

子zǐ曰yuē：“我wǒ非fēi生shēng而ér知zhī之zhī者zhě，好hào古gǔ，敏mǐn以yǐ求qiú之zhī者zhě也yě。”

VII.19. The Master said:
— The knowledge I possess is not innate; I love antiquity and eagerly seek it.

Notes :
VII.19. In saying this, Confucius wished to humble himself. He was a great sage because wisdom was innate in him. When he said that he loved study, it was not only to urge others to study. For what a man can know naturally without study are the duties of justice and propriety. As for historical facts, the changes introduced in ceremonies, music, and the insignia of dignities, no one can know them with certainty without studying them.

子zǐ不bù语yǔ：怪guài、力lì、乱luàn、神shén。

VII.20. The Master did not speak of extraordinary things, acts of violence, disorders, or spirits.

Notes :
VII.20. Speaking of extraordinary things excites people to not follow the usual rules; speaking of acts of violence weakens in men the sentiments of kindness; speaking of resistance to laws or authority leads men to violate justice; speaking of spirits confuses the ideas of those who listen.

子zǐ曰yuē：“三sān人rén行xíng，必bì有yǒu我wǒ师shī焉yān，择zé其qí善shàn者zhě而ér从cóng之zhī，其qí不bù善shàn者zhě而ér改gǎi之zhī。”

VII.21. The Master said:
— If I travel with two companions, all three will be my teachers. I will choose what is good in one and follow it; from the other, I will change what is not good in myself.

子zǐ曰yuē：“天tiān生shēng德dé于yú予yú，桓huán魋tuí其qí如rú予yú何hé？”

VII.22. The Master said:
— Heaven endowed me with virtue; what can Huan Tui do to me?

Notes :
VII.22. Huan Tui was Xiang Tui, the minister of war in the state of Song. He descended from Prince Huan and for this reason was called the chief of the Huan family. When Confucius was in the state of Song, he expounded the duties of man to his disciples under a large tree. Tui, who hated the philosopher, had the tree cut down. The disciples were struck with fear. Confucius, abandoning himself with confidence to the care of Providence, said:
“Since Heaven, in giving me existence, has placed so much wisdom in me, it certainly has designs on me. Even if men tried to harm me, they could not resist the power of Heaven.”

子zǐ曰yuē：“二èr三sān子zǐ，以yǐ我wǒ为wéi隐yǐn乎hū？吾wú无wú隐yǐn乎hū尔ěr，吾wú无wú行xíng而ér不bù与yú二èr三sān子zǐ者zhě，是shì丘qiū也yě。”

VII.23. The Master said:
— My children, do you think I am hiding something from you? I hide nothing from you; there is nothing that I have done which I have not shared with my disciples. This is how I am.

子zǐ以yǐ四sì教jiào：文wén、行xíng、忠zhōng、信xìn。

VII.24. The Master especially taught four things: literature and the arts, morality, loyalty, and sincerity.

子zǐ曰yuē：“圣shèng人rén，吾wú不bù得dé而ér见jiàn之zhī矣yǐ，得dé见jiàn君jūn子zǐ者zhě斯sī可kě矣yǐ。”子zǐ曰yuē：“善shàn人rén，吾wú不bù得dé而ér见jiàn之zhī矣yǐ，得dé见jiàn有yǒu恒héng者zhě，斯sī可kě矣yǐ。亡wáng而ér为wéi有yǒu，虚xū而ér为wéi盈yíng，约yuē而ér为wéi泰tài，难nán乎hū有yǒu恒héng矣yǐ。”

VII.25. The Master said:
— It has not been granted me to see a man of extraordinary sagacity; if I could see a truly good man, I would be content. It has not been granted me to see a man of perfect constancy; if I could see a man of constant purpose, I would be content. One who has nothing and pretends to have, who is empty and pretends to be full, who has little and pretends to be great—how can he be constant?

子zǐ曰yuē：“盖gài有yǒu不bù知zhī而ér作zuò之zhī者zhě，我wǒ无wú是shì也yě。多duō闻wén则zé其qí善shàn者zhě而ér从cóng之zhī，多duō见jiàn而ér识zhì之zhī，知zhī之zhī次cì也yě。”

VII.26. The Master fished with a line, but not with a net; he did not shoot birds at rest at night.

Notes :
VII.26. This refers to shooting birds with an arrow held by a long strand of unbleached silk. Confucius, being of a poor family and humble status, was sometimes obliged in his youth to catch fish with a line or hunt birds to feed his parents and make offerings to the dead. But killing and taking all animals was contrary to his will, and he did not do it. In this appears the compassionate heart of this good man. Seeing how he treated animals, one can judge how he treated men; seeing how he acted in his youth, one can judge how he acted in maturity.

互hù乡xiāng难nán与yú言yán，童tóng子zǐ见jiàn，门mén人rén惑huò。子zǐ曰yuē：“与yú其qí进jìn也yě，不bù与yú其qí退tuì也yě。唯wéi何hé甚shèn。人rén洁jié己jǐ以yǐ进jìn，与yú其qí洁jié也yě，不bù保bǎo其qí往wǎng也yě。”

VII.27. The people of Hu Xiang were so bad that it was difficult to teach them virtue. A young man from this country came to follow Confucius' teachings, and the disciples doubted whether he should be admitted. The Master said:
— When someone comes to me with the intention of improving himself, I approve his intention, without being responsible for his past life. I approve his coming; I do not approve his departure nor what he will do afterwards. Why should I be so severe?

子zǐ曰yuē：“仁rén远yuǎn乎hū哉zāi？我wǒ欲yù仁rén，斯sī仁rén至zhì矣yǐ。”

VII.28. The Master said:
— Is virtue far from us? If I desire it, at once it is present with me.

Notes :
VII.28. Perfect virtue is the natural goodness that every man necessarily possesses. But men, blinded by their passions, do not know how to seek it. They follow the inclination of vice and persuade themselves that virtue is far from them.

陈chén司sī败bài问wèn：“昭zhāo公gōng知zhī礼lǐ乎hū？”孔子kǒngzǐ曰yuē：“知zhī礼lǐ。”孔子kǒngzǐ退tuì，揖yī巫wū马mǎ期qī而ér进jìn之zhī，曰yuē：“吾wú闻wén君jūn子zǐ不bù党dǎng，君jūn子zǐ亦yì党dǎng乎hū？君jūn取qǔ于yú吴wú为wéi同tóng姓xìng，谓wèi之zhī吴wú孟mèng子zǐ。君jūn而ér知zhī礼lǐ，孰shú不bù知zhī礼lǐ？”巫wū马mǎ期qī以yǐ告gào。子zǐ曰yuē：“丘qiū也yě幸xìng。苟gǒu有yǒu过guò，人rén必bì知zhī之zhī。”

VII.29. The minister of justice of the state of Chen asked if Zhao, prince of Lu, knew the proprieties. Confucius replied that he did. The philosopher having retired, the minister of justice met and saluted Wuma Qi; then, making him enter, he said:
— I have heard that the sage is not partial; is the sage also partial? The prince of Lu has married, in the state of Wu, a woman whose family bore the same name as his; and, to hide this irregularity, he calls her Wu Mengzi instead of Wu Ji, which was her real name. If the prince of Lu knows the proprieties, who does not know them?
Wuma Qi reported these words to Confucius. The Master replied:
— I am fortunate. If I commit a fault, it is always known.

Notes :
VII.29. Wuma Qi, named Shou, disciple of Confucius. According to the usages, a man and a woman whose families bear the same name do not marry each other. Now the princely families of Lu and Wu both bore the name Ji. The prince of Lu, to hide the name of his wife's family, called her Wu Mengzi, as if she were the daughter of the prince of Song, whose family name was Zi. Confucius could not say that his prince had acted wrongly; on the other hand, he could not say that one who had married a woman of the same name as himself knew (and observed) the usages. For this reason, he let it be thought that his answer was blameworthy, and did not seek to excuse himself. If he had criticized the prince's conduct openly, he would have failed in the duty of a faithful subject. If he had not said that he had answered badly, he would have seemed to ignore a law concerning marriage. One sees that the philosopher in his answer has reached perfection through a detour. By blaming himself, he said: “The greatest misfortune that can befall a man is to not be warned of his faults. As for me, I have a special good fortune; if I commit a fault, it is always known. When it is known by others, I am informed; I can change my conduct and become irreproachable. Is this not a very great happiness for me?”

子zǐ与yú人rén歌gē而ér善shàn，必bì使shǐ之zhī反fǎn，而ér后hòu和hè之zhī。

VII.30. When Confucius was with skilled singers who performed a song, he would have them sing it again and sing with them.

子zǐ曰yuē：“文wén，莫mò吾wú犹yóu人rén也yě？躬gōng行xíng君jūn子zǐ，则zé吾wú未wèi之zhī有yǒu得dé。”

VII.31. The Master said:
—I am not less learned than others, but I am not yet able to act as a sage.

子zǐ曰yuē：“若ruò圣shèng与yú仁rén，则zé吾wú岂qǐ敢gǎn。抑yì为wéi之zhī不bù厌yàn，诲huì人rén不bù倦juàn，则zé可kě谓wèi云yún尔ěr已yǐ矣yǐ。”公gōng西xī华huá曰yuē：“正zhèng唯wéi弟dì子zǐ不bù能néng学xué也yě。”

VII.32. The Master said:
— Can I dare to say that I possess wisdom or virtue to the utmost? But, for what concerns cultivating virtue without ever feeling wearied, and teaching others without ever feeling tired, I can say that I am so, and that is all.
Gongxi Hua said:
— These are precisely two things that we, your disciples, cannot learn.

子zǐ疾jí病bìng，子zǐ路lù请qǐng祷dǎo。子zǐ曰yuē：“有yǒu诸zhū？”子zǐ路lù对duì曰yuē：“有yǒu之zhī。诔lěi曰yuē：祷dǎo尔ěr于yú上shàng下xià神shén祇qí。”子zǐ曰yuē：“丘qiū之zhī祷dǎo久jiǔ矣yǐ。”

VII.33. Confucius being seriously ill, Zilu proposed that he should pray. The Master said:
— Is that proper?
Zilu replied:
— It is. In the funeral orations it is said:
“We pray you, spirits of heaven and earth.”
The Master replied:
— I have long been praying.

Notes :
VII.33. “In fact, to pray is nothing else than to practice virtue, to correct one's faults, and thus to seek the aid of the spirits. For me, every day when I have a fault, I correct it; when there is a virtue to be practiced, I practice it. My prayer is truly continuous. Why should I wait until today to pray?”

子zǐ曰yuē：“奢shē则zé不bù孙sūn，俭jiǎn则zé固gù。与yú其qí不bù孙sūn也yě，宁nìng固gù。”

VII.34. The Master said:
— Extravagance leads to arrogance, and frugality to avarice. It is better to be arrogant than to be avaricious.

子zǐ曰yuē：“君jūn子zǐ坦tǎn荡dàng荡dàng，小xiǎo人rén长cháng戚qī戚qī。”

VII.35. The Master said:
— The sage is open and calm; the ordinary man is always full of cares.

子zǐ温wēn而ér厉lì，威wēi而ér不bù猛měng，恭gōng而ér安ān。

VII.36. The Master was gentle and severe, awe-inspiring but not fierce, respectful and calm.