(1)
子曰： “学而时习之，不亦说乎？有朋自远方来， 不亦乐乎？人不知而不愠，不亦君子乎？
Zǐ yùe: ”xūe ēr shī xí zhī, bù yì yuè hū? Yōu péng zì yūan fāng lái, bù yì lè hū? Rēn bù zhī ēr bù yūn, bù yì jūn zǐ hū?”
Zǐ—子 is a general name for man, one rank of nobility—viscount, a way of address to a master or a tutor by his disciples, like Kōng Zǐ, Mò Zǐ and Xūn Zǐ (孔子、墨子和荀子). In “Analects of Confucius” only Yǒu Zǐ and Zēng Zǐ （有子和曾子）were called “Zǐ”, while Mǐn Zǐ and Rǎn Zǐ (闵子和冉子) were called “Zǐ” only once. In translations “子曰” has been translated as “The master says” or “Confucius says”.
Xūe—学 means to study by reading aloud. An old explanation of学, was to sense, to imitate, especially one has to follow those who acquired foresight earlier, and one has to read aloud the books they have written.
Shī xí—时习 is interpreted in three ways: 1, referring to ages: in the old times, one started learning how to read and write when he was six, and he learned simple etiquette when he was seven or eight, he learned how to calculate at the age of ten, and learned poetry, song and dance at the age of thirteen.2. referring to seasons: ancient people studied poetry, song and music in spring and summer, while they learned courtesy and hunting in autumn and winter. 3, referring to the morning or the evening. 习 originally means the flapping of wings of a bird, when a small bird is learning how to fly, it has to flap its wings several times. Learning by a human being has to be done day after day, hour after hour and year after year.
Yuè--说the same as悦, which means delighted. One is delighted because he has accumulated knowledge by reviewing repeatedly what he has studied.
Péng—朋 people of the same kind, who share the same goal with you.
He may admire you and come from afar to talk to and learn from you
Lè—乐 pleasure noticeable in your bearing
Yùn—愠being angry inwardly, resentful. Confucius was not angry when someone failed to grasp one point of his theory, which is so deep and profound. The sentence also means that one should not be angry with those who do not know the theory of Confucius.
Jūn zǐ—君子is a person with great virtue.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
The master said, “I am delightful when reviewing repeatedly what I have learned, and I am even more delightful when friends come from afar. Am I a man of great virtue if I am not the slightest resentful when I learn that someone don’t really know about me?”
Confucius stressed education all his life, he stressed learning even more. His education aimed at showing people how to study. In studies, he stressed how to be a good person. Paragraphs in this chapter deal with something fundamental or foremost important. It might be why the compilers put this part at the beginning of the book. If the learner follow the order of this book, compare yourselves with the discourses, and ask yourselves if you have gone deep enough in the learning from time to time, you would accomplish a great deal before you realize it.
What is being said in this book is based on the practice and self cultivation of Confucius himself. The learning this paragraph talks about refers to what to be learned and how to learn it. Today, some 2500 years later, what to be learned is certainly different from Confucius’ time. Yet, we still should repeatedly review what we learned, we still have friends coming from afar, and there are people who don’t know us at all. We are sometimes delightful, pleased and we are sometime inwardly angry or not resentful at all. People 2500 years later would have the feelings. What Confucius said in this paragraph can be generally applied in all these cases. It is not constrained by time.
(2)
有子曰：“其为人也孝弟，而好犯上者，鲜矣。不好犯上，而好作乱者，未之有也。君子务本， 本立而道生。孝弟也者，其为仁之本与？”
Yoǔ Zǐ yuè:”qī wēi rén yě xiào dì, ēr haò fàn shàng zhě, xiān yì. Bù haò fàn shàng, ēr haò zuò luàn zhě, wèi zhī yǒu yě. Jūn zǐ wù bēn, bēn lì ēr daò shēng. Xiào dì yě zhě, qī wēi rēn zhī bēn yú?”
Yoǔ Zǐ—有子，a disciple of Confucius, his name is “ruò—若”. He came to learn during Confucius’ later period.
Xiào—孝， filial care of parents.
dì—弟， dutiful to one’s elder brother(s).
haò—好， pronounced as “haò”, not “haǎ”. Means to be inclined to do something.
fàn shàng—犯上，to offend one’s superior(s).
xiān—鲜，rare or rarely.
yì—矣，an auxiliary word, often used at the end of a sentence, meaning “already” or “indeed”.
zuò luàn—作乱 to be rebellious.
wù bēn—务本，to concentrate on things in the root.
bēn lì—本立， the roots have penetrated deeply down.
daò shēng—道生， the road (for human beings) has been found.
wēi rēn—为仁，to be human. A filial care of parents and duty to elder brothers are fundaments to being human. Only when you are filial and dutiful, you are human, you have a human heart. It is just like a tree has taken roots.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
Yoǔ Zǐ said, “It is rare for a person who is filial to parents and dutiful to his brothers to be inclined to offend his superiors. It is most unlikely for a person who is not inclined to offend his superiors to be rebellious. A man of great virtue should concentrate on things fundamental. The road would have been found when fundamentals are in place. Aren’t filial care of parents and duty to elder brothers fundamentals of being human?”
I translated “rēn”—仁as “human”, not “benevolence”, not “kindness of a gentleman”. The reason is very simple, Mencius said, “What is ‘仁’? It is ‘being human’, and in general terms it is the ‘road’.” Mencius said at another occasion, “’仁’ is a human heart.” It is the way of being in a crowd. It is good intention and warmth among people. To have a human heart, you have first of all been filial and dutiful. Filial care and duty come from one’s heart, and when they are acted upon, it becomes a way of treating others.
(3)
子曰：“巧言令色， 鲜矣仁。”
Zǐ yuè:”Qiǎo yán ling sè, xiǎn yì rén.”
Qiǎo yán—巧言，artful words.
ling sè—令色，insinuating countenance.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
The master said, “Those who talk artful words in insinuating countenance can hardly have a human heart.”
(4)
曾子曰：“吾日三省吾身。为人谋，而不忠乎？与朋友交，而不信乎？传，不习乎？”
Zēng Zǐ yuè:”Wū rī sān xǐng wū shēn. Wēi rén mōu, ēr bù zhōng hū? Yú pēng yōu jiáo, ēr bù xìn hū? Chuān, bù xí hū?”
Zēng Zǐ—曾子，a disciple, named “Shēn”, of Confucius at his later years.
Xǐng—省，to examine. Three examinations of oneself in one day have two interpretations: one, to examine three times a day; the other, to examine or check on three things a day. The three things are:
bù zhōng—不忠，not being devoted. To be devoted one has to do all he can in working for others.
bù xìn—不信，not being honest. To be honest, one has to be truthful in getting along with friends.
Chuān, bù xí—传，不习，pass something onto others without being studied and lectured by yourself.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
Zēng Zǐ said, “I examine myself three times a day, asking myself if I have been devoted to the things I am doing for others, if I have been honest when getting along with friends, and if what I try to pass onto others have been studied and lectured by myself.”
(5)
子曰：“道千乘之国，敬事而信，节用而爱人，使民以时。”
Zǐ yuè:”Dào qiān chèng zhī guó, jìng shì ēr xìn, jiē yòng ēr ài rēn, shī mín yǐ shí.”
Dào—道，it is a verb here, means to guide or lead.
qiān chèng zhī guó—千乘之国， a country that can dispatch over 1,000 chariots was a powerful country at that time.
jìng shì—敬事，to be whole-hearted in doing something.
jiē yòng—节用，to practice economy.
shī mín yǐ shí—使民以时，时here means time of farming. The government should only ask people to render some services when they are not busy with farming.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
The master said, “When govern a big country that is capable of dispatching over 1,000 chariots. The leader should be whole-hearted and honest in discharging duties. They should practice economy and care about people. Do not employ the services of people at their time of production.”
(6）
子曰：“弟子入则孝，出则弟，谨而信，泛爱众，而亲仁。行有余力，则以学文。”
Zǐ yuè:”Dì zǐ rù zē xiào, chū zē dì, jǐn ēr xì, fàn ài zhòng, ēr qīn rēn. Xíng yǒu yú lì, zē yǐ xūe wēn”
Dì zǐ—弟子，disciples.
rù—入，enter into home.
chū—出，leave home.
Jǐn—谨，to be discrete, cautious.
fàn ài—泛爱，universal love.
Zhòng—众，the broad masses.
Qīn—亲，to be close to…
Xíng—行，here it refers to “修行”—self cultivation.
yú lì—余力，extra energy.
xūe wēn—学文，”文” here refers to articles, meaning to read books.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
The master said, “Disciples should be filial to parents when staying at home. They should perform their duties of being younger brothers when they have left home. They should be cautious with their words and deeds and be faithful. They should give love the broad masses and be close to those who have acquired high virtue. Their extra energy, after having cultivated themselves, should be directed to study of writings.
This paragraph stresses virtue of the disciples. However, they should not direct their attention only to moral integrity; they should also build up their knowledge and broaden their minds.
(7)
子夏曰：“贤贤易色，事父母能竭其力，事君能致其身，与朋友交，言而有信，虽曰未学，吾必谓之学矣。”
Zǐ xià yuè: “Xián xián yì sè, shì fù mǔ néng jiē qī lì, shì jūn néng zhì qī shēn, yú pēng yǒu jiāo, yán ēr yǒu xìn, sūi yuè wèi xuē, wū bì wèi zhī xuē yì.”
Zǐ xià—子夏，a disciple, named “Bū Shāng—卜商”, of Confucius at his later years.
Xián xián—贤贤，the first 贤is a verb—to respect; the second 贤 is a noun—a virtuous person.
yì—易，to change.
sè一色,refers to 好色，lechery. These four characters are devoted to husband and wife, saying that the husband should show more respect to the virtue of the wife rather than her good looks.
zhì qī shēn—致其身，致means to deliver. It says that when providing service to the sovereign, one should use all his body and soul.
sūi yuè wèi xuē—虽曰未学，even though he said he was not a person of learning.
wèi zhī xuē yì—谓之学矣，I would say he is a learned person.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
Zǐ xià said, “ If a person shows more respect to the virtue than the good looks of his wife, does all he can in giving care to his parents, devotes heart and soul in services to the sovereign and is faithful to his friends, I would say such a person is an educated person, even though he himself may say in modesty that he has not learned much.”
This paragraph deals with how to handle four relationships, namely, the relationship between husband and wife, and the relationships with the parents, with friends and with one’s sovereign. One is a learned person if he handles these relationships well.
(8)
子曰：“君子不重则不威。学则不固。主忠信。无友不如己者。过则勿惮改。”
Zǐ yuè: “Jūn zǐ bù zhòng zē bù wēi. Xuē zē bù gù. Zhǔ zhōng xìn. Wū yǒu bù rú jǐ zhē. Guò zē wù dàn gǎi.”
Jūn zǐ—君子，a virtuous man.
Zhòng—重，weight, it means here a man that carries weight.
Wēi—威，refers here to 威严—dignified.
gù—固，refers to 固陋—being ignorant and ill-informed.
Zhǔ—主，means the “main thing”, the most important thing.
Wū yǒu—无友，无here doesn’t mean “there isn’t”, but “not to”; 友here is a verb—to make friends with…
bù rú jǐ zhē—不如己者，one who is not as good as yourself.
Guò—过，过错， mistakes.
Dàn—惮，to be afraid of…
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
The master said, “A virtuous man is not dignified if he is not steady and does not carry much weight. He would not be ignorant if he keeps learning. To be loyal and trustworthy is the most important thing in all of our conduct. Not to make those your friends who are not as good as yourself. Not to be afraid of correcting mistakes if you have made any.”
(9)
曾子曰：“慎终追远，民德归厚矣。”
Zēng zǐ yuè: “Shēn zhōng zhūi yuǎn, mīn dé gūi hòu yì.”
Shēn zhōng—慎终，终means the end of a life, someone has passed away. 慎 means to treat such matters, one has to do all is required by the customs, otherwise, one would regret later, so one has to be most discreet.
zhūi yuǎn—追远，means to remember one’s ancestors, the way to do it is to give a most pious sacrificial service to ancestors.
mīn dé—民德，literally the virtue of the people. Here it means social values.
gūi hòu—归厚，to become honest and pure.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
Zēng zǐ said, “We should be careful and thoughtful when perform the rites for paying the last respect to the deceased. We should always remember those who have passed away. In doing so, social values and customs will gradually become honest and pure.”
Even though Confucianism does not advocate religion, does not believe in the existence of souls, it attaches great importance to funeral rites, which they think is a means to express true feelings between life and death, to display a human heart as what Confucius said. Funeral rites are the final filial piety one has to show, knowing that the deceased wouldn’t get anything from such ceremonies and the one still alive could not be rewarded for doing so. This is what Mencius said an un-enduring heart is towards a deceased. These words by Zēng zǐ are important aspects of Confucian theory of humanism.
(10)
子禽问于子贡曰：“夫子至于是邦也，必闻其政。求之与？抑与之与？”子贡曰：“夫子温、良、恭、俭、让以得之。夫子之求也，其诸异乎人之求之与？”
Zǐ qīn wèn yū zǐ gòng yuè: “Fū zǐ zhī yū shì bāng yě, bì wén qī zhèng. Qiū zhī yū? Yì yǔ zhī yú?” Zǐ Gòng yuè: “Fū zǐ wēn、liáng, gōng, jiān, rang yǐ dé zhī. Fū zǐ zhī qíu yě, qī zhù yì hū rén zhī qíu zhī yú?”
Zǐ qīn—子禽，which is a formal name of Chēn Kàng（陈亢）, a disciple of Confucius.
zǐ gòng—子贡，which is a formal name of Duānmù Cí(端木赐)，a disciple of Confucius.
Fū zǐ—夫子，a way to address Confucius, meaning the teacher/tutor.
zhī yū—至于，to arrive at…
shì—是，this; bāng—邦，a country or state.
wén qī zhèng—闻其政，to hear about its political affairs in advance.
Qiū zhī yū—求之与，Is it something he asked for?
Yì—抑，It is a modal particle.
yǔ zhī—与之，to give it to… yú—与,same as 欤，a particle to give a question.
wēn、liáng, gōng, jiān, rang,温、良、恭、俭、让，temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous.
qī zhù—其诸，其—his; 诸—many.
yì—异，different.
Rén—人， here means 他人， others
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
Zǐ Qīn asked Zǐ Gòng, “Whichever country our tutor gets to, he always hears about its political affairs in advance. Is what he hears something he has asked or has been given by others?” Zǐ Gòng replied, “Our tutor acquires it with his heart, which is so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. The way our tutor acquires is surely different from that of others.
Zǐ Gòng is well known for his language proficiency. He described the heart of Confucius as “temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous.” Some people would think there are things you don’t have to ask for; you would get it if you had a kind heart. This is certainly different from talking with artful words in insinuating countenance. A kind heart is the result of your self cultivation, not what you demand of the outside world.
(11)
子曰：“父在观其志，父没观其行。三年无改于父之道，可谓孝矣。”
Zǐ yuè: “Fù zhài guān qī zhì, fù mò guām qī xīng. Sān nián wū gǎi yú fù zhī dào, kě wèi xiòo yì.”
Fù zhài—父在，when the father is alive.
guān qī zhì—观其志， to observe the son’s will or aspirations.
fù mò—父没， when the father has passed away.
fù zhī dào—父之道，the way the father dealt with matters.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
The master said, “When the father is alive, we should observe the son’s will; when the father has passed away, we should observe the son’s conduct. He could be said to be filial if he had not changed his father’s way of conduct in three years.”
way the father deals with matters has two interpretations, one, family matters like marriage, funeral, sacrificial matters; two, social matters or political measures. The question is: do we stick to the father’s way if it was wrong? We have to use our common sense here. I think if the way of conduct of the father wasn’t right, it should be corrected as early as possible, and one don’t have to wait for three years. If the father’s way was basically right, you have to stick to it for three years or even longer, you will have to modify it with changes of today.
(12)
有子曰：“礼之用，和为贵。 先王之道，斯为美，小大由之。有所不行。知和而和，不以礼节之，亦不可行也。”
Yǒu Zǐ yuè: “Lǐ zhī yòng, hé wěi gùi. Xiān wáng zhī dào, sī wěi měi, xiǎo dà yōu zhī. Yōu suǒ bù xíng. Zhī hé ēr hé, bù yǐ lǐ jiē zhī, yì bù kě xíng yě.”
Lǐ zhī yòng—礼之用，in use of rites, in applying ritual procedures.
hé—和，harmony.
wěi gùi—为贵，taking … as important.
sī wěi měi—斯为美，this is the beauty.
xiǎo dà yōu zhī—小大由之，小大—things big and small; 由—to be decided by…之—stands for “和，harmony”.
Zhī hé ēr hé—知和而和，harmony for harmony’s purpose.
jiē—节，to contain, to check.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
Yǒu Zǐ said, “The important thing in carrying out ritual procedures is harmony. This is where the beauty is in running state affairs by the ancient sovereigns. However, it sometimes would work if every thing, no matter big or small, is done in the spirit of harmony. It is not applicable for harmony to be sought for harmony’s sake and for things not to be moderated by rites."
“Harmony” is one of the most important concepts of Confucianism. Harmony is achieved by means of moderation and appropriate manners. There were stratums in the society, that’s why it was crucial to strike a harmony among them.
(13)
有子曰：“信近于义，言可复也。恭近于礼，远耻辱也。因不失其亲，亦可宗也。”
Yǒu Zǐ yuè: “Xìn jìn yū yì, yán kě fù yě. Gōng jì yū lǐ, yuǎn chǐ rǔ yě. Yīn bù shī qī qīn, yì kě zōng yě.”
Xìn—信，it means here a promise.
jìn yū—近于，close to…
yì—义，justice.
Yuǎn—远，away from…
chǐ rǔ—耻辱，an insult.
Yīn—因，by relying on…
bù shī qī qīn—不失其亲，not to miss those who could be amiable.
Zōng—宗，a sovereign, one should be respected.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
Yǒu Zǐ said, “To keep a promise, it has to be close to justice, then you can honored it. You will stay away from being insulted if your courtesy conforms to rites. You would be respected if you do not miss those who can be amiable.”
(14)
子曰：“君子食无求饱，居无求安，敏于事而慎于言，就有道而正焉，可谓好学也已。”
Zǐ yuè: “Jūn zǐ shí wū qiú bǎo, jū wū qiú ān, mǐn yū shì ēr shèn yū yán, jiù yǒu dào ēr zhèng yān, kě wèi hào xūe yě yí.”
mǐn yū shì—敏于事，to be shrewd in handling matters.
shèn yū yán—慎于言，to be discreet in talking.
jiù—就，to be close to…
yǒu dào—有道，a person who is virtuous.
Zhèng—正， to set oneself right.
Yān—焉，a particle.
hào xūe—好学，to be eager to learn.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
The master said, “A virtuous man does not aim at being full in eating meals, comfort in residing, but shrewdness in handling matters and cautious words of speaking. He would compare himself with a virtuous person and set his conduct right. Such a man should be considered as a person who is eager to learn.
(15)
子贡曰：“贫而无谄，富而无骄，何如？” 子曰：“可也。未若贫而乐，富而好礼者也。”子贡曰：“诗云：‘如切如磋，如琢如磨’，其斯之谓与？”子曰：“赐也！始可与言诗已矣。告诸往而知来者。”
Zǐ Gòng yuè, “Pín ēr wū chǎn, fù ēr wū jiāo, hé rū?” Zǐ yuè: “Kě yě. Wèi ruò pín ēr lè, fù ēr hào lǐ zhē yě.” Zǐ Gòng yuè, “Shī yūn: ‘Rū qiē rū cuō, rū zhuō rū mó’ qī sī zhī wèi yú?” Zǐ yuè: “Cì yě! Shǐ kě yú yán shī yǐ yì. Gào zhù wǎng ēr zhī lái zhē.”
Pín—贫，being poor.
Chǎn—谄，to flatter.
Jiāo—骄，to be proud.
hé rū—何如，how about that?
Kě yě—可也，it is alright.
Wèi ruò—未若， not as good as…
lè—乐，to be delighted to do something.
Shī yūn—诗云，the “Book of Songs” says…
qiē—切，cutting of bones.
cuō—磋，cutting of ivory.
zhuō—琢，cutting and grinding of jade.
mó--磨, cutting and grinding of stone. What Zǐ Gòng quotes is from “Where River Qi Bends” in Ballads of Wei in the “Book of Songs”.
qī sī zhī wèi yú—其斯之谓与，Is this what you mean?
Cì—赐，the name of Zǐ Gòng.
Shǐ—始， to begin.
Yán—言，it means to discuss here.
Gào zhù wǎng—告诸往，judging from what I said before.
zhī lái zhē—知来者，you know what I am going to say later. This sentence in other context can mean: to tell what the future is by looking at the past.
Having gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
Zǐ Gòng said, “To be poor and yet not to be servile； to be rich and yet not to be proud, what do you say to that?” “It is good, ”replied Confucius, “but better still it is to be poor and yet ready to pursue the right courses； to be rich and yet know how to be courteous.” Zǐ
Gòng said again, “Is what you mean like what ‘The Book of Songs’ says—contemplate and polish as cutting and grinding bones, ivory, jade and stone?” Confucius answered, “Yes, Ci, you sensed out what I am going to say from what I have said, I can now discuss ‘The Book of Songs’ with you.”
(16)
子曰：“不患人之不己知，患不知人也。”
Zǐ yuè: “Bù huàn rēn zhī bù jǐ zhī, huàn bù zhī rēn yě.”
Rēn—患，to worry,
bù jǐ zhī—不己知，not knowing me.
zhī rēn—知人，to know the educated personsHaving gone though the above, the paragraph may be rendered into something as the following:
The master said, “I do not worry that people don’t know me. I fear if I don’t know those educated people.”
