阳货篇第十七
【原文】
17·1 阳货(1)欲见孔子,孔子不见,归孔子豚(2)。孔子时其亡(3)也,而往拜之,遇诸涂(4)。谓孔子曰:“来!予与尔言。”曰:“怀其宝而迷其邦(5),可谓仁乎?”曰:“不可。”“好从事而亟(6)失时,可谓知乎?”曰:“不可。”“日月逝矣,岁不我与(7)。”孔子曰:“诺,吾将仕矣。”
【注释】
(1)阳货:又叫阳虎,季氏的家臣。
(2)归孔子豚:归,读“愧”,同“馈”,赠送。豚,读“屯”,小猪。
(3)亡:外出。
(4)涂:涂,同“途”,道路。
(5)迷:迷乱。
(6)亟:屡次。
(7)与:在一起,此处是等待的意思。
【白话】
阳货想见孔子,孔子不见,他就给孔子送了一只烤乳猪,目的在于迫使孔子去他家致谢。孔子乘他不在家时去拜谢,可不料却在半路上遇见了。阳货对孔子说 :“来,我有话要跟你说。”孔子走过去,阳货说:“有本领却藏起来而听任国家大乱,这能叫仁吗?”孔子说:“不能。”阳货说:“总想干大事而又屡次错过机会,这能叫明智吗?”孔子说:“不能。”阳货说:“时间一天天过去了,年岁是不等人的。”孔子说:“好吧,那我就去做官吧。”
【英译】
Yang Huo wanted to visit Confucius but Confucius refused. He gave Confucius a roasted sucking pig aiming to force Confucius to visit him expressing thanks. Confucius deliberately went to visit him when Yang Huo was out but unexpectedly he met with him on the way. Yang Huo said to Confucius: “Come on! I have something to talk with you.” Confucius stepped up and Yang Huo said: “You’re a man of ability but you live a secluded life and let the coutry suffer from a great disorder. Can it be called humanity?” Confucius said: “No.” Yang Huo said continuously: “You always want to do big things but you have missed chances again and again. Can it be called wisdom?” Confucius said: “No.” Yang Huo said: “Time passed day by day. Age doesn’t wait for anyone.” Confucius said: “All right. I’ll be out and seek a post then.”
【原文】
17·2 子曰:“性相近也,习相远也。”
【白话】
孔子说:“人的本性相近,但习惯却会相差很远。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “All people’s nature is nearly the same, but their habits can be quite differenct.”
【原文】
17·3 子曰:“唯上知与下愚不移。”
【白话】
孔子说:“只有上等的智者与下等的愚者是无法改变的。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “It is the wise men of upper class and the stupid men of grass-root class that cannot be changed.”
【原文】
17·4 子之武城(1),闻弦歌(2)之声。夫子莞尔而笑,曰:“割鸡焉用牛刀?”子游对曰:“昔者偃也闻诸夫子曰:‘君子学道则爱人,小人学道则易使也。’”子曰:“二三子!偃之言是也。前言戏之耳。”
【注释】
(1)武城:鲁国小城,当时子游为武城宰。
(2)弦歌:弦,指琴瑟。以琴瑟伴奏歌唱。
【白话】
孔子到武城,听见弹琴唱歌的声音。孔子微笑着说:“杀鸡何必用宰牛的刀呢?”子游回答说:“以前我听先生说过,‘君子学习了礼乐就能爱人,小人学习了礼乐就容易受指使。’”孔子说:“同学们,言偃的话是对的。我刚才说的话,只是开个玩笑而已。”
【英译】
Confucius came to Wu Cheng City and heard the sound interspersed with singning and accompanied with plucked instruments. Smiling, Confucius said: “ What’s the necessacity to kill a chicken with a butcher’ knife for ox-killing?” Ztu You replied: “Before I once heard you say: ‘After learning propieties and music, gentlemen will love people; after learning propieties and music, vulgarians will be easily incited.’” Confucius said: “My dear student, what Yan Yan said is correct. And what I said just now is only for fun.”
【原文】
17·5 公山弗扰(1)以(2)费畔(3),召,子欲往。子路不悦,曰:“末之也已(4),何必公山氏之之也(5)。”子曰:“夫召我者,而岂徒(6)哉?如有用我者,吾其为东周乎(7)?”
【注释】
(1)公山弗扰:人名,又称公山不狃,字子洩,季氏的家臣。
(2) 以:占据,以某地为据点。
(3)畔:同“叛”。
(4)末之也已:之,前往,此处是前往的地点。已,止,罢了,算了。
(5)之之也:第一个“之”字是助词,第二个“之”字是动词,前往。
(6)徒:徒然,白白地,平白无故。
(7)吾其为东周乎:为东周,建造东方的周朝。
【白话】
公山弗扰以费邑为据点叛乱,招纳孔子,孔子想去。子路不高兴地说:“没地方去也就罢了,何必非要到公山弗扰那里去呢?”孔子说:“他来召我,难道没有原因吗?如果有人用我,我就不能在东方重建周朝吗?”
【英译】
【原文】
17·6 子张问仁于孔子。孔子曰:“能行五者于天下为仁矣。” 问:“请问之。”曰:“恭、宽、信、敏、惠。恭则不侮,宽则得众,信则人任焉,敏则有功,惠则足以使人。”
【白话】
子张问孔子什么叫仁。孔子说:“能够处处做到五点就是达到仁了。”子张说:“请问哪五种。”孔子说:“庄重、宽厚、诚实、勤敏、慈惠。庄重能免遭侮辱,宽厚能得民心,诚信能受重用,勤敏能获成功,慈惠能善用人。”
【英译】
Ztu Zhang asked Confucius about humanity. Confucius said: “If you can do five things then you can be considered man of humanity.” Ztu Zhang said: “What are they?” Confucius said: “Seriousness, generosity, honesty, diligence and kindness. Seriousness can help you avoid being insulted; generosity can help you win supports of the people; honesty can help you win important positions; diligence can help you to be crowned with success; kindness can help you properly use persons of talent.”
【原文】
17·7 佛肸(1)召,子欲往。子路曰:昔者由也闻诸夫子曰:‘亲于其身为不善者,君子不入也。’佛肸以中牟(2)畔,子之往也,如之何?”子曰:“然,有是言也。不曰坚乎,磨而不磷(3);不曰白乎,涅(4)而不缁(5)。吾岂匏瓜(6)也哉?焉能系(7)而不食?”
【注释】
(1)佛肸:读“必西”,晋国大夫范氏家臣,中牟城地方官。
(2)中牟:地名,在晋国,约在今河北邢台与邯郸之间。
(3)磷:损伤。
(4)涅:一种矿物质,可用作颜料染衣服。
(5)缁:读“资”,黑色。
(6)匏瓜:匏读“袍”, 葫芦中的一种,比一般葫芦大,味苦不能吃,可做瓢。
(7)系:读“记”,拴。
【白话】
佛肸召孔子去,孔子打算前往。子路说:“从前我听先生说过:‘亲手做坏事的人那里,君子是不去的。’现在佛肸据中牟反叛,你却要去,这如何解释呢?”孔子说:“是的,我有过这样的话。不是说硬东西磨不坏吗?不是说白东西染不黑吗?难道我就是个苦葫芦吗?怎么能只挂不能吃呢?”
【英译】
Bixi invited Confucius and he wanted to go. But Ztu Lu said: “I heard you said before: ‘Gentlemen don’t go to persons who do bad things personally.’ Now Bixi takes Zhong Mou as a stronghold and has risen in rebellion. But you want to go there. How can you explain it?” Confucius said: “Yes, I once said this. But do you know that hard thing cannot be worn out by rubbing and white thing cannot be blackened with dyestuff? Could it be said I’m a bitter gourd which can just be hung there but cannot be eaten?”
【原文】
17·8 子曰:“由也,女(1)闻六言六蔽矣乎?”对曰:“未也。”“居(2),吾语女。好仁不好学,其蔽也愚(3);好知不好学,其蔽也荡(4);好信不好学,其蔽也贼(5);好直不好学,其蔽也绞(6);好勇不好学,其蔽也乱;好刚不好学,其蔽也狂。”
【注释】
(1) 女:音义皆同“汝”,你。
(2)居:坐。
(3)愚:受人愚弄。
(4)荡:放荡。
(5)贼:危害,耽误,误人子弟。
(6)绞:说话尖刻。
【白话】
孔子说:“仲由啊,你听说过六种品德六种弊病吗?”仲由说:“没有。”孔子说:“坐下,我对你说。好仁不好学,弊病是愚蠢;好智不好学,弊病是放荡;好信不好学,弊病是误人;好直不好学,弊病是刻薄;好勇不好学,弊病是作乱;好刚不好学,弊病是狂妄。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “Zhong You, have you ever heard of six virtues and six defects?” Zhong You said: “No.” Confucius said: “Sit down. Let me tell you. Lay stress on humanity but not on study, its defect is stupidity; lay stress on wisdom but not on study, its defect is loose; lay stress on honesty but not on study, its defect is misleading people; lay stress on straightforwardness but not on study, its defect is causticity; lay stress on braveness but not on study, its defect is to rise in revolt; lay stress on firmness and unyieldingness but not on study, its defect is franticness.”
【原文】
17·9 子曰:“小子何莫学夫诗。诗,可以兴(1),可以观(2),可以群(3),可以怨(4)。迩(5)之事父,远之事君;多识于鸟兽草木之名。”
【注释】
(1)兴:激发兴致。
(2)观:达观,即心胸豁达,遇事想得开。
(3)群:合群。
(4)怨:招怨。
(5)迩:读“耳”,近。
【白话】
孔子说:“学生们为什么不学习《诗》呢?学《诗》可以激发情致,可以心胸达观,可以与人合群,可以抒发怨怒。近可孝敬父母,远可事奉君主;还可以多知道一些鸟兽草木的名字。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “My students, why don’t you study 《The Book of Odes》?Through the study of 《The Book of Odes》, you can arouse delights of life, you can be broad-minded, you can get on well with others, you can express resentment. Near, you can well show filial devotion to your parents and far you can well serve the lord. Moreover, you can also learn some names of birds, animals, plants and trees.”
【原文】
17·10 子谓伯鱼曰:“女为《周南》、《召南》(1)矣乎?人而不为《周南》、《召南》,其犹正墙面而立(2)也与?”
【注释】
(1)《周南》、《召南》:《诗经·国风》中的第一、二两部分篇名。周南和召南都是地名。这是当地的民歌。
(2)正墙面而立:面向墙壁站立着。
【白话】
孔子对伯鱼说:“你学习《周南》、《召南》了吗?一个人如果不学习《周南》、《召南》,那不就像面对墙壁而站着吗?”
【英译】
Confucius said to Bo Yu: “Have you learned 《Zhounan》and《Zhaonan》? If a man doesn’t learn《Zhounan》and《Zhaonan》, isn’t it like to sand facing a wall?”
【原文】
17·11 子曰:“礼云礼云,玉帛云乎哉?乐云乐云,钟鼓云乎哉?”
【白话】
孔子说:“礼呀礼呀,说的是玉帛吗?乐呀乐呀,说的是钟鼓吗?”
【英译】
Confucius said: “Gifts and gifts, do they mean jade and silk? Music and music, does it mean bell and drum?”
【原文】
17·12 子曰:“色厉而内荏(1),譬诸小人,其犹穿窬(2)之盗也与?”
【注释】
(1)色厉内荏:厉,威严,荏,读“忍”,虚弱。外表严厉而内心虚弱。
(2)窬:读“鱼”,洞。
【白话】
孔子说:“外表严厉而内心虚弱,用这句话比喻小人,就像是挖墙洞的盗贼吧?”
【英译】
Confucius said: “A fierce look covers a coward heart. If we use this sentence to draw an analogy to vulgarians, aren’t they like thieves who commit theft by boring holes in the wall?”
【原文】
17·13 子曰:“乡愿,德之贼也。”
【注释】
(1) 乡愿:老好人。
【白话】
孔子说:“老好人,就是破坏道德的人。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “Men of no principle are demoralized persons.”
【原文】
17·14 子曰:“道听而涂说,德之弃也。”
【白话】
孔子说:“路上听到就到处传播,这与道德背道而驰。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “Hearsay runs counter to morality.”
【原文】
17·15 子曰:“鄙夫可与事君也与哉?其未得之也,患得之。既得之,患失之。苟患失之,无所不至矣。”
【白话】
孔子说:“可以和小人一起共同事奉君主吗?这种人在没当官时,总怕当不上。当上了,又怕丢官。如果他们总怕丢乌纱帽,那就什么事都干得出来了。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “Can we work together with vulgarians at serving the lord? When they’ve got no official posts, they are always afraid of being unable to get. But when they’ve got one, they are afraid of losing it. If what they always worry about is just losing office posts, then there is nothing they cannot do.”
【原文】
17·16 子曰:“古者民有三疾,今也或是之亡也。古之狂(1)也肆(2),今之狂也荡(3);古之矜也廉(4),今之矜也忿戾(5);古之愚也直,今之愚也诈而已矣。”
【注释】
(1)狂:狂妄自大。
(2)肆:放肆。
(3)荡:放荡。
(4)廉:说一不二。
(5)戾:蛮横无理。
【白话】
孔子说:“古人有三种毛病,而今人这三种毛病恐怕已变本加厉了。古代狂妄的人者不过是自高自大,而现在狂妄的人却是放荡无羁;古代骄傲的人不过是说一不二,现在骄傲的人却是蛮横凶残;古代愚笨的人不过是直来直去,现在的愚笨的人却是狡猾奸诈。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “The ancient people had three weakpoints but what the present people do is probably to make them intensified. What the ancient frantic persons did was only to show self-importantance, but what the present frantic persons do is to lead a loose life; what the ancient arrogant persons did was only never to go back on their words, but what the present arrogant persons do is to be arbitrary and cruel; what the ancient stupid persons did was only to be straightforward, but what the present stupid persons do is to be sly and fraudulent.”
【原文】
17•17 子曰:“巧言令色(1),鲜(2)仁矣。”
【注释】
(1)巧言令色:朱熹注曰:“好其言,善其色,致饰于外,务以说人。”巧和令都是美好的意思。但此处应释为装出和颜悦色的样子。
(2)鲜:读“显”,少的意思。
【白话】
孔子说:“花言巧语,装出和颜悦色的样子,这种人的仁心就很少了。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “Talking plausibly with feign amialble looks, people of this sort are scarely benevolent.”
【原文】
17·18 子曰:“恶紫之夺朱也,恶郑声之乱雅乐也,恶利口之覆邦家者。”
【白话】
孔子说:“我厌恶用紫色代替红色,厌恶用郑声扰乱雅乐,厌恶用妖言颠覆国家的人。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “I hate people who replace red with purple, disturb refined music with popular music and subvert a government with fallacies.”
【原文】
17·19 子曰:“予欲无言。”子贡曰:“子如不言,则小子何述焉?”子曰:“天何言哉?四时行焉,百物生焉,天何言哉?”
【白话】
孔子说:“我想不再说话了。”子贡说:“你如果不说话,那我们这些学生还有什么可说呢?”孔子说:“天何尝说话呢?天虽然没说话,可四季照常运行,百物照样生长。天说过什么话呢?”
【英译】
Confucius said: “I don’t want to say anymore.” Ztu Gong said: “If you don’t want to say anymore, then what can we students say?” Confucius said: “Has Heaven ever said anything? No. Yet even Heaven has said nothing, the four seasons move regularly and everything in the world grows as uasual. Has Heaven said anything?”
【原文】
17·20 孺悲(1)欲见孔子,孔子辞以疾。将命者出户,取瑟而歌,使之闻之。
【注释】
(1)孺悲:鲁国人,鲁哀公曾派他向孔子学礼。
【白话】
孺悲想见孔子,孔子以有病为由推辞不见。传话的人刚出门,孔子就取出瑟边弹边唱,故意让孺悲听到。
【英译】
Ru Bei wanted to see Confucius but Confucius delined to see him on the pretext of illness. Yet as soon as the man who sent words walked out, taking out a Se ( a music instrument), Confucius sang as he played it. On purpose, he wanted to let Ru Bei hear it.”
【原文】
17·21 宰我问:“三年之丧,期已久矣。君子三年不为礼,礼必坏;三年不为乐,乐必崩。旧谷既没,新谷既升,钻燧改火(1),期(2)可已矣。”子曰:“食夫稻(3),衣夫锦,于女安乎?”曰:“安。”“女安则为之。夫君子之居丧,食旨(4)不甘,闻乐不乐,居处不安,故不为也。今女安,则为之!”宰我出,子曰:“予之不仁也!子生三年,然后免于父母之怀,夫三年之丧,天下之通丧也。予也有三年之爱于其父母乎?”
【注释】
(1)钻燧改火:古人钻木取火,四季所用木头不同,每年轮一遍,叫改火。
(2)期:读“鸡”,一年。
(3)食夫稻:古代北方少种稻米,故大米很珍贵。这里是说吃好的。
(4)旨:甜美,指吃好的食物。
【译文】
宰我问:“三年服丧期,太长了。君子三年不讲究礼仪,礼仪必然败坏;三年不演奏音乐,音乐必然会荒废。旧谷吃完,新谷登场,钻木取火也该改一改,因此丧期有一年就可以了。”孔子说:“才一年你就吃开了大米饭,穿起了锦缎衣,你心安理得吗?”宰我说:“我心安理得。”孔子说:“你心安理得,那你就那样去做吧!君子守丧,吃美味不觉得香甜,听音乐不觉得快乐,住在家里不觉得舒服,所以不那样做。如今你既觉得心安理得,那你就那样去做吧!”宰我出去后,孔子说:“宰予真是不仁啊!小孩生下来,到三岁时才能离开父母的怀抱。服丧三年,这是天下通行的丧礼。宰子也从父母那里得到过三年的爱吗?”
【英译】
Zai Wo said: “The three-year-funeral-period is too long. If gentlemen do not study proprieties three years, proprieties will be ruined; if gentlemen do not play music three years, music will be neglected. Old grain is run out, new one will come out. And the method of making fire by drilling wood should be changed. Therefore, one year is enough for a funeral-period.” Confucius said: “Only one year passed, you do begin eating rice and wearing silk. Do you feel quite at ease?”Zai Wo said: “Yes, I do.” Confucius said: “Since you feel quite at ease, you can do that way. During funeral period, gentlemen do not feel tasty when eating delicious food, do not feel happly when listening music, do not feel comfortable when living at home. So gentlemen do not do like that. Since you feel quite at ease, then you can do that way.” After Zai Wo left, Confucius said: “Zai Wo is really lack of humanity! After being born, a little baby does not leave his mother’s embrance until he is three years old. Keeping a three-year-funeral-period is the usual funeral propriety. Could it be said that Zai Wo have got no three-year-love at all from his parents?”
【原文】
17·22 子路曰:“饱食终日,无所用心,难矣哉!不有博奕者乎?为之,犹贤乎已。”
【白话】
孔子说:“一天到晚除了吃饱饭,别的什么心思也不走,实在太难了!不是还有下棋的游戏吗?干这个,也比闲着强。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “It’s really too difficult to loaf through the day well-fed and taking nothing seriously! There is a chess game, isn’t there? Playing chess is much better than living in idleness.”
【原文】
17·23 子路曰:“君子尚勇乎?”子曰:“君子义以为上。君子有勇而无义为乱,小人有勇而无义为盗。”
【白话】
子路说:“君子崇尚勇敢吗?”孔子说:“君子把道义看作至高无上的品德,君子勇敢但不讲道义就会作乱,小人勇敢但不讲道义就会行窃。”
【英译】
Ztu Lu asked: “Do gentlmen uphold braveness?” Confucius said: “Gentlemen consider justice as the best morality. If a gentleman is brave but doesn’t uphold justice, he will make troubles. If a vulagarin is brave but doesn’t uphold justice, he will commit theft.”
【原文】
17·24 子贡曰:“君子亦有恶(1)乎?”子曰:“有恶。恶称人之恶者,恶居下流(2)而讪(3)上者,恶勇而无礼者,恶果敢而窒(4)者。”曰:“赐也亦有恶乎?”“恶徼(5)以为知(6)者,恶不孙(7)以为勇者,恶讦(8)以为直者。”
【注释】
(1)恶:读“物”,厌恶。
(2)下流:下等的,在下的。
(3)讪:读“善”,诽谤。
(4)窒:阻塞,不通事理,顽固不化。
(5)徼:读“脚”,窃取,抄袭。
(6)知:同“智”。
(7)孙:同“逊”。
(8)讦:读“杰”,攻击、揭发别人,多因个人恩怨而为。
【白话】
子贡说:“君子也有厌恶的人吗?”孔子说:“有。厌恶张扬别人短处的人,厌恶身居下位而诽谤位居高位者的人,厌恶勇敢而不讲礼节的人,厌恶固执而不通情达理的人。”孔子又说:“赐,你也有厌恶的人吗?”子贡说:“厌恶剽窃他人却说自己聪明的人,厌恶把不谦虚当做勇敢的人,厌恶把揭别人短处当作直率的人。”
【英译】
Ztu Gong asked: “Do gentlemen detest anyone?” Confucius said: “Yes, of course. They detest persons who publicize others’ weak points, detest persons who are in lower positions but defame persons in higher posions, detest persons who are brave but don’t pay attention to proprieties, detest persons who are stubbon but don’t make any exceptions.” Confucius said: “Ci, do you detest anyone?” Ztu Gong said: “Yes. I detest persons who plagiarize others’ works but praise themselves, detest persons who consider un-modesty as braveness, detest persons who take disclosing others’ faults as straightforwardness.”
【原文】
17·25 子曰:“唯女子与小人为难养也,近之则不孙,远之则怨。”
【白话】
孔子说:“只有女子和小人是最难对付的,亲近他们,他们就会无礼,疏远他们,他们就会报怨。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “Women and vulgarians are the only ones who are difficult to be dealt. If you are on intimate terms with them, they will neglect proprieties. But if you keep them at a distance, they will complain.”
【原文】
17·26 子曰:“年四十而见(1)恶焉,其终也已。”
【注释】
(1)见:被。类似的例子如:见笑,被笑话。“见笑”一词十分常用。但一定注意用法。大概经常是发表意见之后的谦虚语,意思请求对方不要笑话,因此常会说出“请勿见笑”的句子。其实并不恰当,因为照这样的说法说通俗一点就是“请别被笑”,显然欠妥。所以还不如就说“请别笑话”。但如果说“唯恐见笑”就可以,因为说通俗一点就是“恐怕被他人笑话”。
【白话】
孔子说:“到四十岁还被人所厌恶,他这辈子也就算完了。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “If a person is still detested by others at the age of forty, then his whole life is over.”