先进篇第十一
【原文】
11·1 子曰：“先进(1)于礼乐，野人(2)也；后进(3)于礼乐，君子(4)也。如用之，则吾从先进。”
【注释】
(1)先进：指先学习礼乐而后再做官的人。
(2)野人：朴素粗鲁的人或指乡野平民。
(3)后进：先做官后学习礼乐的人。
(4)君子：这里指贵族。
【白话】
孔子说：“先学礼乐后做官，是平民；先做官后学礼乐，是贵族。如果聘用人才，我就用平民。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “Anyone who learnt etiquette and music first and then looked for official posts was a common people. Anyone who looked for official posts first and then learnt etiquette and music was an aristocrat. If I had to make an appointment, I’d like to choose a common people.”
【原文】
11·2 子曰：“从我于陈、蔡(1)者，皆不及门(2)也。”
【注释】
(1)陈、蔡：均为国名。
(2)不及门：门，这里指受教的场所。不及门，不在身边受教。
【白话】
孔子说：“跟随我去陈蔡两国的人，现在都不在我身边了。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “People who once followed me to the countries Chen and Cai were no longer right before my eyes.”
【原文】
11·3 德行(1)：颜渊、闵子骞、冉伯牛、仲弓。言语(2)：宰我、子贡。政事(3)：冉有、季路。文学(4)：子游、子夏。
【注释】
(1)德行：能实行孝悌、忠恕等道德。
(2)言语：善于辞令，能办理外交。
(3)政事：能从事政治事务。
(4)文学：通晓诗书礼乐等古代文献。
【白话】
德高望重的有：颜渊、闵子骞、冉伯牛、仲弓。善于辞令的有：宰我、子贡。擅长政事的有：冉有、季路。通晓文献知识的有：子游、子夏。
【英译】
The ones who were of high character and great prestige included Yan Yuan, Min Ztujian, Ran Boniu and Zhong Gong. People who were endowed with eloquence included Zai Wo and Ztu Gong. Persons were good at politics included Ztu You and Ztu Xia.
【原文】
11·4 子曰：“回也非助我者也，于吾言无所不说。”
【白话】
孔子说：“颜回并不是对我有帮助的人，但他对我说的话却没有不心悦诚服的。”
【英译】
Yan Hui wasn’t a person who was helpful to me, yet never under any circumstances was he failed to feel a heartfelt admiration for my words.”
【原文】
11·5 子曰：“孝哉闵子骞！人不间(1)于其父母昆(2)弟之言。”
【注释】
(1)间：批评挑剔。
(2)昆：哥哥。
【白话】
孔子说：“闵子骞真孝顺呀！人们听到他父母兄弟对他的夸奖都很赞成。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “What a dutiful person Min Ztuqian is! People heard his parents and brothers praised him and quite agree with them.”
【原文】
11·6 南容三复白圭(1)，孔子以其兄之子妻(2)之。
【注释】
(1)白圭：圭，读“归”，白玉。指诗经中有关说话谨慎的诗句。
(2)妻：动词，读“气”，嫁给的意思。
【白话】
南容反复诵读赞美白圭的诗句，孔子就把自己的侄女嫁给了他。
【英译】
Nan Rong often recited the poem on white jade and Confucius married his niece to him.
【原文】
11·7 季康子问：“弟子孰为好学？”孔子对曰：“有颜回者好学，不幸短命死矣，今也则亡。”
【白话】
季康子问孔子：“你的学生中谁好学？”孔子回答说：“有个叫颜回的很好学，不幸短命死了。现在可没有他那样的人了。”
【英译】
Ji Kangztu asked Confucius: “Among your students who loves to study?” Confucius replied: “Yan Hui. But unfortunately he died young. There’s no more such sort of people.”
【原文】
11·8 颜渊死，颜路(1)请子之车以为之椁(2)。子曰：“才不才，亦各言其子也。鲤(3)也死，有棺而无椁。吾不徒行以为之椁。以吾从大夫之后(4)，不可徒行也。”
【注释】
(1)颜路：颜渊的父亲，也是孔子的学生。
(2)椁：读“果”，古人用双层棺材，内为棺，外为椁。
(3)鲤：孔子的儿子，字伯鲁，死时50岁，当时孔子70岁。
(4)从大夫之后：跟随在大夫们后面，指当过大夫。孔子在鲁国曾任司寇，是大夫一级的官员。
【白话】
颜渊死后，颜路请孔子卖车给颜渊做椁。孔子说：“有才无才，都是儿子。我儿子孔鲤死时，有棺而无椁。我不卖车为他做椁，因为我做过大夫，不可以步行。”
【英译】
Yan Yuan died. His father Yan Lu asked Confucius to sell out his cart to make his son an outer coffin. Confucius said: “No matter capable or not, they are all sons to their fathers. When my son Kong Li died, I didn’t sell out my cart to make him an outer coffin because I was once a higher official “Daifu”. It won’t do for a Daifu to go on foot.”
【原文】
11·9 颜渊死，子曰：“噫！天丧予！天丧予！”
【白话】
颜渊死了，孔子说：“唉！老天爷真要我的命呀！老天爷真要我的命呀！”
【英译】
Yan Yuan died. Confucius said: “That’s really killing me! That’s really killing me!”
【原文】
11·10 颜渊死，子哭之恸(1)。从者曰：“子恸矣。”曰：“有恸乎？非夫(2)人之为恸而谁为？”
【注释】
(1)恸：读“痛”，极度悲伤，痛哭。
(2)夫：读“扶”，代词，他。此处指颜渊。
【白话】
颜渊死了，孔子大哭一场。孔子的随从说：“您悲痛过度了！”孔子说：“是悲痛过度了吗？我不为这个人悲伤过度，还为谁呢？”
【英译】
Yan Yuan died. Confucius cried. His followers said: “You’re over-sad!” Confucius said: “Am I over-sad? If I’m not over-sad for him, then for whom?”
【原文】
11·11 颜渊死，门人欲厚葬(1)之，子曰：“不可。”门人厚葬之。子曰：“回也视予犹父也，予不得视犹子也(2)。非我也，夫(3)二三子也。”
【注释】
(1)厚葬：隆重地安葬。
(2)予不得视犹子也：我不能把他当亲生儿子一样看待。
(3)夫：语助词。
【译文】
颜渊死了，孔子的学生们想要隆重地安葬他。孔子说：“不能这样做。”学生们仍然隆重地安葬了他。孔子说：“颜回把我当父亲一样看待，我却不能把他当儿子一样看待。这不是我的本意，是那些学生们干的呀。”
【英译】
Yan Yuan died. Confucius’ students were going to entomb him grandly. Confucius said: “This won’t do.” These students held a stately funeral for Yan Yuan. Confucius said: “Yan Hui treated me as his father, but I couldn’t treat him as my son. It’s not my original idea. All these things were done by my students.”
【原文】
11·12 季路问事鬼神。子曰：“未能事人，焉能事鬼？”曰：“敢问死。”曰：“未知生，焉知死？”
【白话】
季路问怎样侍奉鬼神。孔子说：“没能把人侍奉好，怎么能去侍奉鬼呢？”季路说：“请问死是怎么回事？”孔子回答说：“活着的道理都不知道，怎么能知道死呢？”
【英译】
Ji Lu asked Confucius how to attend ghosts and spirits. Confucius said: “You haven’t even well attended people, then how can you well attend ghosts and spirits?” Ji Lu said: “What’s death about?” Confucius replied: “You even don’t know anything about life, how can you know anything about death?”
【原文】
11·13 闵子侍侧，訚訚(1)如也；子路，行行(2)如也；冉有、子贡，侃侃(3)如也。子乐。“若由也，不得其死然。”
【注释】
(1)訚訚：读“言”，和颜悦色。
(2)行行：读“杭”第四声，刚强的样子。
(3)侃侃：理直气壮。
【白话】
闵子骞侍立在孔子身旁，一派和颜悦色的样子；子路是一派刚强的样子；冉有、子贡是温和快乐的样子。孔子高兴了。但孔子又说：“像仲由这样，只怕不得好死吧！”
【英译】
Min Tzuqian stood by Confucius in attendance, kindly and pleasantly. Ztu Lu showed a firm and unyielding look. Ran You and Tzu Gong looked kind and gentle. Confucius was quite happy. Yet Confucius said: “People like Zhong You cannot die a worthy death, I’m afraid.”
【原文】
11·14 鲁人(1)为长府(2)。闵子骞曰：“仍旧贯(3)，如之何？何必改作？”子曰：“夫人(4)不言，言必有中。”
【注释】
(1)鲁人：这里指鲁国的当权者。
(2)为长府：为，改建。藏财货、兵器等的仓库叫“府”，长府是鲁国的国库名。
(3)仍旧贯：贯：事，例。沿袭老样子。
(4)夫人：夫， 度“扶”，这个人。
【白话】
鲁国国君翻修长府的国库。闵子骞道：“就保持老样子，怎么样？何必改建呢？”孔子说：“这个人平日不大开口，一开口就说到要害上。”
【英译】
The lord of the country Lu was going to rebuild national treasury. Min Tzuqian said: “Keep it unchanged. How about it? What’s the need to rebuild it?” Confucius said: “This guy seldom says a word. Yet so long as he opens his mouth, he’ll hit home.”
【原文】
11·15 子曰：“由之瑟(1)奚为于丘之门(2)？”门人不敬子路。子曰：“由也升堂矣，未入于室(3)也。”
【注释】
(1)瑟：读“色”，一种古乐器，与古琴相似。
(2)奚为于丘之门：奚，为什么。为，弹。丘，孔丘，孔子自指。
(3)升堂入室：堂是正厅，室是内室，用以形容学习程度，前者浅，后者深。
【白话】
孔子说：“仲由弹瑟，为什么在我这里弹呢？”孔子的学生们因此都不尊敬子路。孔子便说：“子路的瑟弹得很不错了，只是还不精通而已。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “Why is Zhong You playing Se (a zither – like musical instrument) at my doorway?” Confucius’ student therefore didn’t show respect to Ztu Lu. Confucius said: “Ztu Lu plays quite well, only that he hasn’t been proficient in it.”
【原文】
11·16 子贡问：“师与商(1)也孰贤？”子曰：“师也过，商也不及。”曰：“然则师愈(2)与？”子曰：“过犹不及。”
【注释】
(1)师与商：师，颛孙师，即子张。商，卜商，即子夏。
(2)愈：胜过，强些。
【白话】
子贡问孔子：“子张和子夏谁更好一些？”孔子说：“子张过分，子夏不足。”子贡说：“那么是子张好一些吗？”孔子说：“过分和不足是一样的。”
【英译】
Ztu Gong asked Confucius: “Who is better? Ztu Zhang or Ztu Xia?” Confucius said: “Ztu Zhang often overdoes. But Ztu Xia often under-does.” Ztu said: “Ztu Zhang is better, then?” Confucius said: “Too much is as bad as too little.”
【原文】
11·17 季氏富于周公，而求也为之聚敛(1)而附益(2)之。子曰：“非吾徒也。小子鸣鼓而攻之可也。”
【注释】
(1)聚敛：积聚收敛，指搜刮。
(2)益：增加。
【白话】
季氏比周公还富有，而冉求却还帮他搜刮，以增加他的钱财。孔子说：“他不是我的学生了，你们可以击鼓去攻击他！”
【英译】
Ji Shi richer than the lord of Zhou Dynasty, but Ran Qiu still helped him collect money so as to make him much richer than ever before. Confucius said: “Ji Shi is no longer my student. You students can beat drum to attack him.”
【原文】
11·18 柴(1)也愚(2)，参也鲁(3)，师(4)也辟(5)，由也喭(6)。
【注释】
(1)柴：高柴，字子羔，孔子学生，比孔子小30岁，公元前521年出生。
(2)愚：耿直。
(3)鲁：迟钝。
(4)师： 颛孙师，即子张。
(5)辟：读“必”，偏，偏激。
(6)喭：读“艳”，鲁莽。
【译文】
高柴耿直，曾参迟钝，颛孙师偏激，仲由鲁莽。
【英译】
Gao Chai was straifhtforward. Zeng Can was dull. Zhuansun Shi was over-radical. Zhong You was rash.
【原文】
11·19 子曰：“回也其庶(1)乎，屡空(2)。赐不受命，而货殖(3)焉，亿(4)则屡中。”
【注释】
(1)庶：庶几，接近。
(2)空：贫困，匮乏。
(3)货殖：做买卖。
(4)亿：同“臆”，臆断，猜测，估计。
【白话】
孔子说：“颜回的情况近乎完善，可是他经常贫困。端本赐不听天由命，去做买卖，猜测行情，往往猜中。”
【英译】
Confucius said: “Yan Hui is nearly perfect, but he is often poor. Duanmu Ci refuses to leave thing to chance and went to business. He often estimates market situation by guess but he wins.”
【原文】
11·20 子张问善人(1)之道，子曰：“不践迹(2)，亦不入于室(3)。”
【注释】
(1)善人：指本质善良但没有经过学习的人。
(2)践迹：迹，脚印。践，踩，踩着前人的脚印走。
(3)入于室：比喻学问和修养达到了精深地步。
【白话】
子张问做善人的方法。孔子说：“如果不沿着前人的脚印走，其学问就不会到家。”
【英译】
Ztu Zhang asked the way to perfect himself. Confucius said: “If you don’t march ahead along others’ tracts, then you cannot have a good comprehension of knowledge.”
【原文】
11·21 子曰：“论笃是与(1)，君子者乎？色(2)庄者乎？”
【注释】
(1)论笃是与：论，言论。笃，诚恳。与，赞许。对说话笃实诚恳的人表示赞许。
(2)色：伪装。
【白话】
孔子说：“听到人议论笃实诚恳就表示赞许，但还应看他是真君子呢？还是伪装庄重的人呢？”
【英译】
Confucius said: “When someone compliments others on their honesty, we should agree with him. But we should also ask whether he compliments real gentlemen or hypocrites”
【原文】
11·22 子路问：“闻斯行诸(1)？”子曰：“有父兄在，如之何其闻斯行之？”冉有问：“闻斯行诸？”子曰：“闻斯行之。”公西华曰：“由也问闻斯行诸，子曰，‘有父兄在’；求也问闻斯行诸，子曰，‘闻斯行之’。赤也惑，敢问。”子曰：“求也退，故进之；由也兼人(2)，故退之。”
【注释】
(1)诸：“之乎”二字的合音。
(2)兼人：好勇过人。
【译文】
子路问：“听到就做吗？”孔子说：“有父兄健在，怎么能听到就做？”冉有问：“听到就做吗？”孔子说：“听到就做。”公西华说：“仲由问‘听到就做吗’，您说‘有父兄健在’；冉求也问‘听到就做吗’，您却说‘听到就做’。我很疑惑，请问这是为什么？”孔子说：“冉求总是退缩，所以要鼓励他；仲由胆大，所以要约束他。”
【英译】
Ztu Lu asked: “Go into action on hearing?” Confucius said: “How can you go into action when your father and brother are still living and in good health?” Ran You asked: “Go into action on hearing?” Confucius said: “Go into action on hearing.” Gongxi Hua said: “Zhong You asked: ‘Go into action on hearing?’ You said: ‘How can you go into action when your father and brother are still living and in good health?’ Ran Qiu also asked: ‘Go into action on hearing?’ But you said: ‘Go into action on hearing.’ This makes me feel perplexed. Would you please give me an explanation?” Confucius said: “Ran Qiu always shrinks back so I have to encourage him. But Zhong You is quite bold, so I have to restrain him.”
【原文】
11·23 子畏于匡，颜渊后。子曰：“吾以女为死矣。”曰：“子在，回何敢死？”
【白话】
孔子在匡地受到当地人围困，颜渊最后才逃出来。孔子说：“我以为你已经死了呢。”颜渊说：“夫子还活着，我怎么敢死呢？”
【英译】
After being pinned down in Kuang district for a long time, Yan Yuan escaped at last. Confucius said: “I thought you must have died.” Yan Yuan said: “How can I die while you are still living and in good health?”
【原文】
11·24 季子然(1)问：“仲由、冉求可谓大臣与？”子曰：“吾以子为异之问，曾(2)由与求之间。所谓大臣者，以道事君，不可则止。今由与求也，可谓具臣(3)矣。”曰：“然则从之(4)者与？”子曰：“弑父与君，亦不从也。”
【注释】
(1)季子然：鲁国季氏的同族人。
(2)曾：乃。
(3)具臣：普通的臣子。
(4)之：代指季氏。当时冉求和子路都是季氏的家臣。
【白话】
季子然问：“仲由和冉求能算大臣吗？”孔子说：“我还以为您在问别人，原来您问的是这俩位。所谓大臣，应以仁道辅佐君主，不行也不强求。现在他们二人，可算是充数的臣子。” 季子然说：“那他们是否绝对听话？”孔子说：“当然杀父弑君的事，他们也不会跟着干。”
【英译】
Ji Zturan asked: “Zhong You and Ran Qiu can be considered competent ministers?” Confucius said: “I thought you had asked me about others. So you’re asking me about these two guys. It seems to me that they should be considered two stopgaps.” Ji Zturan said: “Do they obey orders absolutely or not?” Confucius said: “If they are ordered to kill their fathers and the lord, they certainly do not obey.”
【原文】
11·25 子路使子羔为费宰。子曰：“贼(1)夫人之子(2)。”子路曰：“有民人焉，有社稷(3)焉，何必读书，然后为学？”子曰：“是故恶(4)夫佞者。”
【注释】
(1)贼：害。
(2)夫人之子：指子羔。孔子认为他没有经过很好的学习就去从政，这会害了他自己的。
(3)社稷：社，土地神。稷，谷神。这里“社稷”指祭祀土地神和谷神的地方，即社稷坛。古代国都及各地都设立社稷坛，分别由国君和地方长官主祭，故社稷成为国家政权的象征。
【译文】
子路让子羔去作费地的长官。孔子说：“这简直是害人子弟。”子路说：“那个地方有百姓，有土地，服务百姓和治理土地都是学习，难道一定要读书才算学习吗？”孔子说：“这真是在强词夺理。”
【英译】
Ztu Lu asked Ztu Gao to be the leader of Fei district. Confucius said: “You’re simple doing harm to him.” Ztu Lu said: “There are people and lands in that place. Serving the people and administrating the state can also be considered studies. How can it be necessary to read books?” Confucius said: “You’re simply using lame arguments.”
【原文】
11·26 子路、曾皙(1)、冉有、公西华侍坐。子曰：“以吾一日长乎尔，毋吾以也(2)。居(3)则曰：‘不吾知也！’如或知尔，则何以哉(4)？”子路率尔(5)而对曰：“千乘之国，摄(6)乎大国之间，加之以师旅，因之以饥馑，由也为之，比及(7)三年，可使有勇，且知方也(8)。”夫子哂(9)之。“求，尔何如？”对曰：“方六七十(10)，如(11)五六十，求也为之，比及三年，可使足民。如其礼乐，以俟君子。”“赤，尔何如？”对曰：“非曰能之，愿学焉。宗庙之事(12)，如会同(13)，端章甫(14)，愿为小相(15)焉。”“点，尔何如？”鼓瑟希(16)，铿尔，舍瑟而作(17)，对曰：“异乎三子者之撰。”子曰：“何伤乎？亦各言其志也。”曰：“莫(18)春者，春服既成，冠者(19)五六人，童子六七人，浴乎沂(20)，风乎舞雩(21)，咏而归。”夫子喟然叹曰：“吾与点也！”三子者出，曾皙后。曾皙曰：“夫三子者之言何如？”子曰：“亦各言其志也已矣。”曰：“夫子何哂由也？”曰：“为国以礼。其言不让，是故哂之。”唯(22)求则非邦也与？”“安见方六七十如五六十而非邦也者？”“唯赤则非邦也与？”“宗庙会同，非诸侯而何？赤也为之小，孰能为之大？”
【注释】
(1)曾皙：名点，字子皙，曾参的父亲，也是孔子的学生。
(2)以吾一日长乎尔，毋以也：虽然我比你们的年龄稍长一些，而不敢说话。
(3)居：平日。
(4)则何以哉：何以，即何以为用。
(5)率尔：轻率、急切。
(6)摄：迫于、夹于。
(7)比及：比，音ｂì。等到。
(8)方：方向。
(9)哂：音ｓｈěｎ，讥讽地微笑。
(10)方六七十：纵横各六七十里。
(11)如：或者。
(12)宗庙之事：指祭祀之事。
(13)会同：诸侯会见。
(14)瑞章甫：端，古代礼服的名称。章甫，古代礼帽的名称。
(15)相：赞礼人，司仪。
(16)希：同“稀”，指弹瑟的速度放慢，节奏逐渐稀疏。
(17)作：站起来。
(18)莫：同“暮”。
(19)冠者：成年人。古代子弟到20岁时行冠礼，表示已经成年。
(20)浴乎沂：沂，水名，发源于山东南部，流经江苏北部入海。在水边洗头面手足。
(21)舞雩：雩，音ｙú。地名，原是祭天求雨的地方，在今山东曲阜。
(22)唯：语首词，没有什么意义。
【白话】
子路、曾皙、冉有、公西华陪坐，孔子说:“不要顾及我年长,而不敢讲真话。你们经常说,没人理解你们,如果有人理解并重用你们,你们打算咋办?”
子路急忙说:“较大国家,夹在大国之间,外有强敌入侵,内有饥荒肆虐,我来管理,只要三年,可使人人有勇气,个个讲道义。”
孔子微笑。“冉求,你怎样?”
冉求答:“方圆几十里的地方,我来治理,只要三年,可使百姓衣食充足,至于精神文明,要等能人来教化。”
孔子问：“公西赤,你怎样?”
公西赤答:“我不敢说能干好,但愿意学习。祭祀的事,外交的事,我愿穿着礼服,做个助理。
孔子问：“曾点,你怎样?”
曾皙弹琴正接近尾声,他铿地一声放下琴,站起来说:“我与他们三位不同。”
孔子说:“说说有什么关系?只是各谈各的志向而已。”
曾点说:“暮春三月,穿上春天的衣服,约上五六人,带上六七个童子,在沂水边沐浴,在高坡上吹风,一路唱着歌而回。”
夫子感叹说:“我欣赏曾点的情趣。”
其他三人走后,曾皙问:“他们三人的话怎样?”
孔子说:“只是各谈各的志向而已。”
曾皙说：“您为何笑仲由呢?”
孔子说：“治国要讲礼让,他的话一点也不谦虚,所以笑他。”
曾皙又问：“冉求谈的是治国吗?”
孔子说：“怎么见得治理方圆几十里的地方就不是治国呢?”
曾皙又问：“公西赤谈的是治国吗?”
孔子说：“祭祀和外交,不是国家大事是什么?如果公西赤只能当助理,谁能当总理?”
【英译】
子路、曾皙、冉有、公西华陪坐，孔子说:“不要顾及我年长,而不敢讲真话。你们经常说,没人理解你们,如果有人理解并重用你们,你们打算怎么办?”
Accompanied by Ztu Lu, Zeng Zhe and Gongxi Hua, Confucius sat there saying: “Don’t consider my age too much to be out-spoken. You often said that no one could well understand you. If some people can well understand you and entrust you with important work, what are you going to do?”
子路急忙说:“较大国家,夹在大国之间,外有强敌入侵,内有饥荒肆虐,我来管理,只要三年,可使人人有勇气,个个讲道义。”
Ztu Lu said in a hurry: “If a relatively big country is sandwiched by big countries and suffer from outer invasion and inner famine, I’d like to govern this country. Only within three years, I can make everyone brave and act according to the principles of humanity.”
孔子微笑。“冉求,你怎样?”
Confucius smiled and asked: “Ran Qiu, how about you?”
冉求答:“方圆几十里的地方,我来治理,只要三年,可使百姓衣食充足,至于精神文明,要等能人来教化。”
Ran Qiu replied: “If there is a place which has a circumference of ten li, I can govern it. Only three years are needed for me to make people well-fed and well-clothed. Yet, as for the problem of spiritual civilization, a capable man is needed to solve it.
孔子问：“公西赤,你怎样?”
Confucius asked: “Gongxi Chi, how about you?”
公西赤答:“我不敢说能干好,但愿意学习。祭祀的事,外交的事,我愿穿着礼服,做个助理。
Gongxi Chi replied: “I don’t dare to say that I can do it well, but I’m willing to learn. As to sacrifice offering and foreign affairs, I’m willing to be an assistant in ceremonial dress.”
孔子问：“曾点,你怎样?”
Confucius asked: “Zeng Dian, how bout you?”
曾皙弹琴正接近尾声,他铿地一声放下琴,站起来说:“我与他们三位不同。”
Zeng Zhe’s lute playing was coming to an end when he threw his lute onto the ground with a bang and stood up, saying: “I’m different from these three ones.”
孔子说:“说说有什么关系?只是各谈各的志向而已。”
Confucius said: “What does it matter to say something? It’s only a problem of expressing their respective ideals.”
曾点说:“暮春三月,穿上春天的衣服,约上五六人,带上六七个童子,在沂水边沐浴,在高坡上吹风,一路唱着歌而回。”
Zeng Dian said: “In late March, I’d like to wear spring clothing, invite five or six people, take six or seven kids and have a bath near the bank of Xishui, expose myself to the wind on a high hill, and finally come back home singing all the way.”
夫子感叹说:“我欣赏曾点的情趣。”
The master sighed with feeling and said: “I appreciate Zeng Dian’s delight.”
其他三人走后,曾皙问:“他们三人的话怎样?”
After these three people left, Zeng Zhe asked: “How about the remarks of these three people?”
孔子说:“只是各谈各的志向而已。”
Confucius said: “It’s only a problem of expressing their respective ideals.”
曾皙说: “您为何笑仲由呢?”
Zeng Zhe said: “Why are you laughing at Zhong You?”
孔子说：“治国要讲礼让,他的话一点也不谦虚,所以笑他。”
Confucius said: “If you want to govern a country, you should give up something for the sake of courtesy. But he didn’t say anything modest, so I laughed at him.”
曾皙又问：“冉求谈的是治国吗?”
Zeng Zhe asked again: “Did Ran Qiu say anything about governing a country?”
孔子说：“怎么见得治理方圆几十里的地方就不是治国呢?”
Confucius said: “How can you know governing a place in a circumferece of several decades of li is not governing a country?”
曾皙又问：“公西赤谈的是治国吗?”
Zeng Zhe asked again: “What Gongxi Chi said is something about administering a country?”
孔子说：“祭祀和外交,不是国家大事是什么?如果公西赤只能当助理,谁能当大相?”
Confucius said: “If sacrifice offering and foreign affairs are not big national issues, then what are they? If Gongxi Chi is fit for an assistant only, then who is fit for a high official?”
