"L'esperança se'ns ha donat en favor dels qui no en tenen". W. Benjamin

8 d’abr. 2011

Confucian quotations

These are my favourite fragments of Confucius' Analects according to the 19th-Century translation by James Legge. Hope you enjoy them. 

"I will not be afflicted at men's not knowing me; I will be afflicted that I do not know men." (I, 16)

"I have talked with Hui for a whole day, and he has not made any objection to anything I said, as if he were stupid. He has retired and I have examined his conduct when away from me, and found him able to illustrate my teachings. Hui! He's not stupid." (II, 9)

"Learning without thought is labour lost. Thought without learning is perilous." (II, 15)
"I consider my not being present at the sacrifice, as if I did not sacrifice." (III, 12)

"When we see men of worth, we should think of equalling them. When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves." (IV, 17)

Ji Wen thought thrice, and then acted. When the Master was informed of it, he said: "Twice may do." (V, 19)

"I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there." (VII, 19)

"A good man is not mine to see; could I see a man possessed of constancy, that would satisfy me. Having not and yet affecting to have, empty and yet affecting to be full, straitened and yet affecting  to be at ease: it is difficult with such characteristics to have constancy." (VII, 25)
"Learn as if you could not reach your object, and were always fearing also lest you should lose it." (VIII, 17)

"The commander of the forces of a large state may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken from him." (IX, 25)

Zilu happening to pass the night in Shimen, the gatekeeper said to him: "Whom do you come from?" Zilu said, "From Mr. Kong [Confucius].""It is he, is it not?" said the other, "who knows the impracticable nature of the times and yet will be doing in them." (XIV, 41)

"He, who from day to day recognises what he has not yet, and from month to month does not forget what he has attained to, may be said indeed to love to learn." (XIX, 5)




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