The Analects of Confucius: Ba Yi
(论语·八佾)

Chapters

• 1. 学而 – Xue Er
• 2. 为政 – Wei Zheng
• 3. 八佾 – Ba Yi
• 4. 里仁 – Li Ren
• 5. 公冶长 – Gong Ye Chang
• 6. 雍也 – Yong Ye
• 7. 述而 – Shu Er
• 8. 泰伯 – Tai Bo
• 9. 子罕 – Zi Han
• 10. 乡党 – Xiang Dang
• 11. 先进 – Xian Jin
• 12. 颜渊 – Yan Yuan
• 13. 子路 – Zi Lu
• 14. 宪问 – Xian Wen
• 15. 卫灵公 – Wei Ling Gong
• 16. 季氏 – Ji Shi
• 17. 阳货 – Yang Huo
• 18. 微子 – Wei Zi
• 19. 子张 – Zi Zhang
• 20. 尧曰 – Yao Yue

孔子谓季氏：“八佾舞于庭，是可忍也，孰不可忍也？”

Confucius said of the head of the Ji family, who had eight rows of pantomimes in his area, “If he can bear to do this, what may he not bear to do?”

三家者以《雍》彻，子曰：“‘相维辟公，天子穆穆’，奚取于三家之堂？”

The three families used the Yong ode, while the vessels were being removed, at the conclusion of the sacrifice. The Master said, “‘Assisting are the princes; the son of heaven looks profound and grave’ – what application can these words have in the hall of the three families?”

子曰：“人而不仁，如礼何？人而不仁，如乐何？”

The Master said, “If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with the rites of propriety? If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with music?”

林放问礼之本，子曰：“大哉问！礼，与其奢也，宁俭；丧，与其易也，宁戚。”

Lin Fang asked what was the first thing to be attended to in ceremonies. The Master said, “A great question indeed! In festive ceremonies, it is better to be sparing than extravagant. In the ceremonies of mourning, it is better that there be deep sorrow than a minute attention to observances.”

子曰：“夷狄之有君，不如诸夏之亡也。”

The Master said, “The rude tribes of the east and north have their princes, and are not like the States of our great land which are without them.”

季氏旅于泰山。子谓冉有曰：“女弗能救与？” 对曰：“不能。” 子曰：“呜呼！曾谓泰山不如林放乎？”

The chief of the Ji family was about to sacrifice to the Tai mountain. The Master said to Ran You, “Can you not save him from this?” He answered, “I cannot.” Confucius said, “Alas! will you say that the Tai mountain is not so discerning as Lin Fang?”

子曰：“君子无所争，必也射乎！揖让而升，下而饮。其争也君子。”

The Master said, “The student of virtue has no contentions. If it be said he cannot avoid them, shall this be in archery? But he bows complaisantly to his competitors; thus he ascends the hall, descends, and exacts the forfeit of drinking. In his contention, he is still the Junzi.”

子夏问曰：“‘巧笑倩兮，美目盼兮，素以为绚兮’何谓也？” 子曰：“绘事后素。” 曰：“礼后乎？” 子曰：“起予者商也，始可与言《诗》已矣。”

Zi Xia asked, saying, “What is the meaning of the passage – ‘The pretty dimples of her artful smile! The well-defined black and white of her eye! The plain ground for the colors?’” The Master said, “The business of laying on the colors follows (the preparation of) the plain ground.” “Ceremonies then are a subsequent thing?” The Master said, “It is Shang who can bring out my meaning. Now I can begin to talk about the odes with him.”

子曰：“夏礼吾能言之，杞不足征也；殷礼吾能言之，宋不足征也。文献不足故也，足则吾能征之矣。”

The Master said, “I could describe the ceremonies of the Xia dynasty, but Qi cannot sufficiently attest my words. I could describe the ceremonies of the Yin dynasty, but Song cannot sufficiently attest my words. (They cannot do so) because of the insufficiency of their records and wise men. If those were sufficient, I could adduce them in support of my words.”

子曰：“禘自既灌而往者，吾不欲观之矣。”

The Master said, “At the great sacrifice, after the pouring out of the libation, I have no wish to look on.”

或问禘之说。子曰：“不知也。知其说者之于天下也，其如示诸斯乎！” 指其掌。

Some one asked the meaning of the great sacrifice. The Master said, “I do not know. He who knew its meaning would find it as easy to govern the kingdom as to look on this” – pointing to his palm.

祭如在，祭神如神在。子曰：“吾不与祭，如不祭。”

He sacrificed to the dead, as if they were present. He sacrificed to the spirits, as if the spirits were present. The Master said, “I consider my not being present at the sacrifice, as if I did not sacrifice.”

王孙贾问曰：“‘与其媚于奥，宁媚于灶’，何谓也？” 子曰：“不然，获罪于天，无所祷也。”

Wang Sun Jia asked, saying, “What is the meaning of the saying, ‘It is better to pay court to the furnace than to the southwest corner?’” The Master said, “Not so. He who offends against Heaven has none to whom he can pray.”

子曰：“周监于二代，郁郁乎文哉！吾从周。”

The Master said, “Zhou had the advantage of viewing the two past dynasties. How complete and elegant are its regulations! I follow Zhou.”

子入太庙，每事问。或曰：“孰谓鄹人之子知礼乎？入太庙，每事问。” 子闻之，曰：“是礼也。”

The Master, when he entered the grand temple, asked about everything. Some one said, “Who say that the son of the man of Zou knows the rules of propriety! He has entered the grand temple and asks about everything.” The Master heard the remark, and said, “This is a rule of propriety.”

子曰：“射不主皮，为力不同科，古之道也。”

The Master said, “In archery it is not going through the leather which is the principal thing – because people’s strength is not equal. This was the old way.”

子贡欲去告朔之饩羊，子曰：“赐也！尔爱其羊，我爱其礼。”

Zi Gong wished to do away with the offering of a sheep connected with the inauguration of the first day of each month. The Master said, “Ci, you love the sheep; I love the ceremony.”

子曰：“事君尽礼，人以为谄也。”

The Master said, “The full observance of the rules of propriety in serving one’s prince is accounted by people to be flattery.”

定公问：“君使臣，臣事君，如之何？” 孔子对曰：“君使臣以礼，臣事君以忠。”

The duke Ding asked how a prince should employ his ministers, and how ministers should serve their prince. Confucius replied, “A prince should employ his minister according to according to the rules of propriety; ministers should serve their prince with faithfulness.”

子曰：“《关雎》，乐而不淫，哀而不伤。”

The Master said, “The Guan Ju is expressive of enjoyment without being licentious, and of grief without being hurtfully excessive.”

哀公问社于宰我，宰我对曰：“夏后氏以松，殷人以柏，周人以栗，曰使民战栗。” 子闻之，曰：“成事不说，遂事不谏，既往不咎。”

The duke Ai asked Zai Wo about the altars of the spirits of the land. Zai Wo replied, “The Xia sovereign planted the pine tree about them; the men of the Yin planted the cypress; and the men of the Zhou planted the chestnut tree, meaning thereby to cause the people to be in awe.” When the Master heard it, he said, “Things that are done, it is needless to speak about; things that have had their course, it is needless to remonstrate about; things that are past, it is needless to blame.”

子曰：“管仲之器小哉！” 或曰：“管仲俭乎？” 曰：“管氏有三归，官事不摄，焉得俭？” “然则管仲知礼乎？” 曰：“邦君树塞门，管氏亦树塞门；邦君为两君之好，有反坫。管氏亦有反坫，管氏而知礼，孰不知礼？”

The Master said, “Small indeed was the capacity of Guan Zhong!” Some one said, “Was Guan Zhong parsimonious?” “Guan,” was the reply, “had the San Gui, and his officers performed no double duties; how can he be considered parsimonious?” “Then, did Guan Zhong know the rules of propriety?” The Master said, “The princes of States have a screen intercepting the view at their gates. Guan had likewise a screen at his gate. The princes of States on any friendly meeting between two of them, had a stand on which to place their inverted cups. Guan had also such a stand. If Guan knew the rules of propriety, who does not know them?”

子语鲁大师乐，曰：“乐其可知也。始作，翕如也；从之，纯如也，皦如也，绎如也，以成。”

The Master instructing the Grand music master of Lü said, “How to play music may be known. At the commencement of the piece, all the parts should sound together. As it proceeds, they should be in harmony while severally distinct and flowing without break, and thus on to the conclusion.”

仪封人请见，曰：“君子之至于斯也，吾未尝不得见也。” 从者见之。出曰：“二三子何患于丧乎？天下之无道也久矣，天将以夫子为木铎。”

The border warden at I requested to be introduced to the Master, saying, “When men of superior virtue have come to this, I have never been denied the privilege of seeing them.” The followers of the sage introduced him, and when he came out from the interview, he said, “My friends, why are you distressed by your master’s loss of office? The kingdom has long been without the principles of truth and right; Heaven is going to use your master as a bell with its wooden tongue.”

子谓《韶》：“尽美矣，又尽善也。” 谓《武》：“尽美矣，未尽善也。”

The Master said of the Shao that it was perfectly beautiful and also perfectly good. He said of the Wu that it was perfectly beautiful but not perfectly good.

子曰：“居上不宽，为礼不敬，临丧不哀，吾何以观之哉？”

The Master said, “High station filled without indulgent generosity; ceremonies performed without reverence; mourning conducted without sorrow – wherewith should I contemplate such ways?”