《論語》 "[The] Analects"
Chapter 2. 〈為政〉 '[He that] Governeth'

Translation

The Chinese source text is from Chinese Text Project (Wei Zheng), but with olden-style punctuation.
Useful commentaries: 論語注疏, 論語集注, Legge

Source text	Target text	Notes
〈為政第二〉	'[He that] Governeth, [the] Second'	為政： [he that] governeth Each chapter of the Analects is named after its incipit (like the books of the Pentateuch in Hebrew). The section headings below, on the other hand, are not part of the original text.

2.1. On governing with virtue

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、為政以德、譬如北辰、居其所而眾星共之。	[The] Master saith, [He that] governeth with virtue, [is] likened unto [the] North Star, abiding in its place with [the] multitude of stars going round it.	為政： governeth; lit. doeth governance 居： abiding in; or dwelling in 共： going round 共、上聲、 Cantonese: kung2, Mandarin: gǒng Used for 拱.

2.2. On the Classic of Poetry

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、詩三百、一言以蔽之、曰、思無邪。	[The] Master saith, [The Classic of] Poetry's three hundred, [have] one saying to cover them, saying, Thoughts without wickedness.

2.3. On punitive versus virtuous rule

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、道之以政、齊之以刑、民免而無恥。	[The] Master saith, Steering them with governance, [and] making them uniform with punishment, the people [shall] avoid yet have not shame.
道之以德、齊之以禮、有恥且格。	Steering them with virtue, [and] making them uniform with propriety, [shall they] have shame and also [be] corrected.

2.4. Milestones of the life of Confucius

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、吾十有五而志于學、	[The] Master saith, I [at] ten and five [years put] will upon learning;	有： and 有、去聲、 Cantonese: yau6, Mandarin: yòu
三十而立、	[at] thirty [was I] established;
四十而不惑、	[at] forty [I] doubted not;
五十而知天命、	[at] fifty [did I] know [the] Will of Heaven;	命： Will; lit. Command; or Mandate
六十而耳順、	[at] sixty [were mine] ears obedient;	順： obedient; or conforming
七十而從心所欲、不踰矩。	[at] seventy [could I] follow that [mine] heart desired, [and] not overstep [the] rules.	矩： rules; lit. steel-square

2.5. On filiality and propriety

Source text	Target text	Notes
孟懿子問孝。子曰、無違。	Master Mêng Yee asked of filiality. [And the] Master saith, Without going against.	孟懿子： Master Mêng Yee An officer of the state of Lu, surnamed Kee, clan name Mêng‑sun (used by Confucius below), and named Ho‑kee.
樊遲御、子告之曰、孟孫問孝於我、我對曰、無違。樊遲曰、何謂也。	Fan Chʻih driving, [the] Master informed him, saying, Mêng‑sun asked of filiality of me, [and] I replied, saying, Without going against. Fan Chʻih said, What meantest [thou]?	樊遲： Fan Chʻih Fan Sü, styled Tzŭ‑chʻih, a disciple of Confucius.
子曰、生事之以禮、死葬之以禮、祭之以禮。	[And the] Master saith, [In] life serve them according unto propriety; [in] death bury them according unto propriety, [and] sacrifice to them according unto propriety.

2.6. On filiality and worries

Source text	Target text	Notes
孟武伯問孝。子曰、父母唯其疾之憂。	Mêng Wu [the] Eldest asked of filiality. [And the] Master saith, [That] father [and] mother only [have the] worry of his sickness.	孟武伯： Mêng Wu [the] Eldest The son of Master Mêng Yee in 2.5.

2.7. On filiality and respect

Source text	Target text	Notes
子游問孝。子曰、今之孝者、是謂能養。	Tzŭ‑yiu asked of filiality. [And the] Master saith, [The] filiality of today, this speaketh of [being] able to provide for.	子游： Tzŭ‑yiu Yen Yen, styled Tzŭ‑yiu, a disciple of Confucius. 養： provide for; or support
至於犬馬、皆能有養、不敬、何以別乎。	As to the hound [and] the horse, [they] all [are] able of providing for; respecting not, how [be they] distinct?

2.8. On filiality and the countenance

Source text	Target text	Notes
子夏問孝。子曰、色難、有事弟子服其勞、有酒食先生饌、曾是以為孝乎。	Tzŭ‑hia asked of filiality. [And the] Master saith, [Holding the] countenance [is] difficult; there being [an] incident, the younger-brother child serving of their toil; [and] there being wine [and] feed, [letting] the elder consume: [have] ever these [been] thought of as filiality?	事： incident; or matter 食： feed 食、去聲、 Cantonese: tsee6, Mandarin: sì 先生： the elder; lit. the former-born

2.9. On Huei the disciple

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、吾與回言終日、不違如愚。	[The] Master saith, I spake with Huei all day, [and he] went against [my words] not, as [though] foolish.	回： Huei Yen Huei, styled Tzŭ‑yüan, the favourite disciple of Confucius.
退而省其私、亦足以發。回也、不愚。	[He] retreating and [I] inspecting his privy [words with others], [he is] also sufficient to manifest [that I spake]. Huei, [is] not foolish.

2.10. Man's character not concealable

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、視其所以、觀其所由、察其所安。	[The] Master saith, View that he [doeth] by, observe that he followeth, [and] inspect that he [be] at ease [in].	以： [doeth] by; or useth
人焉廋哉、人焉廋哉。	How concealeth man?! [even] how concealeth man?!

2.11. On learning of old and new

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、溫故而知新、可以為師矣。	[The] Master saith, Revising of the old and knowing the new, [one] can by [this] be [a] master [of others].

2.12. All-roundedness of the superior man

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、君子不器。	[The] Master saith, The superior man [is] not [a] device.	器： device The consensus interpretation among the commentaries explains "device" as a thing that has a specific purpose; the superior man is not a device, because he is all-rounded.

2.13. Actions before words

Source text	Target text	Notes
子貢問君子。子曰、先行其言、而後從之。	Tzŭ‑kung asked of the superior man. [And the] Master saith, [He] first performeth his words, then afterward followeth it.	言： words; lit. speech

2.14. Non-partisanship of the superior man

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、君子周而不比、小人比而不周。	[The] Master saith, The superior man [is] universal and not partisan; the little man [is] partisan and not universal.	比： partisan 比、去聲、 Cantonese: pei6, Mandarin: bì, Government-regulated 統讀: bǐ

2.15. On learning and thinking

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、學而不思則罔、思而不學則殆。	[The] Master saith, Learning but not thinking [is] without; thinking but not learning [is] perilous.

2.16. On strange doctrines

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、攻乎異端、斯害也已。	[The] Master saith, [The] studying of strange tenets, [even] this [be] harmful.	攻： studying; lit. attacking

2.17. On knowing

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、由、誨女知之乎。	[The] Master saith, Yiu, [shall I] teach thee of knowing it?	由： Yiu Chung Yiu, styled Tzŭ‑lu, a disciple of Confucius.
知之為知之、不知為不知、是知也。	[That which be] known it, is known it; [that which be] not known, is not known: this [be] knowing.

2.18. On that more important than salary

Source text	Target text	Notes
子張學干祿。	Tzŭ‑chang [was] learning of seeking salary.	子張： Tzŭ‑chang Chuan‑sun Shih, styled Tzŭ‑chang, a disciple of Confucius.
子曰、多聞闕疑、慎言其餘、則寡尤、多見闕殆、慎行其餘、則寡悔。	[And the] Master saith, [Of] much hearing, losing the doubtful, [and] taking care [in] speaking [the] remainder thereof, [thou shalt have] few faults; [of] much seeing, losing the perilous, [and] taking care [in] performing [the] remainder thereof, [thou shalt have] few regrets.
言寡尤、行寡悔、祿在其中矣。	[With] words of few faults, [and] conduct of few regrets: salary [is] in [the] midst thereof.	言： words; lit. speech 行： conduct 行、去聲、 Cantonese: hang6, Mandarin: xìng (Government-regulated 統讀: xíng)

2.19. On governance for the submission of the people

Source text	Target text	Notes
哀公問曰、何為則民服。	Lord Ai asked, saying, What [shall be] done, [that] the people submit?	何為： what [shall be] done; or what do [I]
孔子對曰、舉直錯諸枉、則民服、舉枉錯諸直、則民不服。	[And] Confucius replied, saying, Raising the straight [and] putting [aside] all the crooked, [shall] the people submit; raising the crooked [and] putting [aside] all the straight, [shall] the people submit not.	孔子： Confucius; lit. Master Kʻung Per the old commentaries and Legge, we have 孔子對曰 "Confucius replied saying" because Confucius is speaking to a superior. To an inferior, it would merely be 子曰 "[the] Master saith". 舉： raising; or recommending 錯諸： putting [aside] all; or putting [aside]

2.20. On instilling virtue by example

Source text	Target text	Notes
季康子問使民敬忠以勸、如之何。	Master Kee‑kʻang asked of making the people respectful [and] loyal [and] to exhort [them], how this [be done].	季康子： Master Kee‑kʻang An officer of the state of Lu, surnamed Kee, clan name Kee‑sun, and named Fei. Modern editions put everything after 問 "asked" in quotes. I concur with Legge that this is a paraphrase, not a spoken question.
子曰、臨之以莊、則敬、孝慈、則忠、舉善而教不能、則勸。	[And the] Master saith, Looking over them with seriousness, [shall they be] respectful; [being] filial [and] kind, [shall they be] loyal; raising the good and teaching [those] not able, [shall they be] exhorted.	舉： raising; or recommending

2.21. On Confucius partaking not in government

Source text

Target text

Notes

或謂孔子曰、子奚不為政。

Someone spake unto Confucius, saying, Why governest thou not?

孔子： Confucius; lit. Master Kʻung
子： thou; lit. master
為政： governest; lit. doest governance

子曰、書云、孝乎惟孝、友于兄弟、施於有政。

[And the] Master saith, [The Classic of] Writing saith, Filiality [that be] only filiality, [and] friendliness unto elder-brother [and] younger-brother, imparted unto governance.

於： unto; or in

Some commentaries (and Legge also) have a comma after 孝乎 rather than before it, leading to an alternative reading:

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、書云孝乎、惟孝友于兄弟、施於有政。	[And the] Master saith, [The Classic of] Writing saith of filiality, Only filiality [and] friendliness unto elder-brother [and] younger-brother, imparted unto governance.

The wording of the source quote in the Classic of Writing differs from both of these readings, but is closer to the alternative:

Source text	Target text	Notes
王若曰、君陳、惟爾令德孝恭。惟孝友于兄弟、克施有政。	[The] king said as [thus], Kün‑chʻên, only thou [art] of goodly virtue [and] filial deference. Only filiality [and] friendliness unto elder-brother [and] younger-brother, able to [be] imparted unto governance.

Then, there is the whole can of worms regarding whether this received text of the Classic of Writing is counterfeit. See the following for extended discussion:

是亦為政、奚其為為政。

This also [be] governing; why [shall] that be governing?

其為： [shall] that be; or [take] that as
To my modern ears, Confucius's response is a politician's non-answer (which is ironic).

2.22. Necessity of trustworthiness

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、人而無信、不知其可也。	[The] Master saith, [A] man [being] without trustworthiness, [I] know not [how] he can [function].
大車無輗、小車無軏、其何以行之哉。	The great chariot without [a] crossbeam, [and] the small chariot without [a] crossbar: how [be] they moved them?!	輗： crossbeam 輗、五稽切、 Cantonese: ngai4, Mandarin: ní 軏： crossbar 軏、魚厥切、 Cantonese: yüt9, Mandarin: yuè

2.23. Pre-knowing of future practices

Source text	Target text	Notes
子張問十世可知也。	Tzŭ‑chang asked of [whether] ten lifetimes can [be] known.	世： lifetimes; or generations
子曰、殷因於夏禮、所損益、可知也、	[And the] Master saith, [The] Yin [Dynasty] depended upon [the] rites of [the] Hia, [and] that diminished [and] augmented, can [be] known;
周因於殷禮、所損益、可知也、	[the] Chou depended upon [the] rites of [the] Yin, [and] that diminished [and] augmented, can [be] known;
其或繼周者、雖百世可知也。	they that perhaps succeed [the] Chou, although [an] hundred lifetimes [after], can [be] known.

2.24. Flattery and courage

Source text	Target text	Notes
子曰、非其鬼而祭之、諂也、見義不為、無勇也。	[The] Master saith, Not his ghost yet sacrificing unto it, [is] flattery; seeing righteousness [but] not doing [it], [is] without courage.

Cite this page

Conway (2023). "[The] Analects: Chapter 2". <https://yawnoc.github.io/analects/2> Accessed yyyy-mm-dd.

《論語》 "[The] Analects" Chapter 2. 〈為政〉 '[He that] Governeth'