学而第一

1.1 子曰:“学而时习之,不亦说乎?有朋自远方来,不亦乐乎?人不知而不愠,不亦君子乎?”

The Master said, “Is it not a pleasure to learn [学] and, when it is timely, to practice what you have learned? Is it not a joy to have friends coming from afar? Is it not gentlemanly not to become resentful if no one takes notice of your learning? ”

另一种译法可以是:“Is it not a pleasure to learn and to repeat often what you have learned? ”区别在于读此句时如何理解“时习”一词。“时”的意思可以是“适时、合时”或“一次又一次”;“习”字可以是“练习”或“重复”(像鸟儿拍翅学飞)学过的知识。

例如清代学者焦循就引《论语》7.8、6.21及11.22支持他的说法,以“合时”来解释“时”字。他说:“当其可之谓时。说,解悦也。”大多数六朝及宋代学者则倾向另一种解释,如皇侃认为,“时”指的是“所学并日日修习(‘年中’与‘身中’)不暂废也”。我选择焦循的解释,与公元前四世纪时孟子形容孔子是“圣之时者”有关。孟子相信“圣之时”高于“圣之清”与“圣之任”,认为合乎时的行动是“学”的极致——孔子教导的“学”,不只是知识的堆积,而是能成于“仁”,达到“修齐治平”与道德审美的境界。有了这样的学问,就可以招徕远方之人,即使“人不知”也“不愠”,因为是为了自己而学。


1.2 有子曰:“其为人也孝弟,而好犯上者,鲜矣;不好犯上,而好作乱者,未之有也。君子务本,本立而道生。孝弟也者,其为仁之本与?”

Master You said, “It is rare for a person who is filial to his parents and respectful to his elders to be inclined to transgress against his superiors. And It has never happened that a person who is not inclined to transgress against his superiors is inclined to create chaos. A gentleman looks after the roots. With the roots firmly established, a moral way will grow. Is it not true then that being filial to one's parents and being respectful to one's elders are the roots of one's humanity[仁]? ”

有子,就是有若,是比较年轻的孔子弟子。他与曾子、子张、子游可能负责编纂了《论语》的早期版本,帮助这些弟子传布孔子学说。《孟子》一书说,孔子殁后,“子夏、子张、子游以有若似圣人,欲以所事孔子事之”,还强迫曾子加入。曾子拒绝,因为他认为孔子的品格无人可以超越,“皜皜乎不可尚已”。虽然孟子故事说的是忠诚,但也提到孔子殁后,弟子对如何解释与弘扬孔子学说有不同看法。事实上,比较有子的说法与曾子在1.4与8.7所说,就会发现,有子认为孝悌之道是社会和谐的根本,而曾子则聚焦于自我体认的省思。他们似乎对孔子学说的理解采取不同方向,然而归根结底,还是试图了解“仁”的根源。

可以有几种不同方式理解本章,最明显的是认为,有子主张尊长敬上,以为社会和谐的便捷之道。但是,这也未免简化了他企图表达礼仪的道德功能的用心。更深刻的理解可以见于汉魏六朝及清代的经解,其中可见学者对本章逐字逐句详加阐释。例如“好”(倾向于,想要)字,六朝的皇侃就引证之前的学者说:“君亲有日月之过,不得无犯颜之谏。然虽屡纳忠规,何尝好之哉?……孝悌之人,当不义而诤之,尚无意犯上,必不职为乱階也。”这样的理解,与孔子在4.18所说是一致的。


1.3 子曰:“巧言令色,鲜矣仁!”

The Master said, “A man of clever words and of a pleasing countenance is bound to be short on humanity.”

《论语正义》的作者清代学者刘宝楠指出,古代经典中,言“巧”、言“令”,并非总是贬义,但若某人只会“巧言令色”,那就“鲜矣仁”了。事实上,他可能是个“佞人”,那是孔子最讨厌与害怕的。因为这样的人“以巧令多由伪作”,有“仁”之貌,而无其实,比有子说的“犯上”之人更为可怕。


1.4 曾子曰:“吾日三省吾身:为人谋而不忠乎?与朋友交而不信乎?传不习乎?”

Master Zeng said, “Every day I examine myself on three points. When I worked to benefit someone else, did I do my best? In my relationship with my friends, did I fail to be trustworthy? Did I pass on any knowledge I myself had not put into practice? ”

曾子,即曾参,是孔子最年轻的学生,入孔门的时间不会太久。对于他,孔子只有一句评价,“曾也鲁”,说他反应迟钝。也许是因为他经常自省而个性收敛。然而,是曾参对孔子的理解——经其第三代弟子孟子的发扬——成了后世儒家思想的主流。曾子在此章中奠定了孟子“内省”德性的学说,后来更进一步发展成十六世纪王阳明“致良知”学说,主张“知行合一”。王阳明的重要著作《传习录》,就直接联系到曾子自省的问题:“传不习乎?”


1.5 子曰:“道千乘之国,敬事而信,节用而爱人,使民以时。”

The Master said, “In guiding a state of a thousand chariots, handle all matters with care and respect, and be trustworthy; take a measured approach in your spending, and cherish the people. Employ the common people only at the right time.”

历代学者对春秋时期千乘之国究竟有多大,意见纷纭。近代学者杨伯峻以《左传》及《论语》(11.26)为证,认为在春秋早期是指地域广袤的强国,但到了孔子的时代,情况已非如此。(《左传》昭公十三年[公元前529年,孔子出生前二十二年]记载,晋国有四千乘。)汉代与清代学者指出,此章“敬”字,有“警”的意思,是说一个人做事自始至终都谨慎而守信,就一定可以成功。“使民有时”,指的是征用民众从事政府工程或军事行动,只有在农闲之时才能进行。宋代思想家程颐说,孔子所列的规制虽然浅近易懂,“至近”,但是,“尧舜之治亦不过此”。


1.6子曰:“弟子入则孝,出则弟,谨而信,泛爱众而亲仁。行有余力,则以学文。”

The Master said, “A youngster should be filial to his parents when he is at home and respectful to his elders when he is away from his home. He should be prudent in action and trustworthy in words. He should cherish all people but should stay close to the most humane. And if he has energy left to do more, he should devote himself to the arts.”

按照《礼记》的说法,精英家庭的子弟在十岁之前要与父母同住。之后,他应当“出就外传”,到外面去学习。家居之时要学敬爱父母之道,由是,出外之后就懂得尊敬师长。孔子在此章以及《论语》通篇强调的是,年幼之时就掌握人伦的根本,才能立足于社会。因此,孔子觉得,培养正确的品行要先于“学文”。这就给后世学者如宋代朱熹出了个难题:“愚谓力行而不学文,则无以考圣贤之成法,识事理之当然,而所行或出于私意,非但失之于野而已。”


1.7 子夏曰:“贤贤易色;事父母,能竭其力;事君,能致其身;与朋友交,言而有信。虽曰未学,吾必谓之学矣。”

Zixia said, “If a person is able to appreciate moral worth as much as he appreciates physical beauty, is able to serve his parents with the utmost effort and his lord with no self-interest, and in his relationship with friends is trustworthy in words, though he may say that he lacks learning, I would surely call him learned.”

关于第一句中的“易”字,讨论很多。许多学者认为,这句话讲的是夫妇之道,因为“夫妇为人伦之始”,所以孔子的弟子子夏把“此文叙于事父母、事君之前”,也列在朋友关系之前。但是,子夏试图说明什么是为夫之道却引发争论,因为此章的“易”字,可以是“如也”的意思(《广雅释言》),也可以是“轻略”(颜师古注)。此人可能感念妻子的德性不亚于欣赏她的美貌,也可能只感念妻子的德性而轻忽她的美貌。我以为,第一种解释比较微妙,似乎符合子夏对道德与审美息息相关的认识。例如,在《论语》3.8中,他提出一个看法,认为妇人在意容貌可以作为进德的修辞比喻。另一个有趣的现象是,此处的子夏并不很合乎孔子对他的形容——“文学:子游、子夏”——因为他在此章的说法引证了孔子在1.6的观点:人伦关系的教育比文化的教育更为重要。


1.8 子曰:“君子不重则不威;学则不固。主忠信。无友不如己者。过则勿惮改。”

The Master said, “If a man of position [君子] does not have integrity, he will not inspire awe. And when he tries to learn, he will not persevere to the end. Such a man should stay close to those who do their best and are trustworthy. He should not befriend those who are not his equals. And when he makes a mistake, he should not be afraid to correct it.”

此章是《论语》中少有的情况,不把“君子”一词作为“德性高贵之人”或“成德之人”,而以之指“出身高贵之人”或“在位之人”。这种说法在孔子之前的早期中国,是通行的用法。可是,大多数学者仍然认为此章的“君子”是指“成德之人”;有经解指出,这不符合《论语》的语境:“成德之君子,则其德已成,于下文各节戒勉语气不合。”除了“君子”一词,“固”字与“主”字也引起一些争论:“固”字到底意指“坚”还是“蔽”?“主”字指的是“亲近”还是“以……为主导”?假如“固”的意思是“固蔽”,而“主”是“以……为主导”,第二句及第三句话的意思就是:努力向学,就不会固蔽;让你以忠信为主导。但是我认为,假如孔子所讲的是缺乏立场、不能坚持向学的人,又假如他要求此人“亲近”忠信之人,他就会接着告诉他“无友不如己者”,不要和不如自己的人交友。几乎所有的学者都认为,这里所指的“友”不是在说社会地位的高低,而是指道德品格不如自己的人。交友是为了精进自己,否则交些损友干什么?


1.9 曾子曰:“慎终追远,民德归厚矣。”

Master Zeng said, “Tend to the death rites of the recently deceased with utmost care and respect, and do not forget to offer sacrifices to the long-departed; then people will have much to gain in the cultivation of their virtue.”

曾子在19.17说:“吾闻诸夫子:人未有自致者也,必也亲丧乎。”此处他一定是在劝告君王要如此完善自己,因为孔子在12.19中对季康子说:“子欲善,则民善矣。君子之德风,小人之德草。草上之风必偃。”在上者如果注重自己的修养,子民便将受到他的感化。

《礼记·祭统》说:“是故,孝子之事亲也,有三道焉:生则养,没则丧,丧毕则祭。”又说:“祭者,所以追养继孝也。孝者畜也。”


1.10 子禽问于子贡曰:“夫子至于是邦也,必闻其政,求之与?抑与之与?”子贡曰:“夫子温、良、恭、俭、让以得之。夫子之求之也,其诸异乎人之求之与?”

Ziqin asked Zigong, “When the Master goes to another state, he invariably learns about its government. Does he get his information by asking or is it offered to him? ”

Zigong said, “The Master acquires his information by being affable, kind, and respectful, and by showing restraint in his action and a willingness to yield. The way the Master asks for information is different from that of other people.”

子禽与子贡都是孔子的学生,子禽年纪要小得多。孔子周游列国十四年,子贡基本随侍在侧,子禽则没有,他不知道孔子在列国的举止,因此问了这个问题。

刘宝楠引述同时代的吴嘉宾语:“君所自擅者谓之政,常不欲使人与闻之,况远臣乎?”但是他们遇见孔子,却似乎很自然与他分享国政。子贡解释,这是因为孔子“温良恭俭让”的态度,无关乎恳求或者说服的技巧。


1.11 子曰:“父在,观其志;父没,观其行;三年无改于父之道,可谓孝矣。”

The Master said, “When your father is alive, observe what he would like to do. After your father is dead, reflect on what he has done. If for three years you refrained from altering your father's ways, you can be called filial[孝].”

北宋学者范祖禹说:“为人子者,父在则能观其父之志而承顺之。”(孟子形容曾子与父亲的关系,即是一例。)这个解释与汉代孔安国与郑玄的说法(“父在,子不得自专,故观其志而已”)不同。清代学者钱大昕赞同范祖禹的说法:“孔子之言论孝乎?论观人乎?……其为论孝,不论观人。”许多经解企图解释为什么孔子认为孝子在父死三年之内不能改其道。要是父亲的作为不够完善呢?清代学者汪中指出,这只是“为孝之道”:“若非其道,虽朝死而夕可改也。”孔安国与刘宝楠都说:“孝子在丧,哀慕犹若父存,无所改于父之道。”

我发现值得注意的是,孔子要求孝子去“观”,而不是去“执行”父亲之愿或去“推动”其行事。如此,即使为父者行为有差,也可以由儿子来弥补父亲的过错或完成父亲未竟之业。不过,总要等到三年之丧以后,经过了对父亲行为的沉潜省思;在此期间,他就应当“无改于父之道”。


1.12 有子曰:“礼之用,和为贵。先王之道,斯为美。小大由之,有所不行。知和而和,不以礼节之,亦不可行也。”

Master You said, “Harmony is what is most prized in the practice of the rites [ 礼 ]. It is what makes the way of the former kings beautiful, and this [principle] applies to matters big and small. Yet it does not always work: if you aim only at achieving harmony [in everything] because you know that it is the ideal and do not let the rules of the rites guide your action, it will not work.”

唐末宋初的学者邢昺对此章后半句提供了不同的解释。他相信有子是对君王说话:“言每事大小皆用礼,而不以乐和之,则其政有所不行也。”邢昺认为,有子的意思是君王应该“礼节民心,乐和民声”,即用音乐来教化民众。许多经解都跟随这个解释,当然也有很多学者并不赞同,他们认为,有子所说只涉及“礼”,关注的是达到“和”的每一步骤,“小大由之”。刘宝楠指出:“和是言礼,非谓乐,审矣。”


1.13有子曰:“信近于义,言可复也。恭近于礼,远耻辱也。因不失其亲,亦可宗也。”

Master You said, “Trustworthiness comes close to rightness because your words can be counted on. Respectfulness comes close to ritual propriety because it allows you to stay clear of shame and disgrace. If you do not lose the affection of those who are your relatives by marriage, then you could have the respect of you clan.”

有子强调“信”只“近于义”,而“恭”只“近于礼”,是为了指出“义”与“礼”都不容易达到。皇侃举鲁国尾生为例,说他信守诺言,但毫无变通,并不合宜:“昔有尾生与一女子期于梁下,每期每会。后一日急暴水涨,尾生先至,而女子不来。而尾生守信不去,遂守期溺死。”唐代学者李翱举春秋时期的历史名人为例,说明“恭”不见得就合乎“礼”。这人就是晋国的世子申生。晋献公迷惑于骊姬,她想为自己的儿子夺取申生的世子地位,便捏造事实,诬陷申生企图谋害父亲。申生拒绝辩明自己的清白,说父亲年老,所眷恋者惟有骊姬,不愿夺其所爱。最后,申生自杀。李翱说这样的人:“恭命而死,君子谓之非礼。若恭而不死,则可得礼也。”


1.14 子曰:“君子食无求饱,居无所安,敏于事而慎于言,就有道而正焉,可谓好学也已。”

The Master said, “A gentleman does not try to stuff himself when he eats and is not worried about the comfort of his dwelling. He is anxious about getting things done and careful about what he says. He gravitates toward those who possess moral integrity because he wants to put himself right. One could say that he is someone who loves learning.”

孔子的学生颜回就示范了此处描写的君子。孔子说“有颜回者好学”,还说“一箪食,一瓢饮,在陋巷,人不堪其忧,回也不改其乐”。因为他乐道好学,所以贫穷与困顿都不成为烦恼。


1.15 子贡曰:“贫而无谄,富而无骄,何如?”子曰:“可也。未若贫而乐,富而好礼者也。”子贡曰:“诗云:‘如切如磋,如琢如磨。’其斯之谓与?”子曰:“赐也,始可与言诗已矣,告诸往而知来者。”

Zigong said, “‘Poor but not ingratiating, rich but not arrogant'-what do you think of this saying? ”

The Master said, “That is all right, but better still is ‘poor but joyful, rich but loving the rites.’”

Zigong said,“The Odes says:

‘Like bone filed, like tusk smoothed,

Like jade carved, like stone polished.’

Is this what you mean? ”

The Master said,“Si,only with you can one discuss the Odes. Someone tells you something and you can see its relevance to what is not said.”

这段对话是关于修养。孔子就子贡所言发挥得更为精微细密。“贫而乐”或“富而好礼”的人,要比“贫而无谄,富而无骄”者,在精神气度上更进一层。子贡立刻领会老师的意旨,以“如琢如磨”来形容君子的修养。孔子听了十分高兴,因为子贡不但可以“告诸往而知来者”,而且引用《诗经》来阐述想法,所以“始可与言诗已矣”。


1.16 子曰:“不患人之不己知,患不知人也。”

The Master said, “Do not worry that other people do not know you. But be concerned that you do not know them.”

宋代以来大多数经解都认为,第二句的意思是,要近贤远佞,因此“不知人”就是患害。然而,早期的经解是从人性角度来解释孔子的话。像皇侃就(引李充)说:“凡人之情,多轻易于知人,而怨人不知己,故抑引之教兴乎此矣。”