第6章 公冶长第五

5-1

子谓公冶长：“可妻也。虽在缧绁之中，非其罪也。”以其子妻之。子谓南容，“邦有道，不废；邦无道，免于刑戮。”以其兄之子妻之。

Confucius remarked of a disciple, saying! “No man need hesitate to give his daughter to such a man to wife. It is true he has been in prison, but it was through no crime of his.”

Confucius accordingly gave him his own daughter to wife.

Confucius remarked of another disciple, saying! “When there is order and justice in the government of the country, he will not be neglected. But should there be no order and justice in the government of the country, he will escape persecution.”

Confucius accordingly gave his niece to him to wife.

【白话译文】

孔子评价一位学生（公冶长[36]）说：“所有人都会毫不犹豫地把自己的女儿嫁给这样的男人。没错，他曾经进过监狱，但这不是因为他犯过罪。”于是孔子把自己的女儿嫁给了他。

孔子评价另一位学生（南容[37]）说：“当一个国家政府运行有序、社会公平公正的时候，他不会被埋没。但是当一个国家政府秩序混乱、社会不公的时候，他会免遭迫害。”孔子因此把自己的侄女嫁给了他。

5-2

子谓子贱：“君子哉若人！鲁无君子者，斯焉取斯？”

Confucius then went on to remark of another disciple, saying! “What a wise and good man he is! I wonder if there were no wise and good men in the country, how that man could have acquired the character he has.”

【白话译文】

然后，孔子又评价另一位学生（子贱[38]）说：“他真是个聪明而品德高尚的人啊！倘若鲁国没有聪明高尚的人，那么人们又怎么能学到他所具有的美德呢？”

5-3

子贡问曰：“赐也何如？”子曰：“女，器也。”曰：“何器也？”曰：“瑚琏也。”

Another disciple who heard the above remarks said then to Confucius! “And I, what do you say of me?” “You are!” answered Confucius! “a work of art.” “What work of art?” asked the other. “A rich jeweled work of art!” was the reply.

【白话译文】

另一位学生（子贡）听到上述评论后，问孔子：“我呢？您怎么评价我？”“你呀，”孔子说，“就好比一件艺术品。”“什么艺术品？”子贡问。“一件镶满珠宝的雍容华贵的艺术品。”孔子回答。

5-4

或曰：“雍也，仁而不佞。”子曰：“焉用佞？御人以口给，屡憎于人。不知其仁。焉用佞？”

Somebody remarked of a disciple of Confucius, saying! “He is a good moral man, but he is not a man of ready wit.”

When Confucius heard the remark, he said! “What is the good of a ready wit? A man who is always ready with his tongue to others will only often make enemies. I do not know if he is a moral man, but I do not see the good of having a ready wit.” 【白话译文】

有人评价孔子的一位学生（冉雍[39]）说：“他是个道德高尚的人，但是才思不够敏捷。”

当孔子听到这样的评价时，说道：“才思敏捷有什么用？如果一个人总是随时想和别人唇枪舌剑，往往只能到处树敌。我不知道他是不是一个道德高尚的人，但是我也没有发现才思敏捷有什么好处。”

5-5

子使漆雕开仕。对曰：“吾斯之未能信。”子说。

Confucius on one occasion wanted a disciple to enter public life. “No!” answered the disciple! “I have not yet confidence in myself.” Thereupon Confucius commended him.

【白话译文】

有一次，孔子想让他的一位学生（漆雕开[40]）去做官。“不行。”这个学生回答，“我对做官还没有信心。”因此，孔子就举荐了他。

5-6

子曰：“道不行，乘桴浮于海，从我者，其由与！”子路闻之喜。子曰：“由也，好勇过我，无所取材。”

Confucius on one occasion remarked! “There is no order and justice now in the government in China. I will betake me to a ship and sail over the sea to seek for it in other countries.If I take anybody with me, I will take Yu!”*referring to a disciple.

The disciple referred to, when he heard of what Confucius said, was glad, and offered to go.

“My friend!” said Confucius then to him! “You have certainly more courage than I have; only you do not exercise judgment when using it.”

[The St. Peter of the Confucian gospel; a brave, intrepid, impetuous, chivalrous character.His name is Chung Yu, Chi-lu being his honorific name.We make exception to our rule in his case, as in the case of Yen Hui, mentioned in chapter II, section 9（p.82）.]

【白话译文】

有一次，孔子说：“现在的政府混乱无序，司法不公正。我打算乘一艘小船漂洋过海，去别的国家寻找秩序和公平。如果我要带一个人去，我会选择仲由*。”听到孔子的话后，被点名提到的学生非常兴奋，说愿意一同前往。“我的朋友，”孔子随后对他说，“你的确比我更勇敢，但是你勇猛有余，判断不足。”

（仲由就好比孔子的圣彼得：一个勇敢、侠义而又鲁莽的人。他的名字叫仲由，字子路。我们在书中对他做了例外处理，和在第二章第九节提到的颜回一样。）

5-7

孟武伯问：“子路仁乎？”子曰：“不知也。”又问。子曰：“由也，千乘之国，可使治其赋也，不知其仁也。”“求也何如？”子曰：“求也，千室之邑，百乘之家，可使为之宰也，不知其仁也。”“赤也何如？”子曰：“赤也，束带立于朝，可使与宾客言也，不知其仁也。”

A member of a powerful family of nobles in Confucius'native State asked Confucius if his disciple, the above-mentioned Chung Yu, was a moral character. “I cannot say!” answered Confucius. But on being pressed, Confucius said! “In the government of a State of even the first-rate power the man could be entrusted with the organization of the army.I cannot say if he could be called a moral character.”

The noble then put the same question with regard to another disciple. Confucius answered! “In the government of a large town or in the direction of affairs in a small principality, the man could be entrusted with the chief authority.I cannot say if he could be called a moral character.”

The noble went on to put the same question with regard to another disciple. Confucius answered! “At court, in a gala-dress reception, he could be entrusted with the duty of entertaining the visitors.I cannot say if he could be called a moral character.”

【白话译文】

孔子故国的贵族中很有权势的一个成员（孟武伯）问孔子，上面提到的学生仲由是不是一个道德高尚的人。“我不好说。”孔子回答。但对方不断逼问，孔子说：“在一个实力一流的国家，他可以受命管理军队。但我不好说他是不是一个道德高尚的人。”

然后，孟武伯针对另一位学生（冉有）提出了同样的问题。孔子回答：“在大城镇的政府或在小诸侯国的事务方面，他可以做个行政长官。但我不好说他是不是一个道德高尚的人。”

孟武伯继续针对另一位学生（公西赤[41]）提出了同样的问题。孔子回答：“在正式的宫廷宴会上，他可以负责接待宾客。但我不好说他是不是一个道德高尚的人。”

5-8

子谓子贡曰：“女与回也孰愈？”对曰：“赐也何敢望回？回也闻一以知十，赐也闻一以知二。”子曰：“弗如也。吾与女弗如也。”

Confucius once said to a disciple! “You and Hui (the favorite Yen Hui），who is the abler man?”

The disciple answered! “How should I dare compare myself with him? When he has learnt one thing he immediately understands its application to all cases; whereas I, when I have learnt one thing I can only follow out its bearing and applications to one or two particular cases.”[42]

【白话译文】

孔子曾问他的一位学生（子贡）：“你和颜回相比，谁更有才华？”

这位学生回答：“我怎么敢拿自己和他做比较呢？他学了一样东西，立刻能将它应用到各个方面；而我学了一样东西后，只能顺着它的含义，将它应用到一两个特定的场合。”

5-9

宰予昼寝。子曰：“朽木不可雕也，粪土之墙不可圬也，于予与何诛！”子曰：“始吾于人也，听其言而信其行；今吾于人也，听其言而观其行。于予与改是。”

A disciple of Confucius spent the best hours of the day in sleep. Confucius, remarking on it, said: “You cannot carve anything out of rotten wood nor plaster up wall built up of rubbish.What is the use of rebuke in such a case?”

Confucius then went on to say! “At one time, when I wanted to judge of a man, I listened to what he said, and I knew for certain what he would do in his life. But now, when I want to judge of a man, I have to look at what he does in his life as well as listen to what he says.It is, perhaps, men like this young man who have make me change my method of judging men.”

【白话译文】

孔子的一位学生（宰予）在大白天的最好时光蒙头大睡。孔子评价这件事说：“腐烂的木头雕刻不出什么东西来，垃圾建造的墙壁抹不上泥。这种情况下，指责他又有什么用呢？”

然后，孔子接着说：“以前，当我想要评判一个人的时候，我听他一席话，就能在某种程度上知道他今后能做什么。但是现在，当我想要评判一个人的时候，我必须在听他说话的同时，看他今后能做什么。或许，正是这个年轻人改变了我评判人的方法。”

5-10

子曰：“吾未见刚者。”或对曰：“申枨。”子曰：“枨也欲，焉得刚？”

Confucius once remarked! “I do not now see a man of strong character.” “There is So-and-so!” said somebody. “No!” replied Confucius! “he is a man of strong passions; he is not a man of strong character.”

【白话译文】

有一次孔子说：“我到目前为止还没有见过性格坚强的人。”有人回答：“有啊，比如某某人（申枨[43]）就是坚强的人。”“不，”孔子回答，“他是个激情强烈的人，他不是性格坚强的人。”

5-11

子贡曰：“我不欲人之加诸我也，吾亦欲无加诸人。”子曰：“赐也，非尔所及也。”

A disciple said to Confucius! “What I do not wish that others should do unto me, I also do not wish that I should do unto them.” “My friend!” answered Confucius! “You have not yet attained to that.”

【白话译文】

一位学生（子贡）对孔子说：“我不愿意别人强加在我身上的事情，我也不愿意将它强加在别人身上。”孔子回答：“赐啊，你还没有达到那样的水平。”

5-12

子贡曰：“夫子之文章，可得而闻也；夫子之言性与天道，不可得而闻也。”

A disciple of Confucius remarked! “You will often hear the master speak on the subjects of art and literature, but you will never hear him speak on the subjects of metaphysics or theology.”

【白话译文】

孔子的一位学生（子贡）说：“你可以经常听到老师谈论艺术和文学方面的话题，但你从来听不到他谈论玄学或神学方面的话题。”

5-13

子路有闻，未之能行，惟恐有闻。

When Confucius'disciple, the intrepid Chung Yu, had learnt anything which he was not yet able to carry out into practice, he was afraid to learn anything new.

【白话译文】

当孔子的学生、勇猛的仲由（子路）在学到知识还没有完全掌握，无法付诸实践的时候，他暂时不会学习新的知识。

5-14

子贡问曰：“孔文子何以谓之文也？”子曰：“敏而好学，不耻下问，是以谓之文也。”

A disciple, speaking of an ancient worthy of the time, enquired of Confucius saying! “How was it that he had the title of'Beau-clerc'added as an honour to his name after his death?”

“He was!” answered Confucius! “a man of great industry, who applied himself to self-culture; he was not ashamed to seek for information from others more ignorant than himself. For that reason he has had the title of'Beau-clerc'added as an honour to his name after his death.”

【白话译文】

谈到当时一位知名人物（孔文子[44]）时，有位学生（子贡）问孔子：“为什么他去世后，给他加上‘文’这样的荣誉称号呢？”

孔子回答：“他是一个非常勤奋的人，懂得如何提高自己的文化修养；他会向比他懂得少的人请教，而且不感到羞耻。正因为这个原因，他去世以后，给他加上了‘文’的荣誉称号。”

5-15

子谓子产：“有君子之道四焉：其行己也恭，其事上也敬，其养民也惠，其使民也义。”

Confucius remarked of a famous statesman (the Colbert of the time），saying! “He showed himself to be a good and wise man in four ways. In his conduct of himself he was earnest, and in serving the interests of his prince he was serious.In providing for the wants of the people, he was generous, and in dealing with them he was just.”

【白话译文】

孔子评论一位著名的政治家（子产[45]，相当于那个时代的科尔贝尔[46]）说：“他在四个方面表现出他是一个品德高尚而且智慧超群的人：做事时显得热情诚挚，事奉国君时显得庄重严肃，满足百姓需求时显得慷慨大方，同老百姓打交道时能做到公平公正。”

5-16

子曰：“晏平仲善与人交，久而敬之。”

Confucius remarked of another famous statesman (the Sir William Temple of the time），saying: “He knew how to observe the true relations in friendship. However long-standing his acquaintance with a man might be, he always maintained throughout the same invariable careful respect.”

【白话译文】

孔子评价另一位著名政治家（晏子[47]，相当于那个时代的威廉·坦普尔爵士[48]）说：“他知道如何观察朋友之间的真正关系。无论和一个人交往多长时间，他都始终保持同样不变的谨慎尊重。”

5-17

子曰：“臧文仲居蔡，山节藻棁，何如其知也！”

Confucius remarked of an eccentric character of the time, saying! “The man actually built a chapel elaborate with carvings for a large tortoise which he kept. What can one say of the intellect of a man like that?”

【白话译文】

孔子评价当时一位性情古怪的人（臧文仲[49]）说：“这个人建了一座精心雕饰的祠堂，用来供奉他养的一只大龟。对于像他这样的人的智慧，有什么好说的呢？”

5-18

子张问曰：“令尹子文三仕为令尹，无喜色；三已之，无愠色。旧令尹之政，必以告新令尹。何如？”子曰：“忠矣。”曰：“仁矣乎？”曰：“未知。焉得仁？”“崔子弑齐君，陈文子有马十乘，弃而违之。至于他邦，则曰：‘犹吾大夫崔子也。’违之。之一邦，则又曰：‘犹吾大夫崔子也。’违之，何如？”子曰：“清矣。”曰：“仁矣乎？”曰：“未知。焉得仁？”

A disciple of Confucius asked him to give his opinion of a public character of the time, saying! “In his public life three times he was made Prime Minister, and yet on none of these occasions did he show the least signs of elation. Three times he was dismissed from office, and also on none of those occasions did he show the least signs of disappointment.He was careful every time, when giving up office, to explain to his successor the line of policy which the government under him hitherto had been pursuing.”

“Now!” asked the disciple! “what do you think of him?”

“He was!” answered Confucius! “a conscientious man.”

“But!” asked the disciple! “could he be called a moral character?”

“I cannot say!” replied Confucius! “if he could be called a moral character.”

The disciple then went on to ask about another public character, saying! “When the Prime Minister in his native State murdered the prince, his master, that worthy had large possessions in the country, but he threw them all away and quitted the country. Arriving at another State, he remarked! 'I see here they are all patricides, the same as our patricide minister at home; 'and immediately again quitted that country. Thus he went on from one State to another, making the same observation.Now, what do you think of this man?”

“He was!” replied Confucius! “a pure, high-minded man.” “But!” asked the disciple! “could he be called a moral character?” “I cannot say!” answered Confucius! “if he could be called a moral character.”

【白话译文】

孔子的一位学生（子张）请孔子对当时一位公众人物（子文[50]）发表看法，说：“子文在做官期间，曾三次担任楚国宰相，但是他没有表现出任何得意。三次被免职后，他也从未表现出任何的沮丧。他每一次都格外谨慎，在离职的时候，总会给接替他职位的人阐释他管辖的政府部门所追求的政策方针。请问，您对他有什么看法？”

孔子回答：“他是一个做事尽职尽责的人。”学生问：“但是，他能称为道德高尚的人吗？”孔子回答：“我无法评判他是否称得上道德高尚的人。”

这位学生继续问孔子另一位公众人物（陈文子[51]），说：“当他的故国（齐国）的总理（崔杼[52]）杀死国君（齐庄公）时，尽管他（陈文子）在国内拥有巨额财产，但是他把所有东西都舍弃了，并离开了这个国家。当来到另一个国家时，他说：‘我看这里的人和我们国内的崔氏一样，都是杀父杀兄之人。’所以立刻离开了那个国家。然后他从一个国家去到另一个国家，发现情况跟之前一样。那么，您怎么看这个人呢？”

孔子回答：“他是一个纯洁高尚的人。”学生问：“但是，他可以称为道德高尚的人吗？”孔子回答：“我无法评判他是否称得上道德高尚的人。”

5-19

季文子三思而后行。子闻之，曰：“再，斯可矣。”

It was remarked of a public character of the time that he always reflected thrice over every time before he acted.When Confucius heard of the remark, he observed! “Think twice—that is sufficient.”

【白话译文】

据说当时一位公众人物（季文子[53]）每做一件事之前都要思考三次。孔子听到这样的评论后，说：“思考两次——这就够了。”

5-20

子曰：“宁武子，邦有道则知，邦无道则愚。其知可及也，其愚不可及也。”

Confucius remarked of a public character of the time, saying! “He was a man who, when there was order and justice in the government of the country, acted as a man of great understanding. But when there was no order and justice in the government of the country, he acted as if he was a man of no understanding.It is easy to act like him as a man of understanding, but it is not easy to imitate him in the way he showed how to act as a man of no understanding.”

【白话译文】

孔子评论当时一位公众人物（宁武子[54]）说：“当国家政府秩序井然、司法公正公平的时候，他的所作所为显示出他洞悉一切。但是，当国家政府秩序混乱、司法失去公正公平的时候，他的所作所为就显得愚笨无知。像他那样显得洞悉一切非常容易，但是要模仿他那样显得愚笨无知却没那么容易。”

5-21

子在陈，曰：“归与！归与！吾党之小子狂简，斐然成章，不知所以裁之。”

When Confucius in the last days of his travels abroad was in a certain State he was heard to say! “I must think of going home. I must really think of going home.My young people at home are all high-spirited and independent; they are, besides, accomplished in all the arts; but they have no judgment.”

【白话译文】

孔子周游列国的最后一段日子（在陈国），有人听到他说：“我想该回去了！我想真的该回去了！我这些学生全都是志向高远且独立自主的人，而且他们在各个领域都很有作为，但是他们还没有形成自己的判断。”

5-22

子曰：“伯夷、叔齐不念旧恶，怨是用希。”

Confucius, remarking of two ancient worthies!*famous for the purity and saintliness of their lives and character, said! “They forgave old wrongs: therefore they had little to complain of the world.”

（The names of these two men are Po-Yi and Shuh-Ts'i, who were two sons of a prince of a small principality. They both gave up their heirship to the throne to a younger brother and retired from the world.When the old Imperial dynasty was changed, they refused to eat the grain of the new dynasty, and finally starved themselves to death at the foot of a lonely mountain.

“Small is it that thou eanst the Earth with its injuries under thy feet as Greek Zeno trained tree; but thou eanst love the Earth while it injures thee and even because it injures thee; for this a greater than Zeno was needed, and be, too, was sent.”

CAPLYLE! ——Sartor Resartus）

【白话译文】

谈到古代两位在生活和品格方面均以纯洁至善而闻名的杰出人士*时，孔子说：“他们能原谅别人所犯的错误，所以他们很少抱怨社会。”

（这两个人名叫伯夷、叔齐，是一个小侯国国君的儿子。他们两个都放弃了王位继承权，将王位让给年轻的弟弟，并离开了国家。当旧的帝国王朝更替时，他们拒绝吃新朝代的粮食，最终饿死在一座荒山脚下。

“虽然树木矮小，树根遭受伤害，却无法挪动大地，就像希腊的芝诺训练树木那样；不过当大地对树木造成伤害，甚至树木对大地造成伤害，那么树木就不会重燃对大地的爱；因为树木的需要远远超过了芝诺的需求，对此芝诺早就知晓。”

——卡莱尔[55]《旧衣新裁》）

5-23

子曰：“孰谓微生高直？或乞醯焉，乞诸其邻而与之。”

Confucius remarked of a character of the time! “Who says that the man is an honest man? When somebody begged him for some household necessary, he went and begged of his neighbours for it and gave it as his own.”

【白话译文】

孔子评价当时的一个人（微生高[56]）说：“谁说他是一个诚实正直的人呢？当有人求他给一些家用必需品（醋）的时候，他却跑到邻居家讨了点，然后当成他自己的送给了那个人。”

5-24

子曰：“巧言令色足恭，左丘明耻之，丘亦耻之。匿怨而友其人，左丘明耻之，丘亦耻之。”

Confucius remarked! “Plausible speech! fine manners and studied earnestness are things of which a friend of mine was ashamed; I am also ashamed of such things.To conceal resentment against a person and to make friends with him: that is also something of which my same friend was ashamed; I am also ashamed to do such a thing.”

【白话译文】

孔子说：“花言巧语，装出好脸色，过分讨好别人，这些都是我的一个朋友（左丘明[57]）感到羞耻的事情，我也对这些做法感到羞耻；隐藏对别人的憎恨，反而和他交朋友，这也是我的朋友（左丘明）感到羞耻的，我对此也感到羞耻。”

5-25

颜渊、季路侍。子曰：“盍各言尔志。”子路曰：“愿车马，衣轻裘，与朋友共，蔽之而无憾。”颜渊曰：“愿无伐善，无施劳。”子路曰：“愿闻子之志。”子曰：“老者安之，朋友信之，少者怀之。”

On one occasion, when two of his disciples, the favourite Yen Hui and Chung Yu the intrepid, were in attendance on him, Confucius said to them! “Now tell me, each of you, your aim in the conduct of life.”

“I would like!” answered the intrepid Chung Yu! “if I had carriages and horses and clothings of costly furs, to share them with my friends, to be able to consider such things as much belonging to them as belonging to me.”

“And I!” answered the favourite Yen Hui! “I would like to be able not to boast of my ability and to be able to be humble in my estimate of what I have done for others.”

“Now!” said the intrepid Chung Yu then to Confucius! “we would like to hear your aim, sir, in the conduct of life.”

“My aim!” replied Confucius! “would be to be a comfort to my old folk at home; to be sincere, and to be found trustworthy by my friends; and to love and care for my young people at home.”

【白话译文】

有一次，孔子最喜欢的两个学生颜回和性格勇猛的仲由（子路）在一旁侍奉孔子，孔子对他们说：“现在你们两个人告诉我，你们的毕生志向是什么？”

勇猛的仲由回答：“如果我有一些车、马以及富丽奢华的衣裳，我愿意和朋友一起分享，让他们把属于我的东西也看作属于他们的东西。”

孔子最喜欢的学生颜回回答：“我希望能做到不自我吹嘘；不管为别人做过什么事，在评判自己的时候，都能谦虚谨慎。”

“那么，”勇猛的仲由随后对孔子说，“老师，我们也想听听您一生所追求的志向。”

“我的志向，”孔子回答，“就是可以让家里的老朋友安享晚年；以诚待人，让朋友们觉得足以信任；热爱并关怀家乡的年轻人。”

5-26

子曰：“已矣乎！吾未见能见其过而内自讼者也。”

Confucius was once heard to say! “Alas! I do not see now a man who can see his own failing or is willing to bring a suit against himself before his own conscience.”

【白话译文】

有一次，有人听到孔子说：“唉！我至今还没看到有人能够发现自己的缺点，并愿意在自己的良心面前责备自己。”

5-27

子曰：“十室之邑，必有忠信如丘者焉，不如丘之好学也。”

Confucius once remarked! “Even in a very small town there must be men who are as conscientious and honest as myself: only they have not tried to cultivate themselves as I have done.”

【白话译文】

孔子曾经说：“即使是在非常小的镇上，也肯定会有像我这样尽职尽责、诚实守信的人，只是他们没有像我一样努力提高自身修养罢了。”